How can I make a firm scrub bar?

[LuanaGirl]

I think you'all are the experts and just might be able to help me out with a question. I have been surfing the web for a week now and have been finding bits and pieces of recipes for solid scrub bars. So far my "experiments" have not firmed up enough. I don't want the bar to be a bar of soap with exfoliating pieces in it. Rather, I want to make my sugar and coffee scrub to be firm so I can do away with the expensive and not-so-green packaging. I sell my products at our local farmers market and I need my customers to be able to transport their bar home . . . understanding that it is fragile but it still needs to hold together to be displayed - make it into a wax paper bag - and travel a short distance. I sure would appreciate any suggestions. I've tried adding cream of tartar - saw that this might help with hardening the bar - spraying with witch hazel - said that this would help to create a "crust" on the outside of the bar - cocoa butter and beeswax- maybe I'm not adding enough but it sure seemed like enough. And maybe my location is too damp. I live in a pretty wet climate during rainy season. I love my scrub - great smell - wonderful exfoliating qualities - all beautiful ingredients - my skin is soft and smooth. I just need it to firm it up a little bit more so I can "kick the jar" habit. Any recipes out there? Thanks so much for your help.

 

[mariflo]

You can try to increase the beeswax quantity or use stearic acid.

 

[agriffin]

Ditto. I would try adding some stearic acid.

I guess I can't really picture what you are wanting...Something like a solid lotion bar with scrub in it?

 

[krissy]

is it like the lush bar? the one called buffy the backside slayer? that is a solid scrub bar...

 

[LuanaGirl]

I'm thinking more like Lush's Sugar Scrub . . . the half circles. Maybe since I add ground coffee that it is more challenging to form a firm bar? I'll check up on stearic acid. Learning everyday

 

[AZ Soaper]

What about adding E-Wax and steric and making an emulzified scrub? Just a thought.

 

[AZ Soaper]

OOPS! Just looked down further and there is an emulsified scrub recipe below.

 

[LuanaGirl]

I found that if I could get the scrub bars that I made with baking soda and cream of tartar thoroughly dry - I but them in the dehydrator for an hour and then placed them in a zip lock bag with all the air out - the bars were more firm. I'm going to try again this week with Hawaiian sea salt.