Optimisation and Characterisation of a Kojic Monooleate, Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid Facial Cleanser Using Polymeric Micelle Nanocarriers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54987/jobimb.v14i1.820Keywords:
Facial cleanser formulation, Kojic monooleate (KMO), Polymeric micelles, Response surface methodology (RSM), NiacinamideAbstract
This study reports the preliminary development and optimisation of a polymeric micelle (PM)-based facial cleanser formulation incorporating kojic monooleate (KMO), niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid (HA) as active components, evaluated mainly through physicochemical testing. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) coupled with a Face-Centred Central Composite Design (FCCCD) was employed to systematically evaluate the influence of three critical process variables, namely stirring time (55–85 min), stirring rate (1000–1500 rpm), and temperature (30–70 °C), on droplet size as the primary response. Optimisation of the formulation yielded an ideal preparation under conditions of 55.155 min stirring time, 1494.301 rpm stirring rate, and 30.123 °C, producing a droplet size of 97.29 nm, a residual standard error (%RSE) ranging from 1.79% to 12.13% and an encapsulation efficiency of 95.82%. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed satisfactory model fitness, with an F-value of 5.95, a statistically significant p-value (p < 0.0500), a non-significant lack-of-fit, and a coefficient of determination of R² = 0.8562. Physicochemical characterisation of the optimised formulation revealed a zeta potential of −5.18 ± 3.75 mV, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.223, and a conductivity of 0.284 mS/cm at pH 5.69, collectively indicating a monodisperse, oil-in-water (O/W) dispersion system. Under the limited stability testing performed, the formulation remained stable under centrifugation but showed transient suspension formation during freeze-thaw cycling, indicating moderate rather than high short-term stability. A preliminary qualitative cleansing assessment (lipstick-stain removal on a glass substrate) showed promising cleansing performance, supporting the formulation's potential as a cosmeceutical delivery system that warrants further investigation.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Nursyawaltul Akina Abdul Raman, Farhana Abdul Wahab, Nur Farah Syazwahazwani Sufatan, Siti Efliza Ashari

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