Lotion Bars

[misskat22]

Hey everyone, I have a great recipe for lotion bars (from soapqueen) it's beeswax, sweet almond oil, shea butter and cocoa butter, but my customers find it too soft (it's really nice on the skin but tends to melt a bit in the tin) so I was wondering if I could take out the shea, and just use cocoa butter? I know it would have more drag on the skin, which I personally wouldn't like..but it would give it the firmness that customers are looking for, right? Any help would be great, thanks!

 

[Genny]

I'd lower the sweet almond oil a bit, or up the cocoa butter. Or both.

 

[DeeAnna]

Lots of right answers to this one! Beeswax melts about 150-160 deg F. Cocoa butter melts about 100 deg F. Shea melts 89-95 deg F.

To get a melt point higher than what you already have, you need to first reduce or eliminate your almond oil. If needed, you could then add more beeswax and/or cocoa butter.

What about trying a small test batch of just the beeswax, cocoa butter and shea butter to start with? Put a drop or two of your melted lotion bar on your counter top or a cool ceramic dish. Let the lotion drop cool to room temp, then play around with it on your skin.

Does this mixture melt at the right point? Does it feel nice on your skin?

If it is too hard and draggy, add a small amount of almond and see how that changes the recipe.

If the test batch is to soft, add a bit of cocoa butter instead and check that. If still too soft, add a bit of beeswax or a bit more cocoa butter. See how the mixture feels different as you vary the proportions of ingredients.

 

[Shannon_m]

the cold spoon test works wonders as well. put a spoon (or a few) in the freezer before you start and when testing just take the cold spoon, dip it quickly in your batch and then rub it on your skin and see how it feels to you. Still not right? Add more hard oils, or less soft oils and test again.

 

[lizflowers42]

Try swapping your SA with hempseed oil...it feels drier on the skin, but has good moisturizing properties!

 

[DeeAnna]

Oh, and as you experiment, you could also pour a teaspoon or so of promising blends into small containers so you can evaluate the consistency "in the tin" after it hardens at room temp.

And keep good notes! When I get into my mad scientist mode, that can be my failing. When I find a blend that is perfect ... what 'n the heck did I do to make it??? :eh: --DeeAnna

 

[misskat22]

All great suggestions, thank you. The problem here is that *I* like the lotion bar I get from the original recipe. It's my customers that want a firmer bar. *sigh* here I go doing what drive my husband most crazy and try to please everyone again! I will definitely play around with it some and take notes! Thanks everyone

 

[Genny]

If you like it, try a different container instead. Maybe a tube?

 

[lizflowers42]

If you like it, try a different container instead. Maybe a tube?

I have been meaning to try a roll up deodorant bar type tube with my lotions. I'm cheap and I don't want to buy a sample one, so I'm going to throw one of my anti-perspirant containers in the dishwasher when it's gone. I'm thinking in theory it will still work-like a lip balm tube at least.

 

[LuvOurNewf]

Is there a need to add any preservative to a lotion bar?

Just wondering as I too made some a while back that were "soft" so I went on and dove headlong into CP soaps but want to try the lotion bars again. Didn't keep any from the batch I made to see how they looked after 6 months.

 

[paillo]

I use just butters and beeswax. My favorite recipe is Babassu oil, Cocoa and Illipe butters and beeswax. I make another with Mango,
Cocoa, Illipe & Avocado butters. I just play with the butter quantities until they're as firm as I want them to be - harder in the summer so they don't melt, softer in the winter. Love, love, love lotion bars, and they're so easy to make

 

[Genny]

Is there a need to add any preservative to a lotion bar?

As long as you don't add any water or water based ingredients to it (aloe, hydrosols, etc) then no, a preservative isn't necessary.

 

[DeeAnna]

I would also add if the balm is too soft for a tin, it will probably be too soft for a lip balm or deodorant container. A roll-up product needs to be reasonably solid in typical conditions -- a paste or salve consistency is too soft.

I use the "pocket test" -- if a balm doesn't stay reasonably firm in the warmth of my jeans pocket, it's not going to work well in a roll-up container and may even leak out of a non-water-tight container, such as a slide-top tin.

Maybe a little screw-top or snap-top container that is liquid tight?

 

[misskat22]

I ended up just reversing the amount of shea and cocoa, so ended up with more cocoa butter than shea butter and I'm happy with it. It's still nice and silky feeling on the skin and soaks in nice without feeling too heavy. Thank you all for your suggestions!

 

[rodeogal]

Paillo - Thank you for answering my unspoken question. I really like lotion bars, but since it is blistering hot in Oklahoma during the summer, I wondered about just making them 'stiffer' for now and back to my reqular recipe for the winter. Here we go!!