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Writer's picturetaralee
23 hours ago19 min read

How to Make Serums; Formulating for Beginners



You can formulate a simple face serum by combining Distilled water with your preservative.  Then in another container combining 5% Glycerin with 1% Xanthan gum. Pour the xanthan gum and glycerin slurry into the water, and mix.


But where are all the vitamins and actives and lovely ingredients like botanical extracts? & why does this serum feel so sticky and tacky on my skin? 


I’ll be answering all these questions along with sharing a ton of different methods to thicken / gel your serum, how to make them not feel sticky or tacky, talking about all the lovely ingredients you can add into them and also talking about what separates a serum from all the other skincare products. 


What is a Serum?

A serum is a water based skincare product that has a gel consistency or a light weight lotion like consistency. Serums can help clear blemishes, fade dark spots, firm the skin, reduce fine lines, exfoliate, hydrate, soothe, & much more. 


Typically serums contain actives and are formulated to target specific skin types or skin concerns. Examples of Actives in Serums are;

  • Niacinamide (vitamin B3)

  • Panthenol (vitamin B5)

  • AHA’s (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) - Glycolic Acid & Lactic Acid

  • BHS’s (Beta Hydroxy Acids) - Salicylic Acid

  • Vitamin C

  • Retinol

  • Ceramides

  • Hyaluronic Acid

  • Peptides

  • Kojic Acid

  • Alpha Arbuin

  • N-Acetyl Glucosamine (NAG)

  • & the list can go on and on.


*The main point I want to get across in this post is how to make the base of your serum, perfectly, so then from there you can add in your actives. The most important part is to first get a serum base you like before experimenting with all these expensive ingredients.




Serum vs Facial Oil

A common mistake I see all the time! Is people calling face oils a serum. Serums are water based and face oils are made of oils. A serum is not a face oil and a face oil is not a serum. Although you can include some oils in a water based serum. I’ll be sure to explain how to do that in this post as well. 



Disclaimer!!!

Before we dive into this next section, please make sure you have watched the entire formulating for beginners series because I will mention things that might not make sense. For example, how do I know how to write the formula? Why do I write it in Percents? How do I know how much of each ingredient to use? I have answered & explained all these topics in previous videos which is why I don’t want to repeat it here. All these questions have been answered in my formulating for beginners series.

In this series I have also taught and explained to you;

& so so much more! If you watch this whole series you will learn everything you need to know about formulating for a beginner. 





How to Thicken / Gel Serums

There are many different ingredients you could use to thicken & gel a serum. These ingredients are known as Polymers. There are Natural Polymers and Synthetic Polymers. Personally I find that Synthetic Polymers make better serums. Synthetic Polymers feel more water like. They also don’t feel as sticky and tacky on the skin and some of the synthetic polymers also act as emulsifiers, so you can add in oil soluble ingredients too.


Natural Polymers

Keep in mind, none of these natural polymers are emulsifies. So if you use one of these you will not be able to add oil into your serum unless you use an emulsifier or solubiliser. 




INCI; Xanthan Gum

Suggested Usage Rate: 0.1 - 2%


I am mentioning this first because I think this is the most commonly used gelling agent and it’s probably the one you already have in your collection. It’s also the cheapest and easiest to find. 


There are different types of Xanthan Gums and the version you choose will make a huge impact on the sensory feel of your serum. First there is what I like to call “grocery store xanthan gum” this is the xanthan gum you will find on Amazon or at your grocery story. This is NOT the xanthan gum I recommend. This xanthan gum will make your serum cloudy and it will also be stringy and gummy and worst of all, it will feel so tacky and sticky on the skin.


There is also Xanthan Gum Soft and Xanthan Gum Clear. I’ve compared these both and in my experience xanthan gum soft was superior. It makes the product clear, just like the xanthan gum clear, but unlike the xanthan gum clear, the xanthan gum soft felt better on the skin, felt less tacky and overall just performs the best. 


