Formulating lotion: Phase C & ACTIVE INGREDIENTS- THEORY pt.6

LAB NOTES & SAFETY NOTICE
These are personal experiments for educational use only— not instructions and not for commercial or consumer use. By proceeding, you assume all risks related to safety, testing, and regulatory compliance.
[Full Legal Disclaimer & Safety Requirements]

My Lab Notes: Phase C—The “Cool Down” & Active Ingredients

Hello Hello! 😀

If Phase A and B are the “body” of my cream, then Phase C is the personality! This is the “Cool Down” phase where I add all the fun stuff, but it’s also the part that makes me the most nervous. Why? Because most of these ingredients are total divas—they hate heat!

The “Waiting Game” Protocol

Sips water. Patience is everything here. I’ve learned that I absolutely have to wait until my emulsion drops below 40°C. If I get impatient and add things too early, I’m basically just cooking my expensive actives!

  • My Checklist: I usually keep my total “active load” under 10% to make sure the emulsion stays stable and doesn’t get “cranky.”

1. The “Antioxidant Cocktail” Theory

I’ve been reading that it’s better to use a team of antioxidants rather than just one.

  • My Observation: Mixing Vitamin E (Tocopherol) with something like Resveratrol seems to create a much stronger defense. It’s like they protect each other while they protect the oils in my cream!

2. Acids & The pH Balance

I use things like Lactic or Citric acid to either exfoliate or just fix the pH.

  • Safety Note: My notes are very strict about this—if I use chemical exfoliants like Salicylic acid, those batches are for NIGHT USE ONLY. I don’t want to mess with photosensitivity!

3. Niacinamide: The “Flushing” Constraint

Niacinamide is a hero in my oily-skin research (I usually use 1–4%), but it has a very specific rule: pH 5.0 to 5.5. * The Risk: I’ve documented that if the pH goes too high or too low, it can turn into Nicotinic Acid. If that happens… PHEW! It can cause the skin to flush and turn red. Not what I’m going for! 😀

4. Soothing & The “Grit” Problem

I love adding Panthenol (B5) and Allantoin for that soothing feeling.

  • Lab Lesson: Allantoin is a tricky one! It only dissolves at 0.4%. I’ve had batches where I used too much and ended up with “grit” in the cream. It felt like a scrub instead of a lotion! Now I’m much more careful with my measurements.

5. Eye Area Experiments (The Caffeine Boost)

For my eye creams, I’ve been experimenting with Caffeine and Escin. They are fascinating because of their “vasoprotective” properties—basically trying to help with puffiness and drainage.

**The “Reality Check” on Sourcing 😉 **

This is where my inner detective comes out. Marketing can be so deceptive!

  • The Q10 Case Study: Pure Coenzyme Q10 is a bright, intense yellow. Even at 0.1%, it turns the cream yellow.

  • My Thought: When I see a “Pure White” Q10 cream in a store, I just smile and shake my head. I know the concentration must be almost zero!

  • Check the SDS: I’ve learned to always check the Safety Data Sheet. “Liquid Q10” is often mostly filler with just a tiny bit of the real stuff. I want to know exactly what I’m putting in my beakers!

It really is a science, and every time I cool down a batch, I feel like I’m learning a new secret. It’s all in my hands! 😉

HAVE A GREAT DAY! 😄

26 thoughts on “Formulating lotion: Phase C & ACTIVE INGREDIENTS- THEORY pt.6”

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  8. Hi! I’ve been reading your website for some time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Atascocita Texas! Just wanted to mention keep up the great work!

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  9. your blog is unreal a lot of useful information in one page. Keep it up I am really enjoying thanks for sharing your experience in this fabulous DIY

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  10. If possible please put a DIY for hyper pigmentation problem in face or body ^^ I will do it for sure I love making DIY ^________^

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    1. I will think about that 🙂
      But since I have the opposite “problem” I don’t know how I could see if the formulation works 😀 but I will try to find a solution to this 🙂 maybe ask friends to test

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  11. Hi, I couldn’t find your article about “extract”. Can you give me the link? Thank you!

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  12. Wow,I can’t help but stop by,thank you so much ma’am I believe this is my last bus stop on cosmetic making ,

    Please madam I want to know how to use HYDROQUINONE 2% as a lightening agent in my product for personal use,please I find it difficult to calculate 2% so please help me on my calculation and convenient time to add it into my made cream or lotion ,Thanks a lot

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    1. Hello.
      Hydroquinone is a very difficult ingredient to work with. It needs air tight manufacturing and protection from UVs.
      It is DANGEROUS to formulate with it in a home environment so I don’t suggest you to do it.

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  13. I found your blog again after 4 years. You helped me out with some lotion making concerns then and it came out fabulously. I also made a HA serum which was a hit with my family and I ended up making a dozen of it for all my aunties :D. Unfortunately I fell out and went back to commercial lotions. Im picking up on this again and have been reading about all the chemistry, ficks law etc most which is beyond me but all very fascinating. Its my dream to make the ultimate face cream with everything but the kitchen sink in it. 🙂 Good to come across your blog again. And I see you are just as patient and generous as I remember.

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    1. Hey I am so glad!
      Actually I have been buying some lotions too lately (mostly body lotions because I fall in love with some fragrances that I cannot find!!!).
      Thank you for your kind words 🙂

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      1. Oh yes fragrance is a big selling point for me too. I have tried to purchase the chocolatey smell in Vaseline cocoa butter lotion so that I can add it into eucerin creams but the two chocolate oils I tried didn’t smell anything close to it.

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  14. Hi, I recently discovered your blog and I’m learning so much here! Please do a follow up post as promised, pleaseeee!!

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  15. I was wondering,what is the difference between all the different kind of extracts,like liposoluble ,Hydroglycolic,Freeze dried,CO2,,1:2 ratio…Which one is better to use? Most common one I could find was “Glycerin, water, %20 extract”..I looked through the websites you have linked but couldn’t find the ones in powder form

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    1. It depends on the extractor: what is it going to extract / how powerful it is.
      Glycerin is not the best extractor. Glycolic is quite a good solvent (but the same behaviour it has on good components, it has on the skin as well so I wouldn’t exceed). CO2 is maybe the best way so far, but they tend to be expensive.

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      1. Oh I see! I understand what EG,EF,ES means but what does TM means? I was thinking of going for “Centella ES tit. asiaticoside 20%” for my calming centella serum,as I understand this is a dry extract soluble in water?

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  16. just making sure i understand… vit E and hydrolyzed proteins and Propanediol (a panthenol substitute) are all added to phase C, the cool down phase right? with the preservative ?

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