Ingredient Description & Formulation Guide

Build Your Custom Serum

Please do your own research on ingredients, your skin type, and how to achieve your skincare goals. This is for experienced skincare users only.

Create your own custom facial oil or serum by selecting your preferred base oils, functional ingredients, and optional add-ons. Every choice changes the texture, absorption, and overall performance of your final product, so take your time and build something that feels right for your skin.

At Cosmocost, customization is meant to be real. You are not being pushed into a small group of pre-made products through a quiz. You are choosing the ingredients you want, the strengths you prefer, and building something that actually fits your skincare goals.

Formulation Guide

Step 1: Choose Your Base Oils

Your base oils create the foundation of your formula and have the biggest effect on how your serum feels on the skin.

You can use one base oil or blend multiple base oils to create your preferred balance of richness, absorption, and skin feel. 

Step 2: Choose Functional Ingredients

Next, add your actives based on your skincare goals. These are performance-driven ingredients such as vitamin C derivatives, peptides, antioxidants, retinoids, and botanical extracts.

Each ingredient adds its own benefits and can also change the feel of your final formula. Some ingredients are best for brightening, others for hydration, smoothing, antioxidant support, or improving the look of firmness and texture.

Step 3: Customize Strengths

Some ingredients allow you to choose your preferred strength. This gives you more control over the performance and feel of your formula.

For example, you may begin with a lower percentage of THDA or retinol and gradually increase over time while keeping the rest of your formula the same. This makes it easier to fine-tune your skincare as your skin changes or as your comfort level grows.

Higher percentages can increase potency and may also slightly change the texture or richness of the final product.

Step 4: Add Optional Finishing Touches

You can customize your formula further with optional oil additives, scent choices, bottle upgrades, and label options.

These finishing touches can affect the feel, scent, appearance, and packaging performance of your final product.

General Tips:

Store your serum in a cool, dark place unless otherwise noted for a specific ingredient.

Shake gently before each use if needed to help keep the blend uniform.

If you are new to active ingredients, start simple. One or two actives is often the best starting point.

Even natural ingredients can affect the color, scent, and texture of the final

Smart Compatibility Logic:

Our custom builder automatically prevents incompatible ingredients from being selected together. Certain ingredients can affect the stability or performance of others, especially when liposomes, peptides, or penetration-enhancing solvents are involved.

If an ingredient is not compatible with another one you have selected, it may be hidden automatically in the builder. This helps create formulas that are more stable, effective, and thoughtfully designed without requiring you to figure out complex formulation rules on your own.

Ingredient Descriptions

Overview
A lightweight emollient commonly used in cosmetic formulations to create a smooth, fast-absorbing skin feel.

Skin Feel / Texture
Lightweight, silky, and quick-absorbing.

Best For
Suitable for a wide range of skin types, including oily and sensitive skin.

Use Level
Base oil option

Formulation Notes
Widely used in oil-based formulations due to its stability, lightweight feel, and compatibility with many cosmetic ingredients.

Overview
A lightweight emollient used to improve glide, softness, and overall sensory feel in cosmetic formulations.

Skin Feel / Texture
Smooth, lightweight, and fast-absorbing.

Best For
Suitable for most skin types.

Use Level
Base oil option

Formulation Notes
Commonly used in cosmetic formulations for its lightweight consistency and formulation versatility. Derived from olive sources.

Overview
A plant-derived oil used to add softness, cushion, and a richer sensory profile to formulations.

Skin Feel / Texture
Smooth, silky, and moderately rich.

Best For
Suitable for normal, dry, and mature skin types.

Use Level
Base oil option

Formulation Notes
Often incorporated into formulations where a more substantial yet elegant oil phase is desired.

Overview
A plant-derived oil commonly used in cosmetic formulations for conditioning and emollient support.

Skin Feel / Texture
Medium-weight, smooth, and conditioning.

Best For
Suitable for dry, normal, and mature skin types.

Use Level
Base oil option

Formulation Notes
Frequently used in formulations intended to provide additional richness and conditioning properties.

Overview
A lightweight emollient used to improve spreadability and reduce the perception of heaviness in oil-based formulations.

Skin Feel / Texture
Lightweight, smooth, and fast-spreading.

Best For
Suitable for formulations targeting a less greasy finish.

Use Level
5% to 20%

Formulation Notes
Often used to improve sensory properties and create a more refined application experience.

Overview
A conditioning ingredient used to enhance softness and improve overall sensory feel.

Skin Feel / Texture
Smooth, silky, and conditioning.

Active Type
Protein Derivative

Active Functionality
Conditioning

Best For
Suitable for formulations focused on enhanced sensory characteristics.

Use Level
1% to 5%

Formulation Notes
Animal-derived silk ingredient commonly used to improve formulation aesthetics and skin feel.

Overview
An oil-soluble vitamin C derivative commonly used in cosmetic formulations for antioxidant and skin-conditioning applications.

Skin Feel / Texture
Smooth with a slightly richer feel.

Active Type
Vitamin C Derivative

Active Functionality
Antioxidant Support, Tone Support

Best For
Commonly included in antioxidant-focused and tone-support formulations.

Use Level
5% to 30%

Formulation Notes
Widely used in oil-based vitamin C formulations due to its compatibility with anhydrous systems.

Overview
An oil-dispersed antioxidant ingredient blend used to support formulation stability and antioxidant functionality.

Skin Feel / Texture
Lightweight with a drier skin feel.

