
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.
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Gift & Gifting Encyclopedia
300 articles about thoughtful gifts: people, occasions, traditions, beautiful presentation and words that feel like you.
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Body Cleansing Explained
Does your skin feel tight after the towel? Are you choosing a bar, or wondering where to put it when it’s wet? Start with the part of the shower you’d like to make easier.
Read the guideArticles: 1444
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Diisostearyl Malate · the cushion behind a glossy swipe
The smoothness of a coloured balm is partly a story about what holds the colour. Diisostearyl Malate is an oily ester used where cushion, pigment handling and a comfortable applied...
Ginger root extract
Cut through a piece of ginger and the familiar brown skin gives way to a pale, aromatic interior. That everyday kitchen moment is a good beginning for a cosmetic story...
Diisooctyl Succinate · the silky bridge between oils
A conditioner can feel rich without needing to feel greasy. Diisooctyl Succinate belongs to the small cast of prepared emollients used to tune that balance. One current plant-derived grade begins...
Witch-hazel leaf extract
Witch-hazel puts out ribbons of yellow flowers just as much of the landscape is winding down. Its seed capsules have an equally unexpected habit: they can burst and throw their...



