Have you ever wondered what differentiates one face cream from another? What lies behind the claims of effectiveness and years of development communicated by brands?
You've come to the right place, we'll explain everything you need to know about making a cosmetic cream!
Formulating a treatment follows a very structured process with essential steps. It's the expertise and creativity in the composition of the treatments that will make the difference. Here are the steps in detail:
1. Draw up the specifications
First, you need to determine your goals: are you trying to hydrate, nourish, or protect your skin? What issues are you addressing? Treating imperfections, fine lines, and brightening your complexion are all possible areas of action.
The specifications may also include elements related to ingredient sourcing. For example, at Hyléria, we only use ingredients from organic agricultural sectors and of nearby geographical origin.
2. Identify the ingredients
Next, you need to select the ingredients to include in the formula. Typically, these include emulsifiers, oils, humectants, preservatives, and active ingredients such as antioxidants and vitamins. This is where the biggest difference lies between "conventional" and natural formulations: while one may include synthetic ingredients, the other will be limited to naturally derived active ingredients.
The aqueous phase contains water, hydrosols, and humectants, such as glycerin or aloe vera gel. They are then heated to varying temperatures to be blended, but be careful, as heat can alter the properties of the active ingredients!
The oily phase follows the same process: we mix the oils, butters, waxes, macerates, emulsifiers, to obtain a homogeneous result.
To create short and effective formulas, all ingredients must be carefully selected, taking into account all their characteristics, such as their appearance, scent, properties, and finish on the skin, as well as their ability to work synergistically. This ensures that the resulting treatment will be effective and pleasant to use.
3. The emulsion
Emulsion refers to the mixture between the aqueous phase and the oily phase, which are initially immiscible with each other.
To create a stable emulsion, you need to add a surfactant, also known as an emulsifier or surface active agent. But what does this mean? Its main role is to make two non-homogeneous phases soluble. It consists of two parts: a hydrophilic head (which likes water) and a lipophilic tail (which likes oil).
There are two types of emulsifiers: oil in water (O/W) or water in oil (W/O), and can be made hot or cold.
An oil-in-water (O/W) emulsifier distributes fine oil droplets in a water base. An O/W emulsion provides a lighter texture to the touch.
Conversely, a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion distributes fine droplets throughout the oil base. This type of emulsion therefore provides a more oily texture to the touch.
4. The choice of surfactants
The most commonly used surfactants in cosmetics are generally derived from petrochemicals. Examples include: PEG (Polyethylene Glycol), sodium lauryl sulfate, and sodium laureth sulfate.
These 3 types of emulsifiers can be irritating and dry out the skin.
In addition, they are not biodegradable because they come from refined petroleum.
In addition to being more environmentally friendly, using plant-based surfactants (such as sodium olivate, coco-glucoside, and others) offers numerous benefits. For example, natural surfactants are non-irritating, making them suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin!
Using natural surfactants makes it possible to formulate effective cosmetics suitable for all skin types while reducing the carbon footprint and reducing the impact on the environment.
5. Antioxidants and preservatives
Once the emulsion is formulated, it must cool to reach room temperature.
Antioxidants (such as acai berries, turmeric, or vitamin E) and preservatives are then added. Without them, the formula would deteriorate very quickly and its use could become dangerous. They also protect it from external microbiological contamination.
Like surfactants, preservatives can be irritating to the skin, even allergenic. They are therefore carefully incorporated into formulas.
European regulations list authorized preservatives and only some of them are authorized in natural cosmetics.
6. Formula testing and adjustments
This step can also be the longest because it involves validating the product's effectiveness and sensory quality in use. The product is used in real-life conditions for several days if necessary to identify any areas of dissatisfaction that need to be addressed. The formula is then adjusted to improve the cream's texture, odor, appearance, effectiveness, or any other characteristic.
7. Regulations
The DIP (Product Information File) is valid for 10 years from the moment the cosmetic product is present on the market in the European Union.
The DIP presents all the information relating to the cosmetic product: the description of the cosmetic product (the person responsible, the labeling, the packaging, the manufacturing address, the commercial name, the brand of the product), the information concerning the reliability of the cosmetic product (level of allergens present, the expiry date), the good manufacturing practices (the raw materials, the production) or the results of the tests carried out.
8. Regulatory tests
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Stability tests
They are necessary to determine the shelf life of the product and after how long the product will be stable. For this, the product is generally tested for 3 months in different conditions in light, in ovens at different temperatures (room temperature, 25°C, 40°C and sometimes 50°C or 60°C). The evaluations are made with a control (5°C) and are done at 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and can go up to 12 weeks.
The 3-day tests are called “crash tests” and are carried out at 60°C. They allow for a rapid check of the stability of the product (the phase shift of the formula, the change in color or even the evolution of the odor). If the test is negative, this allows for rapid reworking of the formula and making changes. Conversely, if the product is stable after the 3 days of crash testing, the tests continue.
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Skin reaction tests
To assess potential skin reactions, a "patch test" is performed. But what does it involve? Consumers are selected to perform this test for 48 hours. The cream is applied in a small amount to the arm or back as a patch.
9. Usage tests
All claims of effectiveness must be verified by a panel of testers who will measure their level of satisfaction regarding the benefits provided by the cream (the effect on wrinkles, radiance, tone, hydration, etc.)
Formulating a cosmetic cream is therefore a long process that must be carried out rigorously. At Hyléria, we believe that creating a good product means being creative but demanding at each stage of the formulation to enhance high-quality active ingredients!