Welcome to November 2022!

Wow, it’s finally autumn around here, and it’s time to make candles and sip lactose-free hot chocolate at while cozying up in our fluffy blankets on our giant couch and watching Mystery Science Theatre 3000 while a small adorable puppy nestles between us wanting snacks. It’s the time of hygge, the Danish idea of being cozy and together, content with the world.

What’s going on around the site or with us? 

October wasn’t an easy month: I had surgery on the 12th. Things are better now – honestly, it just looks like I didn’t wash my neck properly, the incision’s healing that well, and the brain fog is lifting as I reduce my intake of painkillers and such – but there’s more to come as I await other tests while still dealing with my normal chronic stuff, so I’m fighting off the existential dread by playing in the workshop, reading a lot, and doing loads of writing without pushing myself to exhaustion.

Cosmetic chemistry really is such a great diversion from the struggles of life, I tell ya! 😆

This month, I’m taking a whopping three courses online through the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) and the American Oil Chemistry Society (AOCS) – Beyond Triglycerides, Antimicrobial protection in cosmetics (preservatives), and Cosmetic claims substantiation – which is incredibly exciting! (Looks like they’re trying to get all of the continuing education credits in before year end, eh?)

Click here to see a list of the five courses I’ve taken so far…

What do I have planned for the site this month? 

I’ve been working on posts about new equipment and potential gifts for those of us who love cosmetic chemistry. I have a review of my favourite new pH meter, some thermometers, a scale, and at least three mixers that I hope to share shortly.

I have a post about labelling our products coming up nearer the end of the month, which I hope will help you prepare for gifting or selling.

As a note, Avery has these great labels intended to be waterproof and greaseproof for personal care products I’ve been testing for the better part of two years that are excellent and I definitely recommend them! I’ll have more on these shortly. 

For now, these might interest you. These ones adhere to soap and wax! I have these ones for bottles and such. I buy the giant sheet and cut to my own size. This one is for lip balm! (These aren’t affiliate links or ads or anything like that. Just sharing links as the Avery site is terrible!) 

I have a series I’ve kinda started earlier this month – Triglycerides: Why coconut oil & shea butter don’t mix! Part one! and Triglycerides: Why coconut oil & shea butter don’t mix! Part two! – that you should see more of in the coming month, maybe as part of a bigger series, maybe as one-off posts that link to a formula. I’m not sure yet, but I do know it’s almost ready to share! Yay!

I have some formula round-up posts where you can find all kinds of wonderful products you can make to enjoy, gift, or sell this holiday season. And I have a few new posts I wanted to share for other products.

We’re hoping to get some serious updating done for a bunch of sections for the site, which we’ll share as update posts here when they’re done.

As we do every month on the blog…

If you’re in need of supplies, $10 subscribers to the month have five discount coupons this month for Formulator Sample Shop, Lotioncrafter, Voyageur Soap & Candle, and Windy Point Soap Making Supplies. Thank you for this lovely gift out of the goodness of your hearts, lovely suppliers!

If you’re a $3 subscriber or higher, click here to see the duplication request post!

Please note that requests for duplication are only considered if they’re posted in the duplication section as this is part of the $3 and up subscribers benefits and not if they’re emailed, direct messaged, or suggested in comments on social media. I cannot possibly re-create every single formula suggested as this blog would be nothing but duplicated products — and how boring would that be? – so I can only choose a few a year to create. I go into detail about my process for choosing formulas in both the duplication request post and in this post. Thank you for continuing to share them in that post. I have been getting loads of ideas from it the last few months, and there will be more to come soon, I hope. 

And don’t forget that you have access to the formula directory! The formula directory is constantly being updated to include even more formulas from around the blog, so if you’re looking for a formula, you’ll find it in the formula directory! (That word has lost all meaning now…)

Also check out the latest addition to the monthly posts – Ingredient substitution ideas post ($3 and up)! Because it’s getting harder to find supplies thanks to shortages and shipping issues, if you have an ingredient you’re trying to find or need help substituting for in a formula, please share your thoughts over there!

If you’re a $5 subscriber or higher, click here to see the month’s Q&A post! I check this post every day, and it’s my priority to answer your questions or help with your formulas – it’s the best way to get in touch with me and guarantee an answer!

Right now, this is the only way I can answer questions or analyze formulas because I have such limited time, so please make that your first stop if you have something you simply have to know! 😁

And don’t forget about the monthly Super happy fun member-to-member post for October 2022!, which is available to all levels of subscriptions. It’s more important than ever that we connect with other people during this ongoing pandemic, so please feel free to share your thoughts on this post or others on the blog!

You can always find the links to these monthly posts in the pinned post section, which is found to the right of just about every page on the blog on desktop and most mobile, or the bottom of every page for the odd mobile device. Or do a search for “Q&A” or “duplication” to find them. I’m afraid I don’t have time to do searches for you if you write to me as I’m swamped and my arms and hands are still in minor spasm, so doing one of those two things will find you those posts very quickly. 

If you’re a $10 subscriber or higher, you’ll get the e-book for the month – which is generally issued on the 27th or later. I’m never sure what the topic will be until I start reviewing outlines, notes, formulas and everything else, but there are – as always – a few different ones on the go. Watch for the post towards the end of November 2022 for the e-book for the month. 

Last month, we issued a $22 coupon off your entire cart in lieu of the e-book for all $10 subscribers. If you were a subscriber in the month of October 2022, click here to find your coupon code.

If you weren’t a $10 subscriber for October 2022, it will tell you that the “coupon isn’t for you” or something like that. This means you aren’t eligible for the coupon, probably because you weren’t subscribed during that month.

Thanks so much for joining us here for the month of November. We’re slowly moving towards my favourite month of the year, and in a few weeks – if not already today – it’ll be difficult to go anywhere without hearing festive music, which makes me happier than you can imagine.

It’s also supposed to be a brutal respiratory illness season with various flus, colds, as well as RSV and Covid spreading rapidly. I know it’s hard to avoid getting everything floating in the air, but follow all the suggestions of your public health department by wearing a mask, washing your hands, avoid licking doorknobs or the keypads of ATMs, getting all your vaccinations up to date, and ventilating your indoor spaces well. Keep you and your community safe as we continue to navigate this unprecedented time.