Honey in Balms

[Judy41]

I've been looking at ingredients of some advertised body products and have found more than one that add honey to an anhydrous mixture and they don't use a preservative. I always thought that a preservative was necessary with honey as an additive. Is that right?

 

[Elise]

Honey in itself doesn't need a preservative and can be stored in a jar for years and years and years. I don't think you need a preservative as long as you don't add water to your formula.
I'm more curious at how they incorporate honey, which is water soluble, in oils only. I know you can buy powdered honey, so maybe its just powder in suspension in oils ?

 

[AliOop]

I know you can buy powdered honey, so maybe its just powder in suspension in oils ?

That was my first guess.

 

[Misschief]

You can do it but it will separate out eventually because oil and water... yeah.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

You can do it but it will separate out eventually because oil and water... yeah.

That has been my experience, too.

 

[AliOop]

@Misschief and @Nona'sFarm is that true even with the honey powder? I haven't used it so am genuinely curious. Not that I need another ingredient on my shelf...

 

[Misschief]

@Misschief and @Nona'sFarm is that true even with the honey powder? I haven't used it so am genuinely curious. Not that I need another ingredient on my shelf...

I don't think honey powder is oil soluble; I've always understood it to be water soluble only. I use it in some of my (oil-based) lip scrubs and it doesn't melt; it behaves very much like sugar.

 

[AliOop]

Great to know, thank you!

 

[Judy41]

Thank you all, now I have more info and will skip adding honey for now. I need to go to Humble Bee & Me and do some research. I probably should have done that before bothering you all but this is such a great source of hands on experience and not just theoretical info.

 

[Hope Elisabeth 68]

I have added honey to an anhydrous balm before and simply put on the directions to stir before using. Also, beware honey powders as almost all of them are actually another ingredient and honey as well. Dehydrating honey takes the flavor away completely and so they add some form of sugar to fool the tastebuds.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

This person makes a lip balm using honey with lanolin as an emulsifier.
https://apothecarialarts.blogspot.com/2017/02/making-lip-balm-with-honey.html

i suppose other emulsifiers could be used, with testing.

 

[Judy41]

You can do it but it will separate out eventually because oil and water... yeah.

Misschief, would an emulsifier solve that?

 

[Misschief]

This person makes a lip balm using honey with lanolin as an emulsifier.
https://apothecarialarts.blogspot.com/2017/02/making-lip-balm-with-honey.html

i suppose other emulsifiers could be used, with testing.

I think I'll try this; I have a tub of honey that needs using up and I have a whole week off.

 

[Misschief]

Misschief, would an emulsifier solve that?

I love the idea of using something like lanolin as a basic emulsifier, as per @Mobjack Bay's post above. You might want to do a little bit of experimenting.

 

[Misschief]

I tried it.... here's the result:



It separated. I could NOT get it to combine at all.

 

[Elise]

I tried it.... here's the result:

View attachment 78525

It separated. I could NOT get it to combine at all.

Oh no
I recently bought lanolin to try in soap and I would have loved to also using it in balm.

How do you think they do the Egyptian magic balm ? I like it and always thought I could easily replicate it (maybe omiting the royal jelly), but now that I read this thread I don't know...
The ingredients says (probably not in order) :
Honey, Beeswax, Olive Oil, Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen and Bee Propolis

https://www.amazon.fr/Egyptian-Magi...pcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A21K5TICUTCQ7T

 

[Misschief]

Oh no
I recently bought lanolin to try in soap and I would have loved to also using it in balm.

How do you think they do the Egyptian magic balm ? I like it and always thought I could easily replicate it (maybe omiting the royal jelly), but now that I read this thread I don't know...
The ingredients says (probably not in order) :
Honey, Beeswax, Olive Oil, Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen and Bee Propolis

https://www.amazon.fr/Egyptian-Magi...pcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A21K5TICUTCQ7T

I wonder if they're continually stirring/mixing as it cools, and then filling the jars while it's still soft, pourable.

If you want a lip balm with lanolin, this recipe is one of my best sellers and a product I will never be without. It's my every day lip balm.

https://www.humblebeeandme.com/moisturizing-overnight-lip-mask/

Here's another amazing recipe with lanolin, from SwiftCraftyMonkey (rated E for everyone). My husband uses this on his feet; I use it on my cuticles and I swear by it.

https://www.swiftcraftymonkey.blog/...formulating-a-balm-with-lanolin-and-lecithin/

 

[Elise]

Thank you ! I'll try that when I'll finish my crurent lip balm.

 

[SweetForIdaho]

Thank you all, now I have more info and will skip adding honey for now. I need to go to Humble Bee & Me and do some research. I probably should have done that before bothering you all but this is such a great source of hands on experience and not just theoretical info.

If you haven't already, research Honeyquat (manufacturer's product name) or
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey

 

[The Bearded Beekeeper]

I mix it with my beeswax and a little tallow , beeswax has a low point of being a solid and should mix without separation, I put the whole mix on jar and blitz it with hand held blitzer and I find that works