# Where to start



## SoapDaddy70 (Feb 15, 2021)

Hello everyone. I was toying with the idea of making some hand lotion. I already have been making soap since September so I am familiar with the people on the forum. I joined Swift Craft Monkey 10$ subscription and got the free emails from Humblebee and Me. Not sure where to start though. There is so much information on Swift Craft that it's hard to know where to start. I do not like to just follow instructions blindly without knowing why things are being done. I researched soap making for a good month or two before I even made my first batch. Can someone suggest a good starting point to learn the basic concepts of making lotion? Feeling overwhelmed.


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## lsg (Feb 15, 2021)

Swiftcraftymonkey has an e-book that should be available to you for a discount, since you are paying $10.00 per month.






						Lotion Making 101 – Point of Interest
					






					www.swiftcraftymonkey.blog


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## SoapDaddy70 (Feb 15, 2021)

lsg said:


> Swiftcraftymonkey has an e-book that should be available to you for a discount, since you are paying $10.00 per month.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Perfect. Thanks so much. I will have to figure out how to download this without paying for it but that is exactly what I need. Thanks again.


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## dibbles (Feb 15, 2021)

Ann Watson also has a beginner's lotion making book - the kindle edition is pretty inexpensive https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Lotion...rds=smart+lotion+making&qid=1613445562&sr=8-1

Even though I didn't ultimately enjoy making lotion, I found the book to be helpful and easy to follow. Just another option for you!


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## SoapDaddy70 (Feb 16, 2021)

dibbles said:


> Ann Watson also has a beginner's lotion making book - the kindle edition is pretty inexpensive https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Lotion...rds=smart+lotion+making&qid=1613445562&sr=8-1
> 
> Even though I didn't ultimately enjoy making lotion, I found the book to be helpful and easy to follow. Just another option for you!


Yea. I was looking into that but it did not get great reviews. Its only a couple of bucks so maybe will get it anyway.


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## lsg (Feb 16, 2021)

SoapDaddy70 said:


> Perfect. Thanks so much. I will have to figure out how to download this without paying for it but that is exactly what I need. Thanks again.


You will have to pay for it, but will receive a discount.


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## AliOop (Feb 17, 2021)

Have you tried making a whipped body butter, or even regular body butter? It's easier and faster than lotion, and doesn't require a preservative because it doesn't contain water. HumbleBee & Me has some decent recipes. 

Of course, if you are looking for something that can be pumped out of a dispenser, whipped or non-whipped body butter won't be the ticket. But it sure is a nice way to dip into the making of body products without the stresses and nuances of lotion-making. And unlike lotion, it's a great confidence builder because you almost can't mess it up; it can almost always be fixed with a bit more of this or that. Given the cost of ingredients, that is a big bonus for me.


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## SoapDaddy70 (Feb 17, 2021)

AliOop said:


> Have you tried making a whipped body butter, or even regular body butter? It's easier and faster than lotion, and doesn't require a preservative because it doesn't contain water. HumbleBee & Me has some decent recipes.
> 
> Of course, if you are looking for something that can be pumped out of a dispenser, whipped or non-whipped body butter won't be the ticket. But it sure is a nice way to dip into the making of body products without the stresses and nuances of lotion-making. And unlike lotion, it's a great confidence builder because you almost can't mess it up; it can almost always be fixed with a bit more of this or that. Given the cost of ingredients, that is a big bonus for me.


Thanks so much @AliOop I signed up for the HumbleBee & Me free beginners emails and have read a couple of them. Great advice to start with the body butter. It's weird because I am so much more apprehensive about delving into this stuff then I was before I started making soap. Not sure why to be honest. Thanks again.


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## AliOop (Feb 17, 2021)

With lotion-making, a reasonable sense of apprehension and caution is actually very wise and desirable!  Soap-making, with all it's rules, is way more forgiving than lotion-making. Lotions, IMO, have a much smaller margin for error during each phase: formulation, creation, storage, and use.

I do make lotions occasionally, but honestly, I lack the time for all the heating, mixing, cooling, adding in more ingredients, etc.  A cold-whipped body butter can be formulated, mixed, and decanted into the container in 20 minutes total. It requires no emulsifier or preservative, meaning less ingredients to buy and have around, as well.

My basic recipe, which is a huge hit with all of my family (and some of their friends who also request it), is:
⅓ shea
⅓ mango
1/6 jojoba
1/6 meadowfoam seed oil
1 tsp PPO arrowroot starch.

Argan is another favorite liquid oil for this recipe. Add EOs or FOs (or not) to your liking. 

