# Leaking lip balm tube



## jofa (Mar 23, 2018)

Hi, guys, I have a little bit of a problem.

I'm trying to make lip balms, but both times I bought tubes (from different suppliers) they leaked bad as soon as I poured.
I can't figure what's going on.
When the first tubes leaked, I just thought it was bad quality, but this time I bought from the same company that sells to Avon here in my country. So, if it's good enough for Avon, it's sure good enough for me!

So, what is your experience? Have you been through that?

I'm testing with pure cocoa butter at a low temperature (40C), and even then is leaks like water from the bottom!


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## lsg (Mar 23, 2018)

I think I got my lip balm tubes from Wholesale Supplies Plus.  May I make a suggestion?  If you still have extra tubes, use a
Lip Tube Filling Tray and set it with your tubes in a pan or on waxed paper.  Just pour enough liquid lip balm solution in each tube to seal the bottom, then let set until it is hard.  Pour the rest of your melted balm in the tubes.  Hope that helps with the problem.


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## shunt2011 (Mar 23, 2018)

I get mine from Elements Bath & Body.  What temperature are you pouring your lip balm at?  It may be too hot.  I've only had a leak once and the balm was just too hot.  I've never had a leak (knock on wood) since.


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## dixiedragon (Mar 23, 2018)

The only time I've had a leak is when I microwaved the tube to dissolve grainess. It got too hot in the interior tray got a bit warped.


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## jofa (Mar 23, 2018)

Hi, guys, I'm pouring at around 100F, not hot at all. And although I live in a hot area, I work with the AC on "glacial" . 
Isg, the leakage is so so bad that the formula has no time to solidify. Thank you for the idea though!
I know I'm doing something wrong, maybe I can't use pure cocoa butter, but it would be a shame, since it's an amazing raw, organic and local butter, and here in Brazil people love to use it as is.


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## shunt2011 (Mar 23, 2018)

You've got some defective tubes then.   I won't matter what you are using in your recipe.  My lip balm is liquid when I pour, it solidifies in the tube, doesn't leak out.   Hope you find some tubes that work for you.  Maybe you can find some lip pots.  Then no worries about leaking


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## jofa (Mar 23, 2018)

shunt2011 said:


> You've got some defective tubes then.   I won't matter what you are using in your recipe.  My lip balm is liquid when I pour, it solidifies in the tube, doesn't leak out.   Hope you find some tubes that work for you.  Maybe you can find some lip pots.  Then no worries about leaking



You're probably right, shunt. Thank you!


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## Saffron (Mar 23, 2018)

Perhaps you could try taping the bottom of the tube with duct tape or something similar, then remove the tape once the balm has set.


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## jofa (Mar 23, 2018)

Saffron said:


> Perhaps you could try taping the bottom of the tube with duct tape or something similar, then remove the tape once the balm has set.



I'm sure I can do that, or to freeze the tubes so the butter solidifies faster, but what baffles me is that I shouldn't have do anything, right? The tubes are supposed to hold the liquid. Even if I was willing to do something so my formula won't leak, what if it melts inside a purse or something like that? I would be upset as a client, and I know my clients would too.

I'm in contact with the company and they say they will sort this out for me. Let's hope so!


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## dixiedragon (Mar 23, 2018)

good plan. I think you just got bad tubes. Where did you get them?


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## earlene (Mar 23, 2018)

I don't think you are going to find a tube that doesn't leak under extreme heat, of say, the hot interior of a car during the height of summer, fo example.

I have had store-bought cocoa butter in a push-up tube melt inside my car and it leaks. It is to be expected when the heat is too high.

I have also had lip balm melt inside my hot car when I leave it inside, and all brands I have ever bought in a store will leak under those conditions.

I could be wrong, by I wonder if you tweaked your recipe  just a bit , it might give you a balm that will harden faster.  Perhaps if you take a look at this thread you may find some hints that might help:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...roblem-leaking-texture-everything-awry.16792/

Of course if you prefer 100% cocoa butter, which is very nice, IMO, then it seems that a  letting the melted CB start to thicken a bit more before you pour into chilled tubes might be worth a try.


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## IrishLass (Mar 24, 2018)

I've never, ever had a leakage problem when pouring hot balm into my lip balm tubes (I buy mine from MMS and also Elements Bath & Body), but I _have_ had leakage problems upon pouring into the much larger tubes that I use for my body butter sticks. My solution for those is to freeze the tubes before pouring. Works like a charm. 


IrishLass


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## Complexions (Mar 26, 2018)

Also, you can try putting the tubes in the fridge/freezer to get them cold before pouring into them.  That way the warm oil hitting the cold tube will thicken enough to keep from leaking out until the whole tube has solidified.


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