[lushderma]

Most ingredients have a pH range in which they’re stable. Too acidic or basic an environment could risk a reaction or breakdown into another chemical which could ruin your product. As long as you check the pH ranges of your ingredients and any notes from the supplier/manufacturer on pH (and abide by them) you should be fine.

[lushderma]

Sucrose Stearate makes nice light creams from my experience. 

[lushderma]

So turns out I just need to mix the emulsion properly. I got an homogeniser and made another batch, adjusted to pH 5.3 and it’s great. Was previously mixing via overhead stirrer only. Thanks for all the tips so far. 

[lushderma]

@Pattsi yes it is!

[lushderma]

Thanks. Physically it feels just like any other moisturiser (not too heavy, etc) which I guess would suggest it’s O/W

[lushderma]

So in doing some research into this I tested the pH of cheap supermarket moisturiser, one which I consider to be reasonably high end and one pre-made by a cosmetics ingredients supply. All were in the range of 7.1-7.2 which I found really surprising as this would be working against your skins acid mantle but I can also see that at this pH they would also avoid a lot of formulation issues as my emulsion is creamy and stable at this pH but becomes thin and light/fluffy at pH 5.5. More research needed.

[lushderma]

OK, interesting. Thanks for the reply.

[lushderma]

This https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6593431/ may be of interest in support of a more acidic pH for skincare

[lushderma]

@chemicalmatt when you say to add the diluted acid solution while mixing is underway do you mean the initial high shear mixing or can it be just stirring during cool down? 

[lushderma]

I was looking for a replacement co-emulsifier for glyceryl stearate and it had to be low HLB. I had some lecithin so I thought it give it a try. It worked pretty well but the preservation issue seems to be a major downside 

[lushderma]

@chemicalmatt thanks for the feedback. I’m guessing I’ll need to go with the second method as I will have added heat sensitive ingredients in the cool down phase. 

[lushderma]

@chemicalmatt further to your point. How would you suggest lowering the pH of an O/W emulsion other than doing it at higher temperature?

[lushderma]

@chemicalmatt thanks for the reply. Learning more all the time! It seems the glyceryl stearate I was using was contributing to the pH sensitivity. Measuring the pH correctly has also helped!

[lushderma]

Just realised I have been measuring the pH incorrectly so I may have been making it to acidic which resulted in destablisation. Will make another batch and test correctly to see if this makes any difference!

[lushderma]

OK thanks. Glad I’m at least on the right track!

[lushderma]

I’ve been using Zemea/Propanediol as the main humectant in moisturiser I’m trying out. Seems OK but I’m keen to try glycerine for a comparison.

[lushderma]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback

[lushderma]

Eclectic said:

lushderma said:

@Perry provides a great answer. In essence, identify your market and their problems and provide them with a solution. A colleague of mine was involved in the launch of Carbon Theory - an acne focused line whose core product is a soap bar with activated charcoal and tea tree oil. Hardly rocket science. The guy made test batches in his kitchen before finding a contract manufacturer who could make it in volume. He then pitched it to the Boots pharmacy chain who liked it (and its low price - circa £6) and put it in its Beauty Finds category in around 180 stores. About 1 in 20 products will flourish after being tested like this. Carbon Theory did and they are now one of the best selling products in this acne category. They are also rolling out to the US via Ulta. Didn’t require masses of capital or fancy ingredients. Just a well thought out and targeted product and some luck (as with all things!) with initial distribution. 

@lushderma - I know this topic is over two weeks old now, but I’ve been meaning to come back and post a follow up question to your story:

How was this person able to bring this product to the market without it being classed as a “drug” by the FDA? Or was it? If so, the cost of passing all the testing and regulation to sell a drug would be well outside the $10k budget mentioned in the original post. What was the budget to originally launch this product?

Hi @Eclectic. The product was launched in the UK and quickly attracted some venture type funding. I don’t know what the initial launch budget was but I imagine it was relatively modest. The US launch came about a year later and I expect the FDA costs etc you mention were met by the aforementioned funding. So the initial UK launch could have been done within the $10k budget but then things scaled rapidly from there. 

[lushderma]

Thanks for the feedback

[lushderma]

OK got it. Thanks. I’m looking at Quercetin for the anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory and other protective qualities

[lushderma]

@Perry provides a great answer. In essence, identify your market and their problems and provide them with a solution. A colleague of mine was involved in the launch of Carbon Theory - an acne focused line whose core product is a soap bar with activated charcoal and tea tree oil. Hardly rocket science. The guy made test batches in his kitchen before finding a contract manufacturer who could make it in volume. He then pitched it to the Boots pharmacy chain who liked it (and its low price - circa £6) and put it in its Beauty Finds category in around 180 stores. About 1 in 20 products will flourish after being tested like this. Carbon Theory did and they are now one of the best selling products in this acne category. They are also rolling out to the US via Ulta. Didn’t require masses of capital or fancy ingredients. Just a well thought out and targeted product and some luck (as with all things!) with initial distribution. 

[lushderma]

Thanks @Perry Super helpful!

[lushderma]

Thanks @Perry will do

[lushderma]

Hi all, first post so sorry if this is in the wrong place. I see this ingredient ‘Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract / Pineapple Fruit Extract’ listed in a number of cosmetic products. Does anyone know how this differs from Bromelain? Most definitions say it contains Bromelain but if it does, and with Bromelain losing activity in water (slower in oil) then these additives probably have next to no effect by the time the consumer uses it. Am I missing something?