So if you already have it, yes Xanthan Gum Soft is okay to use to thicken and Gel a Serum. Personally though, I still find it to feel tacky on the skin. Go ahead and try it, see what you think, I know some people don’t mind it, but personally I prefer something different. I also think there might be ways to pair xanthan gum with some other natural gums to get a sensory feeling that is perfect.


The plus side to using Xanthan Gum Soft is that it is “Natural” (although keep in mind, here in the US we don’t have a definition for natural when it comes to cosmetics, it’s just the brands personal opinion on what they consider natural) Xanthan Gum is also considered Ecocert. So if that is what you are looking for, then go ahead and try Xanthan Gum Soft. 


In order to use Xanthan Gum to make a serum you first want to combine the Xanthan Gum with either  Glycerin, Propanediol or Propylene Glycol before adding it into the water. If you do this then you can prevent clumps from forming. If you add xanthan gum directly into water it clumps up which is called fisheyes. Once these clumps form they are hard to get rid of. So make sure you mix it with  Glycerin, Propanediol or Propylene Glycol first. These are humectants that hydrate the skin, so you want these in your serum anyway.  





INCI; Caesalpinia Spinosa (tara) gum 

Suggested Usage Rate: 0.5-2%

Doesn’t need mixed with glycerin first. Just Sprinkle on top of water and mix. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it fully thickens. I’ve compared Tara Gum and Xanthan Gum closely and Tara Gum causes tons of pilling on the skin unlike xanthan gum. Tara Gum does produce gels without bubbles though. Tara Gum has a more smooth gel compared to xanthan gum. Personally I think Xanthan Gum is a better option than Tara Gum for a Serum. 


INCI: Sclerotium Gum 

Suggested Usage Rate: - 0.8 to 2.0% for standard gels 0.2 to 0.8% to stabilize emulsions

0.5 to 1.5% to stabilize / thicken

According to FormulatorSampleShop.com They suggest to “add in at  20°C or more, the warmer the water, the more quickly the gum will gel.  This could take normally 15-45 minutes with mixing. If you’re using a stick blend, bubbles will form. We always recommend let it sit 24 hours (Covered) so the gum can hydrate for a clear gel.”

I’ve never worked with this gum so I have no opinion or advice on it. If you have worked with this ingredient, let us know in the comments what you think of it. 


INCI: Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba (Guar Gum) 

Suggested Usage Rate: –  0.5%-2.0%

Can be used in hot or cold water. It can also clump when it’s added into water too fast or in large amounts. Again, I haven’t used this ingredient personally. So I have no opinion on it. Let us know down in the comments what you think, if you’ve ever tried it out. 


 

INCI: Acacia Senegal Gum & Xanthan Gum 

Suggested Usage Rate: – 0.1-3%

Active in pH 3-12


You use this gum just like Xanthan Gum. You want to mix it with either Glycerin, Propanediol or Propylene Glycol first and then pour it into the water while mixing.


I really like this gum. It feels better on the skin than just using xanthan gum. It is also Ecocert and Natural, So I suggest this on if you want a natural gelling agent. 




Hyaluronic Acid 

Technically this isn’t considered a polymer, but it can still thicken/gel. You are probably familiar with this ingredient. Every product on the market seems to contain this ingredient these days, but for great reason. Hyaluronic acid is a great humectant, it helps hydrate our skin. 

There are so many different versions of hyaluronic acid we could buy and not all of them will gel a serum, but some of them well.


You can buy hyaluronic acid in either powder or liquid form. If you buy it in liquid form, this means you are buying a hyaluronic acid stock. Hyaluronic acid powder has been pre dissolved in water so you don’t have to do that part while formulating.This type of Hyaluronic acid will not thicken into a gel.


The type of Hyaluronic acid that will thicken into a gel are the powder Hyaluronic acids, but again, not every powdered Hyaluronic acid will gel.

Powdered Hyaluronic acid are sold in different weights. 


