#actives

Articles tagged "actives"

What’s on the label vs. what’s behind it: a breakdown of cosmetic ingredients

What’s on the label — and what’s hidden behind it: a breakdown of cosmetic ingredients. At the Walker Formulation Academy, we are convinced that understanding ingredients is the foundation of a conscious approach to cosmetics, whether you are a consumer or a product formulator. Imagine: you are holding a serum worth three thousand rubles. On the f

8 min25 May 2026

#INCI and labels #actives #business

What’s on the label vs. what’s behind it: a breakdown of cosmetic ingredients

Imagine: you’re holding a serum that costs £30. On the front of the packaging, in large letters, it says: “10% niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides.” Something inside you says: this should work. But a cosmetic chemist, looking at that same label, sees a completely different story — and it doesn’t always have a happy ending.

8 min24 May 2026

#INCI and labels #actives #business

DIY facial toner: chemistry, formulations, and everything a cosmetic formulator needs to know

DIY facial toner is one of the first products most home formulators start with. It may seem like just water with a few additives, but behind this simplicity lies serious chemistry: choosing solvents, managing pH, proper preservation, and the precise selection of actives.

9 min22 May 2026

#actives #for beginners

Superpeptides: how machine learning is changing collagen and skin peptides

When scientists from the University of Manchester and the No7 brand announced the creation of a 'superpeptide', the cosmetic community reacted with mixed feelings: some spoke of a revolution, others of marketing. But behind the loud headlines lies some truly interesting chemistry. We are talking about a fundamentally new approach

9 min20 May 2026

#actives

The chemistry of interactions: why an anti-ageing face cream formula is more than just a list of ingredients

When a formulator first creates an anti-ageing face cream formula, the initial impulse is to add all the best ingredients at once: retinol, vitamin C, peptides, AHA acids, and niacinamide. The logic is clear: the more actives, the more effective the cream. But this is exactly where most formulas quietly "die" — not at the emulsification stage

10 min18 May 2026

#actives #lab technique

Neuropeptides in cosmetics: skin peptide reviews, mechanism of action, and formulation

Peptide cosmetics are no longer a niche topic: today, they are one of the fastest-growing segments of active ingredients. But while signal and matrikine peptides are already well-known to cream formulators, neuropeptides — and especially melanocyte-stimulating compounds — remain a gap even for ex

9 min16 May 2026

#actives #stability

DIY moisturizing cream: the chemistry of texture, choosing emollients, and moisture balance

Anyone who has ever held a jar of expensive cream and thought, "What if I could make something better?" is already on the threshold of cosmetic chemistry. Creating a moisturizing cream yourself is not just about mixing oil and water. Achieving the right texture, a lasting feeling of comfort on the skin, and real hydration

9 min6 May 2026

#actives #rheology #emulsions

Facial serum recipes: how to create an effective formula from scratch

A serum is one of the most technically complex and, at the same time, most sought-after products in DIY skincare. This is where a formulator first encounters the need to simultaneously manage viscosity, pH, active ingredient compatibility, and system stability. A well-designed serum recipe

8 min4 May 2026

#for beginners #rheology #actives

Peptide serums for skin: mechanism of action, types, and formulation rules

Peptide serums for skin have long moved beyond being a marketing trend: today, they are one of the most technically complex and, at the same time, effective classes of cosmetic products. For a formulator who wants to work consciously, rather than just “adding a peptide according to instructions”, it is important to understand what they are

8 min28 Apr 2026

#actives #pH

Anti-aging cream: a formula that actually works

When a formulator first attempts to formulate an anti-ageing product, the initial impulse is to add everything that sounds convincing to the recipe: retinol, peptides, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide. The result is predictable: an unstable emulsion, irritated skin, and a complete lack of understanding of what exactly

7 min22 Apr 2026

#actives

Where to start for a formulator: your first formula from concept to jar

Do you know how many raw materials are officially registered in the latest edition of the INCI Dictionary? More than 17,000. And that is just the tip of the iceberg — each ingredient has several suppliers, each with its own trade name and slightly different characteristics. When a person first op

9 min16 Apr 2026

#for beginners #actives #emulsions

Super-peptide for skin: how British scientists rewrote the rules of anti-ageing chemistry

When it comes to the best skin peptide available today, the answer is no longer limited to classic Argireline or Matrixyl. In 2024–2025, a group of scientists from the University of Manchester, in collaboration with the No7 brand team, introduced a matrix super-peptide complex capable of

9 min14 Apr 2026

#actives

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