Companies can now source from approved EU and US organic ingredient suppliers for their NSF/ANSI 305 compliant products, increasing global access to certified products ANN ARBOR, Mich. — NSF International’s American National Standard for Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients (NSF/ANSI 305) has been expanded to allow plant-based ingredients that are certified to European Union […]

Contributed by Ruth Esteves at Sirona Springs Handmade Soap. Soapmakers often get asked about the use of lye in their soap. The fact is that lye (sodium hydroxide) is indeed used to make soap. While in many minds, “lye soap” brings up images of grandmas and washboards and red, red hands, anyone who has used […]

Recently a bill has been proposed in Colorado, the ‘Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act‘.  Hearings on the bill begin in March. The bill would prohibit the sale of “…any personal care product that contains a chemical identified as causing cancer or reproductive toxicity.”  On the face of it, that sounds logical. I mean, who […]

Creme-to-Powder eyeshadow is a relative newcomer to the cosmetics market.  It has the lasting power of previous generation’s creme shadows, but without the creasing and goopy feel. It’s a semi-solid shadow that can be applied using your finger or a foam applicator, but best results are achieved by using a brush. When loading the brush, […]

Earlier I posted a formula for a quickie hand sanitizer, but a couple of folks have mentioned that they’re not too hip on the smell, or they would prefer a “spicier” or “fruity” note rather than a minty note.  So, here’s a couple more formulas to keep you safe and sanitized during the cold and […]

The final installment of a list and brief definition of commonly used ingredients in cosmetic formulations.

A continuation of  a list and brief definition of commonly used ingredients in cosmetic formulations. Note: allergies may occur with the use of any chemical, essential oil, herb or spice. It is advisable to test a small area of the skin prior to using the product in the shower of bath. Many of these ingredients […]