If there’s one area where formulators—especially beginners—tend to take risks, it’s fragrance usage. Whether working with fragrance oils or essential oils, exceeding recommended limits can turn an otherwise beautiful formulation into a product that is unsafe, irritating, or even non-compliant for sale. This is where the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) comes in. Understanding and following IFRA usage rates is not optional—it is a "critical part of safe, professional

The growth of handmade beauty has sparked amazing curiosity and innovation. Watching people explore ingredients, ask questions, and build confidence in formulation is one of my favorite parts of this industry. But there is one area where excitement has to pause and serious caution needs to step in. Sun protection. I see creators online sharing recipes for “natural,” “chemical-free,” or “non-toxic” UV products almost daily. And I’ll be honest — every time I come across one, it

When you start formulating cosmetics, one of the most important concepts you’ll come across is the Safety Usage Rate (SUR) . At first, it may sound like just another technical term, but understanding it is critical to creating safe, effective, and compliant products. Let’s break down what safety usage rates are, why they matter, and how they protect both you and the people using your products. What Are Safety Usage Rates? A Safety Usage Rate is the maximum percentage of an i

Phase %w/w Trade Name/ INCI Name Supplier CAS Number A 4% Refined Shea Butter Natural Bulk Supplies A 2% Apricot Kernel Oil Natural Bulk Supplies A 5% Rice Bran Oil Natural Bulk Supplies A 5% Avocado Oil Natural Bulk Supplies A 8% Emulsifying Wax NF Natural Bulk Supplies A 2% Cetyl Alcohol Ez Elements or Natural Bulk Supplies A 0.5% Stearic Acid Ez Elements or Natural Bulk Supplies B 61.8% Distilled Water B 0.5% Allantoin Powder Natural Bulk Supplies B 0.5% Panthenol Powder N

Foaming, bubbly products are a favorite for many of us! When starting out as a cosmetic formulator, it’s common to want to make everything at once—especially those fun foaming products like body washes or shampoos. However, creating foaming products is far from simple to get it right, you need a solid understanding of surfactant charges and how to balance cleansing with skin-moisturizing ingredients. One common misconception for beginners is that Castile Soap can be used to f

When starting to make your own skincare products, it’s easy to get caught up in the desire to use natural and safe ingredients. If I had to estimate, I’d say that upwards of 99% of people—myself included—begin this journey because they’ve lost trust in mass-produced products or have come across alarming information about ingredients online. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation out there, and many of us start formulating with a skewed understanding of what’s safe an

Preservatives in cosmetics play a crucial role in preventing microbial growth. They are added to cosmetic products to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that can contaminate the product. Microorganisms can thrive in cosmetic formulations due to the presence of water, oils, and other ingredients that provide a favorable environment for their growth. Preservatives work by either killing the microorganisms or inhibiting their growth, thus extending t

When you are new to cosmetic formulation there is an overwhelming amount of information online. Some good, some terrible! The amount of misinformation that circles the internet and youtube still seeks to amaze me. Then there are ingredients, tons and tons of ingredients to choose from. What does each one do? How does each one work? How do they differ from each other? I personally had so many questions when I first started out yet no one to ask. I bought a ton of ingred

Effectively preserving your cosmetic formulation is an absolute must! Water in any capacity ( even hummidity droplets from a steamy washroom) CAN and WILL cause bacteria to grow and mold to form. Vitamin mixed tocopherals is NOT a preservative nor is Rosemary extract despite what you may have read online, they are antioxidants, not preservatives. While they are important in a formulation they serve a much different purpose which we will cover in a later post. Beginner f

A great formulator should be able to formulate a stable and effective product first and foremost, however if that product is costing its sale price it may be great on the skin/hair but won't be great for you as a business owner. With the rising cost of ingredients it is more important than ever to know your TARGET MARKET!!! What do I mean when I say this? Target market is a word that can be very loosely used. To formulate for a profit you need to get specific, VERY specif

With all natural product formulations on the steady rise there is a growing need to keep ingredients in formulations to a minimal. I understand why, natural formulations are what got me interested in cosmetic formulation. It is true anhydrous formulations do not need preservation IF and only if they will NEVER be exposed to water!! What does this mean?? Products like a face oil or body oil, likely be packaged in a bottle with a dropper or airless pump bottle where the ch

I wrote about consumer perceptions a while back and it definately applies to the way body butters are perceived. Years ago long before I started formulating I suffered from dry skin! I was constantly using butters and oils to try to stay hydrated but it seemed nothing was working. Absolutely nothing. I would purchase shea butter at my local beauty supply and drench myself in a greasy mess trying to get that glow skin has when it is properly hydrated. I then thought "wel

When making anhydrous products it is important to learn as much as possible about the lipids that you plan to formulate with. The more you know about each lipid will drastically decrease the trial and error phases of formulation. Below are a list of questions that I tend to ask myself when putting together an anhydrous product. For Butters : Are they hard or soft buters? What is the butters melting point? For Oils: How is the spreadability? How quickly does the oil abs

The PH scale is from 0-14 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. Ph is dependant on the concentration of Hydrogen (H+) or Hydronium Ions (H3O+) Skin has a PH of around 5.5. Most personal care products fall in the range of 5.3 - 5.8 and rarely up to 7 (neutral) EXCEPTIONS do apply and we will get into some of them later on and also learn to make PH buffer solutions! Rarely is a formula made and finished at just the right temperature, this leave us to adjust

ANIONIC- Anionic substances are negaitively charged. Anionic substances are always anionic, whether they be a surfactant, humectant, gum or emulsifier. Anionic and cationic substances are usually not capatible with one another, although a few exceptions do occur. Anionic substances are great cleansing agents but should not be used for conditioning products. NON- IONIC- Non ionic substances do not carry charges and are unaffected by charges. CATIONIC- Cationic substance

Learn to read a cosmeti c formulation accurately! #diyskincare #cosmeticformulating #naturalcosmetics #stablecosmetics

So, your new to the scene and formulating seems confusing, maybe even scary! You have made a few things off pinterest or youtube and want to start making an income off your own brand of cosmetics. DIY cosmetics that are used up in a day or two ( even then a lot of pinterest and youtubers "recipes" are not safe ) and cosmetics that are being sold to the public are completely different things. Customers are trusting us brand owners with their hair and skin, its a responsibi