Something’s gone wrong with your formula and you can’t figure out why? Troubleshooting is a specialised skill (it’s basically detective work but with emulsions) and it requires a different approach to general consultancy. I need to understand your formula, your process, your raw materials, your equipment, and your storage conditions to figure out where the problem is coming from.
Common issues I troubleshoot include emulsion instability (separation, creaming, coalescence), unexpected colour or odour changes, pH drift, viscosity changes over time, crystallisation, grittiness, and preservative failure indicators.
$230 AUD per hour. The higher rate reflects the specialised nature of troubleshooting work (it’s intense, requires deep analysis, and often involves reviewing multiple documents and data sets to find the root cause). Minimum booking is one hour.
When your formula has gone wrong and you need to understand why (and how to fix it), this is the service. Higher hourly rate than general consultancy because troubleshooting requires deeper diagnostic analysis and is more complex work. If you’re dealing with separation, instability, off-odours, texture changes, or preservation failures, this is where you start.
What’s Included |
| Diagnostic assessment of your problematic formulation
Identification of probable cause(s) of the issue Science-based solution recommendations Stability enhancement recommendations where applicable Reformulation suggestions and preservation system optimisation guidance |
What You Receive |
| Diagnostic findings and recommended solutions (format depends on complexity, may be verbal or written) |
Your Responsibility |
| Provide detailed information about the problem (photos, batch records, manufacturing method, timeline of when issue appeared)
Provide physical samples if requested (remote troubleshooting from descriptions alone has big limitations) Implement solutions at your own discretion and risk Understand that complex problems may require multiple sessions or iterative troubleshooting |
What’s Not Included |
| Physical testing or lab analysis (unless specifically quoted)
Reformulation (guidance is provided, but a new formula document is a separate service) Guarantee that initial troubleshooting will resolve all issues (complex problems may have multiple contributing factors) Ongoing monitoring of the corrected formula |
How To Engage |
| Step 1: Contact me with a description of the issue, relevant photos, and batch records
Step 2: I assess whether troubleshooting or reformulation is the more cost-effective path Step 3: Book session(s) and pay as per agreed terms Step 4: Receive diagnostic findings and recommendations |
Cost Note |
| For persistent or complex issues, custom reformulation may be more cost-effective than iterative hourly troubleshooting. I’ll be upfront about this. |
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