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.
So Susan posted a challenge to duplicate Lush’s shower jellies, and I tried it. It didn’t go well. I am fairly sure the carageenan is the key – but I can’t find any! I’ve been to beer making shops and health food stores, and no one carries it. I did find agar, but Susan recommended...
So what’s the big difference between a body and a hand lotion. Body lotion you put on your body…well, you get the idea. There are no huge differences between a body lotion and a hand lotion if you just look at the formula. We’re still using oil, water, emulsifier, and preservative in pretty much the...
When you see a recipe, it reflects the formulator’s preferences. Whether it’s from a blog, forum, or supplier, the formulator has chosen what she has chosen not only to fulfill the goals of the product, but based on what’s in the workshop, what’s easily available, what’s new in the store, or what’s popular. And for...
Let’s say you’re looking for an “all natural” lotion. What exactly does this mean? You cannot have a 100% natural lotion because everything we use has been processed in some way. So perhaps we can define it as a lotion created using minimally processed ingredients? I have to use preservative, emulsifier, and thickeners, so right...
This article from the Vancouver Province from January 8 – Not all ‘mineral’ makeup is equal – is bugging me, so I thought I’d rant for a moment.“…mineral makeup is being touted as not only better than chemical-based products, but healthier, too…” Every single thing in the world is made up of chemicals. Water, air,...