Most CoQ10 inquiries reach us with a product format and a target percentage. That is a useful start, but it is not enough to recommend a grade. Before we suggest ZLEY PKG101, we ask whether the formula must be clear or can be opaque, whether “3% CoQ10” means 3% pure ubiquinone or 3% of a commercial dispersion, how the batch is heated and sheared, and where the finished product will be sold.
PKG101 is our yellow, viscous CoQ10 dispersion. It contains ubiquinone together with glycerin, water, lecithin, hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine, caprylic/capric triglyceride, tocopherol, and sunflower seed oil. We usually discuss it with labs that want to evaluate a prepared phospholipid-containing dispersion instead of building a carrier around neat CoQ10 powder. For some formulas that saves development work. For others, the carrier is a poor fit, and we say so early.
When a prepared CoQ10 dispersion makes sense
Ubiquinone is attractive for antioxidant and well-aging concepts, but it is highly lipophilic and has very low aqueous solubility. A skilled formulator can purchase neat powder and design the oil phase, solvent system, and protection strategy around it. For some projects, that is exactly the right route. Other teams are trying to shorten pre-dispersion work or incorporate CoQ10 into an existing opaque emulsion platform. PKG101 is intended for that second type of brief.
The carrier still matters. Lecithin and hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine in an INCI list do not prove a particular vesicle structure, particle size, encapsulation efficiency, or delivery result in the finished product. If a brief requires a liposomal or nano claim, we ask for the measurement basis. Without the relevant data, we do not recommend using that claim.
What ZLEY publishes, and what a buyer still needs
| Qualification point | ZLEY PKG101 project note |
|---|---|
| Commercial form | Yellow viscous liquid; a complete dispersion rather than pure CoQ10 powder |
| Published composition | Glycerin, water, lecithin, hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine, caprylic/capric triglyceride, ubiquinone, tocopherol, and sunflower seed oil |
| Published starting level | 1-5% of the supplied PKG101 dispersion |
| Reasonable first formats | Opaque creams, lotions, and milky emulsion serums |
| Do not assume | Do not treat 1-5% as pure ubiquinone content, and do not describe the grade as truly water-soluble only because it can be incorporated into an emulsion |
| Items to confirm with ZLEY | Current ubiquinone assay and method, pH range, microbial limits, preservative details, validated process window, shelf life, packaging, and particle data where a delivery-system claim is required |
This distinction also changes the price comparison. The cost per kilogram of PKG101 cannot be compared directly with the cost per kilogram of high-assay CoQ10 powder. Procurement needs the actual ubiquinone assay, the intended finished-product level, and the processing work required for each route.
The four questions our technical team asks first
- What must the finished product look like? A water-clear gel and a milky serum are different briefs. PKG101’s color and multi-component carrier make transparency a poor first target.
- What does the active target mean? We need to know whether the specification refers to the complete commercial grade, pure ubiquinone, or a finished-product marketing claim.
- What process already exists? Share the oil phase, emulsifier, pH, electrolyte load, alcohol level, maximum temperature, homogenization step, and order of addition. We should fit the ingredient to the process, not ask production to rebuild a stable platform without reason.
- Where will the product be sold? The destination market determines which composition, origin, regulatory, allergen, and claim documents the procurement team may need before approval.
These questions sound basic, but they prevent the most common sample failure: sending a technically interesting ingredient into a formula that was never a suitable host for it.
How we would run the first bench trial
For an opaque cream, lotion, or milky serum, our starting approach is deliberately simple. It creates useful comparison data before anyone spends time optimizing a single attractive beaker.
- Erstelle eine echte Leerstelle. Keep one version of the base without PKG101. That lets the team attribute color, odor, viscosity, and separation correctly.
- Run 1%, 3%, and 5% prototypes. Keep the rest of the formula unchanged. These levels refer to the complete PKG101 dispersion.
- Finish the primary emulsion first. Build and homogenize the base before introducing PKG101 unless a current ZLEY process document specifies another route.
- Begin in cool-down. Until a validated temperature limit is confirmed for the current lot and project, addition at or below 40 C under moderate sweep is a conservative development starting point, not a formal manufacturing limit.
- Do not apply high shear automatically. If post-addition homogenization is necessary, compare appearance and, when the delivery structure matters, particle data before and after processing.
- Read the batch after it settles. Record pH, viscosity, color, odor, uniformity, and centrifuge behavior after 24 and 48 hours rather than approving the warm batch at the mixer.
Formulas where PKG101 is usually worth screening
- Opaque antioxidant creams and lotions where a yellow tone can be accommodated
- Milky serums built on a proven emulsion platform
- Projects where easier handling is more important than controlling every carrier component independently
- Teams that want one commercial dispersion to evaluate before committing resources to a custom CoQ10 delivery system
When we would suggest another route
- A water-clear gel or essence with a strict transparency requirement
- An anhydrous face oil or balm, because PKG101 itself contains water and glycerin
- A brief requiring a high declared level of pure ubiquinone
- A formula with high alcohol, aggressive surfactants, extreme pH, or heavy electrolyte load before compatibility work
- A project that expects a delivery or clinical superiority claim without testing the finished formula
If one of these points is fixed in the brief, we would rather recommend a different CoQ10 form at the sample stage than ask the lab to spend weeks forcing PKG101 into the wrong formula.
