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.
In the September Q&A, Andrea asked: I bought sea kelp bioferment…now what do i do with it? I mixed a bit into the Tracie Martyn dupe and it felt nice on my skin. Could it replace some of the water in that concoction? Could we add sea kelp to a shampoo bar? How would that work,...
In the July Q&A, Karrye asked, You previously mentioned using L-Ascorbic acid in anhydrous formulas so that they could be used on wet skin, in order to reap the benefits of Vitamin C without the chance of it oxidizing. However, I don’t think you showed any recipe examples. Could you please? PS. I’m aware I...
In the June Q&A, Charlette asked: I am confused about using low and high molecular HA. I understand that the low weight doesn’t gel – but has better penetration. Is it possible to use both low AND high weights in a formula? I like the gelling of the high molecular (especially in toner–gives a bit of...
In the June Q&A, Jaime asked: What is the difference in function between Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Collageneer? Can they both work in one oil serum. Can I also add Co Q10? From this post: Collageneer (INCI: Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil and Lupinus Albus Seed Extract) can be used at up to 2% in the cool...
I know we touched on this interesting cosmeceutical in this post from 2011 – Some thoughts on cosmeceuticals – but I thought it was time to re-visit Coenzyme Q10! CO-ENZYME Q10 (INCI: Ubiquinone) Purpose: Anti-aging, photo-aging Suggested usage: 0.2% to 3% in the heated oil phase until dissolved. It can precipitate out of your product, so a...