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.
I saw someone on social media the other day trying to measure the pH of oils, and thought it was a good thing to share this reminder – oils don’t have a pH. They can’t have a pH because you need water to have a pH. Before we start I have a huge section on...
In the monthly Q&A, Medha asked, Mid chain triglycerides how to use it in the face creams or face products? On October 31, 2023, we took a look at this question – Emollients you will love: What’s the difference between MCT, FCO, and CCT? – in which we determined that medium chain triglycerides are the...
In the monthly Q&A, Media asked, Mid chain triglycerides how to use it in the face creams or face products? I have loads of formulas using these ingredients and it’s super easy to sub them in formulas in which I don’t! Before we get to those on November 2, 2023, let’s take a look at...
Milk thistle oil (INCI: Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle) Seed Oil) is a luxurious feeling liquid oil derived from milk thistle seeds. I find it to be medium to thicker viscosity, lubricious oil with good slip and glide as well as a thick cushion that feels rich, non-greasy, and non-tacky. It contains anti-oxidants that soothes annoyed...
In the monthly Q&A, Noémie asked, Hi Susan, I’m a new subscriber and I love your work. I’m a beginner and I have a quite basic question : why only natural oils/butters are prone to oxidation ? If I well understood, oxidation occurs on double bonds in hydrocarbon chains, but don’t esters (derived from natural fatty...