[arachne013]

@Perry TKB also sells pressing tiles and a kind of “tamper tool” to use on top of the press tiles, you just have to make sure you use a lot of pressure. I’ve had a lot of success with this method, although a proper mechanical press would no doubt work way better!

[arachne013]

From what I understand, 100% ethanol is grain alcohol (which you can purchase at some liquor stores), and with isopropoyl, (unless used in a spray or some other liquid product) the smell goes away after evaporation

[arachne013]

You can try replacing the water with high percentage ethyl alcohol, which will allow for a quicker drying time.

[arachne013]

Also (again, sorry, may bad…I just keep going over this in my head), if problem still eludes rectification, you can try making tiny batches of each separate color to see which one is the culprit…then you’ll at least narrow down the problem (if it is indeed a pigment issue). Also, if it’s a humidity issue, heavier oils can make the mica-rich pigments stick together even if they are mixed with a less-mica pigment…..kinda separating itself. That’s my experience, anyway.

[arachne013]

@Mynkcosmo Also, it could be a different “batch” from wherever you get your ingredients from. I’ve noticed this especially with some brown oxides. If that’s the case, you might have to adjust your recipe a bit or find a different source, that’s usually a last-doubt option.

[arachne013]

Also, if you look at the list of ingredients of a commercially produced product, you may be able to get some clues there

[arachne013]

TKB trading sells a pre-made press base, but also check out their ling (https://tkbtrading.com/pages/blending-your-own-pressed-powder-base) which shows examples of pressing bases. From this list of ingredients, you can look up each one on their website & it’ll give a pretty good description of the benefits/actions. They are also excellent at answering questions. They also sell a few books, which may also help you in this area, as well as this link: https://tkbtrading.com/pages/pressed-powder-kit-instructions

I’ve made each of their examples stated in the website, and I find that a base containing boron nitride, silica microspeheres, magnesium myristate and nylon-12 make good additions to any base, unless the base already includes it. Even if it does, I always add a bit more boron nitride, silica microspehres & nylon-12….super silky, but too much Magnesium Myrstate make the finished product kind of hard. I find that both talc and kaolin clay offer great adhesion & blendability. For darker skin tones, I’d recommend the kaolin clay because it makes the final product more opaque.

In terms of creasing, using an eyeshadow primer is probably the best best, regardless of which pressed powder base you use. They sell them at all makeup stores and even in the cosmetic aisles of drugstores (they finally caught on!!! :wink:) The shadow primer on the TKB site is very white, so I don’t recommend it for darker-skinned tones, but the other retailers offer different shades/finishes and are more transparent.

And finally, in terms of fallout/kickback, I do have this issue still. It’s just a matter of experimenting with different formulas and tweaking them for personal preference… but the final products (in my case anyway) that have some fallout or kickback are usually the ones with the best color payoff.

Hope this helps somewhat!

[arachne013]

Sometimes this happens if the pigments aren’t sifted before use. I’ve had this problem with Titanium Dioxide from some retailers. When the particles are different sizes, they tend to migrate or “clump” around the edges or towards the middle, depending on the mineral. I’d try pre-sifting with a super-fine sieve everything before you start (even if it looks like it already has been sieved) and then after mixing the powders, sieve them again before adding the liquid. Also, I’m not sure if you mentioned this, but the use of glycerin can sometimes cause rust in the pans…just an fyi…. Hope this helps. 

[arachne013]

And back to the original question and the title of this discussion, I now know, Cap-2 or Cap-5 will not work, (which is what I asked about to begin with) but I have seen it on some sites which were obviously incorrect. Thank you for the correction.

[arachne013]

I do understand what you are saying. Stumbling across this site was, I thought, a good addition of accumulating the proper information, as there is much misinformation out there. If it seems like one of my questions seems too primary or doesn’t make sense, then just skip it.

And again, thanks for the links

[arachne013]

Again, thanks for the links

[arachne013]

Ok, awesome, thanks for the links. I will definitely check them out.

