Basic equipment and utensil for a cosmetic lab.

Eventually, you can prepare almost everything with your routine kitchenware. It's quite suitable for the first couple of tests. But gradually and as your enthusiasm for preparing cosmetics grows, the need for more professional utensil grows as well and it makes sense to separate your cosmetic lab from the daily kitchen. Even if almost everything in the cosmetic lab is safe and harmless (unless for soap production), it's not very pleasant to drink tea from a cream jar, is it?

The basic equipment for the cosmetic lab includes:  

Scale: Even if I'm obsessed with those old fashioned scales, for a cosmetic lab you'll need more precise scales. A digital scale with 0,1 gr precision is quite necessary, one with 0,01 g precision is wonderful. The more precise a balance and the higher the capacity, the higher the price. It would be quite reasonable to have two balances. One with low capacity and higher precision and another with higher capacity and lower precision. It's a necessary investment if you're going to produce in your cosmetic lab more often. A non precise balance would spoil your whole work and your recipe and scratch your nerves.

Glassware: Beakers in different sizes are essential in a cosmetic lab. Duran® or Borosilicare glass are quite suitable. They are heat resistant and could be heated in a microwave or water bath. Try to buy beakers with a spout so that you can easily pour liquids out of the beaker without any waste. Glass rods are quite comfortable tools fro stirring.

Spatula: Stainless steel spatula are available in different forms and sizes. They are not cheap but keep for eternity. Of course you may apply plastic spatula or spoons as well. 

Thermometer: I'm quite crazy after these modern infrared thermometers. They are quite sensitive and you need a steady hand for precise measurement, however you have no mess and should not rinse the thermometer after each measurement.

 Disposable Pipettes: I love this object and can not remember how we could do without them 20 years ago. They are available in 1-3 ml sizes. You can apply them by weighing oils, essential oils, liquids and even low viscosity pastes. They are disposable. It means, they should be discarded after use. Try not to rinse them and reapply them. 

Water bath: a professional water bath with thermostat is somehow exaggerated. You may make your own water bath by applying a larger pot than your original pot and then filling it up to 1/3 with water.

Stick blender: The simple kitchen tool is applied in making soap, mixing liquids, pastes and preparing lotions. For high viscosity pastes, creams and gels it's not always the best tool. For soap making, buy a stick blender with a plastic stem. Never apply the kitchen blender in soap making and vice versa.

Magnetic stirrer:  They are probably not well known to you. It's an investment which, from my point of view is worthy. There are simple models with only stirrer motor (single or multiple) and compact models with heater. You can stir liquids and pastes from 5 ml up to 2 liter with simple/cheap models. I apply them even for emulsification (small volumes). Shampoos, liquid soaps etc. are easily blended with these stirrers.

pH-Paper strips or rolls: A digital pH-meter with a glass electrode is slightly exaggerated for a cosmetic lab. You can easily manage your routine work with simple pH-paper strips or rolls. Simply dip the paper in the solution to be measured. After 1-2 seconds remove the paper from the solution and compare the color pattern with that on the cover of the paper.

Jars and bottles: You'll never have enough of them in your cosmetic lab. It is important to keep your depot jars and bottles in closed cartons or drawers to protect them from dust and contamination.

You may need as well:

A spray bottle with disinfectant or disinfectant wipes.
Paper towel, dishclothes-
Safety goggles (specially for soap making)
Disposable gloves (Nitrile, Latex, Vinyl)
A face mask


Now you can slowly begin. I wish you a HAPPY MIXING and success.