[Squinny]

For the dumb people like me what is LAA?  Assume L-Ascorbic Acid? If so are you just using L-Ascorbic acid powder? I have made myself a very basic 10% Vitamin C serum with Distilled Water, L-Ascorbic Acid Fine Powder 10%, Ferulic Acid 0.8%, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum Clear + another preservative and have in an Amber dropper bottle wrapped in foil - This was just a test for myself and after close to 3 months it is still the same color it was when I made it. I kept in fridge at 12 degrees for first month but since then is at room temp (my room temp is around 25 to 26 degrees). I intend playing around with the formula so always interested in what other people are doing on this forum and continuing to learn. Note that mine is for my own use only and not to sell. Cheers

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The first time I ordered (around 1.5kg too) I asked them if they could improve on the freight amount and they came back with a quote that was a bit lower (not much but anyway). For me the ingredients I buy from them I can’t source in Australia and if I can they ae far more expensive than what I get from Thailand including freight, paypal and packing costs. 

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Hi @Ghita37 - You can always email MSR and ask them about shipping info time and approx cost depending on how much you intend to buy (ie in Kgs total and they will give you an estimate). It only takes about 7 to 10 days to receive my goods from Thailand to Cairns Australia from the time I place my orders (they send mine by DHL airfreight). Cheers

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@Ghita37 - I just suggested looking at the MSR Site as it may help you as it appears you don’t know much about ingredients you want to use (not saying that I know a lot either, but I have been formulating for few years now and have learnt a lot from people on this site). Anyway, looks like Mark has given you a formula to start with (which is great as I’ll have a play with that too for myself so thanks @MarkBroussard ).
 I don’t sell products, so my interest is purely personal and is a hobby. You may find that MSR ships to Morocco (I have no idea if they do as I am in Australia and find them cheaper to buy products from including shipping than I do to buy products in my own country) so may work out the same for you and they have a lot of ingredients I can’t buy in Australia anyway. Good luck - I suggest doing some of your own research though as you may find a good supplier all by yourself for you and your needs. If you havent started making products before I do suggest buying small quantities to begin with, so you aren’t lumbered with lots of ingredients, you don’t like or won’t use again. It’s easy to get carried away to begin with (I know because that was me hee hee)

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MarkBroussard said:

@Squinny:

The polarity of oils is variable depending on the chemical structure of the oil.  Alkanes … straight-chain carbon molecules that are fully-saturated are non-polar.  Fatty alcohols would be polar.  Generally, if its a plant-derived carrier oil, it will be relatively non-polar.  Yes, Olive Oil would be relatively non-polar, MCT would be relatively polar.  Oils are not homogeneously comprised of a single molecule, but a mixture of different molecules.

Thanks Mark for that info appreciate it.

[Squinny]

@MarkBroussard - Many thanks Mark that’s what I thought for Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate so thanks for confirming that for me, So all Oils are non-polar or did I misinterpret what I read? Cheers and thanks again I assume the Oils in the Deep Cleansing oil are non-polar so would be ok to use Olive Oil and MCT which I have both (mind you I also have a number of other oils) - Jojoba, Sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, Camelina, Hazelnut, Macadamia, Avocado …. 

[Squinny]

Hi The Neroli Water I buy here in Australian (From New Directions and AWO) does not smell like hay it smells like Orange blossom and the way I would expect it to smell. Likewise my Rose, Geranium, Lavender, Peppermint, Cucumber etc they all smell like you think they would - so I guess it depends on the quality from the supplies? I also use the hydrosols at around the 20% mark in general and replace that portion of my Distilled Water. I find they give a lovely scent to my products that is light, fresh and not overpowering. Just my 2 cents worth

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Thanks @Graillotion and @MarkBroussard I learn so much from you guys about products I have never seen before. The Cleansing Oil has only a few ingredients from DHC which I love and will have a play with this one next year for myself.  The ingredients listed for the one I like the look of is : Deep Cleansing Oil: olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, caprylic/capric
triglyceride, sorbeth-30 tetraoleate, pentylene glycol,
phenoxyethanol, tocopherol, stearyl glycyrrhetinate,
rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil. 