[arachne013]

When I originally got the bottle, it looked like a 50/50 water soluble to oil soluble….which percentages of the oils and waters that make up those percentages were not listed

[arachne013]

The ingredient list didn’t include any percentages

[arachne013]

I’m not really looking to sell my products, they are more for personal use or gifts, but I don’t want to give a gift of burning one’s face off (or my own)

[arachne013]

I didn’t mention the rose aspect: (Rosa Centifolia) and Rosehip (Rosa canina) oil

[arachne013]

If it is clear or milky, it doesn’t matter, just a viscous fluid. the list of ingredients are:

Ingredients: Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Chloride, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Water, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Fragrance.

I was going to replace the Leuconosatic Ferment with either Cap-2 or Cap-5 (just to see if it would work in its place & because I already have it on-hand but both in limited amoutns) and in my original question, would either of these two preservatives (and if so, which one) would have the effect that I was looking for as well as acting as its original function

[arachne013]

I completely agree and understand where you are coming from. I am still learning in the skincare area. I just figured this was the place to ask questions and get real answers, not feel ridiculed. I know I can’t watch a YouTube video and then expect to be able to do it myself. As I said before, I was a soap-maker and that took a while to master. I’m trying, as said before, to copy a commercial product, which has been suggested to do, and with as few ingredients as possible in which to gain experience. I’m an aware of my limitations. But there’s no reason to be sharp with someone who is coming to this site and posting, seeming inane and stupid questions, just because they are still learning. I figured this was the place to do so. Ask questions from the people who do this for a living and are more experienced. And I apologize if my inquiries seem as something that makes common sense to this community, but, again, I thought this was the place to share knowledge. 

[arachne013]

I didn’t know if a saponification process or a wax was necessary or not for them to “get together”

[arachne013]

My questions was for more of a serum, not a lotion, cream or any “hard” product….a stable, viscous fluid. I know about formulating oil in water in lipstick using waxes, etc, I just didn’t know if the same rules apply when formulating something more liquid….I was researching if you CAN include waxes in a product such as a serum, as I have not seen it on any of my labels…and from what I read, some of the ingredients in these preservatives can also act an emulsifier (unless I have read some misinformation in my searches) as well as a preservative. I am a beginner to skincare, my closest experience is with powder, not anything close to a serum. the ingredients are coconut & rosewater with argan & rosehip oil, and I’ve been just shaking it, but it would have been nice to have them mixed together in a stable state. If it is not possible, I am fine with that, even making it miscible would be satisfactory. And I figured if I were to get correct information in my education in this area, this site would provide amazing and correct results instead of the load of misinformation on various websites that pop up when you use a search engine, not barbs at my experience (or rather inexperience)

[arachne013]

Again, I apologize for my ignorance in this area

[arachne013]

Thank you for the link to the website. Can you suggest a plebian method of solubilizing oil and water? 

[arachne013]

Thanks. I’m new to the “skincare” arena, do mostly eyeshadows, eyeliners, lipsticks, etc. That is why I am consulting everyone before I do anything. I have had a brief stint as a soap-maker, and I definitely know the dangers of mixing acids and bases. I’m just looking for something mild and not extremely caustic…im still new to THIS area

[arachne013]

I apologize for my ignorance. I’m new at the skincare/lotion aspect of making cosmetics, I mostly do the “color”, i.e. eyeshadows, eyeliners, lipstick, etc. That is why I am asking these questions before I make something incredibly dangerous and bad. I had a stint as a soap-maker, and know about the dangers that would lie ahead of mixing chemicals, acids and bases, etc. all will-nilly. I was consulting everyone for a gentle way to emulsify oils and water, without the threat of burning one’s skin off. Sorry if I misled you in thinking I was inexperienced, and I am in THIS arena. Again, my apologies

[arachne013]

Would Sodium Bicarbonate be alkaline enough for the Stearic Acid?