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.
I’m writing up the e-zine/e-book on making shampoo bars, and I wondered if you had any questions about them you’d like to see me answer. What intrigues you? What kinds of ingredients do you want to add? Do you have questions about moulds, colours, fragrances, and more? Please share them in this post as soon...
In the July 2018 Q&A post, Laura asked: I’m confused about the difference between BTMS-50, Incroquat BTMS, and Incroquat CR. Is there a good place to read about the differences? I’ve tried searching but it seems sometimes the names are used interchangeably so that made me even more confused 🙂 This blog is a great place...
In the June Q&A, Jaime asked: What is the difference in function between Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Collageneer? Can they both work in one oil serum. Can I also add Co Q10? From this post: Collageneer (INCI: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil and Lupinus Albus Seed Extract) can be used at up to 2% in the cool...
I know we touched on this interesting cosmeceutical in this post from 2011 – Some thoughts on cosmeceuticals – but I thought it was time to re-visit Coenzyme Q10! CO-ENZYME Q10 (INCI: Ubiquinone) Purpose: Anti-aging, photo-aging Suggested usage: 0.2% to 3% in the heated oil phase until dissolved. It can precipitate out of your product, so a...
In the June Q&A, Melanie asked: I have a question about shampoo. I have been making your basic shampoo recipe. I then became intrigued by the concept of shampoo bars. I made some and find they are so much nicer on my processed hair, which tends to be dry. I do however, find a liquid more...