Learn Formulation

If you make your own lotions, creams, body washes, scrubs, masks, or other skincare products, understanding preservatives is one of the most important parts of learning how to formulate safely. Whenever a product contains water or other water-based ingredients, microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, and mold can potentially grow. A product can look and smell […]

One of the biggest lightbulb moments in DIY skincare is realizing that water and oil don’t play the same role — and they’re not interchangeable. If you’ve ever wondered: …it all comes back to water vs oil. Understanding how these two phases work — and how they work together — is foundational to confident skincare

If you’ve ever opened a lotion to find liquid pooling on top, grainy texture, or layers forming in the jar, you’re not alone. Separation is one of the most common problems in DIY skincare — and it’s almost never random. When a product separates, it’s your formula telling you something important about balance, structure, or

If you’ve ever made a lotion that separated, felt watery, or broke down after a few days, you’ve already encountered the importance of emulsions — even if you didn’t know the term yet. An emulsion is the foundation of most skincare products, including lotions, creams, and many facial products. Understanding what an emulsion is (and

Introduction to Double Duty Ingredients In skincare formulation, every ingredient should earn its place in the formula. This is where double-duty ingredients shine. These are ingredients that perform more than one functional role—for example acting as both a humectant and an emollient, or providing structure while improving skin feel. Understanding double-duty ingredients helps you: If

The question that I am asked most often is How Do You Determine The Shelf Life of Homemade Cosmetics. Nothing lasts forever, including the cosmetics and skin care that you are making. How long do they last? I am going to walk you through how you can determine the shelf life of your homemade cosmetics