Ewww - ickies - and pictures!

[SudsyKat]

So, I made a couple of different types of lotion bars about 3 months ago and now they look funky. Darn!! Also, my emulsified sugar scrub looks like it has white dots on it - maybe only sugar, but i can't tell. Here are the recipes and here are pics.

Lotion Bar #1
28% beeswax - to harden the bar
10% fractionated coconut oil - this is a very light oil, very emollient
25% sunflower oil - conditioning for the skin
15% shea butter
14 % cocoa butter
3% IPM - (an ester) IPM helps greasy things feel less greasy and sinks in quickly
2% cyclomethicone - this silicone helps with the glide
2% vitamin E - to prevent rancidity and good for my skin
1% FO


Lotion Bar #2
2.5 oz beeswax
3 oz liquid oils (can't remember which - don't have my notes in front of me)
3 oz solid butters (half shea, half cocoa)
1.5 tbsp starch (I was using corn starch, but I have switched to arrowroot)
1% FO


Sugar Scrub
25% golden shea butter
10% emulsifier - BTMS-50, e-wax, or Polawax
5% C12-15 alkyl benzoate
10% cetyl alcohol
20% fractionated coconut oil
20% apricot kernel oil
2% cyclomethicone
2% dimethicone
2% fragrance oil
1% Vitamin E
1% Phenonip

125% to 150% sugar

 

[carebear]

looks like "bloom" - your cocoa butter may be crystallizing or something wasn't fully melted. same in your scrub - looks like something solidified.

 

[SudsyKat]

Thanks, Carebear! I'm relieved that it's not true ickies, if you know what I mean. :cry: I'm a little embarrassed to say that I actually cried last night, thinking "I suck. My products suck. What am I doing?" Anyhow, thanks!

So, I know everything was fully melted - I mean, I had a pure liquid with nothing solid visible in it. I guess the next question is, how do I prevent this solidification?? Do I need to cool the bars faster (in the freezer)? Or slower? And the scrub - I'm not too worried about it because it just looks like bits of sugar, but if there is a way to not have that, I'm all ears!

 

[Catmehndi]

Shea butter could also be the culprit. It has to be melted prior to being used in formulations - specifically to get rid of the issue you're encountering.

From someone (Carmine) on the NDA forum:
you have to heat it at 200 degrees F and keep this temperature steady for 15 minutes. This eliminates the fat crystals causing the graininess! Then, you need to cool your shea rapidly to stop the crystals from reforming, by stirring occasionally at room temperature (do NOT put in the freezer!). The more you stir, the creamiest is your shea. Pour in your containers when it becomes like a warm thick porridge and place it in a cool place.

It's then ready to use for your formulations.

 

[SudsyKat]

I can't believe I didn't think of this before - I have some ButterEZ. I'll have to include it and see if it helps with the crystalization. Duh!

 

[carebear]

Butter EZ is miraculous.

 

[soapbuddy]

It's blooming. Chocolate bars can do that too. It happens. As far as the graininess, I melt my butters, stir, then they go in the freezer. That has worked for me so far. I just take out what I need.