i made lotion!!!

[krissy]

i have never made it before and had no idea how the process worked but i found a recipe online and thought i can do this. so i did!!

now i have a few questions...if i wanted to take the same recipe and turn it into a cream would i add more beeswax?

will it go bad if i dont keep it in the fridge since it was an experiment and i dont have any preservatives? it is mostly made of OO.

how much FO should i add to 3 cups of lotion to scent it without overpowering myself?

 

[SimplyE]

You absolutely need a preserve because with the water added, it will go bad. I have heard of people storing their personal in the fridge, but not for very long, maybe only a week, I think.

I am not an expert on lotions, by any means, but I have never used beeswax in my lotion. I would start by decreasing your liquid to make it a cream. Best to get a preserve though, otherwise, you are going to make creams that will not last. :wink:

I forgot to add...CONGRATS on your lotion! They are so much fun to mess with!!!

 

[busymammaof3]

Yes. You definitely need a broad spectrum (paraben free) preservative for any o/w lotion base you make. It will only last about a week in the fridge. I use Germall Plus Powder. It works very well with lotion and cream formulas. If you are wanting to make a "stiffer" cream instead of a thin lotion consistency...you adjust the percentages of water and emulsifying wax. Decrease the water percentage and increase the emulsifying wax percentage. Hope that helps!

 

[lovetosoap]

If you used beeswax, it has a shelf life of 3-6 months. Beeswax is a natural preservative.

I use beeswax and lecithin, do not use a preservative and have never had any problems. I do make my lotions in small batches so I can use it up before 3 months. I have been making my own lotions and creams for approxiately 10 years.
.
If I were selling my lotions though, I would use a preservative because you do not know how long someone will keep the product on their shelf.

Janice Cox, a chemist, has been making her own cosmetics since she was a child. She has written three very good books and has her own web site.
These books are a good place to start if you are trying to learn how to make lotions and creams as natural as possible.

Just a suggestion, Three cups of lotion is a lot if your are making for yourself and using only beeswax. I make about 8-10 ounces at a time.

Also, olive oil is a bit heavy and not used very often because some people are prone to developing acne with it. I use either grapeseed oil or almond oil as these are much lighter. To cut back on greasiness, I add a tablespoon of cornstarch to 8 oz of lotion.

To make a cream, I would cut back on the amount of water I use. And as I mentioned before, Janice Coxs books have excellent recipes to try. Mater of fact, a lot of these beeswax and cream recipes you get off of the internet are taken from her books.

 

[lovetosoap]

http://www.janicecox.com/pilot.asp?pg=about


Here is Janice Coxs web page. This is a good place to get started if trying to learn how to make lotions and creams using beeswax.