BarrierCare Cleanser: How to Formulate a Gentle SCI Face Wash for Dry Skin

Most cleansers on the market are built for oily or combination skin — very few are formulated with dry, sensitive skin in mind. BarrierCare Cleanser closes that gap. It's a mild, sulfate-free face wash built around Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), a naturally derived surfactant that cleanses without stripping the skin barrier.

SCI is prized in clean-beauty formulations, but it has a reputation among DIY formulators for being tricky to work with — it can separate over time or leave skin feeling dry if the surfactant ratio and processing aren't right. This guide walks through a tested formulation that solves both problems, using a surfactant blend, Cetearyl Alcohol, and Xanthan Gum to create a stable, pearly, mild-cleansing base — essentially a homemade dupe of the cult-favorite Cetaphil-style cleanser.

All raw materials referenced below are available in lab-grade quality from ASES Chemical Works.

Why Formulate Your Own Dry-Skin Cleanser?

• Full control over mildness — you decide the surfactant ratio, so the formula stays gentle instead of stripping natural oils.
• Actives built in — Niacinamide, Panthenol, and Aloe extract are dosed directly into the base, rather than layered on afterward.
• Cetaphil-style texture at a fraction of the cost — the same category of gentle, fragrance-free, pH-balanced cleanser, made with ingredients you can trace and verify.
• Fragrance-free by design — suitable for reactive or barrier-compromised skin, with the option to add a hydrosol or water-soluble fragrance if desired.

How to Use BarrierCare Cleanser

This cleanser is suitable for both morning and night routines and is especially well-suited to dry skin. Pump a small amount onto your palm, work it into a light lather, massage onto the face, and rinse thoroughly with water.

Key Ingredients and What They Do

Niacinamide and Panthenol work in synergy with the other actives rather than competing with them, which is part of what keeps this formula feeling calm on sensitised skin.

Full Formulation: BarrierCare Cleanser (100g Batch)

Recommended active dosage ranges:

• Niacinamide: 1–5%
• DL-Panthenol: 0.5%

Equipment You'll Need

• Serum pump bottles
• 100ml glass beakers
• Steel or glass stirring rods and spatulas
• Heating mantle or double boiler
• Weighing scale (accurate to 0.01g)
• Measuring cups
• Gloves, head cap, and eye goggles

Step-by-Step Formulation Procedure

1. Hydrate the Xanthan Gum. Disperse Xanthan Gum into Glycerin and stir for a few seconds before slowly adding DM Water — this prevents clumping.
   
2. Build Phase A. Add Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, water, and Panthenol to the hydrated gum mixture. Heat gently on a double boiler.
3. Melt the surfactants (Phase B). Combine SCI, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, and Coco Betaine in a separate beaker and melt on a double boiler until fully combined.
   
4. Combine phases. Once both phases have melted, mix them together and stir until uniform.
   
5. Add the cool-down phase. Once the mixture reaches room temperature, add the Aloe extract and preservative. Heat-sensitive ingredients should always go in after cooling to protect their activity.
6. Check and adjust pH. Target a final pH of around 5.5.

Formulation Notes

• The ideal pH range for this cleanser is 5–7, but preservative efficacy for Geogard ECT drops above pH 6. If you raise the pH beyond that, switch to a preservative rated for the higher range.
• Use L-Arginine to raise pH and lactic acid to lower it, adjusting in small increments.
• This is a fragrance-free formulation. If you'd like to add scent, a hydrosol or a small amount of water-soluble fragrance works well; oil-soluble fragrance oils will need a solubiliser to stay stable in this water-based base.

Where to Source These Raw Materials

ASES Chemical Works supplies lab-grade SCI, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco Betaine, Niacinamide, DL-Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Extract, and Geogard ECT for cosmetic formulators and DIY skincare makers across India. Browse the full range on our Shopify store to get started on your own batch.

FAQs

Is SCI good for dry skin?
Yes — SCI is one of the gentlest anionic surfactants available and is widely used in cleansers formulated for dry or sensitive skin, since it cleanses without the aggressive stripping associated with sulfates like SLS.

Why does my SCI cleanser separate over time?
Separation usually comes down to surfactant ratio and processing temperature. Blending SCI with a co-surfactant (like Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate and Coco Betaine) and properly melting the surfactant phase on a double boiler, as outlined above, helps keep the formula stable.

What pH should a face cleanser be?
Most gentle cleansers, including this one, target a pH between 5 and 7 to stay close to the skin's natural pH. Keep in mind that some preservatives lose efficacy above pH 6.

Can I make this cleanser fragrance-free?
Yes — the formulation is fragrance-free as written. If you want to add scent, use a hydrosol or a small dose of water-soluble fragrance; oil-soluble fragrance oils require a solubiliser to blend into a water-based cleanser.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational and informational purposes only. If you'd like to share your creations, tag us on Instagram @ases.chem.