Tips

Tips & techniques: Waiting to package emulsions when they’re cooled – viscosity and contamination

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When can you judge the viscosity of your lotion after creating it? Well, that depends… When will an emulsion reach final viscosity?  In general, you can get kind of an idea when you’ve had it at room temperature for a few hours as all the butters, solid oils, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, solid esters, and...

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Tips & techniques: Never mix emulsions with whisks, spatulas, spoons, or other utensils!

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I think I might have been a little less ranty when I wrote this post two years ago – A helpful tip for making lotions, conditioners, and emulsions: Don’t mix by hand – but it’s still going on, and needs addressing. I’ve shared some of the original with some extra shouting and a few more...

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Q&A: How can we know if an ingredient is gluten-free?

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In a message I received from a Q&A subscriber, I was asked this important question: How we can tell if an ingredient is gluten free? The short answer is to check the listing or data sheet from the supplier or manufacturer. If something contains gluten, it will usually tell you. If it doesn’t contain gluten, it...

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Formulating fun: A short guide about what I consider my signature combination of ingredients, aka The Sasquatch Complex™

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If you’ve been around this site long enough or have read a few of my e-books, you’ll have noticed my signature combination of ingredients* popping up all over the place, in everything from conditioners to lotions to toners and anything else containing water. It goes a little like this – 3% glycerin, 3% propanediol 1,3,...

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Tips & techniques: How do I keep track of what I wanted to do with ingredients I’ve ordered?

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How do I keep track of my ingredients between ordering and receiving? How do I remember what I was going to make with them and actually use them in my workshop? Here’s my process! When I order ingredients from a company, I take screen shots of my order, then print them out and put them...

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