Tips

Q&A: What’s the process to thicken surfactants with salt?

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In the monthly Q&A, Chavi asked, Hi Susan, I often see you mention if a surfactant blend can be thickened with salt. Could you describe the actual process of thickening with salt? Thanks! Adding salt – sodium chloride, table salt – is a good way to thicken certain surfactants and blends! It does this in two...

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Let’s talk about what it means for an ingredient or product to be vegan!

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This came up the other day, and I thought it’d make for an interesting post. What does it mean for an ingredient or product to be vegan? Quick summary if you don’t want to read the whole post: When it comes to making products, most of our ingredients are plant- or mineral-derived (like sand or...

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Tips & techniques: Testing and adjusting the pH of a emulsion with a pH meter

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Welcome to this detailed page on how to test emulsions – like lotions and conditioners – with a pH meter! If you’d like to read a longer post with even more information, you can find it here – Acids, bases, and pH – oh my! Part four: Testing our products with pH meters!  If you’d like...

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Tips & techniques: Why it’s ill advised to use Aloe Vera Gel in emulsions!

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I see questions about how to use Aloe Vera Gel in emulsions in every space online in which we discuss lotions, and I thought this topic needed its own post, so let’s take a moment to learn more about Aloe Vera, Aloe Vera Gel, and why I don’t suggest using the latter in emulsions. What...

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Tips & techniques: Why do I use 0.1% T-50 mixed tocopherols (Vitamin E) in my emulsions?

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You may notice that most of my emulsions contain 0.1% T-50 mixed tocopherols in the cool down phase to protect the oil phase ingredients from becoming rancid quickly. Why do I use that amount? Before we start! If you aren’t familiar with Vitamin E or T-50 mixed tocopherols, I encourage you to read this post...

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