Help with solid lotion

[rileylite]

Hi all!

After reading around a bit I tried to make a solid lotion bar (never done it before, but I had some ingredients so I gave it a shot). My problem is that it's been sitting for more than two hours now and still hasn't become solid. I don't remember totally exactly, but I believe I used 2oz mango butter, 3-4oz shea butter, 1.5oz sweet almond oil, and a little bit of fragrance oil. Is the problem that I didn't use any wax? Most of the recipes I saw used wax, but I didn't have any and figured it would be fine with out it.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[MeadowHillFarmCT]

I think so... The recipe I followed was

1/3 hard oil
1/3 soft oil
1/3 beeswax...

I used Shea and Ricebran with beeswax and they came out very nice and hard.

 

[Hazel]

Mango and shea are both softer butters so that's part of the problem. The beeswax would have added firmness. Do you have any cocoa butter? If so, you could try melting some and adding it in to help add a little stiffness.

You could also just give this a little more time to firm up. It's not going to be hard enough for a bar but you can put it in a container. It still will be wonderful for the skin.

 

[Soapy Gurl]

You do need something to stiffen it up. Put it in the fridge for now to help it along. You could keep it in there and use it directly out of there. But it will melt fast. Hazel is right about putting it in a container.

 

[rileylite]

So update, it did get firm, but you're right, I'm definitely gonna have to keep it in something! I don't have any cocoa butter, but I'll definitely be buying some of that and some beeswax. I'm just glad to know I had the general idea of the porportions right. Thanks for all the tips, everyone! It's greatly appreciated.

 

[Hazel]

Please let us know how it turns out. You could also try adding some more almond oil and whipping it to make it fluff up a bit.

 

[rileylite]

I think it's about as solid as it's gonna get now. It looks the same as a lotion bar, but it's definitely softer and much more pliable when you touch it. It basically feels the same as shea butter but a bit softer, which is what's to be expected from the ingredients I guess!
It would actually be really neat to pour into tins and sell it like that, like a hand salve sort of thing, because it's easy to just scoop out a bit with your finger and rub it on.

 

[fiddletree]

I think so... The recipe I followed was

1/3 hard oil
1/3 soft oil
1/3 beeswax...

I used Shea and Ricebran with beeswax and they came out very nice and hard.

this gives me a harder bar than I like. I use 1/4 beeswax, 1/4 liquid oil (like almond oil, etc), 1/4 soft oil/butter (like shea or mango butters), 1/4 hard oil (like cocoa butter).

 

[Hazel]

I think it's about as solid as it's gonna get now. It looks the same as a lotion bar, but it's definitely softer and much more pliable when you touch it. It basically feels the same as shea butter but a bit softer, which is what's to be expected from the ingredients I guess!
It would actually be really neat to pour into tins and sell it like that, like a hand salve sort of thing, because it's easy to just scoop out a bit with your finger and rub it on.

This mentions specifically soap but it still contains valuable info.

http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17621

Have you checked into preservatives just to be on the safe side? If you're selling, you don't know how the consumer will treat your product. Dipping into a container with wet or dirty hands can contaminate your product.

Are you currently selling?

 

[rileylite]

I have been soaping for awhile now, and selling a bit (just among family and friends) and have been working to get all the necessary paperwork together to start selling online/retail! Probably a couple months from that right now.

 

[Hazel]

I have been soaping for awhile now, and selling a bit (just among family and friends) and have been working to get all the necessary paperwork together to start selling online/retail! Probably a couple months from that right now.

How long is "awhile"? What products are you selling?

 

[rileylite]

Since about last may!
Just soap right now, usually a friend will just ask me to make a certain scent for them now and again, but I usually just make things for me and my family. I've just now started experimenting with other kinds of things, mainly since I've actually got some money put aside now to invest into an actual business.

 

[Hazel]

Since about last may!
Just soap right now, usually a friend will just ask me to make a certain scent for them now and again, but I usually just make things for me and my family. I've just now started experimenting with other kinds of things, mainly since I've actually got some money put aside now to invest into an actual business.

Keep your prices where they are! People on etsy constantly under-price their products (speaking from experience here). Because let's be honest, the people charging $3 for a 5-6oz bar are either resellers or not making any money. The top B&B sellers on etsy are usually those with prices higher than the norm. People are willing to pay more for something they feel confident is high quality.

 

[rileylite]

I never sold soap on etsy, I actually sold hand bound journals. http://www.etsy.com/shop/MagnusJournals

 

[Hazel]

I understand now. Thank you for posting your link. I looked at the sold pieces and was very impressed with the journals especially Orange Owl and Moonlit Tree.

Did you realize you can post your Etsy link in your sig line?

 

[rileylite]

Thanks! The artwork isn't by me (I wish!), I had a wonderful lady who would make it for me, but the journals were all me. And yeah, I definitely would put it in there, but I haven't actually used it in a long time, and probably won't use it again for awhile. I kind of gave it up for the most part, bookbinding is an insane amount of work, and super tedious. I'll probably start doing it again eventually, but right now I enjoy the creative payoff of making soap much more!

 

[Hazel]

With your journal making experience, I'm going to be interested in seeing your soap packaging when you get to that point.