Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating What did I do wrong?

  • What did I do wrong?

    Posted by Majman on August 22, 2018 at 7:41 am

    Hello fam!  I need your help! I made a face mist with green tea infused water, allantoin, niacinamide and when cooled, added germall plus and I thought all was well until a week later, the smell had changed, felt like it had gone bad, what did I do wrong? 

    Majman replied 5 years, 8 months ago 5 Members · 18 Replies
  • 18 Replies
  • OldPerry

    Member
    August 22, 2018 at 12:53 pm

    There are a number of things that could cause this problem, such as…

    1. You didn’t use enough preservative
    2. You didn’t formulate it in a clean enough environment
    3. Your used contaminated raw materials
    4. You used contaminated packaging

    Did you do a preservative efficacy test?

  • Majman

    Member
    August 23, 2018 at 10:40 am

    I didn’t do a preservative efficacy test, how is that done?  I only added germall plus ,a few drops I’m told is effective enough so.  Then I doubt the raw materials were contaminated. 

  • belassi

    Member
    August 23, 2018 at 2:34 pm

     I only added germall plus ,a few drops I’m told is effective enough so. 
    You have discovered that it is useless to “estimate” required quantities. Only scientific methods work. Use a proper scale and use the required %

  • OldPerry

    Member
    August 23, 2018 at 6:00 pm

    You’ve discovered a few drops is not enough.

  • Chemistrygirl

    Member
    August 23, 2018 at 8:58 pm

    @Majman, Dear sir to formulate you need to study for years. Unless you have taken cosmetic chemistry educational classes. You need a proper scale, and at least a proper formula, face mists are mostly water based yes? YES. You must preserve and test your product to make sure it is stable. Research but stay clear of YouTube DIY advice.
    *The above statement is my opinion only, it does not reflect on chemistscorner.com or YouTube and its subsidiaries.

  • Majman

    Member
    August 24, 2018 at 1:00 pm

    thanks guys that why I need help and came to you guys for help, there has to be tips for beginners with no chemistry background. funny enough as the smell changed, it began to really work well but still, I don’t like how it seems to be going bad 

  • Majman

    Member
    August 24, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    So using the above named ingredients guys, how can I formulate a product that doesn’t go bad and effective please?  Saying I’m working with 100ml bottle for instance, how much preservative does it need? 

  • Sibech

    Member
    August 24, 2018 at 2:02 pm

    @Majman, what most newcomers to formulating are unaware of it is impossible to accurately predict how much preservative is needed for any one formula. Simply because there are so many variables. a single preservative may not even be sufficient as not all microorganisms are targeted by each preservative.

    That is why a preservative efficacy test (also known as a challenge test) is performed.

  • belassi

    Member
    August 24, 2018 at 2:33 pm

    Anyway, irrespective of the preservative issue, you should know that green tea extract is not stable.

  • Majman

    Member
    August 25, 2018 at 10:48 am

    Thanks guys so @belassi @sibech how do I improve on this formulation  or I just discard it? 

  • belassi

    Member
    August 25, 2018 at 1:54 pm

    Pine bark extract would serve better than tea extract and you need to use the correct percentage of the preservative.

  • Sibech

    Member
    August 25, 2018 at 5:20 pm

    @majman I think you might listen to belassi, I personally never managed to stabilize green tea, the it oxidizes easily and even autooxidates.

    I even read an article with the EGCg Dimer activating the same receptor as chili peppers do.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/25422365/

  • belassi

    Member
    August 25, 2018 at 5:41 pm

    @Sibech is correct, it is terribly unstable. Even in a refrigerator inside a foil airtight container the dry powder only lasted about 12 weeks before it became completely degraded. It might -look- the same but it does not show pH-related activity after it degrades. And in water it degrades really fast. There is a whole class of substances that would be very useful but for the fact they can’t be stabilised.

  • Majman

    Member
    August 25, 2018 at 8:50 pm

    Wow thanks guys. 

  • Majman

    Member
    August 25, 2018 at 8:59 pm

    But how do products claiming to have green tea manage to stabilise theirs or is it just a marketing lingo 

  • belassi

    Member
    August 25, 2018 at 10:40 pm

    But how do products claiming to have green tea manage to stabilise theirs or is it just a marketing lingo 
    1. Use tiny amounts of no importance.
    2. Shelf life.
    3. The customer can’t tell anyway.

  • Majman

    Member
    August 25, 2018 at 10:42 pm

    Lol hmmmn, thanks @Belassi

  • Majman

    Member
    August 26, 2018 at 6:52 am

    I also did same formulation of green tea extract, allantoin, niacinamide and Hyaluronic acid @Belassi @Perry and same thing happened, it went bad and the Hyaluronic acid de-gelled. So how’s the best way to preserve a Hyaluronic acid serum without de-gelling and turning to water? Would ethanol and germall plus be enough ?without adding green tea of course. 

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