Are there still any MMU formulator forums around?

Hi folks. It seems both the TKB and Coastal Scents formulator forums have gone the way of the dodo. Does anyone know of any other forums where people gather to discuss the formulation of MMU? I'm having issues with some lipsticks I'm trying to make and some help from more experienced folks would be great.

What issue r u having?

The first one is about TKB's plastic mold. When i pull the top out the lipsticks stay stuck to it instead of getting released like they should. I put a lot of mold release on it (I've tried both dimethicone and safflower oil) but it keeps on sticking. They release just fine from the bottom and look very nice but they keep clinging to the top. This is the second mold I got from TKB (they had to reship it to me because the first one was extremely defective).

The second one is that no matter how many drops of pigment white I add (Titanium dioxide dispersed in castor oil) I can't seem to get a color as opaque as I'd like. While the sticks apply very nicely and show up well on my lips I'd like a deeper coverage. I'm wondering if I need to throw in something like zinc oxide as well or if I should use powdered TiO2 instead of dispersed or what.

I've not made too many and i have a different type of mode but i wipe it with vaseline and i put the lippies in the freezer to cool for about an hour so its solid before taking it out of the mold. Ive not used the TO drops only powder to increase opacity...easier to add little at a time to experiment than to add too much and have to start from scratch. I sometimes tweek the same batch 7 or10 times. R u making your own base or is it the tkb'?

I'm using TKB's for now but I hope to make my own base at some point.

Hi,

I was wondering if you'd had any luck finding another forum as I was thinking this myself?

What type of colourants are you using for your lipsticks?

I'm using TKB's liquid lip colors.

I've always used powders and dispursed it myself in castor oil.  Maybe it could be contributing to the opacity of the lipstick formula.  I guess it depends on the depth of the colour as well if you are concerned about its payoff.  Try using concealer on your lipts before applying your lipstick and see if it shows up better.  I load colourants on pretty liberally as well.  Maybe you just aren't putting enough colourant in your mix? If you still having trouble, try adding a little zinc oxide.

Thank you very much for your advice. I had suspected that the liquid lip colors were being a problem by increasing the amount of castor oil in the formula (since that's what they're dispersed in). While it didn't noticeably soften the lipstick or anything I suspect that it makes everything more transparent. I do wonder about the amount of colorants since i'm going above and beyond TKB's recs. I think I should just go for powdered colors and/or zinc oxide.

I've never tried the liquids as it was an additional unnecessary purchase for me as I had all that powdered lakes and oxides and mica. I didn't feel the need to buy dispersed colour if I could just do it myself.  It also depends on preference.  TKB would recommend the most economical amount that'd provide minimum colour.   It is a bit different if your lips are more pigmented than others.  You'd require it to increase the opacity as well as intensity of the colour.   My last lippy I made an orange/gold lippie.