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.
I love the love so much, I wanted to share with you this massage oil that’s super easy to make and can be customized to include what’s in your workshop! You could put this in a bottle with a treatment pump or another cap, but I like to make these in roller bottles to make...
On February 11, we took a look at ways to thicken oils that won’t be greasy. Today, let’s look at a few other ways to thicken oils! A few years ago – holy cow, was that in 2010? – I did some experiments thickening oils with cetyl alcohol, stearic acid, cetearyl alcohol, and complicated with...
In the February Q&A, Sharon asked: Can you give some helpful hints on thickening an oil that is not greasy and would not need an emulsifier? I am look for an anhydrous answer. I have tried shea butter but it is too greasy. Shea butter by its very nature is a greasy ingredient, so anything...
We had such a blast creating Valentine’s Day products at Voyageur Soap & Candle last week, and I thought I’d share a few formulas I thought might be nice for the one you love! As an aside, I hate that February is all about Valentine’s Day as some people choose not to celebrate it while...
In the January Q&A, Karen asked: I have a question regarding surfactants. Do they have a shelf life? I have tried the internet for information, but needless to say I have not gotten any definitive answers. They do have a shelf life, something I confirmed recently in the ickiest way possible when I found a bottle...