Have you tried not to pick up the cremes at all. Use savegame where you haven't been in the alchemist house, then go there, click on the creames. (I just used all of them, doesn't matter). Then approach spider...?
Another question btw:
How do you gain the special potion that the Imp just outside the alchemist house want's? I found the recipe, but do I need alchemy skills to make that potion myself?
