Anyone want to talk formulation of in shower lotion bars using an emulsifier? I want to make some and not sure what %s I should start out with. I really like the lush in shower lotion bars and want to make the same for myself. I was thinking for hardness I'd use coco butter or kokum butter, a soft oil, some IPM, E wax, and fragrance oil. I feel like bees wax would make it draggy with the inclusion of wet skin. Wanted to ask you all what your experiences are if you are willing to share. Trying to not waste raw material during my experimental phase....lol. Thanks in advance for your input.
In Shower Lotion Bar
- Thread starter Midwitch
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Cross-stitch gal
Member
You got me thinking and looking around! I might be interested in trying this one, although I think I'd cut down the recipe especially at first. Here's the one I found that I might try...
https://lydioutloud.com/diy-lotion-bars
https://lydioutloud.com/diy-lotion-bars
@Cross-stitch gal -- The recipe you suggested doesn't include an emulsifier. There's nothing wrong with that type of product, but Midwitch was asking about an emulsifying lotion bar. When you rub an emulsifying bar over your wet skin, it dissolves and mixes with water to form a true lotion.
The emulsifying lotion bar I've been using for awhile is based on the following recipe. I use it as a leave-on hair conditioner to ease combing and add a little shine and also as a light skin lotion. I couldn't tell you how it compares to the Lush products -- haven't ever used 'em.
It makes a fairly hard bar that lasts a long time. If you wanted it softer, you could use more liquid fats and less solid. And/or you could reduce the cetyl alcohol percentage. I like it for summertime use, but I think for wintertime dry skin, a traditional lotion applied after drying off is more soothing and conditioning.
The emulsifying lotion bar I've been using for awhile is based on the following recipe. I use it as a leave-on hair conditioner to ease combing and add a little shine and also as a light skin lotion. I couldn't tell you how it compares to the Lush products -- haven't ever used 'em.
It makes a fairly hard bar that lasts a long time. If you wanted it softer, you could use more liquid fats and less solid. And/or you could reduce the cetyl alcohol percentage. I like it for summertime use, but I think for wintertime dry skin, a traditional lotion applied after drying off is more soothing and conditioning.
| Liquid fats | 36% |
| Solid fats | 40% |
| Hemisqualane (silicone alternative) | 2% |
| Conditioning emulsifier (generic BTMS 25) | 11% |
| Cetyl alcohol | 8.5% |
| Preservative (Phenonip or Liquid Germall Plus) | 0.5% |
| Fragrance | 2% |
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Cross-stitch gal
Member
I'm sorry. 
I think I was so excited to find what I found that I didn't pay attention to the actual detail she was looking for. Thank you for what you shared!
I think I was so excited to find what I found that I didn't pay attention to the actual detail she was looking for. Thank you for what you shared!
@Cross-stitch gal -- You seem to be a thoughtful, helpful person with a bubbly personality. You shared a good idea -- no harm in that!!
Thanks so much for sharing!!! I’ll give it a go with your recipe. Good idea on the cetyl alcohol too.
It's basically a regular type of lotion recipe ... just without the water. If you make regular lotions and have a recipe you like, that might also be a good springboard for a emulsifying lotion bar.
Another place to look for inspiration are the threads here about emulsifying facial scrubs. The base for these scrubs (by "base" I mean the lotion part before any scrubby sugar is added) is pretty much a soft paste of fat, emulsifier, and (sometimes) thickener. The differences between a paste product and a firm bar will be more liquid fat in the paste and more solid fat in the bar, as well as some tweaks to the amounts of emulsifier and thickener, both of which add hardness/firmness as you increase their percentages.
Here are a couple of threads on this topic to get you started --
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/emulsified-sugar-scrub-where-to-start.59775/https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/emulsifying-sugar-scrub-guidance.60629/
Another place to look for inspiration are the threads here about emulsifying facial scrubs. The base for these scrubs (by "base" I mean the lotion part before any scrubby sugar is added) is pretty much a soft paste of fat, emulsifier, and (sometimes) thickener. The differences between a paste product and a firm bar will be more liquid fat in the paste and more solid fat in the bar, as well as some tweaks to the amounts of emulsifier and thickener, both of which add hardness/firmness as you increase their percentages.
Here are a couple of threads on this topic to get you started --
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/emulsified-sugar-scrub-where-to-start.59775/https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/emulsifying-sugar-scrub-guidance.60629/
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I make a wet/dry hair conditioning bar that has cetyl alcohol and Incroquat (BMTS). I have noticed that my hands are very soft after using it. here is my recipe.
15g (30%) Cocoa Butter
15g (30%) Incroquat (BMTS)
10g (20%) cetyl alcohol
10g (20%) nourshing Oil of your choice. I like Argon oil.
Melt all of this in a double boiler, when all melted and mixed, add in 5 drops Vit E, and 3 drops Tea Tree oil.
I get a 50g bar out of this, approx 1 1/2 bars of the round flower molds seen here.
15g (30%) Cocoa Butter
15g (30%) Incroquat (BMTS)
10g (20%) cetyl alcohol
10g (20%) nourshing Oil of your choice. I like Argon oil.
Melt all of this in a double boiler, when all melted and mixed, add in 5 drops Vit E, and 3 drops Tea Tree oil.
I get a 50g bar out of this, approx 1 1/2 bars of the round flower molds seen here.
Here's another version I made earlier this week. I think these examples show how much variation on a theme there can be and still end up with a product that works. More fats = softer bar, more of an oily or greasy skin feel. More BTMS and cetyl = harder bar, more of a dry skin feel. I like more of a powdery skin feel after dry down, others prefer more of a dewy skin feel.
This version makes a slightly softer, more water soluble bar, so more product ends up on my skin and hair. I'd say it would be easy to overdo apply to hair (at least for my fine, wavy hair that gets weighed down easily with heavy products). Use a light touch if you want it as a hair conditioner. But this version feels nicer on my skin than the harder, less soluble version I shared earlier.
I use an emulsifying lotion bar a little differently than I think most people might. I don't like the idea of rubbing it over my wet skin and then toweling most of it off. Instead, I towel my skin damp -dry, lay my wet (not drippy -- just damp) washcloth flat on my palm, set the bar on the washcloth, and lightly rub my skin with the washcloth + bar combination. The washcloth adds just enough dampness to my skin so the lotion bar leaves a light film behind. No need for a towel afterwards.
Liquid oil ... 16%
Solid oil ... 12%
Hemisqualane ... 10%
BTMS ... 46%
Cetyl alcohol ... 11%
Preservative ... 0.5%
Panthenol (optional) ... 3%
Fragrance ... 1.5%
This version makes a slightly softer, more water soluble bar, so more product ends up on my skin and hair. I'd say it would be easy to overdo apply to hair (at least for my fine, wavy hair that gets weighed down easily with heavy products). Use a light touch if you want it as a hair conditioner. But this version feels nicer on my skin than the harder, less soluble version I shared earlier.
I use an emulsifying lotion bar a little differently than I think most people might. I don't like the idea of rubbing it over my wet skin and then toweling most of it off. Instead, I towel my skin damp -dry, lay my wet (not drippy -- just damp) washcloth flat on my palm, set the bar on the washcloth, and lightly rub my skin with the washcloth + bar combination. The washcloth adds just enough dampness to my skin so the lotion bar leaves a light film behind. No need for a towel afterwards.
Liquid oil ... 16%
Solid oil ... 12%
Hemisqualane ... 10%
BTMS ... 46%
Cetyl alcohol ... 11%
Preservative ... 0.5%
Panthenol (optional) ... 3%
Fragrance ... 1.5%
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