# Improving stability and color adhesion in tinted lip balm with candelilla?



## SomethingGoodAustin (Jan 7, 2016)

Hey there;

I've been experimenting with tinted lip balms but can't quite get the color adhesion/smoothness balance I want. My working formula is 20% beeswax, 25% firm/hard oils (coconut oil and shea butter, usually), 15% brittle butters, and 40% liquid oils. I add a small amount of magnesium stearate to improve slip. Colorants include red and yellow oxides, micas--no dyes or carmine. 

I like the feel of this formula very much, but what I'd like to improve is its stability--I live in Texas, and the pocket test for lip balm is a lot easier to fail down here most months of the year--and the quality of the color adhesion. I want the color to be sheer but to also stay put on my lips, which it doesn't do very well right now. What I don't want, obviously, is anything sticky or draggy. 

Have any lip balm/lipstick makers out there found candelilla wax helpful with these two issues? If so, what is your recommended percentage range? I intend to use it as part of my wax portion.


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## galaxyMLP (Jan 7, 2016)

I have heard that calendilla wax is harder than beeswax so that may help. However, I wouldn't lump coconut oil with Shea butter in the same category. 

What are your "brittle" oils? If it's cocoa butter or others like it, I'd lump Shea in there with those. 

Shea butter and cocoa butter melt at body heat temperature (90-100F)
Coconut oil at 76 F

In a pocket, that coconut oil is going to start melting fast. With the liquid oil combination you're looking at 65% liquid oils. Once it's in the pocket even longer, the hard/brittle butters will start to melt. Then you've got very little "solid" components left. 

Maybe adding castor oil will help with that slip and glide while using less liquid oil total? 

Just some thoughts. Sorry I didn't answer your original question!


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## SomethingGoodAustin (Jan 8, 2016)

galaxyMLP said:


> I have heard that calendilla wax is harder than beeswax so that may help. However, I wouldn't lump coconut oil with Shea butter in the same category.
> 
> What are your "brittle" oils? If it's cocoa butter or others like it, I'd lump Shea in there with those.
> 
> ...



The percentage of coconut oil is about the same as the Shea butter. I'm using High Melt Shea, so the melting point is higher, around 100 degrees. The brittle butter I prefer is cocoa butter. So far the balm seems to hold together fairly well. It passes my pocket test, but then again I spend a lot of time in offices and in air conditioning. I'd like to ensure that it could hold together during a brisk walk on a sunny day.

Really, I'm more interested in improving the color adhesion. I think I might be able to go as high as 9 % candelilla, but I guess I'll just have to guesstimate and test.


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## dixiedragon (Jan 8, 2016)

maybe some castor?
http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/search?q=castor


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## IrishLass (Jan 8, 2016)

I use a combo of candelilla wax and carnauba wax in one of my balms (a tweak of MMS's Firm & Glossy Lip Balm, although it comes out pretty much the same if I nix the carnauba and use all candelilla, and vise-versa (they are pretty much the same when you get down to it). I just happen to use both because I bought a large jar of each.

I really love both of these waxes. They both lend hardness, wonderfully smooth glide, _and _a beautiful shine to boot. I live in a rather hot climate and my 'firm & glossy' balm it seems to do quite well.

I've never made a tinted version of it, but I think it has the right texture to make a really nice tinted balm or even a lipstick if I added some lanolin or viamerine to it.


IrishLass


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## SomethingGoodAustin (Jan 8, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> maybe some castor?
> http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/search?q=castor


I almost always use castor in my lip balms--it's so soothing and moisturizing, plus it adds a bit of gloss. So that's already in there.

Really, I'm pretty satisfied with the basic formula. I just want to tweak it a bit for slightly more stability and better color.


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## galaxyMLP (Jan 8, 2016)

Sorry, I thought you meant is wasn't passing the pocket test! My mistake. Wish I knew more but, I don't have any other thoughts to offer.


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## SomethingGoodAustin (Jan 9, 2016)

IrishLass said:


> I use a combo of candelilla wax and carnauba wax in one of my balms (a tweak of MMS's Firm & Glossy Lip Balm, although it comes out pretty much the same if I nix the carnauba and use all candelilla, and vise-versa (they are pretty much the same when you get down to it). I just happen to use both because I bought a large jar of each.
> 
> I really love both of these waxes. They both lend hardness, wonderfully smooth glide, _and _a beautiful shine to boot. I live in a rather hot climate and my 'firm & glossy' balm it seems to do quite well.
> 
> ...


Amusingly enough, I had just found that MMS recipe when I read your post. I think I will make a small batch with 8% candelilla and see how it feels/looks. It's reassuring to hear your description of the feel--for some reason, I assumed the plant waxes would make for a "waxier" feeling product.


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## SomethingGoodAustin (Jan 9, 2016)

galaxyMLP said:


> Sorry, I thought you meant is wasn't passing the pocket test! My mistake. Wish I knew more but, I don't have any other thoughts to offer.



Yeah, I guess I wasn't very clear. Sorry about that. But thank you very much for the suggestions!


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## IrishLass (Jan 9, 2016)

SomethingGoodAustin said:


> Amusingly enough, I had just found that MMS recipe when I read your post. I think I will make a small batch with 8% candelilla and see how it feels/looks. It's reassuring to hear your description of the feel--for some reason, I assumed the plant waxes would make for a "waxier" feeling product.


 
Nope- no waxy feeling at all. It's firm, but has a nice smooth glide with a delightfully dewy (instead of waxy) kind of feeling. Instead of calling mine "firm & and glossy", I call it my 'Dewy Lip Sheen'.  


IrishLass


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## SomethingGoodAustin (Jan 13, 2016)

IrishLass said:


> Nope- no waxy feeling at all. It's firm, but has a nice smooth glide with a delightfully dewy (instead of waxy) kind of feeling. Instead of calling mine "firm & and glossy", I call it my 'Dewy Lip Sheen'.
> 
> 
> IrishLass



Wow, that sounds like exactly what I want. Now I can hardly wait for this weekend, when I can get my test kitchen back up and running!


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## SomethingGoodAustin (Jan 27, 2016)

FYI, I posted a follow-up in a separate thread: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=58266


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