Lotion bar recipe question

[DeeAnna]

Hi DeeAnna, I would like to try this version of the lotion bar, but am wondering if there is a substitute for the lanolin that you might recommend for our vegan friends? I was wondering maybe Babassu oil?

Babassu is closer to coconut oil from what I've gathered. I'd probably omit the lanolin or give thought to using mineral oil. Yeah, I know there's an "ick" factor about mineral oil ... but it has some of the same benefits as lanolin -- proven to be very effective at soothing and softening dry skin with a long effective life when applied to the skin.

 

[Kiti Williams]

I'm available here as a tester and think it's best to send me as many bars as you can, you know, for research purposes.
Lanolin is on my list.

And your address is.....

 

[Carly B]

Has anyone tried cerebellum wax? I have lots of that but no beeswax.

I am assuming you mean cera bellina wax. I have used it, I have also used candelilla wax for my vegan friends. I don't remember anything specific about the lotion bar, but it turned out fine. I know you use a lot less candelilla wax than beeswax. Cera bellina has a base of beeswax, so if I remember correctly, you use the same amount as you would of beeswax. Cera bellina is also really nice in lip balm.

 

[Carly B]

I decided to go off the rails today, and I made a bunch of lotion bars with tallow, apricot kernal oil, and beeswax, with a smidge of arrowroot powder and BTMS 25. Scented with Scent Memory's Whispers in the Library, which has become my go-to scent for soap, perfume, wax tarts, etc. They are hardening now, but I tried some of the remnants after I poured them, and it felt really luxurious. I asked hubby if he could smell tallow in them, and he said no, so I'm eager for them to firm up so I can try them.

 

[Gaisy59]

I am assuming you mean cera bellina wax. I have used it, I have also used candelilla wax for my vegan friends. I don't remember anything specific about the lotion bar, but it turned out fine. I know you use a lot less candelilla wax than beeswax. Cera bellina has a base of beeswax, so if I remember correctly, you use the same amount as you would of beeswax. Cera bellina is also really nice in lip balm.

Awesome thanks! And yes cera bellina is what i meant…i never get it right

 

[dmcgee5034]

I add mica but also a tiny amount. I want it to distinguish lotion bars with different fragrance. My batch makes 9 lotion bars. The mica colors the bars but doesn't really disolve fully. It is very easy for the mica to settle at the bottom of the container with the last lotion bar having uneven color and mica spots. I try for less than 1/8 tsp, use a tiny spoon called a "pinch".

What about mixing it with a smidge of the liquid oils before adding to the batch?

 

[DeeAnna]

@lucycat -- What dmcgee5034 said, and also you will need to keep stirring the mixture as you pour the liquid into your molds.

Mica is a fine powder that will not dissolve. The mica particles will always want to settle if mixed into a liquid like the melted lotion bar fats. So the only way to keep mica suspended is to stir, stir, stir. And even then you may find the bottoms of the lotion bars may have a little more mica color than the tops of the bars

 

[Feelin' Soapy]

I add mica but also a tiny amount. I want it to distinguish lotion bars with different fragrance. My batch makes 9 lotion bars. The mica colors the bars but doesn't really disolve fully. It is very easy for the mica to settle at the bottom of the container with the last lotion bar having uneven color and mica spots. I try for less than 1/8 tsp, use a tiny spoon called a "pinch".

I add my mica to the liquid oils and the fragrance, and give it a whizz with a mini-mixer. I whizz it again before I add the mix to the melted beeswax and hard oils. It seems to stay mixed pretty well this way.

 

[lucycat]

@lucycat -- What dmcgee5034 said, and also you will need to keep stirring the mixture as you pour the liquid into your molds.

Mica is a fine powder that will not dissolve. The mica particles will always want to settle if mixed into a liquid like the melted lotion bar fats. So the only way to keep mica suspended is to stir, stir, stir. And even then you may find the bottoms of the lotion bars may have a little more mica color than the tops of the bars

Thanks; I don't make them often and I do try to stir after pouring a couple but I guess I need to stir more.

 

[lucycat]

A story; not about lotion bars but about wax.
I broke my wrist a long time ago and at the start of rehab I would dip my hand/wrist in a vat of parafin a few times and then it was wrapped. The heat was wonderful before starting exercises. It was winter and one day when I dipped my hand in the parafin there was static electricity and I was shocked. Natually my reaction was to pull my hand out quickly and that meant parafin wax over my clothes the floor and scattered about 6 feet from where I was standing. A giant mess the lab techs had to clean and so much wax on my clothes they were trash.

I think I always remember the mess when I am working with wax and extra stirring I probably avoid.

 

[Christa10]

Babassu is closer to coconut oil from what I've gathered. I'd probably omit the lanolin or give thought to using mineral oil. Yeah, I know there's an "ick" factor about mineral oil ... but it has some of the same benefits as lanolin -- proven to be very effective at soothing and softening dry skin with a long effective life when applied to the skin.

Thanks for the info. I might try a small batch with mineral oil and see. I'm in Southern California and many customers prefer no animal products, so no tallow, lard, etc. I always read how great those ingredients are and would try but my customers wouldn't buy.

