Lotion Bars w EOs Arrowroot

[AliOop]

@cmzaha yes, those were your molds, and they are darling! They are scented with a delicious mix of your FOs: Mokolata (which I love by itself) + Frosted Cupcakes (which smells like caramel popcorn to me). They smell and look edible, like a white chocolate candy.

I don't mind arrowroot but would love to experiment with IPM; what percentage do you suggest for lotion bars? I also have some BTMS 50 but am saving it for my shampoo and conditioner syndet bars.

 

[cmzaha]

BTMS is Behentrimonium Methosulfate which is an ingredient in BTMS 50 and 25 Emulsifier used in hair conditioners and lotions. It gives a powdery feel to lotions. The drawback to BTMS is the fishy smell especially if it is overheated. I do not like powders of any type in balms because they do not always dissolve completely, in fact very seldom, and end up on the bottom of the balm. Also if the balm picks up any humidity the powders, clays can mold. Yes, I have had that happen. My only exception to my own rule is the bum butter I used to make contained Kaolin to help contain the moisture from diaper rash. I just happen to love the feel of IPM which happens to feel a lot like silicones in balms. It adds slip, glides and no grease. Think mineral oil with no petroleum, but then mineral oil does not bother me but IPM has better label appeal. Of course, who would want to use highly refined petroleum-based products such as vaseline.

When working with BTMS I highly suggest melting it after melting your other oils and waxes then add in the BTMS 50 or 25 so you do not overheat it. I have found if it overheats to badly it is very difficult to impossible to get rid of the fishy odor.

 

[TashaBird]

BTMS is Behentrimonium Methosulfate which is an ingredient in BTMS 50 and 25 Emulsifier used in hair conditioners and lotions. It gives a powdery feel to lotions. The drawback to BTMS is the fishy smell especially if it is overheated. I do not like powders of any type in balms because they do not always dissolve completely, in fact very seldom, and end up on the bottom of the balm. Also if the balm picks up any humidity the powders, clays can mold. Yes, I have had that happen. My only exception to my own rule is the bum butter I used to make contained Kaolin to help contain the moisture from diaper rash. I just happen to love the feel of IPM which happens to feel a lot like silicones in balms. It adds slip, glides and no grease. Think mineral oil with no petroleum, but then mineral oil does not bother me but IPM has better label appeal. Of course, who would want to use highly refined petroleum-based products such as vaseline.

When working with BTMS I highly suggest melting it after melting your other oils and waxes then add in the BTMS 50 or 25 so you do not overheat it. I have found if it overheats to badly it is very difficult to impossible to get rid of the fishy odor.

Well, crap. I love the way the arrowroot makes them feel, and I've already made them. Now I'm worried about mold?! I put in the instructions to keep them dry and in a cool place. hopefully they'll be used up by summer.

IPM looks like a liquid, yes? And, you said it can help reduce the greasy feeling, or it helps with glide? But, there's no water in it, correct? Is the alcohol drying?

 

[violets2217]

So... I'm going to make some lotion bars,

Well, crap. I love the way the arrowroot makes them feel, and I've already made them. Now I'm worried about mold?! I put in the instructions to keep them dry and in a cool place. hopefully they'll be used up by summer.

does your arrowroot sink to the bottom?

 

[TashaBird]

So... I'm going to make some lotion bars,

does your arrowroot sink to the bottom?

It doesn’t, I pour mine at about 150 and stir every third pour or so, the batter looks the same at the last one as the first.

 

[AliOop]

IPM looks like a liquid, yes? And, you said it can help reduce the greasy feeling, or it helps with glide? But, there's no water in it, correct? Is the alcohol drying?

I've only used IPM in lotions, and it is not drying at all. It actually feels very silky and helps with skin penetration. Planning to give it a try in lotion bars once I figure out the right percentage.

ETA: not a water-based product; it goes into the oil phase. Here is a link to Humblebee's info about it. EWG rates it as a 1 or 2, if I remember correctly. It can be comedogenic so it's probably not great for face creams.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Isopropyl Myristate

@TashaBird thank you, I also prefer weight rather than volume measurements, so it really helps to have a starting percentage to work with! Here are the ones I made yesterday, which will go into a gift box with a soap, shower steamer, and bath bomb. View attachment 52367

Those look awesome!

I’m super happy with where my process landed today. I had to give them a slight trim. But the muffin paper expands just enough to get stuck under the rim of the tin. Then the lotion bar pops in and out easy, and the muffin paper stays in place.
now I’m waiting for more cocoa butter. I ran out. Next time I’m getting the deodorized though!
I ordered the silver tins, but they were back ordered. I got the rose gold instead, they’re growing on me.

Wow those look fantastic.

 

[violets2217]

I went and made some lotion bars because well, I ordered 5 pounds of organic unrefined Shea butter.... I tried a wee bit of arrowroot powder and I guess we’ll see how I feel about them tomorrow! They look pretty though. Just small little pretties. Not even 3/4 of an ounce. Also... I did not realize unrefined Shea butter was soooo yellow!

 

[cmzaha]

IPM is liquid and does not contain alcohol. It is a synthetic oil
@violets2217 not all unrefined shea is yellow. It can run the gamut from pale beige to yellow. While some here will dispute this the color is also enhanced at times with some botanicals including chili peppers. The yellow bulk shea I would purchase which came straight from villages in Ghana many times included chili peppers. The Beige shea never contained peppers. Also, there were times the box would be labeled Kpangnan butter but it would be yellow shea butter.

Also sometimes you will think the clay is dissolved to find later on it actually is settled on the bottom. Clays and powders are usually not oil soluble. Also do not use them in water-based lotions. Either Ann Marie or Humblebee has a couple of lotion recipes using clays or arrowroot powder, sorry I do remember which, they will grow mold and other uglies. I was sure they would and had to test it. I think it was a Soap Queen lotion. It grew all kinds of colorful stuff.

