Lost in lotion bars

[Dreams]

Since I have 6 1 lb batches of CP soap under my belt and seem to over use the stick blender.I decided to give it a go at lotion bars. Test out soy wax in one and beeswax in other to get a feel for them. I have nothing to compare to since, never used one. Before I go any further sorry, for all the pics at the end,don't know how to insert where I want them and the unprofessional look of them....was for my only.. The top one has soy wax, coconut oil 76 and cocoa butter. Bottom has beeswax (pastilles white), coconut oil 76 and cocoa butter.. The soy wax didn't harden up over night. Only after I put in freezer for 20 minutes was able to unmold today. Room temp is 77F and it is really soft,dewy looking and melts quickly...The beeswax was ready to use after pour. It is hard and melts ok on skin. I would like to make less greasy feelin' so I would have to drop the coconut oil some or all together? The soy wax would need increased to help with hardness? I know won't make a hard bar but I have mush at 1/3..would like some advice on a recipe..the only other butter I have is Shea.I have soft oils of castor,olive oil,rice bran,grape seed, sunflower and aloe vera clear oil. Made dandelion oil out of pomace...anyhow want to try that also and see if good for aches and pains.. thank you for reading and any advice would be appreciated..

 

[Aromasuzie]

I can’t comment on the soy wax as I’ve never used it, but from other posts, some are harder than others. Your other recipe, I presume was 1/3 beeswax, 1/3 coconut, 1/3 cocoa butter? Coconut oil does make things feel greasy. I look at the melting points of your ingredients and work from there. I don’t like the stickiness of beeswax so I’ve been playing around with differing quantities of cocoa butter and rice bran wax. I’ve been increasing ingredients by 5% but now going for 10% changes. Have you looked at the humblebee and me website? She has some experiments where she just uses waxes and an oil to compare hardness and feel. Might be a good place to start.

 

[cmzaha]

I really like Cocoa butter in lotion bars although I admit to not loving lotion bars because they are always greasy IPM (Isopropyl Myristate) will help cut the greasy/oiliness. I also dislike beeswax because I find over time beeswax becomes sticky in lip balms and lotion bars/balms. I prefer Candelilla Wax or Carnauba Wax. As Aromasuzie mentioned RB wax is nice, so is Sunflower Wax or even Olive Wax. Olive Wax is very nice but a tad on the pricey side. You are being redirected...

 

[violets2217]

Olive Wax is very nice but a tad on the pricey side. You are being redirected...

That link just hurt my heart... it is rather expensive!!!
I made lotion bars for Christmas and they were pretty simple they were a somewhat even split between beeswax, cocoa butter, Shea butter & coconut oil. I did add a wee bit of arrowroot powder (a little over 2%) and that was a nice change. Not so greasy!

 

[Aromasuzie]

I've been playing around with proportions for my bars, which have 30% essential oils for musculo-skeletal conditions. They are poured into little stick containers so they can be rubbed onto the area without being absorbed into the hands. I'm happy on the feel, I would just like the recipe to be a little harder. The best way to learn is to work on the percentages of your ingredients until you are happy. Shea butter is also quite greasy feeling and slow to absorb into the skin. Rice bran oil and grapeseed oil are absorbed quickly into the skin and don't leave a greasy feeling. Powders do help a little with feel and IPM does too. Good luck with your experiments.

 

[Dreams]

I can’t comment on the soy wax as I’ve never used it, but from other posts, some are harder than others. Your other recipe, I presume was 1/3 beeswax, 1/3 coconut, 1/3 cocoa butter? Coconut oil does make things feel greasy. I look at the melting points of your ingredients and work from there. I don’t like the stickiness of beeswax so I’ve been playing around with differing quantities of cocoa butter and rice bran wax. I’ve been increasing ingredients by 5% but now going for 10% changes. Have you looked at the humblebee and me website? She has some experiments where she just uses waxes and an oil to compare hardness and feel. Might be a good place to start.

Yes 1/3 parts each.. thank you and I'll look into it

 

[Dreams]

I really like Cocoa butter in lotion bars although I admit to not loving lotion bars because they are always greasy IPM (Isopropyl Myristate) will help cut the greasy/oiliness. I also dislike beeswax because I find over time beeswax becomes sticky in lip balms and lotion bars/balms. I prefer Candelilla Wax or Carnauba Wax. As Aromasuzie mentioned RB wax is nice, so is Sunflower Wax or even Olive Wax. Olive Wax is very nice but a tad on the pricey side. You are being redirected...

Thank you, planning on buying different wades when can afford but trying to make due with what I have

 

[Dreams]

That link just hurt my heart... it is rather expensive!!!
I made lotion bars for Christmas and they were pretty simple they were a somewhat even split between beeswax, cocoa butter, Shea butter & coconut oil. I did add a wee bit of arrowroot powder (a little over 2%) and that was a nice change. Not so greasy!

Thank you ,need to look into arrowroot sometime but,trying to work with what I have for now or just move on to my next project bath bombs

 

[Dreams]

I've been playing around with proportions for my bars, which have 30% essential oils for musculo-skeletal conditions. They are poured into little stick containers so they can be rubbed onto the area without being absorbed into the hands. I'm happy on the feel, I would just like the recipe to be a little harder. The best way to learn is to work on the percentages of your ingredients until you are happy. Shea butter is also quite greasy feeling and slow to absorb into the skin. Rice bran oil and grapeseed oil are absorbed quickly into the skin and don't leave a greasy feeling. Powders do help a little with feel and IPM does too. Good luck with your experiments.