What published research can and cannot tell us
In a comparative study of CoQ10-loaded liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles, researchers measured particle size, polydispersity, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, morphology, and skin delivery. The tested liposomes showed advantages for dermal antioxidant delivery, but the procurement lesson is broader: the delivery claim was supported by characterization, not by the ingredient list alone.
A separate topical study involved 73 people aged 20-66 and evaluated two CoQ10-containing formulas over 14 days. It reported increased quinone levels on the skin surface and within the epidermis. This supports the rationale for topical CoQ10, while remaining finished-formula research rather than evidence for PKG101.
ZLEY does not treat third-party literature as product-specific proof. Published studies explain the technical questions; PKG101 and the buyer’s finished formula still require their own qualification data.
What we expect stability work to tell us
A 2023 review of lipid nanoparticles for topical CoQ10 highlights light instability, low water solubility, and high lipophilicity as recurring challenges. It also identifies CoQ10 content, encapsulation efficiency, particle characteristics, release, rheology, antioxidant activity, and skin delivery among the characterization tools used in the literature.
For a commercial project, we would compare the blank and selected PKG101 level at 4 C, room temperature, and 40 C, then add freeze-thaw, centrifuge, and light-exposure screens. Track pH, viscosity, odor, color shift, creaming, sediment, and package interaction. If CoQ10 potency is central to the claim or shelf-life decision, measure ubiquinone content at defined checkpoints. If the delivery system is part of the positioning, add particle-size and PDI measurements in the final formula rather than relying only on raw-material data.
Documents we prepare before a production order
Once the lab has a promising prototype, the conversation moves from formulation fit to supplier qualification. Before a production order, we prepare or clarify the following items for the project:
- Current signed TDS, SDS, complete INCI statement, and representative batch COA
- Ubiquinone assay range and analytical method, with numeric results where the parameter is release-critical
- Appearance, odor, pH, viscosity, microbial, and any delivery-system release limits
- Preservative composition or preservation statement for this water-containing grade
- Country of origin, traceability, manufacturing-flow summary, allergen, GMO, and animal-origin declarations when required
- Supported storage conditions, shelf life, light protection, packaging, and freeze-thaw guidance
- Market-specific inventory or regulatory information needed by the buyer’s destination market
The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety published a final safety assessment of ubiquinone ingredients. It is a useful reference, but it does not replace review of the complete PKG101 composition, impurities, use level, claims, and finished formula for each market.
How we handle the project after the sample
Our R&D and application centers, 17,960 m² of factory and laboratory space, and production, QC, and service team of more than 200 people matter only when they make the handoff easier for the customer. For a PKG101 project, we work through four practical checkpoints:
| Stage | What we confirm with the buyer |
|---|---|
| Requirement review | Confirmation of grade fit, target application, expected use level, sample availability, MOQ, packaging, and destination-market needs |
| Lab evaluation | Current technical documents and a practical starting process for the buyer’s formula type |
| Pre-order approval | Agreed specification, representative COA, commercial packaging, lead time, and shipment details |
| Repeat supply | Lot traceability and communication when a critical specification, process, packaging, or document changes |
More information about our facilities is available on the Über die ZLEY-Gruppe page. The practical point for this project is simpler: the sample, specification, COA, shipment, and repeat lot should all refer to the same agreed grade. Our Bibliothek zur Unterstützung bei der Formulierung shows how we approach application questions before scale-up.
What would make us stop the recommendation
We stop the recommendation if the project requires a transparent result that the sample cannot deliver, if the target active level does not match the actual ubiquinone assay, or if the process is incompatible with the carrier. We also pause a delivery-system claim when the supporting particle or encapsulation data are unavailable. It is better to resolve these points during sample evaluation than after a failed pilot batch.
Our practical recommendation
PKG101 is a sensible starting sample when the project needs a formulation-ready CoQ10 dispersion for an opaque cream, lotion, or milky serum. It is probably the wrong route for a water-clear gel, an anhydrous product, or a brief demanding maximum pure-active loading. Our recommended first screen is a blank plus 1%, 3%, and 5% PKG101 prototypes, followed by cool-down processing, 24- and 48-hour readings, and a stability plan tied to the actual claim.
If the project involves a different carrier problem, our PKG201 ceramide qualification notes Und MecRetinol cyclodextrin encapsulation page show how we evaluate those systems. The chemistry is different, but the working rule is the same: define the formula constraint first, then choose the carrier.
Fragen, die uns Käufer häufig stellen
Is the published 1-5% level pure CoQ10?
No. It is the recommended addition level for the complete PKG101 commercial dispersion. Calculate pure ubiquinone exposure only from the current documented assay.
Can PKG101 be used in a clear serum?
It is not our first recommendation. PKG101 is yellow and multi-component, so it may introduce haze or color. Test the intended level before promising a transparent appearance.
Does phospholipid-containing automatically mean liposomal?
No. Composition shows what is present, not the structure, size distribution, encapsulation efficiency, or stability of the system. Ask ZLEY for the applicable measurement basis before using a liposomal or nano claim.