Dawn's lotion bar trials

[Mobjack Bay]

Marie @ Humblebee and Me did a simple lotion bar with 30g CO, 20g Cocoa Butter and 20g Beeswax. At one point I was thinking of trying that one, but maybe it will be too draggy based on the recipe @KristaY shared. I would think the avocado oil, which sounds like a great addition, would loosen the recipe up relative to using CO.

Now see what you started @Dawni Lotion bars hadn’t crossed my mind in weeks...

 

[Dawni]

Marie @ Humblebee and Me did a simple lotion bar with 30g CO, 20g Cocoa Butter and 20g Beeswax. At one point I was thinking of trying that one, but maybe it will be too draggy based on the recipe @KristaY shared. I would think the avocado oil, which sounds like a great addition, would loosen the recipe up relative to using CO.

Now see what you started @Dawni Lotion bars hadn’t crossed my mind in weeks...

It might not be.... I think that much of beeswax is for it not to get messy, which is a constant danger here because of the climate.

I also used 30g beeswax, and I used 22% cocoa butter, together with 12g each mango and shea.. Infused olive oil at 12g, infused almond oil at 17g for the second trial, 12g for the first.

I personally like the second one more, easier to apply for me, but my mom n her friend tried it n still liked the first. It'll be trial n error for you too but it's fun watching things melt, and I remelted some from the first batch to add more liquid oil and that was fun too, no wastage also hehe

 

[Dawni]

I have nothing to show but thought I'd share some experience for those interested.

It's quite humid here even when it's cool and technically not summer anymore. We still have warm days though. And the rains are an almost constant now. So normally I won't even use lotion, except for maybe elbows n feet but my lil one loves his "assage" with the "woshin bah" haha

I've since left out both the coconut oil and the olive oil from my first recipe. I noticed they took a while for the greasy feel to dissipate (right word?) so I checked what I had.....

Grapeseed oil is the bomb in lotion bars! Lol it glides on smooth, non-greasy and after a while there's no "residue" while the skin still feels hydrated. Maybe it's just us but the olive n coconut oils were just too heavy.

 

[shunt2011]

I haven't made lotion bars in quite some time but am adding them back into my line next year. I always added some fractionated CO and a bit of IPM to help with the greasiness of the lotion bars. I'll have to go digging through my recipes when I re-organize everything to see if I can find the recipe. I'd be happy to share it. I also used meadowfoam oil. I tried to use lesser greasy oils that absorbed well.

 

[Dawni]

Ooh if you find your recipe that would be cool

What's IPM?

I've read on meadowfoam oil.. Was thinking of making some sort of face serum with it. It's quite expensive here though so not very feasible for lil lotion bars so grapeseed was my more affordable alternative

 

[shunt2011]

Ooh if you find your recipe that would be cool

What's IPM?

I've read on meadowfoam oil.. Was thinking of making some sort of face serum with it. It's quite expensive here though so not very feasible for lil lotion bars so grapeseed was my more affordable alternative

Isopropyl myristate = IPM It adds a bit of a powdery feel to lotion bars and body butters. Meadowfoam is expensive here as well. I add it at a lower % 1-2.

 

[bookreader451]

I use candelilla wax in my lotion bars. I did buy some beeswax to try. I also bought the round twist up containers to put them in. We use them all the time but the plastic wrap that we keep re-wrapping looks nasty so I figured I would give them a go.

Best thing about lotion bars are they are easy to make and harden up quickly, with only one pot and a couple of utensils to clean!

 

[Dawni]

Isopropyl myristate = IPM It adds a bit of a powdery feel to lotion bars and body butters. Meadowfoam is expensive here as well. I add it at a lower % 1-2.

I think IPM will be even harder to find than meadowfoam oil, for which I've found only two suppliers so far. But it's something to consider.. Thank you!

I use candelilla wax in my lotion bars. I did buy some beeswax to try. I also bought the round twist up containers to put them in. We use them all the time but the plastic wrap that we keep re-wrapping looks nasty so I figured I would give them a go.

Best thing about lotion bars are they are easy to make and harden up quickly, with only one pot and a couple of utensils to clean!

I need to get me a vegan alternative to beeswax too.. Harder to find and will cost more but that's their prerogative. But first I have to see if there's a market for them in my locality. Friends n family so far aren't vegan with a very few exceptions lol.

I'm struggling with packaging as well. Family is easy lol they take em as is or wrapped in wax paper and put em on a dish or on top of their cream jar once they reach home lol

I hear ya about the cleaning!

 

[Kiti Williams]

I think IPM will be even harder to find than meadowfoam oil, for which I've found only two suppliers so far. But it's something to consider.. Thank you!

I need to get me a vegan alternative to beeswax too.. Harder to find and will cost more but that's their prerogative. But first I have to see if there's a market for them in my locality. Friends n family so far aren't vegan with a very few exceptions lol.

I'm struggling with packaging as well. Family is easy lol they take em as is or wrapped in wax paper and put em on a dish or on top of their cream jar once they reach home lol

I hear ya about the cleaning!