If it turns out too hard in drier or colder climates, add more liquid oil. Too soft? add more butter (or a titch of cocoa butter - but go easy bc it adds a LOT of firmness). If it feels too greasy, add in more arrowroot -- but do wait a bit after application before deciding that. Meadowfoam especially gives a dryer finish, even if it initially feels a little greasy at application.

Just keep playing to get the texture, smell, and feel that fits your needs.


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## Hope Ann (Feb 17, 2021)

[QUOTE="AliOop, post: 874962, member: 29618

My basic recipe, which is a huge hit with all of my family (and some of their friends who also request it), is ⅓ shea, ⅓ mango, 1/6 jojoba, and 1/6 meadowfoam seed oil, with 1 tsp PPO arrowroot starch. Argan is another favorite liquid oil for this recipe. Add EOs or FOs (or not) to your liking.  If it turns out too hard in drier or colder climates, add more liquid oil. If it feels too greasy, add in more arrowroot - but it is good to wait a bit since meadowfoam especially helps the finish to be dryer, even if it feels greasy at application. Just keep playing to get the texture you desire.
[/QUOTE]

I bet that's lovely!

Hope


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## Emmamia (Feb 17, 2021)

Hi Ann, I will like to try your wipped butter recepie... I have tried several other ones, but; I have not find one that I really like. I’m just wondering... on the arrowroot you said to use a teaspoon per pound of oil... is the correct? Are you referring to the total of the two oils you mentioned? (1/6 jojoba, 1/6 meadowfoam) i Was thinking on making only few oz of total product..... then, the amount of powder will be very small... is that correct? Just wondering, since I’m looking for a non-greasy whipped butter. Thanks for sharing your recepie!


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## AliOop (Feb 17, 2021)

Emmamia said:


> Hi Ann, I will like to try your wipped butter recepie... I have tried several other ones, but; I have not find one that I really like. I’m just wondering... on the arrowroot you said to use a teaspoon per pound of oil... is the correct? Are you referring to the total of the two oils you mentioned? (1/6 jojoba, 1/6 meadowfoam) i Was thinking on making only few oz of total product..... then, the amount of powder will be very small... is that correct? Just wondering, since I’m looking for a non-greasy whipped butter. Thanks for sharing your recepie!


Hi @Emmamia  I think you were referring to my recipe? If so, you are very welcome!

I use 1 tsp arrowroot for the total batch weight, which includes the soft and hard oils/butters. You can always add more if you'd like, but it's best to start low since you can't take it out once it is added. 

Also, body butter texture is very dependent on your climate. When I lived just north of DFW, the recipe I gave worked very well, but was a little hard in the colder months. You are in Ft. Worth, so that will be pretty similar.  Where I live now, it is drier and cooler for most of the year, so I have to use quite a bit more soft oils to get the consistency I like.

I have used tucuma butter instead of mango with pretty good success. But if you sub in a harder butter, like cocoa butter for instance, you will need a lot more soft oils to compensate.

It's all about adjusting it to fit your preferences and location.


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## justjacqui (Feb 17, 2021)

Swiftcraftymonkey has a pinned post on the side bar for Beginners that is a great place to start. 

I would recommend just starting with one of the basic lotions just to get a feel for the process and then move on to your hand lotion.


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## violets2217 (Feb 17, 2021)

dibbles said:


> Even though I didn't ultimately enjoy making lotion, I found the book to be helpful and easy to follow. Just another option for you!


I've never liked making lotion either! The preservative always scared me! I also have the Anne Watson "Smart Lotionmaking" and found it very helpful! And it has some pretty great recipes. But I also love the DIYbathandbodyshop on Esty. @Misschief recommended them with a shampoo bar recipe. She has a Lotion & cream super concentrate base recipe that I find is so much easier to make lotion with. After making the base concentrate she has recipes for lotions and creams that are awesome. Her recipes and direction are very easy to follow. I've made body lotion and a face cream already and love them! Actually, I've bought six recipes from the shop and have not failed at one yet! Each of her recipes are $9.95 and discounted if you buy 3 or 5 of them at a time I think...


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## Misschief (Feb 17, 2021)

violets2217 said:


> I've never liked making lotion either! The preservative always scared me! I also have the Anne Watson "Smart Lotionmaking" and found it very helpful! And it has some pretty great recipes. But I also love the DIYbathandbodyshop on Esty. @Misschief recommended them with a shampoo bar recipe. She has a Lotion & cream super concentrate base recipe that I find is so much easier to make lotion with. After making the base concentrate she has recipes for lotions and creams that are awesome. Her recipes and direction are very easy to follow. I've made body lotion and a face cream already and love them! Actually, I've bought six recipes from the shop and have not failed at one yet! Each of her recipes are $9.95 and discounted if you buy 3 or 5 of them at a time I think...



