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.
Welcome back to this short series on using Sepimax ZEN in emulsions! Yesterday, in part one, we learned how to use it in an emulsion; why we use the smaller amounts we do; and how to wet, disperse, and hydrate it. We took a look at a formula in which we used 0.2% to thicken...
In the monthly Q&A, Jaime asked, Hi Susan. I could use your advice working with Sepimax ZEN. I have a thick foot cream that I make with 2.5% Sepimax ZEN (INCI: Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6). (Note, it’s an anionic or negatively charged rheology modifier that works to thicken the oil phase by gelling.) When I mix it...
Welcome back to part three of three of this series experimenting with SeaBalance 2000, a cold process, naturally compliant emulsifier, mostly written by Tanya, including some great comments by Jane Barber and Natalie Skiller! In part one, we looked information on this new-to-us emulsifier and some sample formulas Tanya shared with her results. In part...
We had a great Zoom workshop at the end of December during which Tanya mentioned she had been experimenting with SeaBalance 2000 (INCI: Sargassum Fluitans/Natans Extract, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol), a cold or hot process natural emulsifier derived from seaweed that can be used to “create fluid, low viscosity oil-in-water emulsions” that emulsifies “your favourite...
I’ve noticed quite a few people worrying about their lotions having bubbles in it when they’re mixing it after combining the heated oil and water phases, and the message in this post is don’t, there’s nothing to worry about! The bubbles will be gone soon enough. You’ll do more mixing when you add the cool...