 

[violets2217]

which came straight from villages in Ghana

Wouldn’t you know it... that is where my Shea butter is from...

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I’ve also started ‘curing’ my lotion bars. While the Arrowroot cuts down on the ‘greasy’ feeling, it’s not enough or fast enough if your trying to do crafts (according to my test groups). So last month one of my crafting groups had a small get-together (our first in eight months) and I brought along a box of my Bars to give away since I was going to have to reformulate. A short time later I was asked what changes I had made to my recipe, that it was so much better. I hadn’t done anything...I just wrapped the bars in coffee filters, put them in the tins, boxed it up and stuck it on the shelf in my garage. Until I make another batch, I can’t be sure if the change is because of time, because of the coffee filters, or a combination of both. Just a thought to consider.

I realize this is a bit of a sidebar in this thread, but I’m interested in this concept of curing. Do your bars get harder as they cure? I happened across a post by @DeeAnna from earlier this year (?) where I believe she suggested that it takes a few days for lotion bars to set properly. I’ve been working on a recipe and it seems like the bars from a series of test batches have been getting harder every day for over a week.

 

[cmzaha]

I also let lotion cure for at least a week as I also do with my deodorant bars. I find lotion and deo bars can weep if you do not let them air cure for several days.

 

[cmzaha]

Wouldn’t you know it... that is where my Shea butter is from...

Most shea is, but a lot of shea when it comes over here is remelted, strained and re-packaged.

 

[TheGecko]

I realize this is a bit of a sidebar in this thread, but I’m interested in this concept of curing. Do your bars get harder as they cure? I happened across a post by @DeeAnna from earlier this year (?) where I believe she suggested that it takes a few days for lotion bars to set properly. I’ve been working on a recipe and it seems like the bars from a series of test batches have been getting harder every day for over a week.

Yes, and less ‘greasy’. But as I noted earlier, I’m not really sure if it was time, the coffee filters or a combination of both. And I forgot that I did replace some of the Cocoa Butter with Kokum Butter (cheaper than deodorized CB).

I also want to try refrigerating until completely solid. I have a large that I poured some extra mixture that I had left over and then just tossed the tin in the frig, this was original recipe. It got pushed to the very back under a drawer and I didn’t find it for a couple of months (honestly, I clean out my frig, but only deep clean a few times a year). So anyhoo, I found and stuck it next to my knitting area and it stayed solid all summer long...even with minimal A/C (we only run it when it hits 90F outside).

So I think I will run some test batches this weekend:

Batch 1) Original Recipe - Put in the frig to set up, unmold. Half will go into a ziplock bag and stored inside, the other half will go into a bag and back in the frig for a month.

Batch 2) Modified Recipe #1 (arrowroot) - Put in the frig to set up, unmold. One half will go into tins w/coffee filter and half of those will stay in the house and the other in the garage. The other half will go into tins by themselves and half of those in the house and half in the garage.

Batch 3) Modified Recipe #1 (arrowroot and Kokum Butter) - Same set up as Batch 2.

I’m not going to waste scent, but I will add a tiny amount of mica to each batch since certain people in my house have a tendency to move things around without thought. Then I will make 30 small rounds of each batch and number each halves’ round 1 thru 15 (weeks), which I think will be more than enough time tosee what is what.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I also let lotion cure for at least a week as I also do with my deodorant bars. I find lotion and deo bars can weep if you do not let them air cure for several days.

My series of a few bars each with increasing % beeswax are sitting on parchment paper with another piece of parchment paper on top. They’re getting air, but hopefully no dust. What do you think weeps? My test bars are unscented except for the scent of the cocoa butter.

 

[DeeAnna]

I haven't been following this thread real close, but since MobjackBay "rang my doorbell", I'll chime in. I like to give any lotion or lotion bar or deodorant or lip balm at least a day of "curing" before testing it, preferably several days.

If I test right away, the skin feel is greasier and the firmer products seem to melt easier. After a few days, the skin feel is usually less greasy feeling. Firm products are a wee bit less melty on the skin and feel a bit more firm in the tube.

The differences in firmness and melty-ness are not huge, but I think the difference in skin feel can mean the difference between "I really like it" and "meh" or "no way."

 

[cmzaha]

My series of a few bars each with increasing % beeswax are sitting on parchment paper with another piece of parchment paper on top. They’re getting air, but hopefully no dust. What do you think weeps? My test bars are unscented except for the scent of the cocoa butter.

I find the liquid oils and/or fragrance weep. I mention this because even my unscented deo bars will weep. As for my deo bars I think it takes a few days for the MH to absorb the liquid oils, and they are the biggest culprit at the weeping, but I do have issues with lip balm flavoring weeping if I do not let them sit lightly covered to air dry.

 

[Feelin' Soapy]

I love the idea of making lotion bars and want to give them a try. Do they store well at room temperature or should they be refrigerated? How 'bout during the summer months?

The recipe I'm planning to use calls for equal parts coconut oil, beeswax, and a butter. I'm trying to decide whether to make them with cocoa, shea, mango or kokum butter. Which do you think is best?

 

[violets2217]

Deleted

 

[violets2217]

I'm trying to decide whether to make them with cocoa, shea, mango or kokum butter.

I made the ones above with Shea butter. I have always liked Shea butter, but kokum is pretty cool! I got it for some hair paste or something for my son's hair and ended up using the rest of it in a lotion bar and a soap. The lotion was a little shiny (good for the hair product), not really greasy, but glossy... it was a good lotion bar otherwise!