How to Formulate with our Active Ingredients
Part two
Five years ago, on September 28, 2020, my first formulation blog post was published on our homepage: “5 important tips for formulating with active ingredients.” The idea was - and still is - to make it as easy as possible for our customers to understand how to formulate our active ingredients. We wanted to explain the “dos and don’ts” clearly and practically. This gave rise to our blog series “How to Formulate with...”, which is released with every new active ingredient launch.
Just in time for the 5th anniversary of these blog series, I am excited to share Part 2 with you.
How to Formulate with our Active Ingredients
This summer, we saw many well-established cosmetic products relaunched with SPF. Preservatives were replaced, Hero active ingredients were combined with booster active ingredients, and even our favorite body lotion got a touch of summer with glitter pigments and a fragrance reminiscent of sun, sand, and vacations.
But is reformulating really as easy as it seems?
No, absolutely not. As a developer, you often face challenges that need to be solved. But how? Here are four tips to help you:
Tip #1: Which Active Ingredients Should Be Replaced or Added?
When replacing or adding active ingredients, it’s advantageous if they are of the same type.
For example: PhytoCellTec™ Solar Vitis and PhytoCellTec™ Exosomes. Both are powdered active ingredients with identical recommended usage concentrations. Additionally, both are based on isomalt as the carrier material. This means the developer already knows how the existing formulation reacts to an isomalt-based active ingredient, making the process much easier.
Tip #2: What Happens if the Type Is the Same but the INCI Is Different?
This is where the details matter. Let's assume that PhytoCellTec™ Exosomes is to be replaced by CM-Glucan Forte. CM-Glucan Forte has a completely different INCI: Magnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan. It is not isomalt-based and does not contain lecithin like PhytoCellTec™ Exosomes, and its recommended usage concentration is much lower: 0.02–0.1%. In addition, there is another problem: Magnesium (a divalent ion, which is part of CM-Glucan Forte) can affect the stability of the formulation. Precipitation can may happen in clear formulations, and phase separation can occur in emulsions. It is therefore good to know whether the other raw materials used and the emulsifier system are compatible with bivalent ions.
Tip #3: Can I Combine All Active Ingredients with Hyaluronic Acid?
No, unfortunately not. Hyaluronic acid is one of the most popular hero actives in the world and is found in countless products. It is also very “easy” to formulate with: By simply adding water and a preservative, you can create a hyaluronic acid serum. But what happens if you want to add a fragrance and another active ingredient? Water-based gel formulations require a solubilizer, which is similar to an emulsifier. Active ingredients such as AquaCacteen™ can be combined without any problems. Unfortunately, our encapsulated active ingredients are less suitable for this purpose. The solubilizer weakens the surface of the liposomes, allowing the contents of the “capsule” to leak out. This leads to instability which, depending on the content, can result in cloudiness, sediment at the bottom, or oil droplets on the surface. As soon as lecithin is listed in the INCI, developers should bear in mind that it could be an encapsulated active ingredient. Lecithin is also often used as an emulsifier and therefore causes cloudiness in clear formulations.
Tip #4: What Should I Consider When Combining Sunscreen with Active Ingredients?
Nowadays, sunscreen should not only protect but also care for the skin. We use sun protection products in summer and winter. Ideally, we apply them several times a day to maintain protection. So why not add some extra care? HelioGuard™ 365, InfraGuard, and PhytoCellTec™ Solar Vitis are excellent additions to sunscreen products. First and foremost, attention must be paid to the pH level when adding the active ingredient during development. If this is above pH 8, unsightly discoloration occurs, making the finished product appear gray. This is due to the antioxidant components of the active ingredients. Additionally, if the preservative is also replaced, the pH should be checked again to ensure stability.
Conclusion: Key Considerations for Reformulation
There are several factors to consider when reformulating existing market formulations. As a take-home message, however, it is worth noting that our Formulation Guideline, which we create for each of our active ingredients, is a helpful source of information.
And if instabilities are noticed during development work or stability tests, please feel free to contact my dear colleague Melina Reichmuth (melina.reichmuth@mibellegroup.com) and me, Antje Düring (antje.duering@mibellegroup.com).
