Lotion goes on with white streaks and draggy

[boondocker]

I made lotion using this recipe:

18 oz. Distilled Water
1.2 oz. Shea Butter
1.7 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
1 oz. Avocado Oil
1.2 oz. Emulsifying Wax
1 oz. Stearic Acid
.2 oz. Phenonip
.1 oz. Fragrance

It goes on with white streaks and draggy. So, I read this, and wondered if what I am getting is the "soaping effect?"

swiftcraftymonkey says in her article:

First, let's take a look at the soaping effect. This is when your lotion goes on white and stays white on your skin for a bit. Why is this happening? It's saponification!

The fatty acids in the lotion, combined with an alkaline ingredient like triethanolamine or potassium hydroxide, create a soap, which acts as the emulsifier in your lotion. (A common combination is triethanolamine and stearic acid.) If you're using a stearate or oleate based emulsifier, you are bringing the water and oil together in your lotion by creating a soap, which is going to leave those white streaks when you apply it. This can happen when you're using stearic acid on its own.

How to get rid of it? Use a non-ionic emulsifier like Polawax, e-mulsifying wax, Lotionpro 165 or a cationic emulsifer like Incroquat BTMS-50. Avoid stearic acid. Or add dimethicone at 2% to 3%.

Cyclomethicone is another silicone, but it's not the same as dimethicone, so it won't get rid of the soaping effect in your products. It's not a direct replacement for dimethicone, but then again, nothing really is. (Yes, I know there are dimethicone replacements like bamboo isoflavones, but nothing really matches it for awesome-ness. Just like you can't find a replacement for kukui nut oil or babassu oil!)


She says to use Polawax or E-wax. I used E-wax NF (Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Polysorbate 60 from Lotioncrafter, so I think I met her criteria. I did use stearic acid. Is this something that needs to be avoided in order to keep from getting the "soaping effect?"

 

[cmzaha]

I get less soaping using Cetyl Alcohol as the thickener. As stated in your other thread you need a variety of emulsifiers, butters, thickeners and make small test batches. Chances are just one batch is not going to turn out just like you want. For instance my tucuma butter will produce a much thicker body butter than my cocobutter at the same useage. My avocado butter will be produce a less greasy lotion versus shea. Test test test

 

[kchaystack]

I would up your liquid oil amount, taking it from your water. I would also reduce the stearic acid a bit. Or change your thickener to cetyl alcohol as Carolyn suggested.

 

[DeeAnna]

"... I did use stearic acid. Is this something that needs to be avoided in order to keep from getting the "soaping effect?" ..."

I'd say the last paragraph of Susan's article puts it pretty clearly -- yeah, stearic acid adds to the soaping effect. I'd go to cetyl alcohol if possible. In my experience, that will reduce the soaping effect and it will also lighten up the texture, but it's not going to be a total night-and-day change.

If you don't have cetyl or if you just want to stick with stearic, I'd do a few more test batches with the stearic. Reduce the amount slightly -- try 0.8 or even 0.6 oz. Don't omit it entirely because the thickener is there to help the emulsifier do its job.

If reducing the thickener helps a little but you still want to explore, then try reducing the emulsifier a small bit. The rule of thumb that emulsifier should be 25% of the oil phase ingredients is a good place to start, but it's not a strict law. Another thing to consider is to experiment with BTMS or conditioning emulsifier rather than e-wax. That also offers a texture difference.

 

[boondocker]

I would up your liquid oil amount, taking it from your water. I would also reduce the stearic acid a bit. Or change your thickener to cetyl alcohol as Carolyn suggested.

I gather that the stearic acid is a thickener? And use cetyl alcohol in the place of stearic acid?

 

[DeeAnna]

Yes, stearic acid and cetyl alcohol are both thickeners. Yes, you can use cetyl in place of stearic or you can even use a combination of both if you like. I normally use one or the other, but I've seen recipes with both.

 

[boondocker]

Does the "soaping effect" dry out the skin like soap would?

I got a new emulsifier by Milliard off Amazon. It does not give the chemical name. I wonder if this might make a difference?

 

[kchaystack]

I gather that the stearic acid is a thickener? And use cetyl alcohol in the place of stearic acid?

Yes, both are thickening agents. Cetyl alcohol has a little less thickening effect than stearic acid. If you are looking for a lighter lotion I would use the cetyl alcohol at around 3% of the total weight of product.

The basic breakdown for a lotion using ewax from Point of Interest:

~70% water
15% oil
5% butter
5% ewax
3% thickener
.5 - 1% preservative (this depends on the brand you are using.
.5% - 1% fragrance

I know this might not add up to 100%, but whatever is left over add to the % of your water.

 

[DeeAnna]

Does the "soaping effect" dry out the skin like soap would?

No.

I got a new emulsifier by Milliard off Amazon. It does not give the chemical name. I wonder if this might make a difference?

You will want to ask the supplier for more information.

 

[Susie]

I got a new emulsifier by Milliard off Amazon. It does not give the chemical name. I wonder if this might make a difference?

Don't buy anything that you can't identify what the ingredients are. This wastes your money, and gives you unpredictable results. I would also not order anything from Amazon unless you have previously purchased the identical product from a reputable soaping/B&B site first with the ingredients spelled out.

 

[boondocker]

Same situation as with Polawax...I couldn't get the exact ingredients.

I did not think it important, but I guess if I don't know the exact ingredients in the Ewax, then I can not replicate the results with any other brand of Ewax.

What about Lanette wax? What is that like?