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Help on researching ingredients
First off, I am not a chemist by any means. I’m in the testing stages of products I want to sell, very very small one person business…. I dream ‘big’, start small. Anyway, I am asking for advice on where to go on the internet for true information about ingredients for product formulation. For example, I am interested in making a syndat shampoo bar. I googled and found a couple recipes to get me started. Then I started researching the ingredients. Here’s where it gets confusing. I have a minimal knowledge of chemistry, I am finding conflicting information, mostly on percentages to use for a specific ingredient. Where are the most accurate online places for me to do my research? Or, should I be reading specific books from the library? I m not entirely ignorant about formulating. I’ve made soaps, lotions, creams, butters, foaming bath butter base, emulsified sugar scrubs etc. Thanks in advance for any advise given.
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8 Replies
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The question you want to answer for yourself before finding information on ingredients is this…what do you ultimately want to do?
If your goal is to become a chemist, then by all means learn about ingredients and formulating. Start with some of the resources listed here to find formulas. https://chemistscorner.com/where-to-find-free-cosmetic-formulas/
But if your goal is to sell cosmetic products then you shouldn’t waste your time learning how to make the product. You should be focused on learning how to sell the products. See our free report here http://startacosmeticline.com
Running a business and learning how to be a chemist are different specialties. Just because you are good at one doesn’t mean you’ll be good at the other.
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Thank you, Perry. I do not want to be a chemist. I want to create and make good quality bath and body products, and understand why I use the ingredients I use. My testers are giving me great feedback on products I’ve made. I’m confident to start small locally with a colored brochure, and see where it takes me. My confusion is when it seems the author who is giving the recipe knows what they’re talking about, and says to use 10% of an ingredient, but when I begin researching an ingredient I’m unfamiliar with, I’ll come across two different websites, one saying usage up to .5% and another website saying usage from .5 up to 3%. I had hoped there might be a couple ‘catch all’ websites for accurate information/guidelines on usage rates. I’m good at over thinking everything, and this is probably one of those times. Thanks again for you input.
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I’ll come across two different websites, one saying usage up to .5% and another website saying usage from .5 up to 3%.
Use 3 ingredients: 6 combinations. 4 ingredients: 24 combinations. 5 ingredients: 120 combinations. And I am only talking about the ORDER of the ingredients. When we vary percentages the combinations are limitless. It is part science and part art. -
There really isn’t a “catch all” website for which you ask. You can get answers on this website.
The best advice for ingredient usage usually comes from the ingredient supplier. However, they often exaggerate how much you need to use so you just have to experiment.
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Related question: I’m starting a skincare product, and my plan has been to research until I have my list of active ingredients, my list of forbidden ingredients, and my list of required & preferred characteristics of the final product. Is that the right way to approach the cosmetic chemist?
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That is a fine approach to doing the Product Development. It really falls short of the Full Formulation design process as it is not that simple at that point.
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What can I do to make it easier on my formulator (meaning less expensive since he works on an hourly rate)? Thx
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I always see people talk about what it takes to start up a skin care line and no one mentions these critical steps.
ok, here’s the steps I took to start doing this 17 years ago. you have to make an investment in money and effort to become successful in skin care formulating. I have made a very good living doing this. My focus is always: Solving customer’s skin problems. Or making your customers look better.
#1 you cannot formulate without a quality high resolution scale. in other words you can’t consistently make the same product if you can’t accurately measure the ingredients. You can’t do this by measuring volume, like a spoon full of this or that. it just isn’t accurate enough. it must be by weight.
Scales are judged by maximum amount they will weigh(capacity) and the Resolution. The Resolution deals with how fine a measurement you can make. If you have a scale that has a 1 pound resolution or even a .1 pound resolution it is very hard to make small test batches. We mostly work with a scale that has a 100 pounds capacity and .001 pound resolution. it cost more than a $1000. you can get lower price scales with adequate resolution but you will be weighing smaller amounts. Arlyn makes very good scales. Resolution should be no worse than .01 of a pound. You can work in Grams. I prefer to work in pounds. We also make mineral makeup. The scale we use only has a capacity of 2 pounds. the resolution is .001 of a gram. That is extremely accurate but necessary for weighing colors. I think we might have paid $700 for it.
#2 you need to learn to use a spreadsheet. Excel is very good. you are working with very minor changes to formulas to find the perfect one. you print out a formula and test it. and then make minor changes print out a new sheet and test. It’s not easy but this can be very rewarding. and fun! Sometimes we hit it perfect the first time and sometimes we work on it for months.
There are scores of formulas to copy on the internet, but many are done by volume. so their accuracy is terrible. you have to work them out by weight. and this involves a lot of experimenting. yes there’s some arithmetic involved here.
#3 Make products for yourself 1st. pleasing yourself is the 1st step to a successful product. Have friends test it. If you have something people really like then you can market it on etsy or ebay.
Good luck!
Steve
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