[Onur]

Esters of fatty acids and alcohols are also triggering malassezia, which are all true emulsifiers are made of. But that depends on the formula. If you use strong anti-fungal agents like climbazole or piroctone olamine, it’s OK to have them in the formula. Use a non-ionic one as suggested above and use the lower concentration of BTMS as the co-emulsifier if you like its texture. (I do!)

[Onur]

Tocopherol is a weak antioxidant. Use BHT and increase the concentration of chelators.

[Onur]

How could the pH be 4 with all those acids? Are you testing the pH of the product or the 10% solution in distilled water? Try the latter. And make a buffer with sodium citrate to prevent pH fluctuations.

Oil droplets could be the contaminants in your plastic bottle or in your materials, if they’re ever oil-droplets in the first place. I assume they are the recrystalized SA or Piroctone olamine because these two have poor solubility in water. Use solubilizers like glycols, Peg-8 and polysorbates.

[Onur]

You’re using various gellants that work at different environments. Pick one, I’d suggest cationic gellants like Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride in hair products. Or a non-ionic one if you need to use a quaternium resin.

That’s too much Aloe Vera, it’s a claims ingredient, so is Panthenol, lower them to 0.10%. No benefit of sorbitol here, either. It will only make the product sticky.

I’d use pqt-7 instead of pqt-10 in leave-in products but that’s a personal choice.

Preservation could be better. Try Phenoxyethanol & EHG duo.

[Onur]

It depends on the fragrant material (aroma chemicals) you’re using. To be on the safe side, avoid formulating with essential oils and IFRA allergens, which are the ingredients you’d have to specify in the INCI list on your product like Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Cinnamic Alcohol etc.

As I’ve also been making perfumes for cosmetics and as EDT/EDP fragrances for over a decade now, I can help you with that if you request. Already made a few hypoallergenic ones for baby products.

[Onur]

Non-comedogenic labels aim to avoid ingredients that might clog pores, but they’re usually based on individual components, not full formulas. Sites like incidecoder.com share those ratings, but they’re not definitive. Human skin isn’t rabbit ears, and everyone reacts differently.

Ethylhexyl palmitate, for example, is rated highly comedogenic, yet I use it daily in my moisturizer without any issues. On the other hand, mineral oil and some silicones consistently break me out even though I know they don’t have the kind of molecular structure that typically clogs pores. They may be disrupting my skin’s lipid barrier in other ways.

A more science-based alternative to these outdated claims is checking whether ingredients are Malassezia-safe since those yeasts can feed on certain substances and trigger breakouts. So rather than relying blindly on comedogenic ratings, it’s better to know your own skin and steer clear of heavy esters and oils that are commonly flagged.

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 3 days ago by  Perry44.

[Onur]

I’m curious about which raw materials they demonize and which ones they glorify when evaluating those products. I’ve had enough of these fear-mongering companies. In the bigger picture, the so-called ‘angel’ ingredients they promote as alternatives to the ‘evil’ ones often have a similar environmental footprint.

Mother Nature might sound poetic but the idea that natural ingredients are inherently harmless is misleading. Pouring vegetable oil down the drain, for example, will harm the environment for sure. ‘Natural’ and ‘organic’ may feel like a warm hug, yet snake venom is 100% natural, too. Natural substances are still made up of chemicals.

It’s a bit absurd to pin the blame on individual waste when most marine mucilage is caused by agricultural runoff and industrial waste.

[Onur]

Gluconolactone is PHA, a mild acid, not really likely the culprit here. What’s the concentration?

Niacinamide, maybe but it depends on the concentration again.

It could be your sensitivity to Phenoxyethanol, it’s common.

What’s the final pH? Is it perfumed?

[Onur]

Glycols all help with penetration and also add some humectancy. You can go with propylene glycol or butylene glycol at around 3–5%. Other good options are dimethyl isosorbide or oleic acid. PG + oleic acid is the most potent combo but they need to be emulsified, which probably doesn’t work for your serum.

A 5% lactic acid solution at pH 4 gives you about 2% active (free) acid. The rest is in its salt form.

Niacinamide stays most stable around pH 6.

Phenoxyethanol alone is not very strong against fungi, and gram+ bacteria.

The formula doesn’t have a rheology modifier, so it won’t glide very well. I’d throw in at least some xanthan gum or HEC.

Also, what’s citric acid doing here? Why use sodium hydroxide instead of TEA or something else? No chelators, either?

