Welcome to the home of SwiftCraftyMonkey Formulating Inc.! Join Susan as she obsesses about cosmetic chemistry and other things (some possibly related to monkeys)! Here you’ll find over 5,000 posts and formulas written over the past 16 years for everything from lotions, creams, and body butters to hair care products to fancy facial products filled with actives and cosmeceuticals! Enjoy the site without distractions – no ads, pop ups, sponsored posts, affiliate links, “one weird tricks” – all supported by readers like you.
Catherine wrote to me in this post with these concerns: Hi. I’ve had my first epic lotion fail. My question: Can I still use this broken emulsion lotion packed with cosmeceuticals? It has preservative in it so I figure, even if it’s not pretty, I assume I can still use it? Just shake it up...
In this post, Anonymous asks: Hey Susan, This probably is a very weird question, but I was wondering, just for curiosity’s sake, what would happen if you made a change in a lotion recipe, say added extra of an ingredient in the oil phase but didnt reduce the percentage in the water phase (so the recipe didnt...
I don’t know if you noticed, but in the FAQ I noted that if you asked an awesome question, I might send the writer an e-book…but the last few have been posted as anonymous. You don’t have to have a Blogger account when you post, but could you put your name your comment? Something like...
Anonymous asks in this post: I was wondering if there might be any science to back up using a vinegar rinse? I agree that using baking soda to wash hair is a terrible idea, but I have found a vinegar rinse (after shampooing, before conditioning) invaluable. My hair is much smoother and more manageable. I...
I can’t believe it’s summer already. I’m still working on Christmas presents I didn’t get time to make! Here are a few thoughts for the day before I spend the rest of the morning in the workshop! Please please please don’t make your own sunscreen. I know it’s tempting to think that all we have...