Articles

Useful material on cosmetic chemistry, ingredients and growing your business

The fridge question — why cold storage doesn't automatically make your emulsion safer

The fridge question — why cold storage doesn't automatically make your emulsion safer At the Walker Formulation Academy, we regularly encounter one of the most persistent myths in DIY skincare — the belief that a refrigerator automatically makes a product safer.<

8 min21 Apr 2026

#emulsions #rheology #oils and butters

Hydrosols

Hydrosols: Use in cosmetic formulas — a complete guide for formulators

A hydrosol is one of those ingredients that only seems simple at first glance. Behind the term "floral water" lies a complex mixture of volatile aromatic compounds, organic acids, trace amounts of essential oils, and biologically active molecules capable of truly influencing the condition of the skin.

9 min20 Apr 2026

#hydrosols #emulsions #preservation

Formulas

How to make body scrub at home: the chemistry of texture, choosing an abrasive, and professional formulas

Body scrub is one of the first products that home formulators start with. It seems simple: take sugar, add oil, mix — and it's done. But that is exactly where the trap lies: most homemade scrubs either separate within a week, irritate the skin, or just wash down the drain.

8 min18 Apr 2026

#body care #rheology #emulsions

Hydrosols

Hydrosol application methods: application techniques and storage rules for daily skincare

Hydrosols have long moved beyond being a byproduct of essential oil steam distillation and have carved out their own place in the arsenal of conscious skincare. However, most materials about them are written from the formulator's perspective: how to incorporate them into a cream formula, what pH to consider, and how to preserve them. Meanwhile, the end consumer

8 min16 Apr 2026

#hydrosols #lab technique #emulsions

For beginners

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

Business

Contract formulation: how cosmetic laboratories work and what you need to know before handing over a recipe

Imagine: you have an idea for the perfect cream. You know how it should smell, how it should feel on the skin, and which active ingredients should work in it. But between "I know what I want" and "here is a finished, stable cream formula" lies a chasm several months wide, filled with laboratory iterations, stability tests, and pH adjustments.

9 min16 Apr 2026

#business #for beginners #lab technique

Formulas

Which face oil to choose: chemistry of the composition, skin types, and formulation rules

When a beginner formulator first faces the question of which face oil to choose, they discover not just a long list of vegetable oils, but an entire system of chemical variables: fatty acid profile, iodine value, oxidation rate, comedogenic potential, and the ability to penetr

9 min16 Apr 2026

#oils and butters

Ingredients

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

Skincare

Peptides for the eye area: how to formulate an effective cream for the periorbital zone

The periorbital zone is one of the most demanding areas in cosmetic chemistry. The skin here is 4–5 times thinner than on the cheeks, almost devoid of sebaceous glands, and is constantly subjected to mechanical stress from facial expressions. This is precisely why peptides for the eye area have become one of the most sought-after classes.

9 min14 Apr 2026

#actives #rheology

Formulas

Handmade soap: chemistry, formulation, and everything you need to know before buying or making it

Everyone who has ever held a cold-process bar scented with lavender and layered with shea butter has wondered: what is actually happening inside this piece? You can buy handmade soap on every marketplace today, but understanding what distinguishes a high-quality product from a beautiful but chemi

9 min10 Apr 2026

#surfactants #oils and butters

Ingredients

Peptides for facial skin in cream: how to choose, how much to add, and why they work

If you have ever studied the ingredients of an anti-ageing cream, you have encountered them — peptides. These short chains of amino acids have become one of the most discussed classes of active ingredients in cosmetic chemistry, and for good reason. A properly selected peptide for facial skin in a cream formula is capable of targeting specific skin concerns.

10 min6 Apr 2026

#actives

Business

How to become a cosmetic chemist: the journey from curiosity to professional formulation

The question of "how to become a cosmetic chemist" sounds different today. While this path used to lead exclusively to medical college or a beauty salon, more and more people are now discovering cosmetic chemistry — the science of creating creams, serums, shampoos, and conditioners from scratch. This field combines bioch

9 min6 Apr 2026

#for beginners #emulsions #lab technique

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