Essential Equipment and Tools for Your At Home Skincare and Cosmetic Formulation Lab

This video is for our Formula Building Blocks Course, NOW ENROLLING at HerbNerd.com link: https://www.herbnerd.com/lotionspotions

Jess Heilman, Formulation Scientist and newest Herb Nerd Faculty member, takes you on a tour of her cosmetic formulation lab in preparation for our Formula Building Blocks course, an in-depth 5 week intensive exploring all of the critical ingredients to develop a successful skincare formula.

This is course 1 of our 4 course series:
Lotions & Potions; demystifying cosmetic chemistry for natural skincare

Build Your Lab
Product List with pricing & links

Overhead Mixer Options:

1) From Jess’ Lab: Digital Lab Mixer 20L, $346
This is a great mixer for multiple types of products. Beyond the products we will be making at the end of our Formula Building Blocks course, it will be able to larger batches, up to 20L, and mix much thicker products like creams and clay masks.
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Powerf...

2) A cheaper option: Lab Mechanical Mixer, $69.99
This mixer will work to create the products we will be making at the end of our Formula Building Blocks course. This may not be powerful enough to make much larger batches and it will be difficult to mix thicker products like creams and clay masks.
https://rb.gy/fqc80g

Hot Plate Options: You will need two!
From Jess’ Lab: Magnetic Hot Plate Stirrer, $239.99
The magnetic stirring and temperature probe sensor on this hot plate make formulating easier.
https://rb.gy/ayihap

A cheaper option: Countertop Electric Hot Plate, $24.99
This hotplate will work to heat the batches to temperature. If these hot plates are purchased, you will also need to purchase thermometers to monitor the temperature of the batch. As this hot plate does not have a stirring option, you will have to stir the oil phase of the moisturizer while it melts.
https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Cuisine-...

Lab Balance (scale)
Laboratory Precision Scale, $111
This scale will weigh up to 1000g and goes to the second decimal place (0.01g). It comes with a calibration scale and it is good practice to calibrate your scale monthly.
https://rb.gy/p3drav

Lab Supplies:

Immersion Blender, $49.99
Will be needed to form the emulsion for the moisturizer.
https://rb.gy/lrpgcq

70% Isopropyl Alcohol, $10.95
70% alcohol is used to sanitize all of our equipment before making any products in the lab. This one comes in a spray bottle. You can purchase any type of 70% (or higher) isopropyl alcohol and add it to a spray bottle.
https://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-I...

Beakers: Multipack with a stir bar, $24.99 comes with a 50, 100, and 250 mL beaker. I would recommend purchasing two of these sets. 600mL beaker, $17.18 I would suggest purchasing two of these as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...

3mL pipettes, $12.99
Pipettes are needed to be able to accurately measure liquid ingredients.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...