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Taking the plunge into home cosmetics.
Hi All,
I am working at the moment manufacturing industrial cosmetics and I have finally decided to do some home cosmetics for my new year resolution 2019.
I would like to source a second hand silverson homogenizer, paddle mixer (agitator), basic pH meter etc in Ireland or UK. Any suggestions?
I have enrolled into a natural cosmetic workshop and I hope to learn about ingredients and where to get them?
Any other suggestions from people who have started at home regarding resources needed to achieve a smooth transition into home cosmetics. Is insurance, stability testing, micro testing, packaging etc. needed for products for family and friends.
Thanks Paddy -
9 Replies
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If you are selling products or the people using your products might sue you, then yes all that stuff is needed. It’s also good to do safety testing in case someone accidentally uses a product you make.
See this discussion.
https://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/discussion/641/laboratory-set-up-equipment-list#latestI’d encourage you to be skeptical of “natural cosmetic workshops.” They can often be filled with misleading, erroneous information. Take particular note of who is running the workshop and whether they have any bonafide scientific background. Anybody can set up a cosmetic workshop & charge people to take it. That doesn’t mean they give accurate information.
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Suppliers for homecrafters the UK:
naturallythinking
thesoapkitchen
gracefruit
aromantic
mysticmoments
sr-skincare (limited choice but they have a couple of rare ingredients)supplier in Italy with relatively cheap delivery: glamourcosmetics.it
makingcosmetics products are available on Amazon.uk. Much more expensive than in the US, but still worth it for rare ingredients.
some equipment: betterequipped
overheadstirrer: get a cheap Chinese one on ebay (100W 2500 rpm is ok for homecrafting)stability testing: lookup for reptile eggs incubator on ebay.
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Also check out makingskincare website and Facebook pages. A lot of useful info.
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Step 1. Don’t manufacture out of your home. -
I do mot know about outside the US, However in the states you are able to do so from your home you just need a seperate addition/building to the home for a lab. Do not try to open a business selling to the public by formulating cosmetics in your kitchen. Also depends on the state in the US. I have seen people try to formulate their cosmetics from within their kitchen with barest of equipment and sanitary practices. In a lab it is much easier to keep sterile and store all your needed equipment and records as well as run your tests and keep everyone and everything out of the area/building where you want to make sure is the purest and most organized as well having room for the required equipment to to do.
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Also consider your longterm Busines goals. If the desired end result is to develop and sell a Cosmetic line, you need to really focus on that and try to stay out of the Cosmetic Manufacturing Business.I have worked to start Cosmetic lines and I have consulted on setting up a Production facility. These two Businesses (Manufacturing versus a Cosmetic Line) are vastly different. Many posters in here have learned this and will likely agree.To whit, “stability and micro testing” are studies that must be done correctly and are NOT for Beginners. In fact, my facility sends out all micro since I am not a Microbiologist. We do modified stability without micro and only this is possible due to a very specialized Stability Chamber.If it is only a hobby with no final retail placement would I ever recommend someone follow your plan of action.
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Thanks for all your information. I am planning to learn the basics and not sell any product yet. Only for my family and close friends with the emphasis on patch testing before use.
I believe your philosophy Perry of minimilistic manufacturig and then add the story if needed. I see alot of products with over the top extracts, minute percentages of story ingredients and all add to the cost and the stability issues.
I take your point on natural cosmetic workshops and I like you, are skeptical however I need to see for myself and we are going to make shampoo bars. It probably is any easy formualtion but I hope to make contacts and discover what is needed to manufacture initially and where to get ingredients locally.
If I find a niche market I hope to work with our enterprise company for start ups. I agree totally with a purpose built or retrofit unit. I believe in all the necessary testing for product development but I also believe in not re-inventing the wheel. I know that there are manufacturing facilities with base products that are tried and tested and all you need to add your twist to it, however I might be nieve in this statement and I know it will cost.
Thanks again and I hope it works for me as I think I will love the challenge and you never know I might have the luck of the Irish.
Slainte….Paddy -
I do have to say that you do have a very good and pragmatic opinion on marketing. Many Formulators are minimalistic. Marketing drives a lot of the puffery. However, the truth is that a middle of the road product will sell with good marketing. A great product will fail with poor marketing.Keep that objective opinion and have fun. Since you aren’t selling have fun with the raw materials. So many times we believe we can design a product on paper and we disregard the lab work. Any Formulator can tell you about a perfect “paper” Formula that went sideways at the Lab Bench. Each of these cases was a learning experience. Have fun.
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@PADDY, Regarding shampoo bars, surfactants are very tricky. They require more knowledge than lotions (I am talking about o/w lotions because w/o is a nightmare). Sampoo bars on the other hand are very forgiving. If you want to make a shampoo bar, go to swiftcraftymonkey and get her ezine on shampoo bars (it’s around £12 and is totally worth it). After you read it, please check the list of UK suppliers I posted above. But from the top of my head you will find everything on the soap kitchen and gracefruit. Let me know (here or message) if you decide to try her formula, because SCI that is sold in the UK is different from what swiftcraftymonkey uses and it requires different processing. Took several attempts (and waisted material) to get it right.
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