Beard Balm - I guess I want an uncommon consistency - Is it possible?

[AhZo]

I love making beard balm in extremely small batches so we can change up the scents for season or whim. I believe it is typical of other recipes: beeswax, shea butter, some other stuff. Melt, mix, pour, cool, etc.

However, I was wondering if it is possible to get a consistency that is between the "wax infused" beard balm and a beard oil. The oil is too runny, the balm, even with less beeswax, is too...umm...'wax'. I guess maybe more like a pomade...? Maybe that is not the right word. Years ago we got turned onto using Suavecito for our beards and it has been great. Something like that would be okay, but a little thinner even. I guess now we're getting more into a moisturize only realm rather than a control product.

The consistency I would love to have is difficult for me to describe because I am at a loss for descriptive words. Perhaps similar to an aloe vera gel, or Purell hand santizer, but oily of course. But that kind of "gel", rather than oil or wax.

We love our current balm and could be happy with that - but I dreamt this and was wondering if it is possible.
Any input? Achievable through usual means?

My Google-fu fails me and all I ever get are ads for the vast wasteland of the internet mall (Amazon, YouTube, Walmart dreck and blather). (Andry old man shakes fist at clouds and yells, "I remember when the internet was *useful*!!!!)

Edit to Add: I do not know what I did differently, but I started googling specific products and I found some YouTube videos that were actually worthwhile. Some things thrown out that hit a few semi-active braincells: sucragel, oleocraft, sapogel. Googling these I get overwhelmed with chemistry things. So: quite terrified, but willing to make a step - just unsure. I do not think it would be easy to get oleocraft in Canada, as it looks like an eastern hemisphere thing.

Carrying on!
Made candles today, still experimenting with ombre design, so they are resting right now while the dogs nap. I have a moment to myself!!! Where is my tea?!?

 

[Saponificarian]

What you need is Cera Bellina wax. Check Lotioncrafter or Brambleberry.

 

[AhZo]

What you need is Cera Bellina wax. Check Lotioncrafter or Brambleberry.

Thank you.
Do you mean to suggest I use Cera Bellina wax in place of beeswax, or it will thicken an oil to a jel?

 

[Saponificarian]

Thank you.
Do you mean to suggest I use Cera Bellina wax in place of beeswax, or it will thicken an oil to a jel?

Cera Bellina will thicken an oil to gel. So your Oils + Cera Bellina = Oily gel

Lotioncrafter listed the quantity of Cera Bellina to gel different vegetable oils here Cera Bellina You will have to experiment though if you decide to us an oil combo.

 

[AhZo]

Cera Bellina will thicken an oil to gel. So your Oils + Cera Bellina = Oily gel

Lotioncrafter listed the quantity of Cera Bellina to gel different vegetable oils here Cera Bellina You will have to experiment though if you decide to us an oil combo.

Excellent.
Thank you!

 

[glendam]

I bought the book from LovingSoap, Men's grooming book and tried a few of the recipes. One of them called for lanolin wax, which has a soft consistency and the balm made with it is spreadable, feels oily once you touch it, and looks a bit translucent.

 

[AliOop]

@glendam what is lanolin wax and where do you find it? I tried to look it up, but I only find lanolin or lanolin butter, and they are the same thing.

 

[AhZo]

Note: there are some posts around about using Sucragel/Sapogel. I believe after watching some videos that this is the route I will attempt.
And mostly because one of the videos I watched looked just like making aioli/mayo, toum, or hollandaise, which I love to do.

This video seemed to help me decide:

Also, SoapAndMore sells it, in addition to aforementioned cera bellina wax, so...looks like I have some testing ahead of me.
Exciting!

 

[glendam]

@glendam what is lanolin wax and where do you find it? I tried to look it up, but I only find lanolin or lanolin butter, and they are the same thing.

I believe it comes from sheep if I remember correctly, not from
Inside but from their wool, so they are not harmed during the process. It may be called butter. I will check, but I think I got it from either Wsp or Nature’s garden if I remember correctly. Supposed to be good for the skin.

 

[AliOop]

Gotcha, it sounds like you are talking about regular lanolin, then. I just hadn't ever heard it called "lanolin wax" so I thought it was a different product.

I love lanolin (deodorized) but my daughter is allergic to it, so I don't use it as often as I might otherwise.

 

[glendam]

@AliOop yes, it is probably regular lanolin though the book called it lanolin wax, not sure why, but that was the closest thing I could buy. I actually found this email I sent to them about the recipe, because it was supposed to be a mustache wax and it was too soft
for shaping a mustache:

“Hi,
I have a question about the mustache wax recipe on page 70. The recipe does not list beeswax in the ingredients, however the body of the recipe refers to beeswax twice.
Should some of the lanolin wax be replaced with beeswax?”