Active Type
Antioxidant

Active Functionality
Antioxidant Support

Best For
Suitable for antioxidant-focused formulations.

Use Level
0.25% to 0.5%

Formulation Notes
May not be compatible with certain encapsulated or liposomal ingredient systems. Can contribute to a drier overall sensory profile.

Blend Composition
Acetyl Zingerone, Dimethyl Isosorbide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic / Capric Triglycerides

Overview
An antioxidant ingredient blend used in cosmetic formulations to support oxidative stability.

Skin Feel / Texture
Lightweight with a semi-dry finish.

Active Type
Antioxidant

Active Functionality
Antioxidant Support

Best For
Suitable for antioxidant-focused oil-based formulations.

Use Level
0.05%

Formulation Notes
Often used at low use levels due to its concentrated nature and compatibility with oil systems.

Blend Composition
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Overview
A botanical oil blend commonly used in cosmetic formulations for conditioning and tone-support applications.

Skin Feel / Texture
Lightweight and conditioning.

Active Type
Botanical Extract

Active Functionality
Tone Support, Conditioning

Best For
Suitable for conditioning and tone-focused formulations.

Use Level
1% to 5%

Formulation Notes
Easily incorporated into many oil-based formulations due to its versatility and lightweight profile.

Blend Composition
Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil

Overview
A conditioning ingredient blend commonly used in cosmetic formulations to support a smoother and more conditioned skin feel.

Skin Feel / Texture
Medium-weight with a slightly cushioned feel.

Active Type
Amino Acid Derivative

Active Functionality
Firming Support, Conditioning, Smoothing Support

Best For
Formulas focused on conditioning, smoothing, or richer sensory profiles.

Use Level
0.5% to 1%

Formulation Notes
Can contribute additional body and richness depending on the overall formulation composition.

Overview
A botanical extract used in oil-based formulations for antioxidant and conditioning support.

Skin Feel / Texture
Light to medium with minimal effect on viscosity.

Active Type
Botanical Extract

Active Functionality
Antioxidant Support, Conditioning

Best For
Antioxidant-focused and conditioning formulations.

Use Level
2%

Formulation Notes
Included in oil-based formulations to support overall formula stability and antioxidant properties. May slightly affect the natural color of the final formulation. Store in a cool, dark environment to help maintain botanical stability.

Overview
A blend of vitamin E compounds commonly used in oil-based formulations for antioxidant support.

Skin Feel / Texture
Light to medium with slight richness at higher levels.

Active Type
Antioxidant

Active Functionality
Antioxidant Support

Best For
Antioxidant-focused and oil-based formulations.

Use Level
0.5%

Formulation Notes
Frequently incorporated into oil-based formulations to help support ingredient stability. May slightly deepen the natural color of the formula.

Overview
A botanical extract blend used in cosmetic formulations focused on conditioning and firmness support.

Skin Feel / Texture
Soft, medium-weight, and slightly cushioned.

Active Type
Botanical Extract

Active Functionality
Firming Support, Conditioning

Best For
Firmness-focused and mature-skin formulations.

Use Level
1% to 2%

Formulation Notes
Contributes a softer sensory feel while supporting a more conditioning formulation profile.

Blend Composition
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Tocopherol

Overview
A botanical extract blend used to support antioxidant properties and improve formulation sensory feel.

Skin Feel / Texture
Lightweight, smooth, and balanced.

Active Type
Botanical Extract

Active Functionality
Antioxidant Support, Conditioning

Best For
Conditioning and antioxidant-focused formulations.

Use Level
1% to 2%

Formulation Notes
Useful in formulations where botanical support is desired without significantly altering texture or viscosity.

Blend Composition
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phoenix Dactylifera (Date) Seed Extract

Overview
An encapsulated vitamin A ingredient blend designed for gradual release and improved formulation stability.

Skin Feel / Texture
Medium-rich, velvety, and slightly thicker.

Active Type
Retinoid

Active Functionality
Renewal Support, Texture Support

Best For
Retinoid-focused and renewal-support formulations.

Use Level
0.1% to 1%

Formulation Notes
Often used in formulations intended for gradual introduction of vitamin A derivatives.

Blend Composition
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phospholipids, Retinol

Overview
A vitamin A derivative blend commonly used in formulations intended for gentler renewal-focused applications.

Skin Feel / Texture
Light to medium with a smooth finish.

Active Type
Retinoid

Active Functionality
Renewal Support

Best For
Beginner-friendly or milder renewal-focused formulations.

Use Level
2.5% to 10%

Formulation Notes
Often incorporated into formulations intended for gradual use of vitamin A derivatives.

Blend Composition
Squalane, Retinyl Linoleate

Overview
A plant-derived ingredient commonly used in formulations focused on smoothing and conditioning support.

Skin Feel / Texture
Medium-weight with a cushioned feel.

Active Type
Botanical Active

Active Functionality
Conditioning, Tone Support

Best For
Renewal-focused and conditioning formulations.

Use Level
0.5% to 1%

Formulation Notes
Can contribute additional richness and conditioning feel to the final formulation. Compatible with retinol-containing formulations.

Overview
A naturally pigmented botanical oil rich in fatty acids and carotenoid compounds.

Skin Feel / Texture
Rich, cushioned, and slower-absorbing.

Best For
Conditioning and nourishment-focused formulations.

Use Level
1% to 5%

Formulation Notes
Adds natural color and richness to formulations. Due to its strong pigmentation, contact with fabrics or porous materials may result in staining.