SwiftCraftyMonkey

SwiftCraftyMonkey

Q&A: Why aren’t we concerned with pH for lotions, conditioners, or body butters?

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In the monthly Q&A post, Chavi asked, This may be a silly question but it occurred to me while I was reading the new ebook.. why aren’t we concerned with pH when it comes to lotions,  conditioners, body butters, etc? I’m sure the answer is in my head somewhere but at nearly midnight, it’s not coming...

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Q&A: Can Xanthan Gum solubilize small amounts of oil?

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In the monthly Q&A post, Shelby asked, Hi Susan! I’m back with another question! I have seen some products that are mostly water based, thickened with xanthan gum, but have a small amount of oil added. There are no real emulsifiers or solubilizes for the oil either. So how are these products not separating? Are they...

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Thickeners: Xanthan gum (rheology modifier) – updated October 3, 2022

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Xanthan Gum is an anionic (negatively charged) polymer derived from the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris, which can be found on cruciferous veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli (all of my least favourites!). In the manufacturing of this ingredient, they actually use the bacteria in a fermentation process. It’s permitted in food and cosmetic products and the typical usage...

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Let’s analyze a “terrible recipe” to learn more about formulating: Part four, looking at a final potential formula, analyzing it a little more with information on how to spot terrible recipes and where to find trusted resources

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Welcome back to this series in which we’re analyzing what I’m calling a “terrible recipe” for a lotion to learn more about formulating lotions from scratch. In part one, we took a look at the original recipe in volume and by weight, then we considered a few things, like temperatures, what went into which phase,...

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Welcome to October 2022!

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Welcome to October! The first true month of autumn here in Canada and the birthday month of my beloved Raymond as well as our little pup Sasja! This month will be filled with cake and far too much Hallowe’en themed chocolate for the humans in our household. The never-ending 50,000 km tune-up on this old … Read more