Ingredients

Technical guides Updated monthly No fluff

All guides Compliance Formats Formulation Ingredients Materials Packaging Quality Sourcing

Ingredients 6 min read

Niacinamide is cheap, stable and well studied. The formulation questions are dose, pH pairing and the rumour about flush…

Glossary

Ten terms
worth knowing.

The vocabulary that comes up in every formulation meeting, in one page. Save it before your next supplier call.

Have a question we have not covered?

Send it over. If it is a common one, it becomes the next article — and you get the answer first.

AHA Alpha hydroxy acid — water-soluble exfoliant (glycolic, lactic).

Anhydrous Water-free formula; the base of most capsule serums.

COA Certificate of analysis issued per batch.

Emulsion Two immiscible phases stabilised by an emulsifier (O/W or W/O).

HPMC Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose — the vegan capsule shell material.

INCI International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients.

MOQ Minimum order quantity.

PIF Product Information File, required for EU placement.

SPF Sun protection factor, measured in vivo under ISO 24444.

TEWL Transepidermal water loss — a barrier-function measure.

Start a project

Reading about a format is the first step. The second is holding it — request a sample kit for your category.

Scan to add WeChat