Articles and guides
Practical advice, ingredients and stories about solid cosmetics.
In-depth guides
Choose a topic and find practical answers.
Ingredient Atlas
Ingredient origins, textures and practical answers about cosmetic labels.
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Solid Cosmetics School
Practical lessons for using, storing and travelling with solid cosmetics.
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Which One? Comparison Studio
Clear comparisons for the cosmetics you use, the routines you enjoy and the gifts you give.
Read the guideArticles: 776
Ingredient Atlas
Isostearyl isostearate
The almost-repeated name belongs to an emollient that helps turn a compact perfume into a pleasurable swipe.
Ingredient Atlas
Sodium cocoamphoacetate
A good washing partner can influence lather, texture and the way hair feels afterwards. Sodium Cocoamphoacetate is an amphoteric surfactant with that kind of supporting versatility. Its most useful story...
Ingredient Atlas
Isononyl isononanoate
A light, powdery impression can begin with a clear liquid. Isononyl isononanoate is one of the ester emollients used to explore that contrast, helping a formula move smoothly without making...
Ingredient Atlas
Sodium C12–18 alkyl sulfate
Those numbers are doing a useful job. C12–18 describes a range of fatty-associated chain lengths, giving a more explicit clue than many familiar ingredient names. Behind the compact notation is...
Ingredient Atlas
Isoeicosane · a clear supporting role in solid perfume
A perfume base has an unusual brief: make the scent usable without becoming the scent. Isoeicosane is a prepared hydrocarbon emollient chosen for a clear, low-odour background and useful compatibility....
Ingredient Atlas
Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate
A wash powder can look almost anonymous and still have a very specific role. Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate is one of the surfactants that helps explain how a compact cleanser turns...
Ingredient Atlas
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters · jojoba takes a different route
Jojoba has more than one destination after its seeds are pressed. Its liquid wax can be transformed into materials that behave differently in a cosmetic, including Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters. This...
Ingredient Atlas
Disodium cocoamphodiacetate
The second cleanser in a recipe may help change much more than the amount of washing ingredient. Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate is an amphoteric surfactant used to shape foam and feel, showing...
Ingredient Atlas
Heptyl Undecylenate · a lighter kind of glide
A solid conditioner can contain several rich oils and still aim for an airy, easy-moving finish. Heptyl Undecylenate is one of the prepared emollients that makes that idea possible. It...
Ingredient Atlas
Disodium coco-glucoside citrate
Coconut-associated fatty alcohols, glucose and a citric-acid connection can lead to one washing ingredient. Disodium Coco-Glucoside Citrate brings those threads together in a prepared surfactant, with a particularly useful modern...
Ingredient Atlas
Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters · the long name behind cushion
This may be one of the least pronounceable names in a conditioner, yet its sensory purpose is easy to recognise. Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters can bring body, cushion and...
Ingredient Atlas
Caprylyl/capryl glucoside
A slash in an ingredient name can be a useful clue. Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside brings together a glucose-associated structure and two fatty-alcohol chain lengths, creating a nonionic washing ingredient that can...
