Learn the fundamentals of skincare formulation and discover how ingredients work together to create effective, stable DIY skincare products. From understanding percentages, emulsifiers, humectants, preservatives, pH, and shelf life to learning how water, oils, and other ingredients affect a formula, these guides will help you build your formulation skills step by step—from beginner basics to more advanced techniques.
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
Why Some DIY Skincare Separates (And How to Fix It) Read More »
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
What Is an Emulsion in Skincare? (And Why It Matters) Read More »
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
Double-Duty Ingredients in Skincare Formulation (And Why They Matter) Read More »
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
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Exfoliation is a common part of skin care, but choosing the right exfoliant is just as important as deciding to exfoliate in the first place. Sugar, salt, oats, botanical powders, and jojoba beads all offer different textures and levels of exfoliation. What works well in a foot scrub may be too abrasive for a facial
Physical Exfoliating: How to Choose the Best Exfoliant Skin Care Read More »
When making skin care products, you want to ensure that you are making a product that has a balanced pH level. The balanced pH for our skin is anywhere between pH of 4 – 7. I tend to aim for a pH of 5.5, but this might need to be slightly higher or lower based
