Bath Oil Separation

[SudsyKat]

Is it normal to have the different components of a bath oil separate? I used the following recipe and I have layers:

57% Olive Oil
10% Sweet Almond Oil
10% Fractionated Coconut Oil
20% Polysorbate 80
1% Vitamin E
2% F.O.

It's easy enough to shake up the mixture before using, but i'm wondering if I've done something wrong or if I can do anything to make the oils stay blended. Thanks for your input.

 

[SudsyKat]

Bump....

Hi, All! I've missed you. I know that sounds strange, but it's sincerely true! There was a time when I was on here all the time. I've been away from the boards for a while now (just exhausted and stressed from my job - which, incidentally, I plan to quit in the spring!!). Well, I"m here now and I will make an effort to get on more frequently, despite my crazy job!

Anyhow, I was just thinking about this problem that I posted about a while ago and I had forgotten whether anyone responded. Apparently not, so let me give it a bump and see if anyone has any ideas.

Thanks!

 

[soapbuddy]

Olive oil is a heavy oil. You will either need more poly, or sub the olive with a lighter weight oil.

 

[dieSpinne]

I find that Apricot Kernel oil is a nice oil for baths... not too light, but not exactly heavy or "oily" either... and usually reasonably priced (though not as inexpensive as OO)

 

[SudsyKat]

Thanks for the tips! One other thing I thought about is that I didn't heat this mixture up. Would that have helped to keep the oils from separating, I wonder?

 

[soapbuddy]

Thanks for the tips! One other thing I thought about is that I didn't heat this mixture up. Would that have helped to keep the oils from separating, I wonder?

There is no need to heat it up. It would do the same thing once cooled off.

 

[carebear]

What do you mean the oils separate? The FO separates out or the bulk oils?

 

[soapbuddy]

Some oils will separate from other oils due to the difference in molecular weight.

 

[SudsyKat]

It's hard to tell whether the FO is separating out. I think it is. For sure, the base oils separate from each other. That's an excellent point about molecular weight. Maybe I'll do some research on that and see if oils with a more closely aligned molecular weight would mix better. Of course, that won't solve the FO issue. Maybe I'll just try using apricot kernel oil instead of olive.

 

[carebear]

I'm sorry but it really strikes me as odd that those oils would separate. Did you try the base oils on their own without the FO and PS?

If not, when I get to my oils this weekend (if I'm lucky), I'll try a quick blend of FCO, SAO, and OO and see what they do.

 

[SudsyKat]

I see at lease 2 layers. Even if there are only 2 layers, they are each fairly large, so I know it's not the FO. I think I also see a 3rd small layer at the very top, so that's why I say that I'm pretty sure the FO separated out as well. Good idea about doing a little experiment, though.