Hello everyone, I have anhydrous caffeine and wanted to make a skin serum with it.

 

From Google, caffeine only dissolves 15 mg/ml both in ethanol and water which should max give us 1.5% of caffeine in ethanol/water solvents.

 

However, a 5% caffeine serum on the internet has this as its ingredients

Water, Caffeine, Maltodextrin, Glycerin, Propanediol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Oxidized Glutathione, Melanin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan gum, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Propyl Gallate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ethoxydiglycol, Benzyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol.

 

I have very little knowledge in chemistry to identify how did they make that much caffeine dissolve in water if it isn't scientifically possible, can you guys help me to identify the ingredients to make my serum happen? Thank you!

Please help

Strong solutions of urea, glycerine, and/ or propylene glycol  might be better solvents than water.
It's possible that the caffeine is in suspension rather than solution.

Why would you bother?