Palmitic acid (C16): Forms an occlusive layer on our skin, a skin protectant.

Palmitoleic acid (C16:1): A building block in our skin that prevents burns, wounds, skin
scratches. Most active anti-microbial in human sebum. Treat damaged skin and mucous
membranes.

Stearic acid (C18): Improved moisture retention, increase in flexibility of the skin, and
skin damage repair. Has a melting point of around 69.6˚C. Often, the more stearic acid,
the stiffer and harder the butter.

Oleic acid (C18:1): Very moisturizing, and helps skin cells regenerate quickly. Very well
absorbed by the skin. Acts as an anti-inflammatory.

Linoleic acid (C18:2): Helps to improve skin’s barrier function, helps soothe itchy and
dry skin, acts as an anti-inflammatory, and moisture retainer.

Beeswax: This is a wax obtained from hives used to thicken and stiffen products, like
balms, lip balms, and lotion bars; create colour cosmetics, like lipsticks; or add
occlusive qualities to lotions. It has a melting point of 62˚C to 64˚C.

You can find different types of beeswax. I tend to use the white beeswax pellets as
they don’t alter the colour of my products made with it and it’s simple to use the
pellets rather than shaving off pieces with a knife, but you can use any type suitable for
cosmetics.

SPECIAL NOTE: Beeswax is NOT an emulsifier. If you use it in place of emulsifying

wax, your lotion will fail as it simply doesn’t possess any emulsifying properties. It can
be used to create water-in-oil lotions, like cold creams, when combined with boric acid
in just the right quantities, which I don’t suggest for aspiring lotion makers as it’s not an
easy task and the end product is often quite greasy and thick.

Fractionated coconut oil: This is also known as medium chain triglycerides as it

contains medium chain triglycerides in the form of caprylic fatty acid and capric fatty
acid. It has a shelf life of at least two years, but probably longer. It is very thin, much
thinner than water. It’s a great base for body, facial, and massage oils as it’s
non-staining to fabric.
Fatty acid composition:

Caprylic (C8): 53% to 55%

Capric (C10): 36% to 47%

Mango butter (INCI: Mangifera Indica ( Mango) Seed): This is a harder, less greasy
feeling butter with a melting point of 34˚C to 38˚C, higher than our body temperature
of 37˚C. It has a shelf life of up to 2 years.

Fatty acid composition:

Palmitic (C16): 6%

Stearic (C18): 42%

Oleic (C18:1): 46%

Linoleic (C18:2): 3%

Shea butter: This is a softer, more greasy feeling butter that melts at 29˚C to 34˚C, or
below body temperature. The more refined the butter, the lower the melting point. It
has a shelf life of two years.

Fatty acid composition:

Palmitic (C16): 3 to 7%

Stearic (C18): 35 to 45%

Oleic (C18:1): 40 to 55%

Linoleic (C18:2): 3 to 8%
You can find it as raw or crude, unrefined, refined, and ultra refined, and the more
refined, the softer it tends to be. I’m recommending refined for the formulas in this
course.

Sunflower oil (INCI: Helianthus annuus oil): This is a light, liquid oil that can be found
in a few different versions. High oleic contains more oleic acid and has a higher shelf
life when compared to regular old sunflower oil. It can last up to one year, while the
regular stuff is around 6 months. It contains lots of tocopherols – Vitamin E – and
phytosterols.

Fatty acid composition of regular old sunflower oil:

Palmitic: 5 to 7%

Stearic: 3 to 6%

Oleic: 15 to 36%

Linoleic: 61 to 73%

SHOPPING LIST – INGREDIENTS

Fractionated coconut: 223 grams or 250 ml

Sunflower oil: 223 grams or 250 ml

Shea butter: 290 grams

Mango butter: 227 grams

Beeswax: 106 grams

Flavour oil: 15 grams

FO/EO: 8 grams
Fine, berry, or caster sugar: 210 grams

“Is this a good formula?” checklist. If the answer to all the questions
below is “yes”, this means formula does not contain common errors.

● If the formula is written in percentages, do the percentages add up

to 100%?
● If the formula is not written in percentages, is it written in weight
(grams, oz) rather than volume (cups, teaspoons, drops)?
● If the product contains water (hydrosols, floral waters, milk and
aloe vera gel all contain around 98% water):-
● Vitamin E and grapefruit seed extract are not preservatives and
suppliers often state their preservative is “broad spectrum” when it
is not. Does the formula include a blend of preservatives to guard
against the following: gram positive bacteria, gram negative
bacteria and mould (all three)? More information:
http://makingskincare.com/preservatives/ and
https://swiftcraftymonkey.blog/preservatives/
● Some ingredients are very difficult to preserve. Is the formula free
of ingredients which are food for microbial growth such as: clay,
milk, tea, honey, fresh/dried/powdered botanicals (as opposed to
botanical extracts from reputable lotion suppliers)?

Additional checklists:

If the product contains both water and oil soluble ingredients:-

● If the total oils in the formula is over 3%, does the formula contain
a minimum of two separate emulsifiers (or a blend of a minimum of
two emulsifiers)? Please be aware that beeswax is not an
emulsifier.
● If the total oils in the formula is less than 3%, does the formula
contain a solubiliser such as polysorbate or peg-40 hydrogenated
castor oil?
● If the product includes ingredients which are solid, so need
melting, does the formula specify that the water phase and oil
phase should be heated separately using a water bath or hot plate
 (not microwave) to 70°C? Is heat and holding for 20 minutes
recommended?
● Does the formula specify that a stick/immersion blender or other
high shear mixer be used?
● Are the emulsifiers included at the correct ratio given the
concentration of oil soluble ingredients in the formula? More
information:
https://swiftcraftymonkey.blog/e-mail-question-using-polawax-in-yo
ur-creations/, and http://makingskincare.com/emulsions-stability/
● Does the formula contain a stabiliser/thickener, such as cetyl
alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, carbomer, xanthan gum?