I don’t remember if I ever heard back, couldn’t find it in the emails.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I'll try to remember to post my recipe here when I get home. It's very much a pomade consistency. Been meaning to make a video about it, but haven't had the time

 

[Sarah B]

@AliOop yes, it is probably regular lanolin though the book called it lanolin wax, not sure why, but that was the closest thing I could buy. I actually found this email I sent to them about the recipe, because it was supposed to be a mustache wax and it was too soft
for shaping a mustache:

“Hi,
I have a question about the mustache wax recipe on page 70. The recipe does not list beeswax in the ingredients, however the body of the recipe refers to beeswax twice.
Should some of the lanolin wax be replaced with beeswax?”

I don’t remember if I ever heard back, couldn’t find it in the emails.

Lanolin is a wax, and can be extracted directly from sheep's wool, which can be a pretty gross process (see below for evidence). Not surprised that it might be called lanolin wax, since that's what it is! I use it in shave soap....

 

[glendam]

@Sarah B interesting, I could not find it for purchase as a wax, just as a butter, where do you get yours if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Okay, so my last recipe -

40% avocado oil
35% Shea butter
14% beeswax
10% jojoba
1% scent

I am tempted to swap some liquid oil out for some polysorbate 80 (most likely the avocado) to help with washing it out

 

[redheels40]

I love making beard balm in extremely small batches so we can change up the scents for season or whim. I believe it is typical of other recipes: beeswax, shea butter, some other stuff. Melt, mix, pour, cool, etc.

However, I was wondering if it is possible to get a consistency that is between the "wax infused" beard balm and a beard oil. The oil is too runny, the balm, even with less beeswax, is too...umm...'wax'. I guess maybe more like a pomade...? Maybe that is not the right word. Years ago we got turned onto using Suavecito for our beards and it has been great. Something like that would be okay, but a little thinner even. I guess now we're getting more into a moisturize only realm rather than a control product.

The consistency I would love to have is difficult for me to describe because I am at a loss for descriptive words. Perhaps similar to an aloe vera gel, or Purell hand santizer, but oily of course. But that kind of "gel", rather than oil or wax.

We love our current balm and could be happy with that - but I dreamt this and was wondering if it is possible.
Any input? Achievable through usual means?

My Google-fu fails me and all I ever get are ads for the vast wasteland of the internet mall (Amazon, YouTube, Walmart dreck and blather). (Andry old man shakes fist at clouds and yells, "I remember when the internet was *useful*!!!!)

Edit to Add: I do not know what I did differently, but I started googling specific products and I found some YouTube videos that were actually worthwhile. Some things thrown out that hit a few semi-active braincells: sucragel, oleocraft, sapogel. Googling these I get overwhelmed with chemistry things. So: quite terrified, but willing to make a step - just unsure. I do not think it would be easy to get oleocraft in Canada, as it looks like an eastern hemisphere thing.

Carrying on!
Made candles today, still experimenting with ombre design, so they are resting right now while the dogs nap. I have a moment to myself!!! Where is my tea?!?

Look into Formula Botanicas blogs…one called “making an oleogel”. It is a Canadian based formulation school, but I think their blogs are available to anyone on Facebook.

 

[Sarah B]

@Sarah B interesting, I could not find it for purchase as a wax, just as a butter, where do you get yours if you don’t mind me asking?

Interesting--so I just googled "lanolin butter" and see that Crafter's Choice is just straight up lanolin, so just the typical wax. I get mine directly from my parents' flock of sheep! But what you're finding commercially should be the same stuff--just extracted in a more scaled up and efficient manner!

 

[Saponificarian]

Interesting--so I just googled "lanolin butter" and see that Crafter's Choice is just straight up lanolin, so just the typical wax. I get mine directly from my parents' flock of sheep! But what you're finding commercially should be the same stuff--just extracted in a more scaled up and efficient manner!

It is the same stuff. There are three variations of lanolin that I have used Lanolin Wax/Butter, Lanolin oil, and Lanolin Alcohol.

 

[AhZo]

Look into Formula Botanicas blogs…one called “making an oleogel”. It is a Canadian based formulation school, but I think their blogs are available to anyone on Facebook.

Excellent. Yes, this is what I am looking for. Thank you.
I found similar/same information in that video I posted and another blog/formulation site.
And for info for anyone searching for this topic who does not worship at the almighty throne of zuckerborg: you do not need FB to access the blog from their website! Yay!

 

[AhZo]

Okay, so my last recipe -

40% avocado oil
35% Shea butter
14% beeswax
10% jojoba
1% scent

I am tempted to swap some liquid oil out for some polysorbate 80 (most likely the avocado) to help with washing it out

Thank you for this!
I will try this one once I get some avocado oil. mmm...avocadooooo....