Getting Started with Affordable Ingredients: A Guide for New Formulators When you're just starting out in cosmetic formulation, it can be tempting to turn to Amazon for your ingredient purchases. (For more information, please refer to my post titled Buying Ingredients on Amazon.) While this is a common approach, it's essential to understand that there are better options available, particularly through reliable small-scale suppliers. As you browse these suppliers' websites, yo

I strongly advise against ordering ingredients from Amazon, unless they are from a reputable supplier (Making Cosmetics, TKB Trading) that happens to have an Amazon storefront. Reasons: 1) Quality: They are rarely industry quality. In the case of Essential Oils, they are often diluted with carrier oils. This cut costs to make them affordable. In some cases they are also partially EO/FO combos, again to cut cost! Resulting in a low-quality material for you to use in your form

Formulating cosmetics can be a complex process, and even the smallest changes can significantly impact the final product. You may find that a formula works perfectly for someone else but doesn't turn out the same when you try it. Understanding why this happens can save you a lot of frustration and help you achieve better results. Here are three key factors that can influence the outcome of your formulation: 1) Ingredients: Same INCI, Different Results Ingredients listed with