Chemistry

Will writes….I’d love to learn more about the whole _____ionic thing and how it applies to lotions/cream, etc. I’ve read about it, and the more I read the more confused I become. How about dumbing it down and explaining it in your excellent fashion? Just wishing… Wish no more, Will! When it comes to chemistry, you ask and...

As people refer me to things they consider to be natural products, I keep seeing the words “coconut derived” beside surfactants, fatty alcohols, fatty acids, and other ingredients that are, in fact, coconut derived. But what does this mean? Coconut oil is often the starting point for surfactants because it has a fatty acid profile...

Today marks the beginning of the International Year of Chemistry, as declared by UNESCO and IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry). This year we’ll celebrate chemistry and how it has improved the lot of humankind under the theme of “Chemistry – our life, our future”. 2011 was chosen as it has been 100...

In some recipes, you’ll see the addition of citric acid or sodium hydroxide (lye) at the end to alter the pH of the product. Ideally, our products will be between 4.5 and 7 (there are few products that fall outside these areas, like cold processed soap and some moisturizers with AHAs), and the citric acid...