Is this the new trend in #bespokeskincare ? Controversial topic . . 🔬Skin Science: The new trend in skin care is DIY skin care, namely self compounding. This gives the consumer a higher level of independence to compound new and exciting ‘bespoke’ formulations. For example if one has sensitive skin, a formulation that has a lower concentration of actives may sit just below the irritation threshold of the consumer. If the lowest percentage of a formulation is 5%, why not compound a 2% formulation? The flipside is that if one has ‘resistant skin’, a formulation that has 20% concentration may well be tolerated, however there is a tipping point. Gets a whole lot more complicated than that as other factors come into play; absorption, vehicle, stability, interactions, allergen potential, peak biological effects, as well as cosmetic elegance. Compounding is beyond my expertise, however I will share some of my basic concepts- . . 🙄The Ordinary has recently launched a new vitamin B3 or niacinamide formulation that consists of 100% Niacinamide in a powder form. From a compounding POV, this together with #hyaluronicacid are probably the more sensible compounds to ‘DIY’. The irritant potential of these compounds are very low, unlike ascorbic acid . . 🍊Ascorbic acid - Vitamin C. Much harder to mix, as bioactivity is dependent on pH. Best formulations are pH2.5 to 3.5. Most commonly concentrations range from 1% to 20+%, the former as a stabilizing agent, the later as a skin care active in patients with normal, oily to resistant skin. Michelle Wong @labmuffinbeautyscience has done a great article on DIY ascorbic acid. Apart from the complexity of compounding, stability is the real world rate limiting factor as it is photolabile & oxidises easily . . 🤔Final thoughts? Novel. Will wait and see how this trends in the future. Just don’t release a 100% TCA or Glycolic Acid formulation, there just ain’t enough burn units in hospitals . . 😎Dr Davin Lim, Dermatologist Brisbane. Australia🇦🇺 #compoundingskincare #skincare #skinscience #healthyskin #niacinamide #ascorbicacid #theordinary #deciem #niacinamide #charlie #blow (at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDa5Me6D72R/?igshid=xrj6yqtlc4a8