The higher amount of Daltons, the thicker the Hyaluronic Acid will make the water. So if you use Hyaluronic Acid HMW - 1.0 - 1.5 Million Daltons it will thicken and gel your serum. If you use any other powder hyaluronic acid it won’t thicken as much. The only other one I’ve ever used is Hyaluronic Acid ULMW Less Than 6,000 Daltons and this one does not thicken at all! So if you want to gel and thicken a serum with Hyaluronic Acid, I recommend using Hyaluronic Acid HMW - 1.0 - 1.5 Million Daltons at 1% and you will get the perfect gelled serum. 


How to Make a Simple Hyaluronic Acid Serum


Formula 

Phase A


Phase B


Directions;

  • Start out by mixing together your glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid powder. Set to the side. 

  • In another container combine, Distilled Water and Liquid germall plus and mix.

  • Pour the HA and Glycerin slurry into the distilled water/liquid germall plus and mix.

  • It should instantly turn into a gel. 

  • Check and adjust pH if needed. Should be between 4.5 - 5.5


You can have fun customizing this formula by adding in hydrosols, aloe, botanical extracts, or any other ingredient of choice that is compatible with this formula.


Synthetic Polymers 

In my opinion Synthetic Polymers are the best gelling ingredients for serums. Some of these can also be used to emulsify water and oil so you can also include oil based ingredients into your serum. 


Something to keep in mind when you are working with these synthetic polymers is that they don’t really work with all ingredients. Sometimes certain ingredients can thin them out, but not always. It really depends on the overall formulation, but here are a few ingredients that might cause some issues for you. It doesn’t mean they will, but it’s possible. High amounts of aloe vera, hydrolyzed proteins, sodium PCA, sodium lactate, and cationic surfactants. I have used aloe vera with sepimax zen with no problem, but I do know it can cause issues with carbomer, so it could cause issues with these other polymers as well. And by issues I mean, it thins it out. I have a lot of experience with sepimax zen and sodium carbomer specifically so I can really only talk from experience with those two. 




INCI: Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Suggested Usage Rate: –  0.15% - 5%

pH it’s stable in: 2 - 8

Sepimax Zen can be used in so many ways. It can thicken and gel water, it can emulsify oil and water, it’s used to make cream gels, and it can thicken cleansing products like body washes and face washes. It’s one of my favorite ingredients and a must have in my collection. 

To make a gel, sprinkle Sepimax Zen on top of you water phase and let it sit for a few hours to 8 hours. I usually let mine sit overnight. Make sure you have a preservative in the water phase and keep your beaker covered while it sits. Once all the powder has been hydrated into a gel you can mix to combine everything to turn into a nice smooth gel. You can leave the product here as is, or this is the time you can add in your oils. You will notice if you add oils the gel will turn opaque and no longer be clear.  




INCI: Hydroxyethyl Acrylate / Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Suggested Usage Rate: – 0.5 - 5%

pH it’s stable in: 3 - 10

Can Emulsify Oil and Water together.


To make a gel add the Sepinov EMT 10 into the water phase while blending with a stick blender or overhead mixer.  




INCI: Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer

Suggested Usage Rate: – 0.5 - 2.0%

pH it’s stable in: 4 - 9

Sensitive to Electrolytes so ingredients like Aloe, hydrolyzed proteins, sodium lactate, sodium PCA, etc.


To make a gel add the Aristoflex AVC into the water phase and blend with a stick blender or overhead mixer. 




INCI: Sodium Carbomer

Suggested Usage Rate: – 0.2 - 0.5%

pH it’s stable in: 5 - 10

Sensitive to Electrolytes so ingredients like Aloe, hydrolyzed proteins, sodium lactate, sodium PCA, etc.


Sodium Carbomer is a pre neutralized carbomer. Meaning that I don’t need to adjust the pH to 6 myself. As soon as you sprinkle to Sodium Carbomer into water it starts changing the pH to 6 and the Sodium Carbomer automatically gels. This can result in clumping, but if you add the Sodium Carbomer in slowly and mix while adding it in you can reduce the amount of clumping. Usually I end up with a bit of clumping no matter what, but the clumping goes away much faster if you add the Sodium Carbomer in slowly while mixing. I also recommend letting your product sit until all the clumps have went away before packaging up your product. 


