The home of SwiftCraftyMonkey Formulating Inc.! Join Susan as she obsesses about cosmetic chemistry and other things (some possibly related to monkeys). Often strange, occasionally useful, and always worth a stop as a point of interest on your journey through the Intertron.
We’ve turned our whipped butters and lotion bars into balms by using specific essential oils and using specific oils and butters (click here and here). Let’s take a look at creating balms that are really softer versions of lotion bars that we’ll store in jars or tins. (Because there’s no water in this balm, you...
As I’ve mentioned, I’m not an expert on essential oils – I’ve done some reading, but I’m not what you’d call knowledgeable on the topic – so I recommend whenever you’re using essential oils, please read up on said oil before using it. A lot of people start off by using essential oils as we...
Choosing the right oils and butters can turn your anhydrous product into a balm. For instance, choosing an oil high in phytosterols like sesame seed, soy bean, or apricot kernel oil might help with inflammation. Choosing olive oil might help with post-sun exposure. Or choosing an oil high in Vitamin E, like wheat germ oil,...
We’ve taken a look at whipped butters and lotion bars, so let’s take a look at another type of anhydrous product – the balm. What exactly is a balm? It is a “medicated topical preparation for application to the skin…(that is) rubbed in” (from Wikipedia). Obviously I won’t be making any claims for the products...
I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of posts on lotion bars. If you’re a beginner, I hope you’ve learned enough to try a few variations of these wonderfully simple and awesome bars. If you’re a veteran, I hope I’ve given you a few ideas on how to see the humble lotion bar in a different...