# Making a Solid Conditioner?



## hmlove1218 (Apr 30, 2014)

I would like to make myself a solid conditioner to go along with my shampoo bar.  So far, I love my shampoo bar, but I've noticed that my hair is sometimes drier and frizzier in places (especially when I use my flat iron).  I used my commercial conditioner once and I felt like it weighed my hair down and left it almost oily (and to think I used to use that stuff religiously!)

I've been looking around on the internet for recipes to get ideas of what I would like, but I don't have many of the ingredients aside from the oils and butters.  I'm needing to restock on some things anyway, so I figured I'd order what I don't have.

Here's the recipe I plan to use as a guideline (http://lateblossoms.com/2013/12/09/how-to-make-a-solid-hair-conditioner-bar-basic-recipe/):
_1/4 cup of BTMS 50
1 tablespoon of Cetyl Alcohol
1 tablespoon of Shea Butter
2 teaspoons of Argan Oil
2 teaspoons of Apricot Oil
1/2 teaspoon of DL Panthenol
1.25 ml of Phenonip
20 drops of Purefume Essential Oil Blend or your favorite Essential Oils_​
Is it a good one?

Also, WSP doesn't seem to carry BTMS.  Could I use their conditioning emulsifying wax?  Some of the reviews say people have, but I don't know if they made a solid bar or a liquid conditioner.

Thank you in advance!

P.S.  Do I need the Phenonip, DL Panthenol, or Cetyl Alcohol?


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## DottieF. (Apr 30, 2014)

Check out Susan's blog--Point of Interest! for lots of info on solid conditioners and lots of other good stuff:

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2010/06/conditioners-solid-conditioner-bars.html


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## hmlove1218 (Apr 30, 2014)

I've actually been reading through that.  She seems to use a lot of things that I don't really want to use.  I just want it to be pretty simple and use as few ingredients as possible.  I do appreciate the link thought!


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## shunt2011 (Apr 30, 2014)

Nature's Garden carries BTMS.


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## FlybyStardancer (Apr 30, 2014)

WSP does actually carry BTMS, they just carry it under a different name. Their "Emulsifying Wax- Conditioning" has the exact same ingredient list as the BTMS at BB.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.co...afters+Choice™+Emulsifying+Wax+-+Conditioning


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## inkyfingers (Apr 30, 2014)

hmlove, I want to make a solid conditioning bar also, but I'm not sure how to go about it, since I want as few synthetic ingredients as possible, also.

 Please do post pictures once you make them, and update us with the results after you try out your solid conditioning bar.


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## hmlove1218 (Apr 30, 2014)

Thank you for the answers. What's the purpose of cetyl alcohol?


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## FlybyStardancer (Apr 30, 2014)

It hardens the bar without making it draggy the way stearic acid would. I think it also helps condition the hair, but I'm not sure.


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## DeeAnna (Apr 30, 2014)

I am a rookie at making solid conditioner bars, but I am pleased with the lotion-type hair conditioner I make for my personal use. 

For my first experiment with a solid conditioner, I followed a simple recipe from Susan (swiftcraftymonkey) -- not all of her recipes are full of unusual ingredients.  The recipe had BTMS, water, cetyl alcohol, coconut oil, cocoa butter, fragrance, and preservative. I really didn't like it. The bar cracked easily, making it difficult to use in the shower without making a mess. I also didn't like the greasy, sticky film it left on my hair -- far too much in some spots and nothing in others.

I was so very not impressed with this product. I'm hoping to get some insight from all of you so I can figure out where I went wrong.


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## hmlove1218 (May 2, 2014)

Where do you find cetyl alcohol?  The closes thing I can find is from Bramble Berry called cetearyl alcohol.  Is that what I need?

Also, has anyone used tucuma butter?  The description says its really good for hair cair.


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## judymoody (May 2, 2014)

That recipe looks pretty similar to mine which is loosely based on recipes on Swift's blog.  Mine is by weight rather than volume measurements but eyeballing it, it seems about right.

I also use a conditioning agent called Incroquat CR.

You can use any emulsifying wax of your choice.  Personally I find the BTMS smells a bit fishy when it's melted but when you add fragrance, it gets covered up.

I use panthenol and I would recommend it.  I also use some silicones - not everybody likes them but my hair does.

Finally, you're making an oil based product so technically you could get away without including a preservative.  However, the product will come in contact with water.  I use preservative to be on the safe side, so if it were me, I'd use the phenonip or liquipar optima which is also good for oil-based products.

I really like the conditioner bars.  You can also rub them on your body as you exit the shower and they act like a lotion.  For a multi-use travel product, I have found them very convenient.


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## hmlove1218 (May 2, 2014)

Do you need cetyl alcohol?


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## DeeAnna (May 2, 2014)

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. You can use it in a similar way to just cetyl alcohol. I think Susan (swiftcraftymonkey) discusses how to use cetearyl alcohol.

Cetyl can also be purchased from Majestic Mountain Sage, https://www.thesage.com/catalog/LotionSupplies.html 
MMS says cetyl can be used as a weak emulsifier, but I don't -- I use it as a thickener along with conditioning emulsifier (BTMS) or emulsifying wax (e-wax).


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