pH and Color

Here’s a fun little demonstration of how a change in pH can make a difference to certain ingredients.

A handcrafted blueberry glycerite was added to a surfactant and the pH change was instantly evident in that the color changed from a bright pink to a blue-grey.

Those little pink spots are the glycerite before the surfactant was added to the mix. The blueberries were added to demonstrate the natural color of blueberries.

Dirt for Cleansing

This may look like a bit of a dirt on my hand, but what you are seeing is a cleanser under development that is being tested.

One might wonder how it could be possible to cleanse anything with what looks like dirt, but there are clays and botanicals that can do just that.

The advantages of using a cleanser of this type can be

• a gentler cleanse (ideal for sensitive skin)

• sustainable use of materials

• a 100% green and planet-friendly product

If you know your clays, you’ve probably already guessed rhassoul is an ingredient in this product. If you’re interested in reading a bit of rhassoul’s cleansing abilities, please visit this post at LisaLiseBlog.

Infused oils - All Natural Scents

If you are developing products for sensitive skin or people who prefer a more subtle fragrance, infused oil can be an excellent option.

Here is a peek at an infused oil getting ready to be added to a custom product for a special customer. She happens to love a whiff of vanilla in her moisturisers, so this will become a natural scent element in the face serum I am creating for her.

If you are interested in ordering a custom product with me, please visit this page.

Overview of Natural Preservatives - a Free E-Book

There are so many people who have asked me about natural preservatives : which are the best, most recommended or most suitable to use?

I wish I could give you a one-size-fits-all answer, but choosing the right preservative is always formula specific. I recommend studying manufacturer information before deciding.

To this end, I have complied a free E-book of manufacturer information and pertinent articles about natural preservation.

Click the button to download your free copy.

NOTE: THIS BOOK HAS BEEN UPDATED Nov 2022

Happy Natural New Year!

Happy New Year!

I’m off to get gussied up with my natural make-up and dressed to party with good friends to ring out the old year and ring in the new.

Next year is looking exciting already, but more on that when we’re finished with this one.

Thanks for sticking around this year and peeking over my shoulder as I work. I hope you’ll want to continue in 2019.

Meantime - have a Happy New Years Eve!

Snowy Coconut Cream Bars

This year has been full of projects - one of which you see pictured above. It has been a blast working on developing all the shampoo bar for the latest book with my colleague Rebecca Wright.

And I find it only fitting to share a bit of snowiness with you in this wintery month, so here’s the whitest, coco-nuttiest shampoo bar from the book: Coconut Cream Shampoo Bars.

These were developed with a nod to steady customer of mine who is in love with anything coconut. I’ve already wrapped up a couple and tied a pretty red bow on the package.

Shh! Holiday secret!

Ho Ho Ho!