Ingredients We Use
I am a huge believer in transparency. This is why I list the artist/pattern designer and link to such on the pages that list wearable items. I think that if you CAN make it yourself, _and_ you WANT to, then who I am to make that difficult?
Whereas I cannot give you all of my recipes, what I can do is give you a list of the ingredients that I primarily use, and tell you where you can get those ingredients if you want to make things yourself.
The bonus here is two fold. Even if you don’t purchase say, a bath bomb, from me, you could potentially still help me order more ingredients for my obsession business, by ordering your own ingredients through my affiliate links posted below.
If nothing else, this list will familiarize you with the ingredients I use in my products and answer any questions you might have about those ingredients.
Again – transparency – If you purchase a product or service after clicking on an affiliate link in my posts I may receive a small commission from the sale. I will note whether or not the link is Informational or if it is Affiliate
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (or SCI): From TruthInAging.com (Info): Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is a sodium salt ester, or a fatty acid derived from coconut oil. It is used in cosmetics and personal care products as a surfactant and is often seen in hair care products like shampoos because of its ability to help water to mix with oil and dirt, allowing them to be more easily rinsed away.
I use several versions of SCI – noodles (Affiliate) and powder/granular (Affiliate) .
Sodium Coco Sulfate (or SCS): From Ethique.com (Info): Sodium coco sulfate (SCS) is a mix of all of the fatty acids from coconut oil, including lauric, which means it is milder, but still produces that lather we want. It is not the same ingredient as SLS with a different name designed to mislead consumers (you should know that we’re not like that by now).
Affiliate Link Coming
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (or SLSa): From NaturesGardenCandles.com (Info): Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is a surfactant that is derived 100% naturally. It comes from coconut oil and palm oil. It is also completely free of all sulfates
SLSA at MakeYourOwnBuzz.com (Affiliate).
Sodium Hydroxide/Potassium Hydroxide: Otherwise known as “lye”. From Britannica.com, (Info) Lye is the alkaline liquor obtained by leaching wood ashes with water, commonly used for washing, and soap making – or generally, any strong alkaline solution or solid.
Two things to note: #1. None of the lye remains in the soap once the saponification process (Info) is complete and #2. You CANNOT make soap without lye. Anyone who says they can, or did, either has no understanding of the science behind soap (ie: they bought a pre-made soap base and put it in their microwave) and should be avoided as it pertains to such matters, OR they are intentionally trying to mislead you.
Affiliate Link Coming
Cocamidopropyl Betaine: From TruthInAging.com (Info): Cocamidopropyl betaine is a coconut derived foaming and cleansing agent considered a safe alternative to sulfates.Good prices on Coco Betaine (Affiliate) .
BTMS 50 (or Behentrimonium Methosulfate): From MakeYourOwnBuzz.com (Affiliate): Behentrimonium Methosulfate 50, is a natural vegetable based, high active (50%) cationic conditioner and emulsifier. It offers the formulator efficient cationic conditioning with emulsifying properties for hair and skin formulations. The BTMS 50 is a vegetable based viscosity increaser and emulsion stabilizer.BTMS 50 at MakeYourOwnBuzz.com (Affiliate) .
Sodium Tallowate/Tallow – Manteca/Lard: Tallow and Lard are byproducts of the meat industry. They are generally considered a waste product by consumers and the industry itself. Fortunately, these find a second life in soap. As fats/oils that are most like our own skin, they provide nourishment that other fats/oils are not capable of producing on their own, all while honoring the animal that gave its life for meat by not tossing these substances out. Lard and Tallow each have other consumable uses.
Hydroxyethylcellulose: From TheDermReview.com (Info): Hydroxyethylcellulose is a water-soluble polymer derived from cellulose. Cellulose is a natural sugar that is found in the cell wall of plants.
Decyl Glucoside: From NaturalCitizen.com (Info): Decyl Glucoside is obtained from 100% renewable raw materials, through a combination of plant based fatty alcohol, decanol which is derived from coconut and glucose (corn starch). Decyl Glucoside is a mild, and gentle, surfactant and because it does not dry the skin it is ideal for the formulation of personal hygiene and toiletry products.
Propanediol: From TheDermReview.com (Info): Propanediol is a naturally derived ingredient that is used in cosmetics and skincare to improve the texture and feel of the formulation.
Baking Soda: An alkaline crystalline powder
Colorants: Generally speaking, we use FD&C Colorants, Mica, and other skin safe ingredients that impart color, such as activated charcoal, cocoa powder or matcha.