This is a PREVIEW of the content that you can find on the Diamond Level Blog.
Generally each entry is:
Generally each entry is:
- Trade Name(s)
- Description
- INCI Name
- Benefits to the skin and your formulation
- Use: how to use it on formulas and any parameters.
- Applications: what the ingredients would be best to use in. For example a makeup product, body lotion, face mask, etc.
- Notes: these are the things that i notice when making formulas that you should consider when trying to make your own.
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INGREDIENT GUIDE
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Oil-soluble Ingredients
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Surfactants/Emulsifiers/Solublizers/Thickeners
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Fragrance Oil/ Essential Oils
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Water-Soluble Ingredients
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Preservatives
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Powders
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Colorants
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pH adjusters
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Acids
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This is going to be a work in progress page that will be adapted as I learn more about ingredients. It will essentially be a reference guide to answer the who, what, where, when, how, and why questions of ingredients. I am only going to be adding ingredients that I have because I don't want to speak about something I don't know.
Last Updated: 10/7/19
Last Updated: 10/7/19
Oil-Soluble Ingredients:
- Oils
- Almond Oil
- INCI Name: Prunus amygdalus dulcis (almond) oil
- Description: Natural oil pressed from the seeds of the sweet almond tree, contains 62-86% oleic acid, 20-30% linoleic acid & other valuable fatty acids, rich in beta-sitosterol, squalene & vitamin E. Insoluble in water, hardly soluble in alcohol. Pale yellow liquid, nutty odor.
- Benefits:
- Effective emollient leaves the skin soft, smooth and conditioned
- Good nourishing and revitalizing effect
- Penetrates and moisturizes the skin very well
- Ideal for irritated and blemished skin
- Use: Can be added to formulas as is, add to the fat phase. Use level 1-100% (can be use pure, e.g. as massage oil).
- Applications: Creams, lotions, protecting creams, ointments, bath oils, makeup & sun care products, personal & baby care products.
- Almond Oil
- Fractionated Coconut Oil
- Information would be here
- Information would be here
- Jojoba Oil
- Information would be here
- Argan Oil
- Great for Oily Skin
- Information would be here
- Primrose Oil
- Information would be here
- Raspberry Seed Oil
- Information would be here
- Plum Kernel Oil
- Information would be here
- Camellia Seed
- INCI Name: Camelina sativa seed (Camelina) oil
- Benefits:
- Very nourishing plant oil with natural vitamin E
- Helps keep the skin elastic, moisturized and protected
- Great ingredient to add nourishing properties for skin and hair products
- Use: Can be added to formulas as is, add to the fat phase. Use level 1-100% in skin care products and 0.2-2% in shampoos & conditioners; up to 10% in hair masks. For external use only.
- Applications: Creams, lotions, hair care products, sun care, lip care products.
- https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Camelina-Oil_p_180.html
- Tamanu Oil
- Castor Oil
- Information would be here
- Abyssinian Oil
- Information would be here
- Babassu Oil
- Information would be here
- Dimethicone 1.5
- Information would be here
- Dimethicone 350
- Information would be here
- Cylocmeticone
- Information would be here
- Isopropyl Myristate
- Information would be here
- This ingredient is a ester of Isopropyl Alcohol, and myristic acid. Amazing for Oily skin to be moisturized but, not heavy
- Butters
- Shea Butter
- Information would be here
- Information would be here
- Mango Butter
- Information would be here
- Information would be here
- Cocoa Butter
- Information would be here
- Kokum Butter
- same melting point as coconut oil
- Information would be here
- Shea Butter
- Waxes
- Beeswax
- not vegan
- Adds creaminess and sticky ness ant high percentages
- Candelilla Wax
- This wax can be used in place of beeswax. It has a softer consistency and it adds a glossy finish to products.
- Carnuba Wax
- Beeswax
- Antioxidants
- Vitamin E
- dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate
- Description: Water-insoluble vitamin E formed by esterification of acetic acid & tocopherol. Purity >98%. pH 6-8. Activity: 1000 IU per 1 g solution (about 1 ml). Clear viscous yellow liquid, faint odor. Soluble in alcohol & oil, water insoluble.
