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.
Chia seed oil (Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil) is a light to medium, non-greasy oil derived from the seeds of the salvia hispanica flower, a member of the mint family. Is it wrong that all I can think about it is “Ch-ch-ch-chia!” when I’m formulating with this oil? It contains 5% to 8% palmitic acid 1%...
I’m slowly working my way through the comments you’ve left me over the last few months, and I’ll be posting those I think would appeal to a larger audience over the next little while. If you have a question, please comment on a relevant post, regardless of how old it might be, and I’ll do...
Watermelon seed oil (INCI Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seed oil) is a pale yellow, light to medium weight, slightly greasy feeling oil that comes from the watermelon seed. The version I have is cold expeller pressed, but you can find solvent extracted versions. It contains 11% palmitic acid (C16), 10% stearic acid (C18:0), 15% oleic acid...
I continue to see oils listed as having essential fatty acids or containing omega 3, 6, or 9. What does this all mean? An omega 3, 6, or 9 bond means the fatty acid contains a double bond between carbon atoms that is 3, 6, or 9 atoms from the end of the molecule, as...
Welcome to Workshop Stadium. This week the Chairman, Raymond (my lovely husband), has chosen the sixth Iron Chemist ingredient – Lanolin! Here are the rules. (Click here for the long version.) Raymond rolled a seven, which means he chose from the assorted butters and things that haven’t been put away properly box. I have until next...