An oil-based, ECS-active topical
Barry Bonner · Reset ECS · barry@resetecs.com · www.resetecs.com · [ phone ]
Prepared for Anna Chuck
Anna, thank you for sharing your formula. This document sets out the anhydrous, oil-based topical I propose we develop together, and it explains which of your ingredients carry across into an oil system and which do not. I have kept the reasoning strong but defensible, so it holds up to scrutiny at every point.
Everything here is a starting point for the bench. Once you are happy with the direction, I will refine the percentages and prepare a trial batch for you to assess alongside your current cream.
Concept & design principle
This is an anhydrous, lipid-only “reset ECS” oil, built around my phytocannabinoids, beta-caryophyllene and sacha inchi on your shea-butter base. It has no beeswax and no water phase: the butters give it body, the carrier oils absorb quickly, and it carries an anti-inflammatory stack — Boswellia CO2, oat lipid and chamazulene — aimed squarely at the barrier and eczema support your daughters are looking for.
One rule governs every choice: each ingredient must be oil-soluble (or oil-dispersible without water) and carry a defensible medicinal rationale. There is no emulsifier and no water phase, which means no preservative system and nothing to separate.
- Barrier route. The stratum corneum is a lipid matrix — the main path for fat-soluble compounds. Lipophilic cannabinoids partition into it naturally; they do not dissolve in water at all.
- Same language as the target. The endocannabinoid system is itself a lipid signalling system — its messengers are built from cell membranes and its receptors sit within them. A fat-based carrier keeps the active dissolved and in direct contact with the skin lipids, exactly where it engages CB1 and CB2, the TRP channels and the enzymes that govern endocannabinoid tone.
Working formula (starting point, by weight)
These are bench starting points; I will balance the batch to 100% with jojoba once the cannabinoid dose is set. ★ my Reset ECS actives · ◆ your base.
| Ingredient (INCI where useful) | % w/w (start) | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier — fast, gentle base | ||
| Jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis) | 25–30 | Sebum-like liquid wax; stable, non-comedogenic, calming. Primary fast base. |
| Sacha inchi oil (Plukenetia volubilis) ★ | 15–20 | Omega-3 (ALA) / omega-6; anti-inflammatory, barrier support. My active. |
| Squalane (olive-derived) | 8–10 | Barrier-identical, dry-touch slip; ultra-gentle on sensitive or eczematous skin. |
| Castor oil (Ricinus communis) | 3–5 | Ricinoleic-acid anti-inflammatory. Kept small (thick and slow) as a supporting oil. |
| Body | ||
| Shea butter (Butyrospermum parkii) ◆ | 18–22 | Emollient body plus natural anti-inflammatory triterpenes. Your base; gives structure without beeswax. |
| Actives | ||
| Broad-spectrum phytocannabinoids ★ | to target | ECS activation; the retained CBDa and CBGa acids penetrate the surface layers more readily. Dose to target mg/g. My active. |
| Beta-caryophyllene ★ | 0.5–1 | Selective CB2 agonist terpene; reinforces cannabinoid signalling. My active. |
| Boswellia serrata CO2 extract | 1–3 | Boswellic acids — the true anti-inflammatory workhorse (see Frankincense note). |
| Oat lipid / Avena sativa kernel oil | 3–5 | Carries avenanthramides (soothing, anti-itch) in oil form — the lipid-compatible way to keep your oat benefit. |
| Tamanu oil (Calophyllum inophyllum) — optional | 3–5 | Anti-inflammatory and skin-repairing, with a strong eczema track record. |
| Stability (anhydrous — no preservative required) | ||
| Vitamin E (tocopherol) | 0.5–1 | Oil-soluble antioxidant; protects the carrier and the cannabinoids from rancidity. |
| Rosemary antioxidant CO2 extract | ~0.1 | Oil-soluble antioxidant boost (the oil-compatible way to bring in rosemary). |
| Aroma — all medicinal; total EO ≤ 1–1.5% (low end on active or broken skin) | ||
| Rosalina (Melaleuca ericifolia) | 0.4–0.6 | Lead calming note. Its linalool provides the soothing, anti-inflammatory action lavender is prized for, in a modern scent; 1,8-cineole adds gentle antimicrobial support. |
| German chamomile (Matricaria) | 0.1–0.2 | Chamazulene anti-inflammatory plus a soft blue tint. Potent — keep low; it can stain. |
| Frankincense EO (Boswellia carterii) | 0.2–0.3 | Aroma bridge to the Boswellia active; mild skin benefit. |
Frankincense — using the right form
The anti-inflammatory power of frankincense lies in the boswellic acids, and those are not present in the steam-distilled essential oil — they stay in the resin and only carry through in a CO2 (supercritical) extract. So I would use Boswellia serrata CO2 extract as the active (serrata has the most clinical support) and add a small amount of Boswellia carterii essential oil for the classic aroma — acids for the action, terpenes for the scent.