INCI Name: Tocopheryl acetate
Benefits: - Provides excellent antioxidant activity on the skin but less so in cosmetic products since enzymes need first to cleave off acetate to form active vitamin E
- Has moisturizing, soothing, and calming properties on the skin
- Can improve the appearance of aged skin making it look visibly younger
- Use: Add to to oil phase or final phase after emulsification. Typical use level 1-10%. For external use only.
- Applications: All kinds of skin care products including sun care & makeup products.
- Description: Water-insoluble vitamin E formed by esterification of acetic acid & tocopherol. Purity >98%. pH 6-8. Activity: 1000 IU per 1 g solution (about 1 ml). Clear viscous yellow liquid, faint odor. Soluble in alcohol & oil, water insoluble.
- dl-alpha tocopherol
- Description: Pure undiluted vitamin E, of synthetic origin, but nature identical. Ideal antioxidant for fats and oils. Clear viscous brown liquid, faint odor. Soluble in alcohol & oil, water insoluble. Activity 750 IU per 1 g solution (about 1 ml).
- INCI Name: dl-alpha tocopherol
- Benefits:
- Potent antioxidant activity especially in cosmetic products but is less stable than dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate
- Ideal to stabilize oils and fats in cosmetic products (prevents rancidity)
- Has excellent antioxidant, moisturizing and soothing properties on the skin
- Often used in anti-aging products as rejuvenating and regenerating agent
- Use: 0.5-2.5% final concentration for skin effects, 0.1-1.0% for stabilizing oils in products. For external use only.
- Applications: All kinds of skin care products, sun care products, makeup products, hair after-treatments preparations.
- Emulsifying Waxes
- Emulsifying Wax NF
- very standard e-wax
- creates nice thick lotions
- cost effective
- more information here
- BTMS-50
- Information would be here
- Information would be here
- BTMS-25
- Information would be here
- Information would be here
- Olivem 1000
- Natural Emulsifying Wax - Olive Derived
- Contains:
- Cetearyl Olivate and Sorbitan Olivate.
- Self-emulsifying system for O/W cream and lotion; liquid crystal generator
- Peg-free, self-emulsifying O/W system
- No need for co-emulsifiers or stabilizers
- Liquid Crystal generator, creams and gels
- Designed to be used within 2-4%
- Flexible with respect to oil polarity
- Promotes functional skin hydration
- Derived from olives.
- Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
- Information would be here
- Information would be here
- Emulsifying Wax NF
- Surfactants
- SLSa
- Information would be here
- SCI
- Information would be here
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Information would be here
- Coco Betaine
- Information would be here
- Coco Glucose (Blend)
- Information would be here
- Simple to use and just need to be diluted and a preservative needs to be added and that is it. You could have a finished final product.
- Thickeners
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Information would be here
- Thickener and Co-emulsifier
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Information would be here
- Sodium Stearate
- Used to create gel sticks. Water-Soluble
- Information would be here
- Stearic Acid
- Information would be here
- TKB Thickening Clay
- Information would be here
- Solubilizers
- Polysorbate 20
- Information would be here
- Polysorbate 80
- Information would be here
- Liquid Lecithin
- Information would be here
- Castor Oil -Red Turkey
- Information would be here
- Essential Oil * All are form Edens Garden* **Blends**
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Tea Tree
- Peppermint
- Wintergreen
- Eucalyptus Globulus/Radiata
- Lime
- Ylang Ylang
- Wild Orange
- Sweet Orange
- Blood Orange
- Grapefruit
- Ginger
- Coffee
- Juniper Berry
- Vetiver
- Cedarwood Atlas
- Rosemary Spanish
- Cinnamon Leaf
- Cinnamon Bark
- Fir Balsam
- Frankincense Carterii
- Ravensara
- Blends
- Simply Citrus
- Citrus Cream
- Relaxation
- Stress Relief
- Anxiety Ease
- Guardian
- Breath in, Breath Out
- Stay Alert
- Earth & Wood
- Uplift
- Pest Defy
- Blends
- Fragrance oils
- Strawberry
- Cucumber Melon
- Coconut
- Mango: clean and fresh scent. Not like typically artificial mango
- Green Apple
- Cherry
- Coffee
- Hot Cocoa
- Chocolate Cookie
- Cupcake: smells more like buttered popcorn
- Honeysuckle
- Lilac
- Gardenia
Water-Soluble Ingredients:
- Waters
- Distilled water
- Must have, do not use tap water!
