Anti-oxidants can stave off rancidity in our oils, giving them a longer shelf life in our products. Nothing can make the possibility of rancidity go away completely, but anti-oxidants are huge weapons in our fight on ickiness! Free radicals are constantly running around in our lotions, seeking out electrons to fill its valence shell. When...

There are different ways by which our oils can become rancid, most of them involving oxygen. I know we need it to live, but it’s such a nuisance! OXIDATIVE RANCIDITY The double bonds of the fatty acid react chemically with oxygen. This turns the fatty acid molecules into other molecules that smell awful! This can...

EEEK! Rancidity! The curse of lotion makers everywhere! You know how oils can go rancid now – through the breaking of the double bonds – but how exactly does that happen and how can we prevent it from ruining your lotions and potions! For a short post on anti-oxidants, please click here. I will be...

I know the words “trans fats” sends a shiver up our spines these days, but they are really relevant in understanding the differences in our oils! But wait – I’ve just realized I haven’t really explained what a double bond is! EEK! Carbon has 4 electrons that want to connect with other atoms (the blue...

No, I’m not getting into how bad hydrogenated oils are for your heart (’cause you need a heart to live), but my interest in this topic is all about the oils we use in bath & body creations! HYDROGENATIONWhen a molecule has double bonds, that double bond can be broken and the fatty acid now...