A botanical formula is more than a collection of celebrated ingredients. Its performance depends on concentration, stability, compatibility and how its components work together. [1–3]
Precision matters. A published review reports that aqueous vitamin C solutions stored at room temperature in light for 27 days lost approximately 21% at a 1% concentration, compared with 8% at a 10% concentration. [1] Another study found that ferulic acid improved the stability of a specific vitamin C and E solution. [2]
Compatibility with the skin matters, too. Jojoba’s wax esters share characteristics with those in natural sebum; jojoba has even been used as the wax-ester component in a laboratory model of human sebum. [4]
Delivery is part of the chemistry. An ingredient’s presence does not guarantee its penetration. Molecular size, affinity for water and lipids, and the formulation influence how it interacts with the skin. Deeper penetration is not always the objective—surface conditioning has value of its own. [5]
At Faith Apothecary, our formulas are developed by a Doctor of Pharmacy. Each ingredient is selected for its intended role within the complete composition.
Selected with purpose. Composed to work together.
Alexia Nguyen, Pharm.D., is the founder and formulator of Faith Apothecary, bringing pharmaceutical knowledge and a passion for botanicals to thoughtfully composed skincare.
Scientific References
- Yin X, et al. Chemical Stability of Ascorbic Acid Integrated into Commercial Products: A Review on Bioactivity and Delivery Technology. Antioxidants. 2022;11(1):153.
- Lin FH, et al. Ferulic acid stabilizes a solution of vitamins C and E and doubles its photoprotection of skin. J Invest Dermatol. 2005;125(4):826–832.
- Di Mambro VM, Fonseca MJV. Assays of physical stability and antioxidant activity of a topical formulation added with different plant extracts. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2005;37(2):287–295.
- Wertz PW. Human synthetic sebum formulation and stability under conditions of use and storage. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2009;31(1):21–25.
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. “Topical Dosage Form Development and Evaluation.” In: Compounded Topical Pain Creams. 2020.
Research concerns the studied ingredients and formulations. It does not establish efficacy or skin penetration for finished FA products, or imply that higher concentrations are always preferable.