- Rose Water
- Witch Hazel
- Extracts
- Green Tea
- Calendula
- Proteins
- Wheat
- Silk peptide powder
- Thickeners
- Xanthan Gum
- Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
- Crothix Liquid Thickener
- for Surfactants
- Actives/ Specialty
- Polyquaternium-7
- Description: Low acrylamide, non-paraben, aqueous, cationic copolymer developed for improved compatibility and clarity in anionic surfactant systems. Viscosity 7,500-15,000 mPas. Solids: 8-10%. pH value 3.5-4.5. Clear colorless liquid, characteristic faint odor. Soluble in water, glycerin and propylene glycol.
- INCI name : Polyquaternium-7
- Benefits:
- Imparts a smooth velvety feel and improves slip and moisturization in skin and hair care products
- Improves wet combing and detangling of hair due to its.anti-static properties
- Strong antistatic properties are ideal for use in anhydrous products
- Provides rich, creamy foam to shampoos and shower gels
- No build-up effect
- Use: Add to formulas as is. Typical use level: 2-10%. For external use only.
- Applications: Hair conditioners, shampoos, hair rinses, spritzes, mousse, leave-on spritzes.
- Allantion
- Information would be here
- https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Allantoin-USP_p_247.html
- Aloe Vera Powder
- Provitamin B5 Powder (dl-panthenol)
- Information would be here
- https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Provitamin-B5-Powder-dl-panthenol_p_1159.html
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Solvents/Humectant
- Glycerin
- inexpensive
- anywhere from 0.5% to 5%
- Propylene Glycol
Preservatives
- EDTA
- Description: Chelating agent able to bind metal ions (e.g. sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and many more). Widely used in the cosmetic industry for various purposes. Off-white powder, no odor. Easily soluble in cold water.
- INCI Name: Tetrasodium EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt)
- Benefits:
- Co-preservative that enhances efficacy of preservatives and other antibacterial agents
- Stabilizes emulsions, surfactants and foam-builders
- Enhances antioxidant effects of natural antioxidants as e.g. vitamin C and E
- Stabilizes the pH value
- Use: Typical concentration 0.1-0.5% (Note: EDTA increases pH value!). For external use only.
- Applications: To stabilize and/or help preserve all kinds of cosmetic products like creams, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, makeup products, sunscreen products.
- Germaben II
- Don't use with Proteins
- Liquid Germall Plus
- Optiphen Plus
- Phenonip
- Phenoxyethanol Not Broad Spectrum!
- Appearance: Clear colourless to pale straw liquid
- Odour: Mild Characteristic odour
- PH: 7.0 (1% Solution @ 20°C)
- Solubility: Dispersible in emulsions
- Soluble in ethyl alcohol
- 2% soluble in water
- Usage: Ideally up to 1%
- Features:
- Non-formaldehyde-releasing preservative
- suitable for a wide pH range
- Naticide
- Information would be here
- Information would be here
- Powders
- Fillers
- Corn Starch
- Arrowroot powder
- Rice powder
- Clays
- Kanolin
- French Green Clay
- Bentonite
- Powders for Cosmetics
- Calcium Carbonate
- Mica Spheres
- Magnesium Myristate
- Magnesium Stearate
- Zinc Stearate
- Mica Powder
- Boron Nitride
- Zinc Oxide
- Titanium Dioxide
- Charcoal Powder
- Description: This activated charcoal powder is highly absorptive as it has numerous small pores allowing it to adsorb chemical substances such as impurities and oil on the skin and hair. It is very useful in soaps, shampoos, body scrubs and cosmetic products. Fine black powder. Particle size: through 3000 mesh. Insoluble in water.