There are other types of carbomer like, Carbomer 940 / Carbopol 940. When using Carbomer 940 / Carbopol 940 you need to mix and dissolve the powder in water and then raise the pH to 6 to get the ingredient to gel. I’ve never worked with Carbomer 940 / Carbopol 940, but I have used Sodium Carbomer many time. 


The list could go on and on. There are so many different natural and synthetic polymers you could use to thicken and gel a serum. This is to just name a few. 



Ingredients to add into your serum 


Hydrosols

It is important to always use distilled water as your diluent in your serums. By diluent I mean, it’s your base. It’s your main ingredient, it will take up the majority of the percentage of your product. Don’t use any other water besides distilled water. If you don’t want to use distilled water you could use hydrosols, essence waters, or aloe vera juice/liquid (cosmetic grade) instead.


Actives

I already talked about these before, but I want to mention some more. Most actives can be a bit advanced to work with. Ingredients like AHA’s, BHA’s, Kojic Acid, Vitamin C Retinol, Etc. A lot of these ingredients need to be in a specific pH or needs to be formulated with properly. So some ingredients could use an entire video about how to use them. 


Luckily there are a lot of actives that are easy to use, like Niacinamide, Panthenol, Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, Etc. The main thing I want you to remember, is to always purchase your ingredients from cosmetic ingredient suppliers and read the formulating guidelines and any other literature provided by the seller. Cosmetic Ingredient suppliers do provide a lot of information about the ingredient that is important when it comes to formulating with it. They will mention if it’s heat sensitive, how to store it, What pH it needs to be formulated in, if it’s oil or water soluble, how to formulate with it, and so much more. 


Humectants, Emollients, & Occlusives 

I have an entire video on this topic, so I don’t want to repeat everything again, but if you haven’t watched that video I highly recommend it, as it’s very important to understand the differences between Humectants, Emollients, & Occlusives and understand why they are important to our skincare products. 


The TLDR is that Humectants Hydrate the Skin, Emollients Moisturize the skin and Occlusives lock moisture into the skin. When all 3 of these are used together you are able to properly hydrate and moisturize your skin. 


Examples of some humectants;

Examples of Emollients;

Plant oils like jojoba oil, olive oil, coconut oil, hempseed oil, sunflower oil, etc. Emollient esters like caprylic capric triglyceride, isopropyl myristate (IPM), Coco Caprylate/Caprate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, squalane, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, and many other butters, the list could go on and on.


Examples of Occlusives;

***As you can see ingredients can be both a humectant and emollient or emollient and occlusive, etc.


Emollient Esters 

It is important to keep in mind what a serum is. This is usually a more light weight more aqueous(water containing) product, so typically not a lot of emollients and occlusives are used in them. They are heavily humectant based, but they can include emollients and occlusives, but not heavy ones like Petroleum Jelly & Mineral Oil. You will notice ingredients like caprylic capric triglyceride and squalane are very popular in serums as well. These are emollient esters. I’ve talked about these in past videos as they are extremely popular in the formulating world. They are similar to plant oils, but they are more light weight and absorb faster on the skin and also have a longer shelf life than natural oils, so you don’t have to worry about them going off as fast as plant oils. They are also considered oil free. So when you see moisturizers marketed as “oil free” they are using Emollient Esters instead to moisturize the skin. Things like caprylic capric triglyceride, squalane, Coco Caprylate/Caprate, & C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate. Which, by the way, all the emollient esters I’ve listed are all considered EcoCert.


Botanical Extracts

I think adding in Botanical Extracts is one of the funnest parts about formulating. If you have ever shopped for Botanical Extracts online, then you would know how over whelming it is. There are so many different ones out there and they are all claiming such wonderful benefits! It honestly makes you just want to use them all, but be careful. Using too many botanical extracts can cause your product to spoil faster. Or it can cause your product to feel tacky on the skin. It’s just, in my experience, when I go over board with the botanical extract, I don’t like the results as much. When you see a product on the market have a long list of different extracts in the ingredient list, this is because they are using a tiny amount of each. Which you can do as well. But personally I like picking just 2 or maybe 3 tops to add in my product. I usually use them at 1-2%, just depends on the suggested usage rate. I also wouldn’t recommend using more than 10% botanical extract in your formula. Obviously if you do proper testing and your formula is fine with more than 10% botanical extract, then that is fine. I am just giving you a general guideline that you don’t technically need to follow, it’s just a helpful guideline. & I don’t think I would even use up to 10% personally.