What stays out, and why
| Excluded | Source | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Emulsifier + water phase | Design choice | Deliberately left out to keep a pure lipid system: no preservative needed, and the actives stay fully dissolved and in the skin’s own lipid language. |
| Copper IQ Serum (copper peptide) | Your sample | Copper peptides are water-soluble and need a water phase; there is nothing for them to dissolve into in an anhydrous oil, so they cannot carry or stay active. This is what decides cream versus oil. |
| Rose clay / kaolin | Your mask | A powder that settles in oil and draws cannabinoids out of solution, so it works against the actives. Clays only draw with water. |
| Colloidal oats + goat milk | Your mask | Water-associated; goat milk would also require a preservative. The oat benefit is carried instead through oat lipid. |
| Bentonite / diatomaceous earth | Your list | Absorbent powders that need water to work; in an oil they settle and pull cannabinoids from solution. |
| Chinese herbal cream (yellow tube) | Your sample | This class of imported herbal eczema creams is repeatedly found adulterated with undisclosed potent steroids (clobetasol, betamethasone, dexamethasone) — most likely why relief has been so fast, but it risks skin thinning and rebound flares, is unquantified, and would undermine a clean botanical line. I would rather achieve the same relief openly. |
| Peppermint / lavender | Aroma review | Peppermint left out as it can sting broken skin. Lavender left out as dated and overused; its calming linalool action is carried instead by rosalina. |
| Kept from your formula: vitamin E, shea butter, helichrysum, fennel, rose, castor (in a reduced role) and rosemary (as an oil-soluble extract). | ||
Manufacturing & handling notes
- Anhydrous process. Gently warm the shea and thicker oils to about 40–45°C until just melted; do not overheat. Blend in the liquid carriers, cool to around 35°C, then add the cannabinoids, CO2 extracts, vitamin E, rosemary and essential oils last, to protect the heat-sensitive actives and terpenes.
- Keep powders out. Any clay, silica or oat powder will settle and draw cannabinoids out of solution — use the oil-soluble equivalents specified above.
- Stability. An anhydrous base needs no preservative; vitamin E and rosemary CO2 guard against rancidity. Fill into airless or amber packaging, away from light and heat.
- Cannabinoid dosing. Set the mg/g target first, then adjust the jojoba to bring the batch to 100%.
Cautions
For external cosmetic and wellness use. On active, cracked or weeping eczema, keep the total essential oil at the low end and patch-test first; discontinue if irritation occurs. This document supports formulation development and is not a medical claim or treatment advice.
References
Chinese herbal-cream steroid adulteration: UK Government and Psoriasis Association warnings; Keane et al., analysis of herbal creams containing corticosteroids (PMC1719403). Frankincense EO versus CO2 and boswellic acids: Absolute Aromas; topical frankincense trial (PMC9984289). Colloidal oat in atopic dermatitis: Journal of Dermatological Treatment (2025).
