WHY YOUR FORMULA DIDN’T WORK: THE RAW MATERIAL REALITY CHECK EVERY MAKER NEEDS

The post every DIY skincare and soapmaking community desperately needs to read.

There’s a conversation that comes up over and over again in maker groups, especially on Facebook. A maker follows a recipe—maybe something they found online, or even a professionally formulated recipe from a formulator they trust—and when their version doesn’t look, feel, or behave like the original, the frustration begins.

They immediately want to know:

• “What did I do wrong?”

• “What did YOU do wrong formulating it?”

• “Why isn’t mine turning out like theirs?”

Here’s the part most makers don’t realize:

You can follow a formula exactly and still end up with a completely different product… if your raw materials, procedure, or temperatures don’t match the original.

This isn’t opinion. This is chemistry.

Let’s break it down in a clear, memorable way that sticks.

1. Raw Materials Are Not All the Same (Even When the Name Is)

This is the #1 reason products fail.

Two ingredients can share the same common name, yet be completely different in:

• chemical composition

• purity

• activity percentage

• refinement

• molecular weight

• fatty acid profile

• solubility

• the actual INCI name

And if the chemistry is different, the performance is different.

The classic example: “Emulsifying Wax”

Not all emulsifying waxes are created equal:

• Polawax = Cetearyl Alcohol + PEG-20 Stearate

• Generic E-Wax NF = Cetearyl Alcohol + Polysorbate 60

• Cheap Amazon e-waxes = unknown blends, unpredictable behavior

If these emulsifiers aren’t chemically identical, your:

• viscosity changes

• slip changes

• absorption changes

• stability changes

• and yes, your emulsion can fail

Same name ≠ same ingredient.

2. Supplier Matters More Than You Think

Even when the INCI name matches, the source determines:

• purity

• manufacturing process

• residual solvents

• pH

• level of refinement

• stability

• activity percentage

• color and odor

• compatibility with your system

This is why professionals buy from:

• LotionCrafter

• Formulator Sample Shop

• MakingCosmetics

• Ingredientstodiefor

• Baraka

• Essential Depot

• and other reliable suppliers

And why using:

• Amazon

• Etsy repackaged ingredients

• unverified “DIY supply” stores

…often leads to inconsistent results.

If you aren’t using the same raw materials, you aren’t making the same product.

3. INCI Matters More Than Brand Names

Brand names are marketing. INCI names are chemistry.

If a formula calls for Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, and you substitute:

• “MCT oil”

• “Fractionated coconut oil”

• “Light coconut oil”

• “Coconut MCT blend”

You’ve changed the chemical structure.

Here’s the quick breakdown:

Fractionated Coconut Oil

• May include C8, C10, C12, and lauric acid

• Not standardized

• Varies widely between suppliers

MCT Oil (food grade)

• Not cosmetic grade

• Ratio of fatty acids varies

• May contain C12 → changes slip, greasiness, and absorption

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (CCT)

• Highly refined

• Cosmetic grade

• Predictable and stable in emulsions and gels

These three are not interchangeable. They behave differently in:

• lotions

• serums

• balms

• cleansers

• emulsions

• gels

4. Procedure Is Chemistry — Not a Suggestion

Even with perfect raw materials, your formula can fail because of:

• order of addition

• how long each phase mixes

• when you introduce sensitive ingredients

• how aggressively you use shear

• when you cool the formula

• hydration timing of gums and polymers

• pH adjustments

These factors drastically change:

• viscosity

• stability

• clarity

• safety

• texture

Examples:

• Hydrating xanthan gum incorrectly → stringy, snotty gel

• Adding fragrance before emulsification → separation

• Adding carbomer before dispersion → lumps and instability

• Pouring cool-down actives too hot → degradation/inactivation

• Shearing too early → broken emulsion

A tiny change in procedure can drastically change the final product.

5. Temperature Can Make or Break Your Product

Temperature is the silent variable that ruins more formulas than anything else.

Even a 5–10°F difference can swing your results from perfect → disaster.

Temperature affects:

• emulsifier melting

• gum hydration

• surfactant stability

• preservative effectiveness

• active stability

• butter crystallization

• gel structure

• HP soap consistency

Common temperature mistakes:

• Combining phases before emulsifiers fully melt

• Cooling too quickly (grainy butters, brittle balms)

• Adding extracts/preservatives above their limit

• Overheating betaines or surfactants

• Pouring fragrance too hot → thins and destabilizes the entire formula

Temperature is not optional. Temperature is part of the formula.

6. The Truth About Oil & Butter Substitution

You may have seen advice online claiming that:

“All oils and butters behave the same in emulsions, so substitutions supposedly won’t affect stability or performance.”

Here’s the accurate, chemistry-based truth:

✔️ Swaps CAN work

—but only in very simple formulas with very forgiving emulsifiers (like Emulsifying Wax NF).

❌ But in real formulation, swaps are NOT universal

Every oil and butter has a unique:

• polarity

• viscosity

• melting point

• absorption rate

• sensory profile

• fatty acid profile

• oxidative stability

• emulsifier compatibility

Changing the oil or butter can drastically change:

• viscosity

• slip

• drag

• absorption

• crystallization

• stability

• after-feel

Oil and butter swaps must be intentional, not automatic.

SANITY CHECKS — Oil/Butter Swap Edition

Before swapping an oil or butter, ask:

1. What is the polarity of the original oil?

2. Is the formula relying on esters for slip or speed of absorption?

3. Is the butter acting as a structuring agent?

4. Does the emulsifier tolerate polarity changes?

5. Will oxidative stability shift?

6. Will viscosity meaningfully increase or decrease?

7. Is this a simple lotion — or a structured, active-loaded system?

If you can’t answer these, don’t swap it.

CHECKLIST: When Oil Swaps Work vs When They Don’t

✔️ Oil Swaps Usually Work When:

• The formula uses E-Wax NF or similar bulldozer emulsifiers

• The formula is a very simple beginner lotion

• The oil phase is generic (“20% oils”)

• No esters or silicones are doing targeted jobs

• No butters are providing structure

• No electrolytes or polymers are present

• The product is NOT performance-driven

❌ Oil Swaps Usually FAIL When:

• The formula uses Olivem 1000, Montanov 202, Montanov 68, Ritamulse SCG, etc.

• The formula relies on esters for glide, spread, or dry feel

• Butters determine viscosity or structure

• The system requires polarity balance

• It’s a gel-cream, serum, facial product, or haircare system

• Electrolytes or polymers are involved

• The formula uses precision actives

7. The Maker’s Most Important Realization

If you change:

• the ingredient

• the supplier

• the purity

• the INCI

• the procedure

• the temperature

• the oil

• the butter

…you are not making the same product the formulator made.

This isn’t a failure of the formula. It’s a failure of equivalency.

Once makers understand this, everything becomes smoother:

• fewer failures

• fewer “What did I do wrong?” posts

• fewer broken emulsions

• fewer pH problems

• fewer “This formula is bad” complaints

Professional results come from professional practices.

8. The Holy Trinity of Formulation

Every single product you make depends on three pillars:

Ingredients

(the correct material with the correct INCI from a reliable supplier)

Procedure

(order of addition, timing, hydration, shear, pH adjustments)

Temperature

(correct melt temps, combine temps, cool-down temps)

When these three align, your product turns out beautifully.

If even one is off, your results will never match the original.

9. Final Thoughts for Makers

If your product didn’t turn out like the original, it’s almost always because the chemistry changed somewhere along the line.

When you approach formulation like a formulator—not a cook—you get consistent, predictable results.

And that’s where the magic happens.

~Lissa~