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.
If you ever consider getting me a present – and why wouldn’t you? – this periodic table of the elements blanket would be just perfect! How is this only $30? And if you’re really in the mood to get me a present, consider this lovely atomic necklace! Yeah, I’m subtle! (ThinkGeek) To everyone who keeps asking...
There are loads of you with loads of questions about preservatives, so let’s take a look at some of those comments now! HOW MUCH PRESERVATIVE SHOULD I USE?In this post, Question: Why would you leave preservatives out for sensitive skin?, Mariena asks: I use Phenonip in my lotions and emulsified scrubs and was wondering about...
I was amazed to see that the most popular post on the blog this month was the post on cucumber extract. In light of that, it makes sense that we should take a closer look at this ingredient and formulate with it for a bit! Cucumber extract (INCI: Cucumis sativa (cucumber) extract) can be found...
Sarah asks in this post, Lotions: Making a cream: I made an unscented cream yesterday for my friend with very sensitive skin. I left the cream in the bowl over night with a stainless steel spoon in it. Today I noticed on one side of the spoon the cream has been discoloured (purple in colour). From...
What have we learned over the last little while about using sunflower oil in our products? We’ve learned that sunflower oil contains linoleic acid, which helps repair skin’s barrier mechanisms and helps prevent transepidermal water loss (TEWL); oleic acid, which softens and moisturizes skin; and phytosterols, which reduce inflammation and itching as well as TEWL.We’ve learned sunflower oil feels light...