When lotions go wrong! (Updated 2023)

Original post shared 2009. Slowly updating it for 2023 with new information and diagrams. This is definitely a work in progress as there’s so much more to share!  At one time or another, we’ve all experienced epic lotion failure and asked ourselves what we did wrong. We call it separation, but do you know why...

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Emollients you will love: Cranberry seed oil (updated December 28, 2021)

Cranberry oil – INCI: Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) seed oil – is an interesting oil. With 3 to 6% palmitic acid (C16), up to 2% stearic acid (C18), 22 to 26% oleic acid (C18:1), 30 to 38% linoleic acid (C18:2), and 20 to 38% linolenic acid (C18:3), you’d expect it to have a short shelf life...

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Better crafting through chemistry: Esters – isopropyl myristate (IPM) – updated, 2021

Original post from 2009!  If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you’ll know I’m a fan of isopropyl myristate or IPM. I use it primarily as a dry or astringent emollient to reduce the greasy feeling of other oils in a lotion or lotion bar. You can use it in large...

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Basic instructions for lotion making (updated August 15, 2020)

These are what I consider to be the basic instructions for making lotions for most types of emulsifiers, including Polawax, emulsifying wax, Incroquat BTMS-50, Simulsol 165/Lotionpro™ 165, and more. Always check how the emulsifier you’re using needs to be used as this method won’t work for other emulsifiers, like Olivem 1000, Montanov 68 MB, Varisoft...

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

…in the Barclay-Nichols’s household. (Don’t hit me!) It’s might seem like Christmas is a huge 61 days away, but when you’re a crafter, you have to start early! I don’t think it’s helpful for me to start posting recipes on December 1st because you need time to try out these products, see how the fragrances...

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