Big Batching: Pre-making lotion bars without scent

[MsHarryWinston]

Ok I just saw something brilliant someone wrote a few years ago. It seems like an awesome approach to carrying lotion bar stock without worrying about dozens of bars in dozens of scents.

You premake a bunch of unscented bars, and then as they are needed you melt them down and add your scent then remold. This seems like a fabulous idea!

So I thought about how you could take it one step further in order to keep your additives stable. In this instance by additives I mean glycerin, which in turn requires a preservative and an emulsifying agent.

So I'm going to give it a try...

Melt down the unscented stock bar and add the glycerin and Ewax. Then once it comes down under 45 degrees add the preservative and scent then remold.

If anyone wants to try here are my numbers I worked out for a 2oz bar...

Glycerin 5% = 0.10oz
Ewax NF 5% = 0.10oz
Preservative (liquid Germall Plus) 0.5% = 0.28g
Scent 0.5% = 0.28g

 

[traderbren]

I've never tried glycerin (or its accompanying posse) in a lotion bar. Does it bring much to the party?

 

[MsHarryWinston]

I have no idea, that's my next experiment! Lol. I mean, I love adding glycerin to my hair moisturizing spray. And sometimes I just spray my body down with it as well because it feels sooo good and super hydrating. So I'm hoping that it will help attract more moisture to both my lotion bars and body butter, instead of the oils just sealing in moisture. I have EXTREMELY dry skin, so if I find something moisturizing/hydrating I know I've hit on a powerhouse blend.

 

[dixiedragon]

When you re-melt it to add FO, you'd have to add preservative again.

I am also curious of Ewax will hold up to being melted down a second time? I have no idea, I've never tried it.

I'm seriously thinking of doing a sort of masterbatching with my lotion - I have a bunch of those teensy 1 lb lard tubs (b/c lard at Walmart is cheaper by the ounce in the 1 lb tub vs the 4 lb tub). I guess it wouldn't be master batching so much as pre-measuring, but I'm thinking of putting all the oils for 1 batch of lotion in each container, then I can just add water, FO and preservative.

 

[MsHarryWinston]

When you re-melt it to add FO, you'd have to add preservative again.

I am also curious of Ewax will hold up to being melted down a second time? I have no idea, I've never tried it.

I'm seriously thinking of doing a sort of masterbatching with my lotion - I have a bunch of those teensy 1 lb lard tubs (b/c lard at Walmart is cheaper by the ounce in the 1 lb tub vs the 4 lb tub). I guess it wouldn't be master batching so much as pre-measuring, but I'm thinking of putting all the oils for 1 batch of lotion in each container, then I can just add water, FO and preservative.

Oh sorry I must not have made myself clear. You DONT add the wax and things to the original batch. That way you add it fresh with no worry if the heat messing it up or over adding preservative and wax etc. The first batch is made in the simple oil/butter/beeswax combo. The melt and re-mold is when you add your scent and/or other goodies for the first time.
And keep in mind the only reason I'm personally adding wax and preservatives is because I want to try glycerin in my bars to make them more hydrating. So I gave all my numbers so you guys can see where my crazy brain is at.

 

[hmlove1218]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. There are people who master batch lip balls and then melt them down to add different flavor/essential oils before packaging. Its essentially the same thing in my mind

 

[shunt2011]

I masterbatch lip balm and sugar scrub during my busy time. Otherwise I small batch.

 

[Dahila]

When you re-melt it to add FO, you'd have to add preservative again.

I am also curious of Ewax will hold up to being melted down a second time? I have no idea, I've never tried it.

I'm seriously thinking of doing a sort of masterbatching with my lotion - I have a bunch of those teensy 1 lb lard tubs (b/c lard at Walmart is cheaper by the ounce in the 1 lb tub vs the 4 lb tub). I guess it wouldn't be master batching so much as pre-measuring, but I'm thinking of putting all the oils for 1 batch of lotion in each container, then I can just add water, FO and preservative.

what about heat and hold?

 

[MsHarryWinston]

Ok so since I have a few non glycerin bars around I decided that while I wait for my supplies is do an experiment to find my top and bottom glycerine experiments. (This was after I read about SwiftMonkey's love of her 25% glycerin foot cream). This was a very raw experiment.

Melted down a bar and added 12.5% glycerin. No preservative no emulsifier, same day use. Did not use hand/stick blender as fiancé was sleeping.

Because it was not emulcified the glycerin was heavy and most sank to the bottom of the mold. 12.5% felt like I was covered in syrup. May not be as pronounced if it was emulsified and spread throughout, but for an everyday lotion bar this is far to much. Took a glycerin showed. Then got out and sealed in the moisture with a bit more of the glycerin bar then topped it with body butter and went to bed. (I work nights).

Woke up with super soft supple skin. 12.5% glycerin isn't a waste of a bar, it does wonderful things, it's just not the everyday product in trying to achieve. It's a deep moisturizing treatment.
Tomorrow I'm going to attempt the bottom of my range at 5% and see what what's like.