[Onur]

Peptides are fairy dusts (claims ingredients). They don’t even get to how poorly Retinyl Palmitate performs, let alone Retinol and the gold standard, Tretinoin.

The only ones worth mentioning are Matrixyl 3000 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8. They help with a supple, brightened complexion. I’d still use Niacinamide for that as it’s more effective at a fraction of the cost.

Another reason they’re used in anti-aging products is to avoid the irritation risk that comes with retinoids. They might make the skin look firmer (often labeled with “Botox-like effects”), but in reality, it’s the carrier oils, silicones, and glycols doing the heavy lifting by moisturizing—hence the wrinkle-reducing effect.

Wrinkle depth is reduced by… guess what…. MOISTURIZING! Keeping the skin around the eyes hydrated and elastic for extended periods smooths wrinkles and helps prevent new ones from forming.

Make a system with lots of glycerin and/or glycols and silicones, paired with fast-absorbing emollients. Use more science-backed ingredients like Niacinamide (or a Niacinamide + Adenosine combo, as many luxury designer brands do). Use Matrixyl 3000 at 1%. Ta-da! Everyone will swear it’s working on wrinkles—because it’s formulated to do just that!

[Onur]

You’re likely not reaching the full neutralization range for Carbopol because you’re staying within SSG’s preferred acidic window. Yes SSG prefers and is most stable in slightly acidic conditions.

There might be other ingredients that break it, as well. Why disperse Carbopol in Octyl Stearate and adding it to the hot phase? Carbopol disperses best in water, not oil. Oil dispersion can prevent hydration and swelling. Did you try using another thickener? Like good old Xanthan gum or Sodium polyacrylate?

[Onur]

Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Water(640,000Ppm), Dipropylene Glycol, Water, Tripropylene Glycol, Cellulose, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Steartrimonium Methosulfate, Glycerin, Saccharide Isomerate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycereth-25 Pca Isostearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Squalane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sucrose Distearate, Caprylic/​Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrolyzed Malt Extract, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Dextrin, Arbutin, Gluconolactone, Salicylic Acid

Checking the ingredients, yes it’s easy to replicate, even for better. I wouldn’t use Sodium Citrate/Citric acid buffer for this cationic system.

To give you an idea briefly, it’s mostly composed of:

LOTS OF Glycols as humectants: DPG, Tripropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2 Hexanediol.

They’re hydrating the skin by attracting water without feeling tacky or sticky. Plus they boost the preservation system. One or two would be enough. (I’d pick Propanediol and 1,2 Hexanediol, first at 3% and the latter at 1%)

+ A touch of good old glycerin makes sense in the formulation. Keep it. (At 1% or less)

Then a number of different light and medium spreading fatty esters and hydrocarbons, usually marketed as “oil-free” lipids or dry oils as they don’t feel heavy and act as great emollients (skin-smoothing):

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Squalane, Caprylic/​Capric Triglyceride.

I’d go with Ethylhexyl Palmitate if cost is an issue, if not MCT (Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride) and Squalane combo is OK at 2-5%

Emulsifiers: Steartrimonium Methosulfate, Glycereth-25 Pca Isostearate, Sucrose Distearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin.

The main one is the cationic (Steartrimonium Methosulfate) that gives you the cushion-y, silky feeling. The others are non-ionic co-emulsifiers. Use good old Behentrimonium Methosulfate (or Behentrimonium Chloride) at 1-2% and very little Ceteareth-20 to stabilize it.

Thickeners/Rheology modifiers: Cellulose, Carbomer.

Actives: Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Salicylic acid, Arbutin, Sodium Hyraluronate, Hyraluronic acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid.

I’d only keep the first three. The others are mostly claim ingredients.

Preservatives/Chelants: Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Gluconolactone (again, as the chelant)

This could be duped with 10-12 ingredients only.

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 3 days ago by  Perry44.

[Onur]

PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate is lovely to use but it’s not a must.

Use Isododecane or IPM as the main ingredient, add Stearic acid till you get the viscosity you like with a little Ceteareth-20 and/or Polysorbate 80 (at around 3%). All are cheap and safe, they feel great and give you a good rinsability.

[Onur]

Consumers seek functional, working products with a good rheology. Only 0.1% of the market cares about what’s inside the products.

[Onur]

You were told to avoid synthetic fragrances because no one knows what they’re talking about. A “natural” fragrant oil is made of… guess what… chemicals! Most of them are common allergens and some isolates from them or fully lab-created aroma chemicals are better for this purpose. They also allow you to create non-medicinal smelling, beautiful fragrances.

