Getting Started with Affordable Ingredients: A Guide for New Formulators
When you're just starting out in cosmetic formulation, it can be tempting to turn to Amazon for your ingredient purchases. (For more information, please refer to my post titled Buying
Ingredients on Amazon.) While this is a common approach, it's essential to understand that
there are better options available, particularly through reliable small-scale suppliers.
As you browse these suppliers' websites, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer
variety of ingredients. Many of them sound appealing, and it’s easy to get excited about
incorporating exotic oils and costly extracts into your formulations. However, I strongly
recommend starting with affordable, accessible ingredients until you've gained more experience in formulation.
Every new formulator makes mistakes—it's a natural part of the learning process. But making a mistake with expensive ingredients can be incredibly frustrating and costly. By focusing on more affordable options, you can experiment freely without worrying about breaking the bank.
To help you get started, I’ve put together a list of affordable ingredients that are perfect for
beginning your formulation journey:
1) Distilled or Deionized Water
When formulating products that contain water, it's crucial to use distilled or deionized water. Tap or spring water contains impurities that can compromise the stability and safety of your
products. Distilled or deionized water is readily available at supermarkets or drugstores and
should always be your go-to choice for water-based formulations.
2) Carrier Oils
Carrier oils are a staple in both anhydrous and emulsified products, providing nourishment and aiding in the absorption of active ingredients. Start with a small selection of affordable oils, and as you grow as a formulator, you can expand your collection. Here are a few great options:
Sweet Almond Oil: Affordable and versatile, Sweet Almond Oil has a medium
absorption rate and is rich in Vitamin D. It’s an excellent choice for lotions, creams, body butters, and balms.
Sunflower Oil: With a quick absorption rate, Sunflower Oil is rich in linoleic acid and
vitamins A, B, D, and E. It’s a budget-friendly option that performs well in a variety of
formulations.
Grapeseed Oil: Another fast-absorbing oil, Grapeseed Oil is affordable and lightweight, making it a great addition to your starter collection.
Jojoba Oil: While technically a liquid wax, Jojoba Oil is unique and versatile. It mimics the skin’s natural sebum, making it a valuable ingredient for balancing the skin and providing long-lasting moisture.
New Directions Aromatics Link: https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.ca/
4) Humectants
If you plan to make lotions or creams, a humectant is essential for your starting collection.
Humectants help attract and retain moisture in the skin, making your products more hydrating. Both Glycerin and Propanediol 1,3 are excellent choices for beginners.
Glycerin is widely available and affordable, but if used at too high a percentage, it can create a tacky feeling in your formulation. If you're only able to invest in one humectant initially, you might want to start with Propanediol 1,3. It’s a versatile option that provides effective hydration without the potential tackiness associated with higher glycerin concentrations.
Lotioncrafter Link:
Windy Point Soap:
5) Emulsifiers
One common misconception in DIY formulation is that beeswax can be used as an emulsifier. This is incorrect. Beeswax is NOT an emulsifier and has no properties that allow it to bind oil and water. Unfortunately, there is a lot of inaccurate information online that claims otherwise.
Windy Point Link:
Lotioncrafter Link:
6) Preservatives
When formulating products that contain water, using a broad-spectrum preservative is crucial
to prevent microbial growth and ensure product safety. Without a preservative, your formulation is at risk of contamination, which can lead to spoilage and potential harm to users.
One affordable and widely available option is Liquid Germall Plus. It's an effective
broad-spectrum preservative that works well in a variety of formulations. Another excellent
choice is Jeecide CAP-5, which also offers broad-spectrum protection.
When selecting a preservative, make sure it has a wide pH range to ensure compatibility with
different formulations. This will give you more flexibility in your formulations and help you
maintain product stability over time.
Lotioncrafter Link:
Windy Point Soap Link:
7) Waxes
For anhydrous formulations like lip or body balms, waxes are essential for providing structure
and stability. Beeswax is an affordable, beginner-friendly option that works well in various
products. It's particularly useful in lip and body balms due to its soft texture and ease of use.
If you're looking for a vegan alternative, consider Candelilla wax. It's a firmer wax compared to beeswax, making it a great option for those who want a plant-based ingredient. Both beeswax and Candelilla wax are excellent choices for adding consistency and durability to your lip or body balms.
8) Cosmetic Butters
Cosmetic butters are essential if you plan to make anhydrous body butters or lip balms. They
also add richness and texture to creams and lotions. If your budget allows, I recommend starting with two types of butters: a soft butter and a hard butter.
A great soft butter to begin with is Refined Shea Butter. It retains all the benefits of unrefined
shea butter but without the strong nutty/licorice scent, making it more versatile for different
formulations.
For a hard butter, Cocoa Butter is an excellent choice. I personally love the natural smell of
unrefined cocoa butter, but if you're not a fan of the scent, the refined version is a good
alternative. However, due to the recent increase in cocoa butter prices, many formulators are
seeking alternatives. One great option is Kokum Butter, which is readily available from most
small-scale suppliers.
(For more details on cocoa butter alternatives, refer to my blog post: insert link here).
9) Essential Oil or Fragrances
Essential oils add fragrance and therapeutic benefits to your formulations, but they can also be expensive. When starting out, it's best to stick to more affordable options like lavender, tea tree, or peppermint essential oils. Ensure that you’re purchasing pure essential oils, not
ones diluted with carrier oils. These versatile oils can be used in a variety of products, from
creams to balms.
It's important to remember that essential oils are potent chemicals—yes, they are chemicals!
You should never measure essential oils in drops; instead, refer to their individual safety usage rates and measure them in weight (specifically grams). If you’re just getting started and want to keep things simple, you might consider working with a fragrance oil instead of essential oils. This can make the formulation process easier as you learn to research safety usage rates and convert percentages to grams.
When choosing a fragrance, start with a small bottle (usually 30 grams) from your supplier. A
little goes a long way, especially in leave-on products, where you’ll typically use 0.3-0.5%
fragrance.
10) Solubilizer
If you plan to venture into creating, facial toners, room sprays, or even bath bombs, having a
solubilizer is necessary. If you want to start simpler than this is a purchase that can be made at a later date.
● Facial Toners: Polysorbate 20
● Room Sprays: Polysorbate 20 or Perfumers Alcohol
● Bath Bombs: Polysorbate 80
11) Thickeners: Essential for Texture and Stability
In cosmetic formulations, thickeners play a crucial role in enhancing the texture and stability of products, both anhydrous and emulsified. Ingredients like cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are particularly useful thickeners and co-emulsifiers that you'll want to have in your toolkit.
●Cetyl Alcohol: This fatty alcohol acts as a thickening agent and emollient in various
skincare and hair care products. It helps to soften the skin and provide a smooth, creamy
texture to lotions and creams.
● Cetearyl Alcohol: A combination of cetyl and stearyl alcohols, cetearyl alcohol is
excellent for thickening and stabilizing emulsion formulations. It also enhances the feel of
products, making them more luxurious and easy to apply.
Both of these alcohols are non-irritating and provide additional benefits such as improving the spreadability and increasing the viscosity of your products. They can be used in everything from moisturizers and conditioners to styling products and makeup, making them versatile components in both professional and DIY cosmetic formulations.
Using thickeners like cetyl and cetearyl alcohol not only improves the aesthetic qualities of your products but also helps them maintain their structure and consistency, ensuring a more stable and effective product.
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