Battling the Complacency of Ready-To-Use Ingredients


It's a constant dilemma. Which road to take? From a cosmetics ingredients perspective, there are oftentimes 2 choices.

Take Hyaluronic Acid...

Last year, I started working with hyaluronic acid from a different supplier. Instead of the easy-peasy no-worries pre-mixed gel I had been using for (several) years, it was time to get acquainted with this ingredient as it is most commonly available – in powdered form.

Because 'hy-acid' is an integral part of several of my products, this caused quite a bit of unavoidable reformulation – and a trip down a slightly rocky road.

I know what you're thinking.


Seriously?

"Why don't you just continue using what you're used to, Lise? There's no reason to create unnecessary work for yourself!"

I absolutely agree.

Except about the unnecessary work part.

It's not necessarily unnecessary.


Be Prepared

Experience has taught me to always have alternative options at hand when it comes to ingredients.

Why?

Because (my) cosmetics ingredients suppliers are forever and always changing their product catalogue.

Suddenly – when it's least expected – my most favorite, beloved ingredient in the whole world has simply vanished with absolutely no warning.

This occasionally, sometimes, often, always triggers unfavorable reactions on my part.

So, to avoid hair-pulling, heart palpitations, and unfriendly utterations that would shock small children and even some adults, it was high time to get off of easy street and start working with hyaluronic acid in powdered form.

And, as expected, the road got a little bumpy.

I'll tell all you about that part (and how I'm dealing with it) in the next post.

Do Tell

Do your ingredients suppliers give you any warning when they stop carrying a product? Does it drive you batty, or do you just go with the flow?

Comments

María said…
This is an awful feeling. But I think that sometimes we rely a lot on complicated ingredients or formulas. Why don't to keep it simple?
I remember using also the hyaluronic acid (well, you know, sodium hyaluronate) in powdered form, and I had to dose it in so small quantities that it drove me crazy. Also, it didn't mix well and you could see small spots of undiluted acid like little marshmallows here and there.
Then I realised that normally the gel form is a 1% solution of hy-acid, and after watching a video in YouTube showing how to do it (it was easy as pie), I did it also myself: 1 gram of acid + preservative and distilled water up to 100 g. And that is what I use. It works as a dream, even on its own as an eye contour (but for this purpose is great to make it with cornflower or helychrisum hydrosol).
LisaLise said…
Hi María - Yup - you and I have similar experiences with 'hy-acid'. I have an upcoming post on that. My challenge is getting a more concentrated form (dose) into a product. Adding 2% of the acid to 100ml to water leaves no room for anything else in the mix. I'm surprised to hear you've had luck mixing it into hydrosols-- I've had all kinds of weird reaction there - although precisely the 2 hydrosols you mention I've never tried it with. Maybe I need to revisit this..
María said…
To be honest with you I've only tried with rose hydrosol, and maybe that day I was lucky. However I prefer pain distilled water, you never know what kind of concoction you'll make and not all hydrosols blend well with other EOs or aromas
LisaLise said…
Hi María - Yes, totally understand wanting to use rose hydrosol instead of water. If I'm feeling lucky one day, I'll give it another shot with rose hydrosol- I just got some great input from Jonna on how to incorporate Hy acid without using too much liquid- check the comments on the next post.