Fragrances that are used in cosmetics are mostly made of Hedione + Iso E Super + Galaxolide combo because those materials are the skeletons of modern fragrances. Then they might throw a floral, fruit, or an aromatic base in that skeleton. Apart from those three, the most preferred aroma chemicals are ionones (violet, iris), heliotropin (almond, sweet), vanillin/ethyl vanillin (vanilla), coumarin (tonka), phenyl ethyl alcohol (rose), linalool/linalyl acetate (lavender), limonene (orange) etc.

There’s no need to learn another artistry to scent your materials, though. You can just buy fragrances made for cosmetics or just hire a perfumer.

[Onur]

Glycols are what you need for that effect.

Try the trio of Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacrylate with Carbomer and/or some high molecular Sodium Hyaluronate. That combo is giving me forever moisturized feel and whenever I touch my face, it’s not dry.

[Onur]

Salicylic acid, of course. Many people think it’s water soluble but no, it’s only soluble in oil/ethanol/some glycols. I kind of like bisabolol, too.

Squalane and Squalene are different, the latter being cheaper and oxidized easily. Squalane is the superior one. It’s weird to say it’s oil soluble because it’s the oil itself, it’s a liquid.

Zinc oxide isn’t dissolved in oil, it’s dispersed only.

[Onur]

I love using Triethyl Citrate in body products as it also has deodorizing properties. Great to plasticize glycerin.

[Onur]

If you like the texture of the final product, use whatever you like. No strict rules. But a few things could be adjusted to make it shine.

If you think pqt-11 gives you enough holding and thickness, why use another gellant? Increase it until you like the viscosity. Not saying you can’t use two or more rheology agents but they often compete with each other and gets easily out of control. Never been a fan of Xanthan gum, I like HEC, though. You can even try PVP/PVA if you better holding strength.

There’s really no need of glycerin here. It’s a wonder product to hydrate the skin and the scalp but hair strands just don’t work the same way. You don’t need to attract water to hair, that’s what makes it frizzy and chalky. Remove glycerin and sorbitol, add HEC or Guar Hydroxy and inceease the pqt-11 (it doesn’t dissolve easily, does it?) and play with the numbers until you’re happy with it.

[Onur]

Polyglyceryl esters are also soaping much, aren’t they? Hence their use in oil-to-milk cleansing oils/balms.

I’d avoid mango butter altogether. All the oil-based formulas with it have that recrystalization issue, as is the case with Shea butter. Plus they oxidize in the blink of an eye! I’d only use them below 0.10% if I ever had to.

[Onur]

Until the the desired thickness. Start with 5% to 10% to see how it works?

[Onur]

Thanks—I didn’t mean to offend anyone. Aroma chemicals used in perfumery are actually very well-tolerated and safe. They aren’t inherently riskier than natural essential oils just because they’re labeled “synthetic.” In fact, it’s often the opposite. Essential oils, absolutes, and extracts contain dozens of aromatic compounds, many of which are known allergens. They don’t offer any particular benefit in skincare, either. Modern perfumery uses both synthetics (primarily) and natural ingredients when appropriate. Synthetics are exceptionally useful for creating an infinite range of scent profiles—floral, fruity, fougère, gourmand, etc.—without the medicinal or terpenic notes often associated with natural materials. They offer a broader palette and are well studied by toxicologists.

[Onur]

It depends on the formula. SLS/SLES is very well tolerable in eczama-prone skin if formulated well. The formula is mostly fatty alcohols and PG, so the chances of it being harsh on the skin is very low.

What surprised me more is that they didn’t use any buffer or a chelating agent for a bath product.

[Onur]

I’m an organic chemist with 12 years of experience in perfume making.

[Onur]

Peptides, proteins, botanical extracts, and oils do NOT repair hair. They’re marketing ingredients—there’s no solid science behind them. The studies that do exist are limited and often biased. Hair damage is not reversible. What we can do is use cationic emulsifiers, polymers, and silicones to mask the damage, improving the hair’s appearance by adding shine, softness, and elasticity.

The term “bond-builder” is just marketing hype—those products work in a similar fashion to a basic conditioner. Products like Olaplex and K18 are selling dreams. If they truly repaired hair, you wouldn’t need to keep using them weekly or monthly; one application would be enough—at least until the hair was damaged again. Botanical extracts are useless, very few of them actually do something with a ridiculous price point. They’re used to give the product the illusion of being safer and better and often used at 0.01% - 0.1%.