Aftershave Balsam, too oily!

[Sapwn]

I have made dozens of small batches and attempts but still cannot figure this out.

I make my own aftershave balsam using the oils that I want, however I always get the same result. A cream that leaves the skin too greasy. I cannot understand what I should (or shouldn’t) use in order to make the cream absorbed like the quality aftershave balsams do.

I have used various percentages of water/oils and made balsams of various densities. It doesn’t change anything, in the end they all leave the skin oily.

This could be an example of a recipe:
25% liquid oils (olive oil, coconut oil, …)
25% butter (shea, cocoa, mango, macadamia)
50% water
Right amount of emulsifying wax


Does anybody know what I am doing wrong?

Thank you for reading this.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Your recipe percentage should include the emulsifier and the preservative. So:

Oil %
Water %
Emulsifier %
Preservative %

That should add up to 100%

I think your recipe is too oil heavy. I made a 'lotion' that was 70% water and I use the '' because it was really quite thick and more like a night cream than a general lotion. I need to up the water and/or use less olivem1000 to make it thinner.

If that doesn't lower the greasy feel, try something like tapioca or corn flour. There is also another additive that helps lotions to absorb quickly and less greasily, but I can't remember what it is

 

[Sapwn]

Thank you efficacious!

I have made recipes with 80% water and the result is oily as well.
I will use corn flour to see if there is any improvement. At what percentage would you recommend?
Should I add corn flour in the oils, in the water, or after adding the emulsifier?

I have thought on using clays like kaolin clay. Will this make any difference?

If you remember what is the other addictive that you miss at the moment please let me know.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

There is a thread in this section called 'body butter greasiness' where folks helped me out with reducing the greasiness in my body butter. Lots of great info in there

 

[Sapwn]

There is a thread in this section called 'body butter greasiness' where folks helped me out with reducing the greasiness in my body butter. Lots of great info in there

Great thread, thank you!

Isopropyl Myristate was the addictive.

 

[shunt2011]

IPM works well to help with greasiness. It certainly made a difference in my butters.

 

[Sapwn]

IPM works well to help with greasiness.

I just ordered it online and I hope to receive it next week.
I was thinking about the right percentage and when to add it.
If someone has any experience with Isopropyl Myristate in creams he could be helpful. Do I add it in the oils? Do I add it in the end? What percentage?

 

[snappyllama]

I use 2% in the oil phase for my lotions. To reformulate a recipe, you'd normally substitute IPM for a percentage of your oils.

 

[lionprincess00]

Your recipe percentage should include the emulsifier and the preservative. So:

Oil %
Water %
Emulsifier %
Preservative %

That should add up to 100%

I think your recipe is too oil heavy. I made a 'lotion' that was 70% water and I use the '' because it was really quite thick and more like a night cream than a general lotion. I need to up the water and/or use less olivem1000 to make it thinner.

If that doesn't lower the greasy feel, try something like tapioca or corn flour. There is also another additive that helps lotions to absorb quickly and less greasily, but I can't remember what it is

For lotions and the such, I was under the impression it was (an example recipe)
Oils %
Butters %
Stearic acid %
Emulsifier %
Water %
Totals 100%


Then use .5-2% preservatives per total weight of the above 100% (depending on the preservative recommendations)
.5% fo per total weight after you reach the 100% formula.
In other words, the preservative isn't included in the original 100% of the recipe.

Am I doing it wrong lol? Wouldn't be a first I'll admit! (little worried now :think

 

[snappyllama]

I've been following the swiftmonkey way of doing things. She includes FO and preservative as part of the overall recipe.... everything adding up to 100%.

 

[Sapwn]

I use 2% in the oil phase for my lotions. To reformulate a recipe, you'd normally substitute IPM for a percentage of your oils.

Thank you very much!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I've been following the swiftmonkey way of doing things. She includes FO and preservative as part of the overall recipe.... everything adding up to 100%.

Me too!

 

[lionprincess00]

I'll have a look. I went off soap queen, so I'm very intrigued at learning about this! Thanks snappy and teg

 

[shunt2011]

Sorry, I use 2% as well. It adds a drier feel to things for sure.

 

[Dahila]

yes everything should add to 100% including fragrance and preservative, I would not use Olive oil and CO in aftershave lotion, too heavy, If you have to add 1%of IPM

 

[Sapwn]

Thank you Shunt and Dahila!

I would not use Olive oil and CO in aftershave lotion, too heavy

I wouldn't use olive oil either; however, I want to add levander infusion and laurel leaves infusion which I made using olive oil because this was what I had in abbondance. I didn't think about using it in aftershave balsam when doing it

 

[Dahila]

Oh so maybe use a small percentage of that and add "dry oil" like hazelnut or Macademia oil. It should be more balanced. Using Emulsimulse would give you drier feeling or IPM

 

[Sapwn]

Oh so maybe use a small percentage of that and add "dry oil" like hazelnut or Macademia oil. It should be more balanced. Using Emulsimulse would give you drier feeling or IPM

I didn't know the term "dry oils", I guess you mean that some oils produce a less oily final product? Or maybe you mean solid oils like butters and stearic acid?



I am thinking to use:

[38%]
Maccadamia butter
Mango butter (or maybe Shea butter instead - which is "drier oil"?)
Laurel and Levander infusion in olive oil

[55%]
Aloe vera gel
Chamomile water infusion

[7%]
Emulsifing wax
Optiphen
IPM

I want in to be thick as a cream, but not oily.

 

[Dahila]

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/search?q=oils
check it out,
Butters are very occluding and better to use them in small percentage. E-wax does introduce oily feeling to skin.
Dry oils would be something like; Macademia, Hazelnut , rice brain , even Soya goes right into skin not leaving oily feeling.
you need to add 9.5 g (lets think they are grams ) of Ewax (25% of all oils) so you calculation is off already YOu should start from scratch on swiftmonkey blog, study it and you will know exactly what to do. She gives you everything. Just put aftershave balm in search bar

 

[Sapwn]

Made and used today a new aftershave balm with 3% IPM.
It didn't have any effect. The balm leaves my face too oily :sad: