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.
If you’ve made your own shampoo, you must make your own conditioner! I must warn you, though. Once you’ve made your own, you will never go back to store bought again, even the fancy salon stuff. It is a surprisingly easy process to make your own conditioner, and it is great fun to tweak it...
What do we want in a shampoo? Everyone’s hair type is different, so making a shampoo can be trial and error until you find the product you really love. This is where knowing your ingredients becomes vital, as you have to be able to figure out exactly what your hair loves or hates. Please refer...
I am always looking for a good facial cleanser that won’t exacerbate my acne or leave my skin feeling dry and tight afterwards. Let’s summarize my goals for this product… Cleansing – I don’t need deep cleansing, I need mild cleansing. Foaming – I don’t want something really foamy on my face. Good rinse-off –...
Essential oils can be an incredible addition to your hair and body products. They offer a great scent, and some have an effect on your skin and hair, so you need to know their properties before using them. A lot of people use essential oils instead of fragrance oils because they are “natural”, but that...
When you’re making your creations, you’ll note that some fragrances thin out your mixture and some thicken. This is why I suggest you fragrance before you use your Crothix and let it sit for a while. I find some mixtures “seize up” and give you Jell-o, but turn out fine…and others go to water, then...