If you have a local Bee Keeper in your area, then you can buy guilt free Bees Wax. My local source is very careful with his bees, none get hurt when he harvests the honey and wax. I don't see why bees wax isn't used by Vegans. The bees make so much that the combs have to be melted down. My Bee keeper started with 2 hives and it has grown to 12! He has VERY happy bees!

 

[Dawni]

If you have a local Bee Keeper in your area, then you can buy guilt free Bees Wax. My local source is very careful with his bees, none get hurt when he harvests the honey and wax. I don't see why bees wax isn't used by Vegans. The bees make so much that the combs have to be melted down. My Bee keeper started with 2 hives and it has grown to 12! He has VERY happy bees!

Yes the beeswax I have is actually local, from a few hours away, and "ethically sourced." I also see a big difference in using beeswax vs. leather for example lol. I myself think beeswax is a sustainable resource but it's very hard to change someone's mind once it's set.

 

[earlene]

Yes the beeswax I have is actually local, from a few hours away, and "ethically sourced." I also see a big difference in using beeswax vs. leather for example lol. I myself think beeswax is a sustainable resource but it's very hard to change someone's mind once it's set.

? leather?

 

[Dawni]

? leather?

Beeswax, which you can get without, or with minimal killing of the bees
Vs.
Leather (the non-vegan, non-synthetic kind), which you can't get without killing the animal.. Although technically, like lard, it is a by product of the meat industry

Sorry if I wasn't very clear on that.

The basis of that vague analogy was.. I've met some vegans who do use bee products as long as it's ethically produced, but who won't use leather, because like the meat, the animal is surely killed.

 

[earlene]

No, I know what leather is, I was just curious how you would use that in a lotion bar?

But I get now that's not what you meant at all! LOL

As an aside, taking the beeswax from a colony decreases the available comb for the bee colony to use. In essence it is stealing from another living animal. So although it is sustainable, it is still considered non-vegan by strict vegans.

I am not judging, simply stating the thinking process.

 

[shunt2011]

I think IPM will be even harder to find than meadowfoam oil, for which I've found only two suppliers so far. But it's something to consider.. Thank you!

I need to get me a vegan alternative to beeswax too.. Harder to find and will cost more but that's their prerogative. But first I have to see if there's a market for them in my locality. Friends n family so far aren't vegan with a very few exceptions lol.

I'm struggling with packaging as well. Family is easy lol they take em as is or wrapped in wax paper and put em on a dish or on top of their cream jar once they reach home lol

I hear ya about the cleaning!

You could try soy wax, sunflower wax, Candelilla. I've also seen Rice Bran Wax so there are other options. Strict vegans will not use beeswax.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I have raised bees and have not had a time where a bee hasn't flown into the wrong spot at the wrong time. it happens when you have a thousand or more bees flying around--it definitely isn't what I ever wanted to have happen but it does

 

[Dawni]

No, I know what leather is, I was just curious how you would use that in a lotion bar?

But I get now that's not what you meant at all! LOL

As an aside, taking the beeswax from a colony decreases the available comb for the bee colony to use. In essence it is stealing from another living animal. So although it is sustainable, it is still considered non-vegan by strict vegans.

I am not judging, simply stating the thinking process.

Lol yeah sorry.. My brainwaves get themselves mixed up sometimes. Of course I knew you knew what leather is haha

You could try soy wax, sunflower wax, Candelilla. I've also seen Rice Bran Wax so there are other options. Strict vegans will not use beeswax.

Yes they won't. I've met strict vegans also, and SO is one hehe so needless to say he won't be using my current bars lol His reasoning will be the same as you explained @earlene. I say, to each his own

I have seen rice bran wax and it's slightly cheaper than candelilla and carnauba, and I've read good things about it too.

 

[soaplady30]

I think IPM will be even harder to find than meadowfoam oil, for which I've found only two suppliers so far. But it's something to consider.. Thank you!

I need to get me a vegan alternative to beeswax too.. Harder to find and will cost more but that's their prerogative. But first I have to see if there's a market for them in my locality. Friends n family so far aren't vegan with a very few exceptions lol.

I'm struggling with packaging as well. Family is easy lol they take em as is or wrapped in wax paper and put em on a dish or on top of their cream jar once they reach home lol

I hear ya about the cleaning!

I think IPM will be even harder to find than meadowfoam oil, for which I've found only two suppliers so far. But it's something to consider.. Thank you!

I need to get me a vegan alternative to beeswax too.. Harder to find and will cost more but that's their prerogative. But first I have to see if there's a market for them in my locality. Friends n family so far aren't vegan with a very few exceptions lol.

I'm struggling with packaging as well. Family is easy lol they take em as is or wrapped in wax paper and put em on a dish or on top of their cream jar once they reach home lol

I hear ya about the cleaning!

Lotion Crafters has IPM for $4.95 for 8 oz. Haven't used it recently but don't remember using it in large amounts.

 

[shunt2011]

She’s not in the country. Price and shipping would be prohibitive

 

[soaplady30]

Oops! My bad.