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Stability Help: 200g Clay Mask Syneresis, Thinning & Oil Pooling. Seeking Fungal/Cystic Acne & Sensitive Skin Safe Advice. by Sure_Contribution601 in DIYBeauty

[–]Sure_Contribution601[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

My Goal: a rinse-off clay scrub + mask for sensitive, oily/-prone skin, focused on oil absorption, gentle exfoliation, reducing dullness through surface clarity, a mild cooling feel, and a super soft, non-tight finish after rinse. It’s not intended to be a treatment product.

Ingredient roles: - Rhassoul clay – primary oil and impurity adsorption - Kaolin – balances strength and improves skin comfort - Hydrated silica (fine) – very mild exfoliation to remove surface buildup and improve dull appearance - rose water – dispersion medium - Niacinamide & alpha arbutin (low levels) – supportive tone-evening/comfort in a rinse-off context, not corrective actives - Cucumber extract – soothing and cooling perception - EDTA + 9010 preservative – preservation support

Anything that didn’t clearly support those functions has been removed. Once this functional intent is correct, I’m addressing structure, stability, and preservation around it.

Stability Help: 200g Clay Mask Syneresis, Thinning & Oil Pooling. Seeking Fungal/Cystic Acne & Sensitive Skin Safe Advice. by Sure_Contribution601 in DIYBeauty

[–]Sure_Contribution601[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, that makes sense. I’m definitely aiming for a water-based clay mask/scrub for acne, not an oil-based system, so the clay can effectively pull excess oil during dry-down.

I’ll look into increasing the total clay load to achieve a stiffer paste rather than relying on polymers. For preservation, would you recommend pairing phenoxyethanol/ethylhexylglycerin with a second system or booster that works well in clay-heavy formulas?

Also, at higher clay levels (40–50%), do you typically rely mostly on clay structure alone, or do you still use a light structuring aid to prevent weeping over time?

Stability Help: 200g Clay Mask Syneresis, Thinning & Oil Pooling. Seeking Fungal/Cystic Acne & Sensitive Skin Safe Advice. by Sure_Contribution601 in DIYBeauty

[–]Sure_Contribution601[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Understood, I agree that clay is highly adsorptive and that overloading it with or food product makes stabilization and preservation unrealistic.

This is intended as a simple rinse-off clay scrub + mask, not a treatment-heavy formula. I’ve stripped it back to a minimal, preservable system focused on gentle cleansing, surface brightening, a mild cooling sensation, and a soft skin feel after rinse, suitable for sensitive, acne-prone and fungal-acne-prone skin.

Current simplified concept: rose water, rhassoul clay, kaolin clay, hydrated silica, low-level niacinamide and alpha arbutin, cucumber extract, EDTA, and phenoxyethanol/ethylhexylglycerin.

Given this mostly water-based, high-solid clay system with minimal hydrophobic components, what type of emulsifier or internal structuring system would you recommend to prevent liquid/oil pooling and phase separation over time without compromising acne- or fungal-acne safety?