Cosmetic Your Ways Blog

Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

Lab Maintenance and Good Lab Practices (GLP)

We got to make sure that our equipment is in its best shape to get accurate and precise measurements. In this post, I want to talk about maintaining equipment and Good Lab Practices (GLP). Not to be confused with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

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Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

Figuring Out the Composition of Raw Materials

I did an example of this in my Calculating Active Surfactant Mater post and stated I would make this post in my reading SDS and MSDS video. This is an important skill for both formulators and brand owners to know how to do. I am going to go over more examples than just surfactants. So you get a variety to understand how to do it. 

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Getting to the Bottom of Formulation Issues
Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

Getting to the Bottom of Formulation Issues

Problem solving formulations is the most frustrating and rewarding part of formulating. In this post, I am going to be talking about figuring out formulation issues. From making formulation on the blog to making formulation for client, I have had to do a lot of problem solving. They can create major roadblocks in the process. However I have come up with some tactics to help.

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Advanced Topic: Mixing Preservatives
Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

Advanced Topic: Mixing Preservatives

If you have looked at any commercial product, you will see that more than one preservative is being used. Sometimes even more than one preservative blend. In this post, I wanted to talk about mixing preservative blends and all the nuance to this topic. It is intense!

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Finding the Price of Raw Materials
Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

Finding the Price of Raw Materials

Knowing the exact cost of your raw materials is essential, regardless of whether you're running a business or simply crafting products for personal use. Accurate cost analysis enables informed decision-making, efficient budgeting, and ultimately, the creation of high-quality products at competitive prices. In this post, I will guide you through straightforward methods to determine the cost of both powdered and liquid raw materials.

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Converting A Thick Emulsion to be Pumpable
Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

Converting A Thick Emulsion to be Pumpable

This post will be about reducing the viscosity of your emulsions to be pumpable. There is still some trial and error with this, but these are the tips I recommend trying. I am going to show you an example formulation.

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Making More Advanced and Elegant Emulsions
Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

Making More Advanced and Elegant Emulsions

After understanding the basics of emulsions, where do we go? In this post, I am going to talk about ways you can elevate your emulsions like the professionals. Sure, you can add a fatty alcohol and a gum to make a more stable emulsion. We want to make emulsions with an amazing skin feel.

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Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

Film Formers and Plasticizers

We know that film-formers, like the name suggests, forms a film. However, different film-formers work in different ways. The classic example is crunchy and flaky hair spray; this is from high levels of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). PVP creates brittle films. That is what those white flakes are. 

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What my chemistry degree has taught me, so far.
Zachariah Kovac Zachariah Kovac

What my chemistry degree has taught me, so far.

I have not had a chemistry class in over a year. So, I have been thinking about my classes a lot. I wanted to take some time to reflect on what my major has taught me so far. I am not going to be talking about the subjects but more about the skills I have learned.

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Disclaimer:

You are at your own risk when making anything from this blog. I am not liable for any mishaps that may occur. I do my best to include everything in the procedure to minimize the likelihood of accidents. My recommendation is always to read the post entirely first and then make the product.
Please keep in mind that these recipes/formulations are NOT meant to be sold or reproduced in large quantities. None of my recipes has been appropriately stability tested. I recommend seeking professional help if you want to start your own line of business. (
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Always test a patch of new ingredients before using them.
Comments and opinions written by authors on Cosmetic Your Ways are their own and do not represent the views of any past, present, or future employers.

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