Here is a list of some botanical extracts I like and the benefits they claim to have.

  • willow bark extract - exfoliation, problem Skin, antimicrobial

  • calendula extract - provides anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, soothing, healing and protecting effects to skin.

  • Licorice extract - has brightening and soothing action. helps fade sun damage and hyper-pigmentation safely for all skin tones, while blocking melanin production to prevent more from forming.

  • strawberry extract - rich in vitamin c, known for containing soothing properties, and can reduce the appearance of pores.

  • chamomile extract - has anti-inflammatory properties and helps soothe skin from irritation

  • cucumber extract - soothes skin, moisturizing, has vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, thiamin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese



Preservatives

This is one of the most important ingredients you need for your serum. Where there is water, 

there is life. So that means, yeast mold and bacteria will start growing in your product as soon 

as you start making it. 


This is best preservative for beginners and for anybody who wants an easier formulating 

process. This preservative is active in a pH 3-8 and you only need to use it between 0.1 -

0.5%. I always recommend using preservatives at their highest suggested usage rate. 

Liquid Germall Plus can also be easily mixed into water unlike most preservatives. So this is 

the preservative I recommend buying if you are a beginners. 


  • INCI: Propylene Glycol (and) Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

  • suggested use level; 0.1 - 0.5%

  • appearance: Clear viscous liquid

  • effective pH range: 3 - 8

  • solubility: water soluble

  • Paraben Free 

  • Not Formaldehyde Free


 

Other Preservative Options 

  • INCI: Phenoxyethanol (and) Ethylhexylglycerin

  • suggested use level; 0.5 - 1.0%,

  • appearance: Clear, colorless liquid

  • effective pH range: up to 12

  • solubility: water soluble, but in my experience it needs mixed with Glycerin, Propanediol or Propylene Glycol before being added into water.

  • Paraben & Formaldehyde Free




  • INCI: Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Sorbic Acid

  • suggested use level; 0.75 - 1.5%

  • appearance: Clear light yellow to dark yellow liquid

  • effective pH range: below 6

  • solubility: limited solubility in water. wouldn’t be a good choice unless you are doing an emulsified serum. 

  • Paraben & Formaldehyde Free


INCI: Benzyl Alcohol (and) Benzoic Acid (and) Dehydroacetic Acid (and) Tocopherol

broad spectrum preservative is permitted for natural & organic cosmetics (COSMOS & ECOCERT)

  • suggested use level (lotioncrafter): 0.4% - 1.2%

  • suggested use level (FSS): 0.75% - 1.5%, no more than 2%

  • appearance: Light yellow to dark yellow liquid (can vary batch to batch)

  • effective pH range: 3 - 6.  Efficacy is increased by reducing the pH value of the final formulation. lotioncrafter recommends a pH of 5.0 or 5.5 or lower.

  • solubility: has limited solubility in water. 100 g of water at 68°F/20°C dissolves 1.2 g of euxyl K 903. In polar solvents, such as 1,2-propylene glycol, propanol or acetone, euxyl K 903 is readily soluble. In polyalcohols, such as glycerol and sorbitol, euxyl K 903 is moderately soluble. In aliphates with hydrophilic groups, such as 2-octyldecanol and isopropyl myristate, euxyl K 903 has limited solubility. It is slightly soluble in pure aliphatic solvents.

  • Paraben & Formaldehyde Free

  • Natural & Ecocert


  • INCI: Benzyl Alcohol (and) Ethylhexylglycerin

  • suggested use level; 0.5% - 1.0%

  • appearance: Colorless to light yellow liquid

  • effective pH range: up to 12

  • solubility: According to LotionCrafter “In water euxyl® K 900 is only limitedly soluble. 100 g water at 20 °C dissolve approx. 1 g euxyl® K 900. In the polar solvents such as 1,2-propylene glycol, glycerol, triethylene glycol, 2-phenoxyethanol euxyl® K 900 is unlimitedly soluble. In non-polar solvents it is only limitedly soluble, in pure hydrocarbons it is practically insoluble.”

