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Exfoliating Pumpkin Face Mask

Updated: May 13, 2022


Formula;

phase A

phase B

phase C

Directions;

  • combine the glycerin and xanthan gum soft in phase A to create a slurry

  • in a separate beaker combine all ingredients in phase B and mix until all powder ingredients have dissolved.

  • slowly add a little bit of phase B into phase A at a time and mix until completely incorporate.

  • combine all ingredients in phase C in a separate beaker and mix

  • pour phase C in to phase A/B and mix until you have a smooth consistency

  • If there are clumps in the formula you can use a immersion blender to smooth everything out

ph adjusting; the ph of this formula is 4.37. When working with AHA's like glycolic acid and lactic acid you definitely need to raise the ph of your formula in order to safely use it on your skin. I like to shoot for a ph somewhere between 4-4.5


NOTE! if you change anything in the formula you may need to adjust the percentage of your ph buffer in order to get your product to a safe ph level. Glycolic and lactic acid both have a very low ph of about 1-2. So in order to safely use them in a formula you need to raise the ph of your product by either using a diluted solution of 10% sodium hydroxide or some other kind of ph buffer that can raise the phase. If you change anything in this recipe please do a trial batch so you can figure out exactly how much buffer solution you need before making a large batch.


How to create a ph buffing solution to raise the ph level (10% dilution of sodium hydroxide)

  • 90% distilled water

  • 10% sodium hydroxide

Directions;

  • weight the distilled water in a heat safe container. I always do 180 grams.

  • weight the sodium hydroxide in a separate container. I always do 20 grams.

  • go outside or in a well ventilated room and pour the sodium hydroxide into the distilled water. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!

  • mix until all the sodium hydroxide has dissolved.

  • you will notice the solution will become a cloudy white color and will heat up. This is totally normal.

  • let it sit until the solution goes clear and cools to room temperature.

  • now you have a ph buffer to raise the ph of your formulas.

  • I store mine in a glass mason jar in a dark cabinet. This does not need a preservative as it is self preserving due to it's high ph. If you do not use it up within a month make a new batch.

Benefits/Purpose of each ingredient

xanthan gum soft - gels and thickens face mask

glycerin - hydrates the skin and is used to easily disperse the xanthan gum into the formula preventing the xanthan gum from clump up.

henna extract - has cooling and soothing properties. It also provides anti-microbial an oil absorbing properties which makes it perfect for oily acne prone skin.

FSS pumpkin powder - has a faint scent of pumpkin to it. It is a rich source of gently exfoliating enzymes, antioxidants, beta carotene, and many other vitamins and mineral.

colloidal oatmeal - helps soothe stressed, blemished and irritated skin and can even help relieve dry and itchy skin. So this is perfect for those experiencing irritation from their acne.

lactic acid - helps with hyper pigmentation, brightens the skin, unclogs pores, and helps with signs of aging. Lactic acid is more gentle than glycolic acid and will actually help hydrate the skin

glycolic acid - helps with hyper pigmentation, brightens the skin, unclogs pores, and helps with signs of aging. Glycolic acid can be more irritating to the skin than lactic acid and isn't recommended for those with sensitive skin.

liquid germall plus - preservative

ph buffer (10% sodium hydroxide dilution) - used to raise the ph of formula to allow product to be safely used on the skin.


Substitutions;

substituting ingredients will change the final feel, viscosity, and overall effect of final product. percentages and formulating procedure may need to change with substitutions.

  • xanthan gum soft - I only recommend xanthan gum soft, not any other xanthan gum. Xanthan gum clear is an okay choice, but you will have much better results using xanthan gum soft, You could also use a different gelling agent like sepimax zen or sepinov emt 10

  • glycerin - 1,3 propanedial or propylene glycol

  • henna extract - a different extract of choice that suits your skins needs.

  • FSS pumpkin powder - You could use pumpkin exact instead or another pumpkin based ingredient. You could just leave it out, but then it wouldn't be a pumpkin face mask anymore.

  • colloidal oatmeal - colloidal oatmeal PF

  • liquid germall plus - euxyl pe 9010, optiphen plus, or another broad spectrum preservative

  • glycolic acid - you could use lactic acid in place of it

  • lactic acid - you could use glycolic acid in place of it.

  • ph buffer (10% sodium hydroxide dilution) - triethanolamine

NOTE - if you don't want to worry about adjusting the ph but you still want to make this exfoliating pumpkin face mask, feel free to replace both the glycolic and lactic acid with fruit acid complex. The ph should naturally fall right around 4 so you don't have to worry about adjusting the ph.





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