Welcome to the home of SwiftCraftyMonkey Formulating Inc.! Join Susan as she obsesses about cosmetic chemistry and other things (some possibly related to monkeys)! Here you’ll find over 5,000 posts and formulas written over the past 16 years for everything from lotions, creams, and body butters to hair care products to fancy facial products filled with actives and cosmeceuticals! Enjoy the site without distractions – no ads, pop ups, sponsored posts, affiliate links, “one weird tricks” – all supported by readers like you.
Susan Barclay-Nichols I hope you enjoyed the candle making class today. You can get supplies for these projects from Michael’s in Abbotsford, Voyageur Soap & Candle in Surrey, or Suds & Scents in Abbotsford. You can get sheets of beeswax at Chilliwack Honey, Michael’s (although, honestly, it’s not very good and tends to be quite old and...
Ah, finally back to molecules for my illustrations! Magnesium stearate (or octadecanoic acid) is a metallic soap that insoluble in water. It’s all about the adhesion with this ingredient. Because it repels water, it will keep your products on your skin all day long, and because it’ll absorb oils, it’s a a good choice for...
Want to start on your Christmas present for the chemistry geek in your life? Why not consider this – the periodic table of the elements sweater! She includes the pattern for your knitting enjoyment! I’m a crafty girl and I knit…and she does provide the instructions…so why don’t I make one myself? I don’t have...
Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) is yet another white powder used in mineral make-up. It’s an extremely hydrophobic alkaline organic salt, which means it will stay on your skin well throughout the day and will improve the wear time for all products in which you include it. It imparts a pearlescent effect at higher micron levels (the...
So you’ve made a translucent base, but you want something a little more opaque to cover more of what you consider your imperfections. (And yes, I know the colour in the picture is not going to be a great foundation for most people. It is doubleplus ungreat for my pale with lots of red skin....