Lotion Bar - More colors required

[hoegarden]

I do not know what is a lotion bar until I join SMF.

How does it feels like using a lotion bar? It sounds like something that is going to be real thick and sticky. The way to make it seems similar to doing lip balm (i google it). I always find balm sticky. :roll:

I do my own body moisturiser. But as preservatives items are ban from purchase here, my moisturiser do not last long. I won't dare to use it for too long either.

The next thing that seems rationale will be a lotion bar. Any more insights on this?

 

[Shannon_m]

I love my lotion bar. I'm not a lotion fan, but I don't really use it as a lotion bar either. I do rub it on my hands, but mostly I use it like a solid perfume bar. It's not sticky, it's actually quite nice!

 

[hoegarden]

I saw online that mostly the formula call for 1 part oil, 1 part butter and 1 part beeswax.

So, are the measurements in weight or volume?

 

[green soap]

Weight, but in this case it makes little difference as your components have similar densities. Much easier to weigh bees wax than to measure its volume though! same for the butters.

We just started making / using lotion bars and love them.

 

[hoegarden]

Is butter a must in all recipe?

Anybody tried add menthol crystal in to the lotion bar?

 

[DeeAnna]

...sounds like something that is going to be real thick and sticky....

It can be, but it doesn't have to. In my opinion, a lotion bar and a lip balm are basically the same thing, just packaged differently. A common formula for this type of product, like you said, is about 1/3 brittle oil (beeswax, carnauba, etc), 1/3 hard oil (firm at room temp -- coconut oil, shea butter, mango butter, etc), and 1/3 liquid oil (fluid at room temp -- soy, almond, etc). But your recipe can have just a brittle oil and liquid oil if you prefer.

The oils you choose are important. If you don't want a sticky feel, you might not want to use castor, olive, or other liquid oil that you perceive as heavy and greasy. Instead, try lighter oils that tend to sink into the skin, such as fractionated coconut, jojoba, apricot, etc.

If you use a firm oil (butter), choose one with the same goal in mind. For example, shea butter tends to be very popular, but it is heavy and greasy. A butter with a lighter feel such as cocoa butter or an astringent butter like mango might be a better choice.

Once you choose the ingredients, play with the proportions to give the texture and melting point you want.

My winter recipe does not have any firm oil in it, just beeswax and liquid oils. I used about 1/3 beeswax, 1/3 sunflower oil, and 1/3 jojoba. I added a small amount of red mandarine and rosemary verbenon essential oils to give a faint citrus highlight to the beeswax scent.

For winter use, this formula is fine -- it is protective, but does not feel waxy or sticky to me. For a balm/lotion for summer, I will probably increase the amount of beeswax, maybe use jojoba and apricot, and possibly add a butter with a higher melting point, such as cocoa or mango. I would be wanting a product that is less likely to melt in the summer heat and will have a dry, light skin feel.

As always, YYMV! :grin:

--DeeAnna

 

[hoegarden]

Thats very help DeeAnna. I live in Asia, and there is no winter in my country. Thus, I am very concern about the lotion bar being sticky.

What are other oils that you will consider it as light?

 

[DeeAnna]

What are other oils that you will consider it as light?

What oils do you have on hand? Maybe that would be the best place to start.

--DeeAnna

 

[DeeAnna]

According to the information I've collected, some lighter feeling oils would be apricot, camelia, grapeseed, hemp, jojoba, meadowfoam, pecan, pumpkin seed, rice bran, safflower, watermelon, squalane, rosehip, and fractionated coconut.

I do not have personal experience with all of these -- just jojoba, hemp, meadowfoam, rosehip, and fractionated coconut.

Hemp has a distinctive odor that might be objectionable if used on the lips or face, but that is just my reaction to it. YMMV. I think the rosehip is a little too heavy at 100%, but it is pleasant when diluted -- I like a blend of 20% rosehip and 80% jojoba. The others would be good choices up to 100% of the liquid oils, in my opinion.

Of the butters, I might try babassu, cocoa butter, or mango butter. I think shea would be too heavy and greasy for what you want.

--DeeAnna

 

[lillybella]

How about using tapioca flour?

 

[hoegarden]

I have quite a number of oils on hand. Avocado, apricot, jojoba, hazelnut, macadamia, olive, rice bran, cocoa butter, shea butter and mango butter.

Is butter a must in lotion bar. I see that all formula calls for it..

Lillibella, how do we add tapioca flour? What is it for?

 

[lillybella]

Tapioca Flour is used so there is no stickiness. It makes the lotion bar more silky smooth. Soap Queen uses it in her lotion bars. I will look for the link.

 

[DeeAnna]

Is butter a must in lotion bar. I see that all formula calls for it...

Um, no, not all recipes. As I said before, the recipe I am currently using does NOT have any butters and it is fine. Just increase the percentage of brittle oil (wax) somewhat to compensate for not using any firm oils (butters).

As far as tapioca flour or corn starch -- they will increase the firmness a bit and definitely reduce the greasiness as lillybella said. Good idea -- I'd forgotten about that.

I tried a gram or two of corn starch in 100 grams of a trial recipe and found the lotion bar had a more powdery, drier feel. I didn't care for the powdery feel on my lips, but it was fine on my hands and body. Just might be me.

Really, you have a nice selection of oils on hand. Try an experiment with a 50 to 100 grams using a recipe that appeals to you, and see what works best for your climate and your skin.

Start with a minimum amount of wax and/or butter in your trial recipe. When the recipe ingredients are melted, put a drop of the lotion on a cool surface. Let the drop cool to room temperature. Evaluate the firmness -- not firm enough? Or is it too hard? Next, rub a bit on your skin or lips to evaluate the feel or texture. If needed, tweak the recipe by adding more wax and/or butter. Evaluate another cooled drop. And so on...

--DeeAnna

 

[hoegarden]

Hi fellow soapies, thanks for all the ideas... i have tried out the lotion bar today. As i am stingy by nature, i use a very small recipe.

15Gm beeswax, 15gm cocoa butter, 5ml jojoba oil and 10ml apricot oil. The mixture fix in 6 little cavities of my mini silicone tray. The lotion bar came out tough n seem to take a while to be rub on..

Feels abit geasy at first, my feel oki when the oil is absorb.. i will continue to observe how my skin reacting to it.

Will proceed to try with the starch n powder next time..