Chemistry

Citric acid (or 2-hydroxy-1, 2, 3-propanetricarboxylic acid) is a chelating, anti-oxidizing, and pH altering ingredient that can bind metal ions, help prevent rancidity, and alter the pH of our lotions and surfactant mixtures. It’s also a key ingredient in bath bombs. There are two types of citric acid we can buy – anhydrous (water free)...

Let’s take a look at including EDTA in a lotion formula…The disodium EDTA I have from the Personal Formulator recommends usage at 0.1%, so I’ll use that as my number.A THICKER FOOT CREAM RECIPE (originally in this post…)WATER PHASE59.9% water3% glycerin0.1% disodium EDTA OIL PHASE15% oils – olive and rice bran are great choices here...

Anti-oxidants can stave off rancidity in our oils, giving them a longer shelf life in our products. Nothing can make the possibility of rancidity go away completely, but anti-oxidants are huge weapons in our fight on ickiness! Free radicals are constantly running around in our lotions, seeking out electrons to fill its valence shell. When...

There are different ways by which our oils can become rancid, most of them involving oxygen. I know we need it to live, but it’s such a nuisance! OXIDATIVE RANCIDITY The double bonds of the fatty acid react chemically with oxygen. This turns the fatty acid molecules into other molecules that smell awful! This can...