FORMULATION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A BASE SERUM SYSTEM FOR ADVANCED FACIAL SKINCARE APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The global cosmetics industry continues to grow steadily, with facial serums becoming one of the most popular skincare products due to their light texture, high concentration of active ingredients, and fast skin absorption. In Thailand, community-based cosmetic production using local resources has become an important approach to strengthening local economies. However, limited product stability remains a major challenge that restricts large-scale production and market expansion.This study aimed to develop a stable base serum formulation for facial skincare that can serve as a foundation for future herbal cosmetic products. Three aqueous-based serum formulations (SB1–SB3) with different thickening agent compositions were developed and evaluated using accelerated stability testing. The formulations were subjected to six heating–cooling cycles at 4 °C and 45 °C, and physicochemical properties including pH, appearance, texture, phase separation, and sensory characteristics were evaluated before and after testing.The results showed that formulation SB3 exhibited the best stability, with no observable changes after accelerated testing. This formulation was further developed into a prototype and evaluated by 50 adult volunteers using a 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire. The usability evaluation indicated high levels of satisfaction in terms of product texture, absorption, skin feel, appearance, and fragrance, as well as overall satisfaction and purchase intention. The questionnaire demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.809).In conclusion, the developed base serum formulation provides a stable and user-acceptable platform that can be further adapted for herbal extract incorporation. The findings support the potential for community-based cosmetic product development and are aligned with Thailand’s BioCircularGreen Economy (BCG) framework.