IO Even-Tone Active

This ingredient explained

IO Even-Tone Active is a well-known skin tone ingredient whose publicly documented INCI is Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine. It is a lipoamino acid: the amino acid phenylalanine joined to undecylenic acid, a fatty acid from castor oil. On this page it is sold by weight in gram packs. The physical appearance of the lot, the exact INCI and any carrier are confirmed on the CoA, which is the document to use for your label.

How it is positioned

The producer presents this ingredient as an ingredient that helps the complexion look more even and radiant and helps reduce the look of dark spots with regular use. It is often chosen by brands that want a brightening product built on something other than vitamin C alone. Many formulas pair it with niacinamide, which supports the same visual goal from another angle.

Applications

Common products include brightening serums, day creams, hand creams aimed at the look of age spots, body lotions for a more uniform look, and after-sun moisturizers. It also appears in tone-up primers and tinted creams. Good companions are Niacinamide and Kojic Dipalmitate, which allow a brand to build a multi-ingredient brightening system. Browse more skin and hair ingredients in our peptides catalog.

How to work with it

Undecylenoyl phenylalanine is an acid and is usually neutralized to dissolve in water. A common method is to disperse the material in the water phase, add a base such as sodium hydroxide solution drop by drop until it dissolves, then continue with the rest of the batch. Supplier literature typically calls for a final pH around 5.5 or higher to keep it in solution. Take the exact use level and neutralization method from the CoA and supplier documentation.

Avoiding common mistakes

The most frequent problem with this ingredient is recrystallization when the pH drifts down. Measure the pH after every addition of acidic ingredients, such as AHA or some plant extracts, and correct it if needed. Another pitfall is adding it to a very low-water system, where it cannot be properly neutralized. Keep notes of the base used, because it affects the final salt content and the viscosity of some gels.

Compatibility

The neutralized ingredient works in gels, serums and oil-in-water emulsions. It is compatible with niacinamide, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol and most stable vitamin C derivatives. It is less suited to low-pH products such as acid peels. Electrolyte-sensitive thickeners like carbomer may lose some viscosity, so check the gel after neutralization.

Characteristics

Supply: gram packs, sold by weight. Publicly documented INCI: Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine. Appearance and full INCI: confirm on the CoA. Typical handling: neutralized and dissolved in the water phase. Recommended finished pH: per supplier guidance, usually around 5.5 or higher.

Original recipe: even-tone serum, 100 g

Phase A: distilled water 84.10 g, glycerin 4.00 g, IO Even-Tone Active 1.00 g. Stir and add sodium hydroxide 10 percent solution drop by drop until the material dissolves. Phase B: niacinamide 4.00 g, panthenol 1.00 g. Phase C: hydroxyethylcellulose 0.60 g predispersed in propanediol 3.00 g. Phase D: preservative 1.00 g, fragrance-free soothing extract 1.30 g. Combine in order, check the pH and keep it near 6.0. Fill into an opaque pump bottle.

Record the lot number in your batch log so every production run can be traced back to its certificate of analysis. Retain a small sample of each lot for at least the shelf life of the finished product, since it makes later quality questions much easier to answer.

Storage

Keep the container sealed in a cool, dry place away from light. Close it immediately after weighing. Ships from Florida in gram packs.