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csskinq
New Member
 
Joined: 05 May 2011
Posts: 4
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Thu May 05, 2011 2:17 pm  |
Hi ladies! First time poster, long time lurker.
Would it be possible to DIY a salicylic acid lotion? Could I mix purchased salicylic acid into something like Cerave lotion, or am I getting into complicated PH problems if I do something like that? I know salicylic acid needs to be in a certain PH range to work...
Has anyone done this? I'd love your insight, oh skin-care goddesses! |
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Fri May 06, 2011 7:23 am |
| Yeah you're right. BHAs need to be in a pH between 3-4. If you DIY, then you will also need to purchase pH strips. It can also be quite complicated because you may go over a 2% concentration, which can be very irritating to the skin if left for a long time. And if you're using CeraVe for its own benefits as well, you may not get them because you're changing the pH of the lotion which can deactivate all its beneficial ingredients. You're better off buying a BHA lotion instead... Paula's Choice has some great options |
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Fri May 06, 2011 9:15 am |
It's also extremely easy to make your own Toner or mask using SA. You will need alcohol to get the SA into solution, and as oasisjc suggested, pH strips, however, if making a simple 2% toner that won't be necessary.
If you use salicylic acid, the synthesized version, you will need alcohol, if you use White willow bark extract standardizes to 98% salicin, you will need water as your diluent. You can get fancy with lowering the pH using citric acid and test it with a pH meter or strips.
Weigh your ingredients as SA in high concentrations is quite effective at taking skin off your face without realizing it till later. |
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csskinq
New Member
Joined: 05 May 2011
Posts: 4
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Fri May 06, 2011 10:13 am |
Thanks for the replies!
I actually currently use a Paula's Choice BHA, and it's a great product - but I have keratosis pilaris on my arms, so I go through it pretty fast, and it's not cheap. I'm hoping for a more frugal solution...
Is Cerave not a good base lotion? (See how ignorant I am...) Is there another simple, unscented lotion I can purchase as a base? Or would something like aloe vera gel be better, and just skip lotion entirely?
As to concentration, I was thinking of going with something pretty mild, 0.5% or maybe 1%, max.
Thanks for your help! |
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Fri May 06, 2011 10:19 am |
| csskinq wrote: |
Thanks for the replies!
I actually currently use a Paula's Choice BHA, and it's a great product - but I have keratosis pilaris on my arms, so I go through it pretty fast, and it's not cheap. I'm hoping for a more frugal solution...
Is Cerave not a good base lotion? (See how ignorant I am...) Is there another simple, unscented lotion I can purchase as a base? Or would something like aloe vera gel be better, and just skip lotion entirely?
As to concentration, I was thinking of going with something pretty mild, 0.5% or maybe 1%, max.
Thanks for your help! |
You could use CeraVe as a base, but are you using it simply for that reason? If you're using CeraVe because you hope that the other ingredients will help you in addition to the BHA, it may not work because you're changing the pH.
I'm not sure if it works with your condition or not, but Eucerin and Paula makes body creams with AHA if you want to look into that |
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csskinq
New Member
Joined: 05 May 2011
Posts: 4
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Fri May 06, 2011 9:50 pm |
| oasisjc wrote: |
You could use CeraVe as a base, but are you using it simply for that reason? If you're using CeraVe because you hope that the other ingredients will help you in addition to the BHA, it may not work because you're changing the pH.
I'm not sure if it works with your condition or not, but Eucerin and Paula makes body creams with AHA if you want to look into that |
I do need the BHA, unfortunately.
But thanks so much for your response- I had no idea that Cerave wouldn't be a good base lotion. I was just looking for something very simple, without added fragrance. Are there other bases that would be better? |
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Fri May 06, 2011 10:12 pm |
Sorry, I think I might be confusing you haha
I meant that the BHA you put in it will work fine. However, the other ingredients that were originally in the CeraVe lotion won't work as well anymore because the BHA you put in also changes the pH of the lotion. So if you're using the CeraVe as a base (meaning you don't really need the benefits of the original CeraVe ingredients), then you can. I would recommend something more simple like Cetaphil or even sea kelp.
But since you're only using this on your body, it may not be too important which base you use so long as you get the right pH for BHA to be effective |
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Fri May 06, 2011 11:12 pm |
CeraVe® Moisturizing Lotion Ingredient List:
Purified Water
Glycerin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol
Ceteareth-20 and Cetearyl alcohol
Cetyl Alcohol
Polyglyceryl-3-Diisosterate
Dimethicone
Hyaluronic Acid
Ceramide 1
Ceramide 3
Ceramide 6-II
Cholesterol
Phytosphingosine
Potassium Phosphate
Dipotassium phosphate
Methylparaben
Propylparaben
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Polysorbate 20
Carbomer
Xanthan Gum
Is this the lotion you are wanting to use? |
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csskinq
New Member
Joined: 05 May 2011
Posts: 4
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Sat May 07, 2011 9:27 pm |
Hi again!
Ah, now I see - yes, the way I asked my question is totally unclear! Sorry about that. Basically,
I want to mix salicylic acid into a base. It isn't important to me that the base contain other good things, I pretty much only want it as a delivery system for the BHA, if that makes sense?
I just saw this on thepersonalformulator's FAQ:
Salicylic acid can be added to Cream Base
To add salicylic acid to a cream base, you should first pre-mix it into propylene glycol. Also, if there are other ingredients with specific mixing requirements, please look into their individual solubility’s.
So that's what I'm hoping to do. Any tips for a total noobie on figuring out the right salicylic acid-to-propylene glycol ratio...?
Thanks for your patience with my many questions! |
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Sat May 07, 2011 10:08 pm |
Yeah, you can definitely use it as a delivery system. Although I still recommend a much simpler cream like Cetaphil, mostly to prevent any unknown and unwanted reactions from taking place.
The ratio will depend on what concentration you're looking for. |
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Sat May 07, 2011 10:13 pm |
| However, I'm not entirely sure how you would get it to the optimal pH. Even if you get it to the desired %, you may not be at an optimal pH, which is why certain companies have to use a buffer like sodium hydroxide. |
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Sun May 08, 2011 10:37 am |
Solubility: ethanol, methanol, only marginally soluble in H20, propylene glycol
pH: 3-4
If you want to keep it simple, go with your previous idea of Aloe vera. You will need a scale to measure the powder SA in order to know how much is going in there. Guessing and eyeballing it...not a good plan. However, it's your skin, do as you wish.
The above and isopropyl alcohol will get the SA into solution. Decide how much you are going to make. Then calculate on that basis the % BHA you want.
To bring the pH down, citric acid. Safe and easy to work with,...and don't need much. Again, you will need pH strips for that.
It's easy to do...but you need some basic tools for the job.
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| Any tips for a total noobie on figuring out the right salicylic acid-to-propylene glycol ratio...? |
Umm...no...1-5% for PG...
You'd be better off with white willow bark extract...water soluble and you can get it standardized to 98%...pretty much the same thing, but easier to work with. |
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Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:02 pm |
| Hi everyone. I recently added some liquid SA to a base cream. I used SA 10%. The kind usually used for skin peels. It turned out fine. I have not used it on my face as I just did an Alfa Beta peel last night. I have put some on my husbands back and its cleared the bumps. |
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35. Alpha Beta Peels once per month, OCM, C serum, HA serum with argiline, Retin A, |
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Sat Jun 23, 2012 8:56 pm |
| You can also dissolve a few regular aspirin in toner. Place in a mister bottle. Also, apple cider vinegar is great mixed with water and sprayed on the skin for AK. |
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