I love her recipes. I have all of them (haven't made all of them, though).


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## violets2217 (Feb 17, 2021)

Misschief said:


> I love her recipes. I have all of them (haven't made all of them, though).


I only have 6 recipes and  you know I'm obsessed with the solid shampoo and conditioner bars. But my new favorites is her solid oil facial cleanser and Hydrating face cream. I'm about to look 25 again! But seriously the cleanser tightens but isn't drying and the face cream is soooo moisturizing and not oily or shiny. I impress myself every time I wash my face!!!


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## Misschief (Feb 17, 2021)

violets2217 said:


> I only have 6 recipes and  you know I'm obsessed with the solid shampoo and conditioner bars. But my new favorites is her solid oil facial cleanser and Hydrating face cream. I'm about to look 25 again! But seriously the cleanser tightens but isn't drying and the face cream is soooo moisturizing and not oily or shiny. I impress myself every time I wash my face!!!


You should try the Foaming Mud Masque and Cleanser. It's very quickly becoming one of my best sellers. And yeah, the cream is pretty awesome. I make the Avocado Mint Foot Cream and add menthol to it; it's also a customer fave. I also know of one woman who makes the Oatmeal & Honey lotion from that recipe and won a blue ribbon at her local state fair. That's pretty impressive!


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## Mobjack Bay (Feb 18, 2021)

I don’t have a huge amount of experience, but here are some key things I felt I needed to understand before making lotion. I don’t have Anne Watson’s book, or a subscription to SCM, so I learned from various place on the web, including here.

how to clean and sanitize equipment
concept of phases (oil, water, cool down, etc)
heat & hold (I do this, but older recipes may not include this step)
preservatives (I use liquid germall plus + optiphen based on reading here on SMF)
properties of emulsifiers, oils, butters
proportions for desired consistency (I’m still learning!)
how/when to combine phases
optimal container size/shape for product type
importance of letting the lotion cool before bottling 

After almost two years, I am still making two fairly basic recipes with only minimal tweaks. They may not be fancy, but they’re sooooo much better than what we can get locally.


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## Jersey Girl (Feb 18, 2021)

SoapDaddy70 said:


> Hello everyone. I was toying with the idea of making some hand lotion. I already have been making soap since September so I am familiar with the people on the forum. I joined Swift Craft Monkey 10$ subscription and got the free emails from Humblebee and Me. Not sure where to start though. There is so much information on Swift Craft that it's hard to know where to start. I do not like to just follow instructions blindly without knowing why things are being done. I researched soap making for a good month or two before I even made my first batch. Can someone suggest a good starting point to learn the basic concepts of making lotion? Feeling overwhelmed.



Im right there with you. I’ve collected everything I need except a preservative as I can’t decide which one to get but I’m still hesitant to jump in.  I also have a subscription to SCM but only at the $3 level. I agree that there is so much info to take in and hard to follow as there are so many links in each article that send me down a new rabbit hole and I get overwhelmed too. One of these days...lol


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## Misschief (Feb 18, 2021)

New Directions has a few recipes on their blog. I've tried some of them and really like them. Here's one about How to Make Creams for Dry Hands.









						How To Make DIY Creams & Lotions For Dry Hands
					

Discover the causes behind dry hands, the top cosmetic ingredients that can soothe dry hands, and learn how to make your own DIY hand creams and hand lotions.



					www.newdirectionsaromatics.com
				




And here's a link to recipes with Hemp Seed Oil.









						How To Use Hemp Oil For Glowing Skin & Hair
					

Discover how Hemp Oil, which is derived from the seeds of the famed Cannabis sativa plant, can be used in nourishing beauty regimes and cosmetic formulations.



					www.newdirectionsaromatics.com
				




I have a tub of the Heavenly Hemp Hand Cream at my desk and it really is lovely! Thick and rich and feels so nice on my hands.

Also, if you read some of their product profiles (i.e. look up mango butter on their blog), their articles will contain recipes for you to try. I've tried a few and have been quite impressed.


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## Jersey Girl (Feb 18, 2021)

Misschief said:


> New Directions has a few recipes on their blog. I've tried some of them and really like them. Here's one about How to Make Creams for Dry Hands.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you for posting this. This has great info and looks easier and less intimidating to follow.