Thank you very much for responding ,might put this on back burner till I read more about natural powders to cut greasy feeling and move on to next project making bath bombs mold came in so going to read and make one see how that goes

 

[AliOop]

Thank you ,need to look into arrowroot sometime but,trying to work with what I have for now or just move on to my next project bath bombs

If you don't have any arrowroot starch in your kitchen, you can also use tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) or corn starch. Many people also use those starches in bath bombs so they are nice to have around.

Back to lotion bars, olive oil (regular or pomace) will be too heavy/non-aborbing, and castor will be too sticky. If you want to use the ingredients that you already have, try:

⅓ beeswax
⅓ cocoa butter
⅓ grapeseed (or a mix of mostly grapeseed with a little shea - my skin loves shea but YMMV).

Melt beeswax first, then add cocoa butter to that. If using shea, add that when cocoa butter has melted. Mix well and keep it on just enough heat to stay melted. If you have cornstarch available, blend a very small amount of that (maybe 1-2% of total recipe weight) into your grapeseed oil before adding that mixture to the melted oils.

 

[Quanta]

Am I the only one using 10 - 15% starch in mine? Everyone else seems to use a lot less.

 

[AliOop]

Am I the only one using 10 - 15% starch in mine? Everyone else seems to use a lot less.

If I add anything more than a very small percentage of starch, I can feel the grittiness and the starch drying on my skin.

 

[Dreams]

If you don't have any arrowroot starch in your kitchen, you can also use tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) or corn starch. Many people also use those starches in bath bombs so they are nice to have around.

Back to lotion bars, olive oil (regular or pomace) will be too heavy/non-aborbing, and castor will be too sticky.if you want to use the ingredients that you already have, try:

⅓ beeswax
⅓ cocoa butter
⅓ grapeseed (or a mix of mostly grapeseed with a little shea - my skin loves shea but YMMV).

Melt beeswax first, then add cocoa butter to that. If using shea, add that when cocoa butter has melted. Mix well and keep it on just enough heat to stay melted. If you have cornstarch available, blend a very small amount of that (maybe 1-2% of total recipe weight) into your grapeseed oil before adding that mixture to the melted oils.

Thank you for this,, I haven't tried lotion bars since this but, recently bought arrowroot powder and avacado oil and haven't been able to play with them yet...I will be trying this within next few days.. thank you for helping need all I can get

 

[Dreams]

If I add anything more than a very small percentage of starch, I can feel the grittiness and the starch drying on my skin.

Ps os there anything I can put in for my crepey skin

 

[AliOop]

Ps os there anything I can put in for my crepey skin

If you figure it out, let me know!

 

[Zing]

I don't know how I missed this thread because I"m a lotion bar fanatic. Any update on your recipe? My basic recipe is 1/3 each of beeswax, coconut oil, and a butter (shea or cocoa). The cool thing is if it is too hard or too oily, you can just melt it and adjust your ratios.
I do like to add meadowfoam or sweet almond for coconut oil.

 

[TashaBird]

Ps os there anything I can put in for my crepey skin

Dry brushing and tallow.

 

[Dreams]

Dry brushing and tallow.

I don't know how I missed this thread because I"m a lotion bar fanatic. Any update on your recipe? My basic recipe is 1/3 each of beeswax, coconut oil, and a butter (shea or cocoa). The cool thing is if it is too hard or too oily, you can just melt it and adjust your ratios.
I do like to add meadowfoam or sweet almond for coconut oil.

No sir, no update Im hoping to have time tomorrow. I did like the beeswax, coconut oil and cocoa butter one I did but have to work on what happened in pic 3 and getting it to melting alittle easier on skin,I was procrastinating till I got the arrowroot and avacado oil..so going to melt my disasters down and play sometime within the next few days so I'm sure I'll be posting for more help and what the heck did I do wrong stay tuned,

 

[Dreams]

Dry brushing and tallow.

.. never heard..sounds lil painful willing to try anything a suggestion on a brush and please don't say wire have a remedy for wrinkles?

 

[earlene]

.. never heard..sounds lil painful willing to try anything a suggestion on a brush and please don't say wire have a remedy for wrinkles?

Dry brushing is done gently with a (natural fiber) dry brush on the surface of healthy dry skin. Some use a firm brush, but I think it really depends on your skin type, sensitivity and so forth. No pain should be involved. Skin that tears easily should not be exposed to dry brushing, however. And one should first consult a dermatologist if any skin lesions are present on the skin and avoid damaged and highly sensitive areas as well.

Bathing after the dry brushing will remove any dead skin cells loosened by the brushing. Moisturizing after bathing is a choice one can make to help re-hydrate the skin. BUT, nutrition is another factor that should not be forgotten. Eating a healthy diet that includes antioxidants and omega-3's, necessary vitamins, in addition to dark leafy greens, intensely colored fruits (red, orange & blues), and nuts and beans if tolerated will help maintain and improve skin health. Sometimes consulting a dietician can help choose the best dietary course. Avoiding skin damage from the sun (sunscreen & limiting exposure) and other activities or behaviors that damage the skin, like smoking, should also be a part of one's efforts to improve their skin health.

I know nothing of the use of tallow, other than I assume, it is applied instead of a lotion on the skin if the person has no aversion to tallow. Some people prefer a vegetable product. I prefer cocoa butter myself, but some people use coconut oil and others prefer olive oil.

Some people use sugar scrubs to exfoliate and re-hydrate the skin as well, and that can be done in the shower, which one may prefer to dry brushing. But again, internal nutrition should not be forgotten.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-truth-about-dry-brushing-and-what-it-does-for-you/