Lotions

Montanov™ L (INCI: C14-22 Alcohols (and) C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside): Creating a base formula with 20% oil phase (part 1)

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We first met this emulsifier in 2022 in my e-book, Beyond Emulsifying Wax, part three: More natural emulsifiers you will love, but it’s time I shared it here on the site! On Monday, June 4, 2025, we met this awesome emulsifier, Montanov™ L (INCI: C14-22 Alcohols (and) C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside) , a naturally compliant, green,...

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Substitutions: Making changes to the oil phase of a lotion, including a bit on using tallow!

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I’ve had a few people asking me how they can use tallow in lotions, and the answer is super simple – yes! And it’s really simple! Making substitutions for oils in the oil phase!  In any of my lotion formulas, unless I indicate otherwise, you can substitute any oil for any oil, any butter for...

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Tips & techniques: How to measure evaporation in a heated water phase?

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Infographic about replacing evaporated water from emulsion. I have written this in text in the body of the post.

After the post on scales and weighing and heat and such, I thought I would cover something that seems to stump some people – how to measure and replace water lost to evaporation. It’s something that comes up with every heated lotion! Important posts of note! Learn more about the instructions for making lotions in...

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Cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, and stearic acid are not emulsifiers! Let’s demonstrate this by looking at molecules and the HLB system

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A diagram showing the molecules for stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, and stearyl alcohol. These have an 18 carbon chain with an acid or alcohol group on the end. Please read the post for more information.

I’ve been asked quite a few times in over the last year or two if Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, and stearic acid are emulsifiers, and the answer is no, they’re structuring agents, oil soluble ingredients that have a required HLB. They are not emulsifiers. They aren’t surfactants. They can’t bring oil and water together to...

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Creating a lightweight, non-greasy, slightly occlusive 99% naturally compliant lotion with Olivem 1000, buriti oil, and SOLAGUM™ AX: Part three, choosing the water phase, product protecting ingredients, and fragrances!

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Welcome back to this series on creating this awesome, 99% naturally compliant lotion using Olivem 1000, buriti oil, and SOLAGUM™ AX AX. In today’s post, we’ll choose the water phase and product protecting ingredients. In part one of this series, we took a look at the finished formula for this 99% naturally compliant lotion. In...

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