  • Paraben & Formaldehyde Free - Natural & Ecocert


  • INCI: Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate and Glyceryl Undecylenate 

  • broad spectrum preservative is permitted for natural & organic cosmetics (COSMOS & ECOCERT)

  • suggested use level; 1.0 - 1.6%, up to 2% in more complex and contaminable formulations

  • appearance: clear, pale yellow liquid

  • effective pH range: 4 - 8

  • solubility: very soluble in alcohol, glycerin, glycols and polar oils, very slightly soluble in water. (read more on solubility here)

  • Paraben & Formaldehyde Free - Natural & Ecocert 



Emulsified Serums 

Lastly I just want to touch on Emulsified Serums. I don’t want to talk about these for too long 

everything you need to know in order to make emulsions. Just keep in mind, it’s all about the marketing and the ingredients you use. A thin lotion could technically be considered a serum if you wanted it to be. I just comes down to how you want to market it. Yes often times serums are gel based, but they can also be milky and Emulsified. I do think it’s easiest to use synthetic polymers like Sepimax Zen or Sepinov EMT 10. But you could also use waxy emulsifiers like Emulsifying Wax NF, Olivem 1000, Ritamulse SCG / Ecomulse, Lotionpro 165 (Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG 100 Stearate) Montanov 68 MB, etc. It is important to make sure you only use a low percentage of these emulsifiers as they also thicken. Lotionpro 165 (Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG 100 Stearate) doesn’t thicken so this would be a good emulsifier to use. I talk all about this ingredient in my video all about body milks . Also, since you are using these emulsifiers at lower percentages they are less effective and you need to pair them with a natural or synthetic polymers to help keep the serum more stable. I talk all about this method in my video all about body milks. So I highly recommend watching that if you are Interested in making thin emulsified serums. I also recommend watching the  emulsion series so you can make sure you are formulating stable emulsions.  



Ultra Hydrating Ceramide Serum 

Formula

Phase A 

81.3% Distilled Water


Phase B


Phase C


Directions;

  • In a sanitized container, combine all ingredients in phase A and mix until combined.

  • In a separate sanitized container, combine all ingredients in phase B and mix.

  • Pour phase B into phase A and mix.

  • Sprinkle phase C on top of phase A/B and mix with an Immersion Blender.

  • Check and adjust pH. Keep between 4.5 - 5.5 (no pH adjusting should be needed)

  • Pour into desired container. I used this 1 oz treatment pump bottle. 




Brightening Serum


Phase A

  • 84% Distilled Water


Phase B


Directions;

  • In a sanitized container, combine all ingredients in phase A, in order, and make sure to dissolve all powders. Also, make sure you sprinkle the Sepimax Zen on top last and don’t mix it in. 

  • Cover with Plastic Wrap and let sit overnight. The sepimax zen can take anywhere between a few hours or 8 hours to hydrate.

  • Come back the next day and you will notice the gel is mainly sitting on top of the solution, mix will and you should have a beautiful smooth gel.

  • Add in the ingredients in phase B and mix.

  • Check and adjust pH. Keep between 4.5 - 5.5 

  • Pour into desired container. I used this 1 oz treatment pump bottle.



 

Exfoliating Serum for Oily Acne Prone Skin 


Phase A 


Phase B


Directions;

  • In a sanitized container, combine all ingredients in phase A and mix until combined, making sure to dissolve all powders.

  • In a separate sanitized container, combine all ingredients in phase B and mix.

  • Pour phase B into phase A while mixing and it should thicken into a gel. If it’s not thickened give it a few minutes to allow the solution to thicken.

  • Check and adjust pH. Keep between 3.5 - 4.5 (no pH adjusting should be needed)

  • Pour into desired container. I used this 1 oz treatment pump bottle.



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