- INCI Name: Charcoal
- Benefits:
- USP grade
- Fine porous charcoal able to adsorb impurities, but also oil on the skin and hair
- Has skin purifying and balancing properties especially on sensitive skin
- Absorbs odors, captures moisture and absorb impurities and oils from skin and hair
- Popular in masks but also moisturizers and cleansers
- Use: Add as is to formulas. It's easy to incorporate into formulas and won't stain nor be messy. Typical use level 1-10%. For external use only.
- Applications: Cleansing products, soaps, shampoos, scrubs, body wash, creams, face masks, color cosmetics.
- https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Charcoal-Powder-USP_p_1177.html
- Fillers
- Iron Oxides
- red
- yellow
- brown
- black
- Lake Dyes
- Blue 1
- Red 7 and 40
- Yellow 5
- Mica
- assorted + basics
- Iron Oxides
- red
- yellow
- brown
- black
- Lake Dyes
- Blue 1
- Red 7 and 40
- Yellow 5
- Mica
- assorted + basics
PH Adjusters
- Citric Acid
- See acids!
- very inexpensive
- TEA
- Sodium Hydroxide (Lye)
Acids
- Vitamin C
- Information would be here
- Salicylic Acid
- Information would be here
- AHA Fruit Complex
- Easy to work with
- Don't have to check pH
- Description: : Botanical alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) complex consisting of 15% glycolic acid, 31% lactic acid, 3% citric acid, 1% tartaric acid from extracts of grape (vitis vinifera), lemon (medica limonum), passionfruit (passiflora quadrangularis), & pineapple (ananas sativus). pH 1.2 - 2.5. Clear yellowish liquid, no odor. Soluble in water.
- INCI Name: Water, alcohol denaturated, passiflora quadrangularis fruit extract, citrus medica limonum extract, ananas sativus fruit extract, vitis vinifera fruit extract
- Benefits:
- Sheds off the outermost layer of skin cells (corneocytes)
- Induces renewal of a skin cell layer
- Increases the moisturizing level of the skin which improves the flexibility of the upper skin layer.
- Use: Add to aqueous phase of formulas at <104oF (<40oC). Use level: 5-15% depending on skin tolerance. The very low pH of this AHA solution will most likely, when added to your product, lower the pH and could cause emulsion separation. Use at very low concentration only or add pH increasing ingredients such as TEA to stabilize. pH paper roll for measuring the pH is necessary when using TEA. The lowest pH in a cosmetic product allowed in the US is 3.5. A low pH can irritate the skin. For external use only.
- Applications: Moisturizing creams, lotions, cream- gels, peeling gels.
- https://www.makingcosmetics.com/AHA-Fruit-Acids_p_50.html
- Lactic Acid
- Description: Lactic acid is a naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acids (or AHAs) produced by fermentation of sugars. It is the alpha hydroxy acid most frequently used for peel products. Synonym: 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid. Clear, water-white viscous liquid. Characteristic odor. Concentration: 88% (12% water). Grade: CG. pH Value 0.5. Easily soluble in water.
- INCI Name: Lactic acid, water
- Benefits:
- Very useful to rejuvenate the skin by encouraging the shedding of old surface skin cells
- Can reduce the appearance of fine lines, irregular pigmentation, age spots & decreases enlarged pores
- Good choice for first-time peel users or for those with sensitive skin
- Often used in creams & lotions at a lower concentration for a more gentle acid-based peel.
- Use: Typical use level is between 1-20%.
- Important: Do not use lactic acid pure and undiluted; the solution is highly acidic and can lead to skin irritation and skin burns. Storage: stable ~1 year, store cool & light protected. External use only. Please note that when using this ingredient regularly in skin care products, the skin will be very sensitive and needs to be protected from the sun, wearing sunscreen or any other protection.
- Applications: Peels, creams, lotions, masks, cleansers. Due to it's acidity the final product needs to be tested for safe pH. Optimal pH range from 3.5-5.0. Some over the counter products, after adding lactic acid, will separate because of the low pH, and need to be stabilized.
- https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Lactic-Acid_p_1127.html