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.
SwiftCraftyMonkey 
Yesterday, we spent some time taking a look at rice bran wax. Today, let’s take a look at how we might use it in a lotion bar! I teach this version of a softer lotion bar with soy wax that works really well as a massage bar in my eco skin care class at Voyageur Soap...
A few of my favourite suppliers have started carrying rice bran wax, so I had to add it to my overflowing list of ingredients in the workshop, and thought I’d share what I’ve learned about it with you. Rice bran wax (INCI: Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax -USA – or Oryza Sativa Cera – EU) is...
“Winterized olive oil is any grade of olive oil that has had the waxes removed so that it doesn’t solidify in the cold weather (or in the refrigerator).” (Reference) This is done a lot for edible products that’ll be stored in the fridge, like a salad dressing, and for oils that may have a lot...
The week of play in the workshop didn’t go as planned – my muscles have gone into spasm, no doubt from doing far too much over the last few weeks – so I have to take it easy and not stand for long periods of time formulating, teaching, and doing other things like that, so...
In the September Q&A, Charlette asked, Sorry, but have another question. With our recent use of so many different cold process emulsifiers–although I know we all use good production practices–are we giving up some preservation and ‘kill the beasties’ benefits which the heat-and hold process gives us? Don’t get me wrong! I’m loving the ease...