 

[user 58006]

For balm I was thinking about adding

candelilla wax
Shea butter
Cocoa butter
Hemp seed oil
Rice bran oil
Vitamin e

Possibly adding green tea extract .

I was wondering if adding aloe juice to it would make the balm go bad ? If not I’ll add aloe butter ?

candelilla wax
Shea butter
Cocoa butter
Aloe butter
Hemp seed oil
Green tea extract
Vitamin e

 

[AliOop]

I was wondering if adding aloe juice to it would make the balm go bad ?

Yes, it definitely will. Once you add any water-based product, you must add a preservative (and an emulsifier).

Aloe vera juice is particularly difficult to preserve due to all the electrolytes it contains.

 

[user 58006]

Yes, it definitely will. Once you add any water-based product, you must add a preservative (and an emulsifier).

Aloe vera juice is particularly difficult to preserve due to all the electrolytes it contains.

Aloe butter would be the safe choice . I think it’s made out of coconut oil .

Would that be an issue ?

Also green tea extract good without preservatives?

 

[user 58006]

Yes, it definitely will. Once you add any water-based product, you must add a preservative (and an emulsifier).

Aloe vera juice is particularly difficult to preserve due to all the electrolytes it contains.

Preservative with aloe butter ?

Green tea extract good with no preservatives?

 

[AliOop]

Preservative with aloe butter ?

Green tea extract good with no preserved ?

If your extract contains water, or is supposed to be dispersed in water, it will need a preservative. This describes many botanical extracts, unfortunately. Aloe butter shouldn't need a preservative because it doesn't contain any water and isn't dispersible in water. However, you should read the ingredient description to be sure.

 

[user 58006]

If your extract contains water, or is supposed to be dispersed in water, it will need a preservative. This describes many botanical extracts, unfortunately. Aloe butter shouldn't need a preservative because it doesn't contain any water and isn't dispersible in water. However, you should read the ingredient description to be sure.

Awesome - thank you .

I have never made a balm . So I also like to chat on here before really buying everything . I will read up on everything while choose my ingredients .

Thanks for your time

 

[AliOop]

Awesome - thank you .

I have never made a balm . So I also like to chat on here before really buying everything . I will read up on everything while choose my ingredients .

Thanks for your time

I love your commitment to researching and learning. Folks here have always been helpful to me in my "making" journey, so it's nice when I can pay it forward. Please do let us know how your balm turns out!

 

[Zing]

For balm I was thinking about adding

candelilla wax
Shea butter
Cocoa butter
Hemp seed oil
Rice bran oil
Vitamin e

Possibly adding green tea extract .

I was wondering if adding aloe juice to it would make the balm go bad ? If not I’ll add aloe butter ?

candelilla wax
Shea butter
Cocoa butter
Aloe butter
Hemp seed oil
Green tea extract
Vitamin e

Hey, Mike! I love to make lotion bars. Rice bran oil feels great on the skin. I like hemp seed too. The brand I have has a distinct odor that I like, but some friends don't. I use vitamin E oil at 1%.

Mike, you didn't ask for feedback on your recipe, so take this for what it's worth. I don't know what quantity you are making. I make small batches at a time. For me, for small quantities, I find the fewer ingredients the better. Several ingredients means a lot of fuss and muss. I use 1/3 each of a wax, a butter, an oil. It's easy to tweak because I can identify which ingredient I need more or less of.

Keep us posted on how it goes! I know it's getting colder here because my skin keeps me updated.

 

[user 58006]

Hey, Mike! I love to make lotion bars. Rice bran oil feels great on the skin. I like hemp seed too. The brand I have has a distinct odor that I like, but some friends don't. I use vitamin E oil at 1%.

Mike, you didn't ask for feedback on your recipe, so take this for what it's worth. I don't know what quantity you are making. I make small batches at a time. For me, for small quantities, I find the fewer ingredients the better. Several ingredients means a lot of fuss and muss. I use 1/3 each of a wax, a butter, an oil. It's easy to tweak because I can identify which ingredient I need more or less of.

Keep us posted on how it goes! I know it's getting colder here because my skin keeps me updated.

I have my first 2 here .

I think I might have gotten my ratio wrong . But I will see these before changing . I’m going a 1:5 ratio with plant based candelilla wax .

Lavender scent .

One I used Cocoa Butter Organic ( left side ), Other I used Cocoa Butter Deoderized (right side)
- I want to compare essential oil scent and also colour
- Trying to get balm looking as white as possible
- (Right side) Also one I used the Candelilla Wax full as a replacement for BeeWax ( same ratio as putting beeswax)
- (Left Side) I use half the amount of Candelilla Wax as suggested on the internet .

Tomorrow there will be a full update .

As for now just making 2 oz batch just to fill my test tins .

But after that I would like to make 50 to 100 at a time .

If you could help me out with ratios to try that would be awesome . I’m so new to this. Experimentation is the game plan .

Winter is here !

Thanks for your time .