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## Misschief (Feb 18, 2021)

Jersey Girl said:


> Thank you for posting this. This has great info and looks easier and less intimidating to follow.


Once you've made a cream/lotion, you'll have a better idea of what SwiftCrafty Monkey is doing. As much as I appreciate her work, I've been making my own creams and lotions for about 20 years and her site intimidates me.


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## AliOop (Feb 18, 2021)

violets2217 said:


> I've never liked making lotion either! The preservative always scared me! I also have the Anne Watson "Smart Lotionmaking" and found it very helpful! And it has some pretty great recipes. But I also love the DIYbathandbodyshop on Esty. @Misschief recommended them with a shampoo bar recipe. She has a Lotion & cream super concentrate base recipe that I find is so much easier to make lotion with. After making the base concentrate she has recipes for lotions and creams that are awesome. Her recipes and direction are very easy to follow. I've made body lotion and a face cream already and love them! Actually, I've bought six recipes from the shop and have not failed at one yet! Each of her recipes are $9.95 and discounted if you buy 3 or 5 of them at a time I think...


Thanks for mentioning that! I had not see her lotion base recipe, and now I may add that to my collection from her. Being able to have the base made in advance would mean that I would need as big of a block of open time as one would normally need to make lotion. Kinda like masterbatching oils or lye solution.


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## Misschief (Jun 11, 2021)

AliOop said:


> Thanks for mentioning that! I had not see her lotion base recipe, and now I may add that to my collection from her. Being able to have the base made in advance would mean that I would need as big of a block of open time as one would normally need to make lotion. Kinda like masterbatching oils or lye solution.


I ALWAYS have a batch of the lotion base on hand. Once you're familiar with percentages, you can make any size batch of cream or lotion you want. I've recently been making 50 gram batches of face cream samples, just to try out different combinations using powdered and liquid extracts. It's almost as addicting as soapmaking!


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Jun 11, 2021)

Thank you @DeeAnna and @Misschief for suggesting the book "Smart Lotion Making" By: Anne L. Watson.
( amazon )
I'm in need of basic instructions on lotion making, I think this book will be a perfect start & I ordered it, arrives tomorrow Yay.  ❤.


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## The_Phoenix (Jun 15, 2021)

Misschief said:


> I love her recipes. I have all of them (haven't made all of them, though).


I've made the meltaway facial cleanser, but after it cooled there were two layers. One hard layer on top and the oils on the bottom. Does that happen to you?

I think I need to stick the filled containers in the fridge after pouring to prevent this from happening.


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## The_Phoenix (Jun 15, 2021)

I used to make lotion years ago, but it's such a pain. And while my product wasn't bad, Aveeno's lotion is perfect. If I could make lotion like that, I'd be all in. Whipped body butter is so much easier to make. 

I may start making facial cream again, though. The stuff I used to make is fantastic. And there are so many more ingredients I know about today that I wasn't aware of then.


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## Tara_H (Jun 16, 2021)

I've got totally hooked on making creams and lotions lately! (After @KimW so kindly got me started). Generally my skin is pretty tolerant but my face hates most commercial products so I'm having a blast making tiny tiny amounts of things with different consistencies and ingredients to see how I like them.
My current favourite is an illuminating carrot and orange day cream, which gives a matte finish and a hint of a glow.

(It's called apple and orange, but to me the carrot element is more distinctive)




__





						Crème visage illuminatrice Pomme & Orange - Aroma-Zone
					

Peaux ternes, asphyxiées - bonne mine & bronzage, hydratant, unifiant - Peaux ternes, asphyxiées - Apprenez à réaliser vos cosmétiques maison avec Aroma-Zone.




					www.aroma-zone.com


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## Rsapienza (Jun 16, 2021)

The_Phoenix said:


> I've made the meltaway facial cleanser, but after it cooled there were two layers. One hard layer on top and the oils on the bottom. Does that happen to you?
> 
> I think I need to stick the filled containers in the fridge after pouring to prevent this from happening.


Not Misschief but I have made the meltaway facial cleanser and this has never happened to me. I don't refrigerate after pouring. I wonder why yours did this.


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## The_Phoenix (Jun 16, 2021)

Rsapienza said:


> Not Misschief but I have made the meltaway facial cleanser and this has never happened to me. I don't refrigerate after pouring. I wonder why yours did this.


Good to know. Do you stir your ingredients together or use any sort of stock blender/min frother? I just have one 4 oz batch as a tester. Going to make another soon once I figure out why these layers separated. My guess is its the BTMS because it's white, hard, and the cleanser is not removing from my face easily. I am sure I stirred everything very well.


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