# Is beeswax considered and emulsifier?



## safire_6

And if it is do you have to add Borax to it?


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## flowerpower

It's not. Try emulsifying wax or polawax as an emulsifier.


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## mandolyn

No, beeswax isn't an emulsifier. 

What application are you wanting an emulsifier for? There are several, but they're dependant on your end product.

An emulsifier is the ingredient that marries oil & water so they don't keep separating.


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## lovetosoap

beeswax is an emulsifier. I made lotion for 10 years using only beeswax and borax. Borax does help.  The difference between beeswax  and e wax seems to been in the strength of emulsion.   You cannot use as great a quanity of water with the bees wax.
Beeswax usually handles about 50% oils and 50% water without separation. More water and the lotion will eventually separate.

e-wax allows use to add more water without separation.  

I do prefer ewax as it makes a lighter lotion, but there is nothing wrong with using beeswax either.


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## mandolyn

mandolyn said:
			
		

> No, beeswax isn't an emulsifier - on it's own.
> 
> What application are you wanting an emulsifier for? There are several, but they're dependant on your end product.
> 
> An emulsifier is the ingredient that marries oil & water so they don't keep separating.



Edited to add "on it's own".


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## carebear

lovetosoap said:
			
		

> beeswax is an emulsifier. I made lotion for 10 years using only beeswax and borax.


it's the "and borax" that makes the SYSTEM an emulsifier.  beeswax on it's own is not an emulsifier tho it may thicken enough to temporarily hold stuff in suspension.


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## lovetosoap

Borax is used as a softner and preservative.  So YES, bees wax is an emulsifier.  I have made many, many batches of lotion without the borax and it does emulsify and stays that way for the entire use of the product.

If you do not believe me, why don't you try it and see? I have used beeswax for over 10 years in lotions and creams and it works just fine.

It seems that somewhere, someone started posting the wrong info on beeswax and it just gets passed along. 
As I said before, you cannot use the same amount of water with beeswax as compared to e wax, but it does emusify. I ususaly use 8-12 oz water to 8 oz of oils when I use beeswax.

Burts Bees brand uses beeswas  as their emulsifier


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## mandolyn

lovetosoap said:
			
		

> Borax is used as a softner and preservative.  So YES, bees wax is an emulsifier.  I have made many, many batches of lotion without the borax and it does emulsify and stays that way for the entire use of the product.
> 
> If you do not believe me, why don't you try it and see? I have used beeswax for over 10 years in lotions and creams and it works just fine.
> 
> It seems that somewhere, someone started posting the wrong info on beeswax and it just gets passed along.
> As I said before, you cannot use the same amount of water with beeswax as compared to e wax, but it does emusify. I ususaly use 8-12 oz water to 8 oz of oils when I use beeswax.



I stand corrected. Here's a recipe I found, although there's no preservative listed which I'd surely use.
http://www.esoapsupplies.com/emulsifying_wax.htm

It's the Vitamin E Cream & it just lists bees wax as the emulsifier. I'm going to give it a try.


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## Lindy

Interesting recipe for the Vitamin E Cream - I always use my Ewax for lotions and creams but this is definately worth a try.  Thanks for posting the link....


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## mandolyn

Lindy said:
			
		

> Interesting recipe for the Vitamin E Cream - I always use my Ewax for lotions and creams but this is definately worth a try.  Thanks for posting the link....



You're welcome!


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## Hazel

I don't know if it helped or was just coincidence but I was having some problems with separation.

I added an equal amount of beeswax to stearic acid and it's stayed together for over a month. I was really happy with how it turned out so I just tried this with another recipe and I'm hoping this one will stay together, too.


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## jessicammorton

Is it so bad to use a small % of borax (say 0.5%)?  It seems all the info I have researched on this is split 50:50 - some say borax is too harsh and not natural, others say a little goes a long way when using it to create emulsions with beeswax.  My practice cream formulations had stearic acid and beeswax and gum arabic for emulsion/stabilization, and while they work very well, there is a slight separation to the product that I don't think consumers would love.  I am going to experiment with adding a little soy lecithen and borax to the formula, and see if that doesn't cure my water beading issue.  I just don't want people with sensitive skin to react to the borax...but I did notice that Burt's Bees uses it in a small amount in their face creams.


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## OLPamPam

I tried really hard a few years ago to use beeswax as an emulsifier.  I wasn't very successful and didn't like the texture.  However, if you want to try to make it work, I would try also using stearic acid and guar gum or xanthan gum.  I never tried Borax, but it is a salt, so maybe adding salt may work.


