Consumers, now more than ever, want personal care products that really deliver on their performance and promises. So how can you make sure you are choosing the best active for your cosmetic formulas?
Read on to learn tips and tricks to get the required results by choosing the best active ingredients specific to your product and cosmetic formula needs.
1. Review efficacy data of cosmetic actives carefully.
Cosmetic ingredient suppliers will usually provide detailed information showing how their active ingredients perform under certain conditions, which should include:
- how much of the active ingredient was used to get the desired results;
- how long it took to achieve those results;
- how often product was applied;
- the product form used to deliver the active ingredient.
You will need to review all of these items carefully when comparing different active ingredients and the relevance of the efficacy data to your desired use. For example, take particular note of:
- how many applications per day or week are required to get the results: if you are formulating a once a week face mask, the results may not be relevant.
- how much active was used: an active ingredient needed at 5%w/w to get similar results as an active used at 2%w/w may have formulation and cost implications making one active more desirable than another.
- how long the results took to be obtained: usually the faster you can see the desired results, the better customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
- the type of formula the active was used in: if you are using the active in a gel-based serum, you may get very different results if the in vivo efficacy data was obtained from using an o/w cream.
Taking a critical look at these above considerations can help you identify which active ingredients have better suitability for your specific cosmetic formulation type and needs.
2. Actives from different suppliers, even with the same INCI, can have very different results.
The efficacy data you obtain from your cosmetic ingredient supplier is very specific to their ingredient.
This means that if you source a cosmetic active from another supplier, even if it has the same INCI or chemical name, it may be a different molecular weight, or may have used different extraction or manufacturing methods and therefore give very different results.
When using efficacy data from a cosmetic ingredient supplier, make sure you are sourcing your ingredients from that same supplier. What may seem like the same material from a different supplier could give a totally different outcome; see some examples of how this may impact your formulation and selections in this video.
3. Check pH, temperature and method of addition.
The cosmetic ingredient supplier information should provide you with details of:
- any charge incompatibilities, if relevant;
- pH of stability for that ingredient in a finished product. Be careful – this may differ from the pH of the ingredient in its raw form and what is written in its technical data or MSDS;
- how the active ingredient should be added; for example, if it should be added in the cool down phase or with heat, and if you need to use high or low shear processing to incorporate it into the formula;
- any other incompatibilities; if relevant.
If you use a great active ingredient in an incompatible formula, add at the wrong temperature, use the wrong shear or have a final pH that is not compatible, the material simply won’t work.
If you have the choice of active ingredients where one has broader compatibilities than another, then that would typically be the better active to choose.
You may also need to use a sodium citrate buffer to help stabilise the final pH of a formula within a tight range. Watch this video which explains how to select the best active along with an example of stabilising an active using a sodium citate buffer.
4. Consider delivery and penetration.
It is important to make sure your active ingredients get to the site where they can provide the best results. For example:
- oils and proteins provide the best results on the outer layers of the epidermis;
- humectants not only enhance delivery of active ingredients to the mid-layers of the epidermis, but also provide their best results when there; and
- very small molecular weight actives such as peptides will need to penetrate to the deeper layers of the epidermis to get the best results.
Make sure your cosmetic formulas incorporate penetration enhancers if deeper delivery is needed.
5. Understand how the active ingredients in cosmetic formulas work for best results.
When you understand how the active ingredients work, the depth of delivery they need, and their mode of action, you can make the best ingredient selections. This means making the best cosmetic ingredient selections for the whole formula, not just the active ingredients.
Functional ingredients like emulsifiers can support barrier protection, when chosen correctly. Osmolytes and amphiphilic formulas can enhance delivery. Which is needed for the actives you have chosen and the site of activity?
Understanding how your active ingredients work, along with their incompatibilities and site of activity, is fundamental in making the best choices for all ingredients in your cosmetic formulas. This is what ensures your final formula, and choice of actives, will have the best possible results.
When choosing the best active for your cosmetic formulas, make sure you read supplier data carefully and apply all the rules in this article to make the best active ingredient selection and get the best performance from your cosmetic formulas.
Happy formulating!
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