MySkinRecipes has sorbeth-30 tetraoleate at a reasonable price - do you guys reckon (and I am only making for myself not to sell) it is worth getting stearyl glycyrrhetinate as this is quite expensive and usage from what I see at 0.5 to 1.5% - does it really do anything if just in a cleansing Oil or could i skip that? Alos MSK recommends using Sorbeth-30-t with a non-polar oil (sorry where do I find out what polarity an oil is?) - thanks if you guys have time to answer and sorry if I have hijacked the thread! 

@G@Ghita37 - MSR has a basic Cleansing Oil formula using sorbeth-30 tetraoleate so maybe look at that as a start too? Not sure where you are based but you can check out site here if you wish Oilsify 30 (Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate) (myskinrecipes.com) - Cheers

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Yes @PhilGeis totally agree. I think people get totally carried away with such crap they have no idea about anyway. Wonder if they are the same with everything they put into their bodies. Have a good day. 

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hi @Pharma I opened the bottle of TEC (from MSR - I got 500ml and it is packaged in a 1000 ml white plastic container bottle, with a proper seal underneath the cap). It does have a faint odor (sort of alkaline smell?) but nothing really noticeable and certainly not unpleasant. I haven’t used it yet and probably wont for another few weeks so I’ll see if it performs the same in my Deodorant - I cant believe the difference TEC makes to my Deo - Mind you I only make in a 100ml batch at a time and for my partner and myself and he reckons it’s the best he has used and he is often the bush in humid conditions so win for me.

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37. The aggregate amount in controversy exceeds $5 million, including any statutory and
punitive damages, exclusive of interest and costs. - Wow only in America I reckon - this would not see the light of day in Australia - Our courts are far too busy with real crimes. The Judge would say “stop wasting the Courts time” - This person is just a gold digger IMHO. I would love to see how natural looking she is - why buy mascara etc. to begin with if you all about “Natural’ beauty. Sorry I find the lawsuit totally ridiculous. Maybe she bought a product and wasn’t happy with it and Sephora wouldn’t give her a refund and this is her revenge. Feel sorry for her current partner - when they break up watch out!

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Thanks @ketchito appreciate your knowledge you pass on. Any suggestions of what I can use the Polysorbate 80 in? I only products for myself and family and have 1 kg bottle! If not no worries. Have a good day

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Hi @GeorgeBenson I haven’t actually bought or used it myself just came across it whilst looking at TEC and thought it may be of interest to you. You would need to ask someone else about it on the list of ingredients as I don’t know sorry I will probably buy a small amount to test when I do my next order but that wont be until early next year
It says for INCI ; INCI Name : Proprietary (can be notified in the formula for submitting the FDA registration as a fragrance)
Also they have another ones for products with Oils and they provise the Inci for this in case you are interested.

 Ultra Solve HPS Higher price, higher efficiency Flora Solve™ Clear is preferred in cases where efficiency Flora Solve™ Clear is not enough to dissolve the oil in the formulation. Can dissolve all types of oils, including some difficult to dissolve oil mixtures such as Natural oils (ex. Avocado Oil), Vitamin E (Tocopherol Acetate), preservatives (ex. OMC)
Cheers and happy formulating. 

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@Graillotion thanks very much for that advice appreciate it. The TEC I bought from Trulux Australia outrageously expensive (50ml = $50 so $1 a ml) and only has a very faint aroma. I haven’t opened the one I got from MySkinRecipes yet (but I bought 250ml which worked out to be $0.10 a ml - so once I open I’ll let you guys know if it smells or not - for the difference in price I dont care . I also use TEC in my Deo and find it has no particular aroma before I add fragrance to the mix and since adding this my Deo is stable and works a treat. Again big thanks you for putting me onto TEC

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@ketchito thanks for the link to Polysorbates which I have now stored away for reference. I use Polysorbate 85 + Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside in a body cleansing Oil (I dont use on my face but I guess you could). I recently used Polysorbate 80 + Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside (I didnt think would be much difference ha !) and I wont make that mistake again. With Polysorbate 80 it  doesnt go milky and emulsify on my skin like the one I make Polysorbate 85 and kind of gels on my hands (probably some type of reaction going on I have no idea about!). It also feels warm when I apply - so will be throwing that batch out. Any idea what else I can do with my Polysorbate 80 or should I just throw out? Cheers 

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Cool - assume you added your 2% or did you add more? The docs I have say 5% is the limit (or is that not correct?) So is it ok to add the Oil phase (heated) for  formula? I’ll put some in my next body lotion for myself to check it out as I have now a lot left over I wont use in my Deo. Cheers

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Hi all - and big thanks to @Graillotion to putting me onto TEC - I now have  a great Dep Spray that works finally. So you can also buy TEC at MySkinRepices in Thailand and whilst looking up their blurb I came across this which for you @GeorgeBenson may also be of use - Flora Solve™ Clear (perfume in water) (myskinrecipes.com) - anyway of interest read about it in the link. Cheers
PS. I mix my essential oils with TEC (about 4%) with Polysorbate 20. If I used Poly 80 could I potentially use less - I have both anyway.