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## Earthchild

Beeswax is a thickener, not an emulsifier.  It lends thickness to creams, butters, etc.  Beeswax is emulsified by borax (sodium tetraborate).  Borax is an alkali that emulsifies fats in water.  Neither substance is strong enough to emulsify on its own when there is more than just a little water in your lotion. (And even with just a little water it will probably separate within weeks - I've had it happen a million times).  That is why the old beeswax-borax combo is effective, but is more challenging to work with than e-wax.  You can also use beeswax in combination with lecithin, xantham gum, stearic acid, etc.  But for a reliable emulsification I go with e-wax and am happy every time!


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## jessicammorton

Earthchild said:
			
		

> Beeswax is a thickener, not an emulsifier.  It lends thickness to creams, butters, etc.  Beeswax is emulsified by borax (sodium tetraborate).  Borax is an alkali that emulsifies fats in water.  Neither substance is strong enough to emulsify on its own when there is more than just a little water in your lotion. (And even with just a little water it will probably separate within weeks - I've had it happen a million times).  That is why the old beeswax-borax combo is effective, but is more challenging to work with than e-wax.  You can also use beeswax in combination with lecithin, xantham gum, stearic acid, etc.  But for a reliable emulsification I go with e-wax and am happy every time!


I am going to play around with a mixture of:
8% beeswax
1% stearic acid
0.5% borax
0.5% gum arabic

My cream is high oil, so I am hoping this will work.  Have you tried this before (it sounded like you might have), and are these proportions that have worked for you?

I would consider going the EW route, but I really do want the skin healing properties of the beeswax.

Thanks!


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## lovetosoap

Beeswax is an emulsifier. I used it alone making lotions for at  least ten years. It has a low HLB value, so  your oil/water combination has to be close to 50 % oil and 50% water. 
Most lostions today require a bit more water so a stronger  emulsifier is needed. 
But beeswas is an emulsifier. I never had problems with separation.

Borax is used mainly as a mild preservative.


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## jessicammorton

Thanks, LoveToSoap...my cream is right at 50% oil.  I made it before with just beeswax, stearic acid, and gum arabic and it held together pretty well, but there was some slight water beading when you dipped your finger in it, and it was a little tackier than I'd like.  I am hoping by adding a tiny bit of borax, I'll get better slip (so I hear from others).  I am also going to add lecithen to the formula and see if that doesn't "smooth" things out.

Did you get water beading in your creams too, using only beewswax and with the oils that high?  Maybe its my mixing rate or temp?


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## Earthchild

Lovetosoap, I don't want to argue, but we are confusing "binding/hardening/thickening agent" with "emulsifier" - a common mistake.    Here is the definition of emulsion: "emulsions are combination of oil and water held together by a bridge (an emulsifier) that has a water-loving and an oil-loving end."  Beeswax is commonly referred to as an emulsifier, but it technically is not; it is only an "emulsifier" in the sense that it can bind oil and wax or butter (all hydrophobic substances).  But beeswax on its own does not have the chemical composition to take a hydrophobic substance, such as oil, and make it hydrophilic (water loving).  Beeswax "adds hardness and works with borax to emulsify ingredients."  If a water/oil emulsion is created without the use of a chelating agent (ie borax), it is likely done through continual agitation of the water/oil combo, which redistributes the water molecules - but only temporarily.  Without repeated agitation this emulsion will not remain stable.  Parafin, soy, candelilla wax - all of these are simply wax compounds very similar to beeswax that lend thickness to a cream, but cannot bind water molecules on their own.

Which is why we add an alkali, such as borax (or ingredients such as lecithin though it is less stable).  "The beeswax is emulsified by the borax to yield fatty acid borates (salts) and fatty alcohols. It’s kind of like making a soap out of borax. The borax actually makes the emulsifier."  This is why we use borax in laundry - it emulsifies fats in water.  Again, I don't want to argue, but I have also been doing this for more than ten years, and I don't want anyone to go through the same frustration I went through in the beginning - or waste as many materials!  When I see a recipe that lists beeswax and water, but no ingredient to emulsify the beeswax, I just skip it.  I know it does not have the chemical composition to be a stable emulsion with a lovely texture.   

That being said, jessicammorton I think your emulsifier ratios will work beautifully!  E-wax is easier, but I love the feel, smell, benefits, and texture of beeswax in my products.  Here are some on-line resources for more info on this topic:

http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/what_is_hlb.html

http://soaperschoice.com/soapoils/beeswax.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5584681_make-be ... ifier.html


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