Tag: formulating

Formulating a lotion: Fatty Acids and ACNE

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These are personal experiments for educational use only— not instructions and not for commercial or consumer use. By proceeding, you assume all risks related to safety, testing, and regulatory compliance.
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This is a great base to work from. Let’s strip away the “lecture” feel and turn it into your personal lab journal. We’ll focus on the “Aha!” moments you had while studying—like realizing you were being overcharged for “exotic” oils that were actually just basic chemistry!

Here are your updated lab notes:

My Lab Notes: Fatty Acids & The “Marketing Trap”

Hello Hello! 😀

I’ve been digging deeper into the GREASE-FALL (my favorite way to balance fats!), and I realized I needed to understand what is actually inside my oils. I used to get so distracted by beautiful labels, but after looking at Fatty Acid Profiles, my whole perspective changed.

What I’m Learning About the Chemistry

I’ve started categorizing my fats by their structure rather than their name. It helps me predict how they’ll behave in a beaker:

  • Saturated Fats: (Like Stearic or Palmitic acid). These are the “solid” ones. I’ve noticed that if I use too much Stearic acid, I get that annoying “white-trail” when I rub the cream in.

  • PUFAs (The Liquids): These are the “Omega” oils. Because of their shape, they stay liquid and feel much “thinner” on the skin.

**The “Marketing vs. Reality” Reality Check 😉 **

Sips water. This was a big “Aha!” moment for me. I realized that many “exotic” oils are almost identical to cheaper ones.

  • The Duplicate List: In my notes, I’ve found that Almond, Macadamia, and Hazelnut oils have nearly the same fatty acid profiles.

  • My Conclusion: Why pay triple for a fancy name? I’ve started cross-referencing the chemistry first. If the fatty acids match, the skin doesn’t care about the marketing story!

My Notes on Blemish-Prone Skin

This is a theory I’m really interested in for my experiments. I read that acne-prone skin often has “unbalanced” sebum—specifically, too much Oleic Acid and not enough Linoleic Acid.

  • The Risk: High Oleic acid might be why some “natural” oils feel like they clog my pores (keratinization).

  • My Experimental Strategy: When I’m formulating for this skin type, I try to build a “Grease-Fall” using oils high in PUFAs.

My “Oily-Theory” Team:

  • The Oils: I’ve been reaching for Hemp, Grape seed, Safflower, or even simple Sunflower oil. They are rich in Linoleic acid and feel much “lighter.”

  • The Butters: I keep these very low (maybe 0.5%). I’ve been experimenting with Murumuru or Tucuma instead of Shea, because they seem to have a profile that works better for my oily-skin experiments.

At the end of the day, I’ve realized that a “miracle” oil is just a collection of fatty acids. Once I understand the profile, I can stop guessing and start formulating with intention. It’s all in my hands! 😉

HAVE A GREAT DAY! 😄

Formulating a lotion: Choosing the fats – THEORY pt.5

LAB NOTES & SAFETY NOTICE
For educational purposes only. Content reflects personal, non-professional formulation experiments and is not instructional.
No formula or information on this site is intended for commercial use, consumer application, or third-party use.
Accessing this content means you accept all risks and full responsibility for safety, testing, legal compliance, and outcomes.
[Full Legal Disclaimer & Safety Requirements]

My Lab Diary: The “Grease-Fall” (A Study in Balance)

Hello Hello! 😀

Today I want to talk about something very important when we make a cream: the Grease-Fall. I’ve been doing a lot of experiments lately because I wanted to understand why some of my creams felt “greasy” on my skin for a long time, while others disappeared too fast and my skin felt dry again.

I found out it’s all about the spreading velocity of the oils we use!

What is the Grease-Fall? Think of it like a waterfall of oils. If you only use one oil, like Olive Oil, it has one “speed.” But if you mix different oils, you can make a “cascade” where the skin feels good from the first second until many hours later.

In my lab notes, I divide my oils into three groups:

  1. Light Oils (The fast ones!): These are oils that spread very quickly. When you put the cream on, these are the ones that make it feel “silk” and not “fat.” I like to use things like Cetiol Sensoft or Dicaprylyl Ether.

