Body Mist %

[dillsandwitch]

Since Avon decided to shut down i have been very sparsely using my last bottle of body mist that I purchased right before they shut down. The other day DH suggested that I could make my own as I have all the "smelly stuff" as he calls my FO cabinet and I thought why the hell not? I have done a bit of looking about and have decided that I will be using Distilled water, Polysorbate 20, Optiphen Plus and FO for my sprays.

The only question I have is to the % of FO and Poly20. I read that you need to use equal amounts of both because of the blending thing but all the recipes I have been able to find vary in the % from 1% up to 7%. I was thinking about going with 89% water, 1 % preservative and then 5% each of the FO and Poly. Is this a good place to start? Anyone have any better experiences and have any input that I might find useful? I only plan to make enough for myself and maybe if it turns out well I might make up some for christmas gifts for the family. Maybe.

TIA
Dill

 

[BattleGnome]

Look up the usage rates of your fragrances, each one is different. Your supplier should have a reference on the sales page or you can email to make sure you find the right one.

The example I can think of right now: (but it’s been some time since I’ve checked exact numbers)
Lavender EO can be used in soap around 6% with no issues. Cinnamon EO is usually suggested at 1%. Soap is a wash off product. For a leave on product I’m sure the recommended useage rate of cinnamon EO will be much lower.

 

[dillsandwitch]

Duh. I didnt even think of that. I kinda feel silly now seeing as I have to check this stuff for my soaps. Thanks very much.

 

[Dahila]

using poly 20 50/50 will not solubize the oils in water, I get super clear sprays using 1 part of oil and 9 parts of poly 20 . It is not sticky

 

[DeeAnna]

I agree with Dahlia -- you will most likely need more polysorbate 20 than you are planning.

I normally use PS80 instead of PS20, because it seems like it works better for me, but others are fine with PS20.

In any case, you want to use enough polysorbate to get a clear mixture without any fragrance floating on top. In my experience with the FOs and EOs I've tried, that's at least 6 parts PS to 1 part fragrance ... and often higher. You'll have to experiment to see what works best.

 

[dillsandwitch]

I agree with Dahlia -- you will most likely need more polysorbate 20 than you are planning.

I normally use PS80 instead of PS20, because it seems like it works better for me, but others are fine with PS20.

In any case, you want to use enough polysorbate to get a clear mixture without any fragrance floating on top. In my experience with the FOs and EOs I've tried, that's at least 6 parts PS to 1 part fragrance ... and often higher. You'll have to experiment to see what works best.

What are the ratios you use with PS80? I have just done a couple test bottles with the PS20 and in 1 i used 1 part FO and 6 parts PS and the other i did 1 part FO and 8 parts PS. Both look the same right now. Not 100% clear but not really murky either.

 

[DeeAnna]

I normally use PS80 and that's what my numbers are based on. I would expect the ratios to be the same or higher with PS20.

Cloudy means the polysorbate has not fully solubilized the fragrance. It can be stable that way, or it can separate out.

If you want crystal clear, you'll have to use more polysorbate. If you don't mind cloudy, give it a few days to see if there's separation. If it seems stable, give it a longer trial at that ratio to see how it performs over several weeks. If it does separate, you'll have to add more polysorbate.

edit -- if for some reason any ingredient is cloudy to begin with, that will affect the clarity as well. That kind of cloudiness probably won't go away with more polysorbate.

 

[Basalt]

Look on you tube for a soaper called Soy and Shea. She does a linen/body spray and talks about what she uses, why she uses it and percentages. Also mentions a bit about preservatives as I remember reading that some are not suitable for mist sprays. You can always tweak her recipe to suit you as her liquid is milky.

 

[Dahila]

What are the ratios you use with PS80? I have just done a couple test bottles with the PS20 and in 1 i used 1 part FO and 6 parts PS and the other i did 1 part FO and 8 parts PS. Both look the same right now. Not 100% clear but not really murky either.

9 parts poly 20 1 part EO clear like a creek water

 

[justjacqui]

If you are not against using ethanol in your product you can add 10- 20% ethanol and it will help to reduce the amount of polysorbate that you need to solubilise the FO. The polysorbate might feel sticky if you use too much.

 

[Dahila]

alcohol dries skin, so yes I am against it. I use it for sanitizing my equipment