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.
In the July Q&A, Heather R asked, I need help in understanding “Resveratrol” – Does it need to be diluted first like Hyaluronic Acid does? I would like to use it in a spray on facial toner. I bought 5g of it from Lotioncrafter. I’ve written a short post on Resveratrol, which I’ve linked in the...
In the June Q&A, smc asked, Preservatives for liquid soap. I’m playing with liquid soap make, and due to the high percentage of water I’ll need a preservative. What preservatives work well in a high pH environment and doesn’t have a horrible scent? Thanks. As a quick note before we start, I have pages where...
In the June Q&A, Amy asked, I’ve got a question for ya! I’m duping Elf’s nourishing facial oil, it’s a fairly straight forward dupe. My question is about the BHT, is it really necessary? I’m thinking that they added to extend the life of the oils, but would something like rosemary oleoresin be a more...
In the June Q&A, Andrea asked, Another question about ingredients: in the list below what the heck is coconut acid? A proprietary and moisturizing blend of sodium cocoyl isethionate, stearic acid, coconut acid, water/aqua/eau, coco glucoside, sodium isethionate, argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil, panthenol (pro-vitamin b5), camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extracts, humectants, sucrose cocoate, glycerin,...
I thought I’d answer a few quick questions in this post! If you’re a $5 or higher subscriber, visit the monthly Q&A to share your thoughts! USING VINEGAR IN SHAMPOO BARS? I’ve had someone ask me about why someone would be using vinegar in a shampoo bar and the short answer is that they’re using...