  2. Medium Oils: These are the heart of the cream. They spread a bit slower than the light ones. Here I use my favorites like Argan oil, Jojoba, or Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides.

  3. Heavy Oils and Butters: These are the slow ones. They stay on top of the skin to protect it so the water doesn’t evaporate. Here I put my Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, or Castor oil.

How I make my “Team of Oils”: I don’t just pick an oil because the marketing says it’s “miraculous.” (I don’t believe in miracles, I believe in INCI! 😉 ) I try to make a balance. For example, if I use 10% of oils in my cream, I don’t use 10% of Shea Butter. That would be like wearing a plastic mask!

I try to do something like this:

  • 3% Light oils

  • 4% Medium oils

  • 3% Heavy oils/butters

This way, the effect of rubbing the cream should be something like this :

  • First, the Light oils spread and it feels “Wow, so smooth!”

  • Then, the Medium oils take over.

  • At the end, the Heavy oils stay to protect the skin.

This is the secret to a professional cream! It’s not about the most expensive oil in the world, it’s about how you mix them.

It’s all in my hands! 😉

HAVE A GREAT DAY! 😄

Formulating a lotion: Phase B – THEORY pt.4

LAB NOTES & SAFETY NOTICE
For educational purposes only. Content reflects personal, non-professional formulation experiments and is not instructional.
No formula or information on this site is intended for commercial use, consumer application, or third-party use.
Accessing this content means you accept all risks and full responsibility for safety, testing, legal compliance, and outcomes.
[Full Legal Disclaimer & Safety Requirements]

My Lab Diary: Phase B—The Heated Oil Phase

Hello Hello! 😀

Today I’m looking over my notes for Phase B, which I call the “Heated Oil Phase.” This is where the cream really starts to take its physical shape. It’s a critical stage because if the solid components aren’t fully melted and happy at 70°C, the whole emulsion will be unstable.

1. The Emulsifier: The “Bridge”

In my lab, I see the emulsifier as the bridge that holds hands with both the water and the oil. While I love a good cold-process experiment, most of the professional materials I use need heat to build a strong “lattice” that won’t fall apart tomorrow. I always check their HLB and thermal requirements before I even turn on the stove!

2. Thickeners: The Structural Skeleton

I use lipophilic thickeners (like Cetyl Alcohol or Stearic Acid) to give the cream its “bones.” They usually come in cute little pearls or pellets.

  • My Ratios: I’ve found that a 1% total thickener is usually my “sweet spot.” Lately, I’ve been loving a 1:1 mix of Cetyl Alcohol (0.5%) and Cetearyl Palmitate (0.5%)—it makes the skin feel so elegant and professional! 😀

  • A Note on “All-in-One” Blends: I’ve learned to be careful with things like Montanov 68. Since it already has Cetearyl Alcohol inside, if I add more thickener to my notes, the cream ends up lumpy and “over-processed.” Less is definitely more here!

3. The Lipid Load (Fats & Oils)

Before I start a new “Theory Batch,” I always ask myself: “Who is this for?” The amount of fat I use changes everything. Here is the scale I’ve developed for my experiments:

Total Fats (%) My Intent / Skin Type
0% – 2% Oily skin / Fresh Summer Gels
4.5% – 7.5% Light, everyday facial creams
12% – 15% Rich creams for dry skin theory
25% + Heavy-duty barrier creams for hands and feet

**4. Don’t Fall for the “Khtululu Oil” Trap! 😉 **

Sips water. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that price does not equal performance. It is so easy to fall for exotic, expensive oils with “miraculous” claims (I call them the “Khtululu Oils” of the world!).

In my lab, I ignore the marketing story. Instead, I focus on:

  • Viscosity: How thick is it?

  • Density ($\rho$): Is it heavy or light?

  • Spreading Velocity: How fast does it disappear into the skin?

A successful oil phase isn’t about finding the rarest oil in the world; it’s about the Grease-Fall. By blending different densities, I can create a professional feel that a single “miracle” oil could never achieve. It’s not magic—it’s just good formulation!

HAVE A GREAT DAY! 😄

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