tutorial

I know the words “trans fats” sends a shiver up our spines these days, but they are really relevant in understanding the differences in our oils! But wait – I’ve just realized I haven’t really explained what a double bond is! EEK! Carbon has 4 electrons that want to connect with other atoms (the blue...

No, I’m not getting into how bad hydrogenated oils are for your heart (’cause you need a heart to live), but my interest in this topic is all about the oils we use in bath & body creations! HYDROGENATIONWhen a molecule has double bonds, that double bond can be broken and the fatty acid now...

A triglyceride is made up of a glycerol backbone and three fatty acids. So let’s take a look at fatty acids! If you’re a lotion maker, you’re familiar with stearic acid as a thickener. Stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid, which means it is a long chain (C18) fatty acid without any double bonds,...

I find one of the hardest things about making lotions is choosing the right oil for the job! I’m faced with a shelf of wonderful oils filled with wonderful and amazing qualities and I can’t use them all! How to choose? Here’s a little chemistry on triglycerides as a preface to a series on oils…...