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Hi I had a look at the website and no prices listed. Assume you dont sell to individuals that make home products in small quantities? What is the minimum quantity you sell? There are many on here that only want small quantities of products like MySkinRecipes in Thailand sell. Thanks

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There are products in Australia (and assume elsewhere) that have Sunscreen Gels like  Sunsense Clear Gel spf 50 Sunscreen 125Ml Online at Chemist Warehouse® - As for making one that is another matter and I wouldnt attempt to and very hard to determine the SPF for home formulators.

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Hi there Assume HYA is Hyaluronic Acid?) Right or wrong I make my Hyaluronic Acid into a solution first (I make a 1% solution with 98.5g Distilled Water, 1g HYA and 0.5g preservative and keep in fridge). So maybe try make the HYA first so it all hydrates first (takes me a few hours the way I do it though). So maybe make your HYA solution with your distilled Water until it hydrates and mix until it is combined - lave to sit until no air bubbles if any present) and then add your other ingredients (do your sal acid and PG as you do now and try mixing these 3 first and see how that goes? I’m only a home maker of products with no fancy equipment but my method may help (or not). Only do a 50g batch first and see how it goes. Cheers

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mikethair said:

Squinny said:

If other brands ae making what you are trying to emulate I don’t know why you are bothering unless it is to make same product for yourself but cheaper. Cheers.

We don’t produce “cheap products” and target the lower end of the marketplace.

The fact is that good quality Lotion Bars are not produced in our country, and we are hoping to target this sector with locally produced Lotion Bars.

I actually didn’t say you were going to produce “cheap’ products at all. To clarify I make top quality products also but as I make them myself I can make them for a 10th of retail price. The price you sell at has nothing to do with the price it takes to make products IMHO. I don’t have any issues with my Cocoa butter so didn’t think to suggest that as an issue so happy that someone else has worked that out to steer you in right direction. Anyway good luck and I hope your product does well. 

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Looks like you answered your own question

[Squinny]

Ok well I guess you wont know what you would achieve by adding the suggested ingredients if you dont try right? Anyway just trying to be helpful but I’ll leave it up to you. If other brands ae making what you are trying to emulate I don’t know why you are bothering unless it is to make same product for yourself but cheaper. Cheers.

[Squinny]

Hi not sure where you are based but maybe look at brands that work for your skin. I found this place (based in Hong Kong called Stylevana ) and if you buy over I think $60 (AUD) shipping is free to Australia (plus you get $10 off your first purchase) Shop SUNTIQUE - I’m Safe for Sensitive Skin SPF35 PA+++ - 50ml | Stylevana - It is certainly the best face product I have found for a reasonable price is AUD compared to anything I can buy like this in Australia. They are a number of Sunscreens here so you may just want to look to see what ingredients are in their products. I have now bought this one which is ‘safe’ for sensitive skin and it goes on so smoothly and no white residue etc and no problems with my skin using it (I have Rosacea so I am careful about what may cause a flareup- using this and making my own skin creams I have been flareup free for about 18 months now). Also look at the INCI decoder for any products you think you might like to try - so this is the list for the product I now buy (which I could never make in a blue moon) : Suntique I’M Safe For Sensitive Skin ingredients (Explained) (incidecoder.com)
Hope this helps or give you some ideas. I think until you do your course though it will be cheaper and safer to buy sunscreens for now.
Cheers 

[Squinny]

If you have access to SpecialChem that may be a good place to start. Or look at similar products already on the market and see if they advise how much Zinc Oxide to use (though they probably also do not want to commit a % for actual SPF). I wouldn’t attempt a sunscreen for commercial use unless you really know what you are doing though.
Here is link if you have access -  Starting Point Formulations – Cosmetics and Personal Care Products (specialchem.com) - If you dont have access your company may be able to join? Good luck.