Lotion making and stick blending

[atiz]

Ok thank you! Which preservative do you prefer and at about what temperature do you add it to the mixture?

I guess your question is a bit OT so you may want to move it to a new thread, but here is what I do.
I use liquid germall plus mostly because it seems less finicky (in terms of pH) than some of the other broad spectrum preservatives. I add it to the mixture when it is lukewarm (it has to be below 50C, about 120F, but I like going below that). As I understand it, you want to check (1) that it be a broad spectrum preservative (if you are using only 1 -- you want it to cover bacteria and fungus); (2) the recommended pH range; and (3) the recommended temperature range. You should be able to find all this info on the label / product description. There is also a pinned post on this forum for comparing preservatives.
I know some people use multiple preservatives at the same time; I have not had problems with LGP so it just isn't really worth the hassle for me. But also, LGP is not recommended for sprays so YMMV depending on what you want to use it for.

Cmzaha's point is a good one, if it would take too long for large batches to cool before adding the preservative, that might introduce some extra risk of bacteria. I only make small batches for personal use so that hasn't been an issue for me.

 

[cmzaha]

Ok thank you! Which preservative do you prefer and at about what temperature do you add it to the mixture?

I am sorry about not answering this question, but I have spent a lot of time and money for testing to come up with my go to system, but it still does not work for all my formulas. In my opinion there is not always an all inclusive answer.

 

[QueenJ]

I am sorry about not answering this question, but I have spent a lot of time and money for testing to come up with my go to system, but it still does not work for all my formulas. In my opinion there is not always an all inclusive answer.

No worries. I understand. I also have spend a lot of time and research. So i totally get it. I’m using optiphen and i like the paraben free but i heard it can be tricky.

 

[QueenJ]

I guess your question is a bit OT so you may want to move it to a new thread, but here is what I do.
I use liquid germall plus mostly because it seems less finicky (in terms of pH) than some of the other broad spectrum preservatives. I add it to the mixture when it is lukewarm (it has to be below 50C, about 120F, but I like going below that). As I understand it, you want to check (1) that it be a broad spectrum preservative (if you are using only 1 -- you want it to cover bacteria and fungus); (2) the recommended pH range; and (3) the recommended temperature range. You should be able to find all this info on the label / product description. There is also a pinned post on this forum for comparing preservatives.
I know some people use multiple preservatives at the same time; I have not had problems with LGP so it just isn't really worth the hassle for me. But also, LGP is not recommended for sprays so YMMV depending on what you want to use it for.

Cmzaha's point is a good one, if it would take too long for large batches to cool before adding the preservative, that might introduce some extra risk of bacteria. I only make small batches for personal use so that hasn't been an issue for me.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I appreciate these helpful tips. I’ve been Making bath and body products for almost 4 years but I’m new to SMF There’s always room for knowledge

 

[atiz]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I appreciate these helpful tips. I’ve been Making bath and body products for almost 4 years but I’m new to SMF There’s always room for knowledge

Oh then you are much more experienced than I am I started it just a few months ago. I always liked chemistry so it was kind of exciting (in an "adult playground" kind of way). I heard good things about Optiphen and have been thinking of trying it as well. I think it is more pH sensitive than LGP though (which should not be a problem, I have been just playing it safe).

 

[Deborah Long]

So now that I know not to stick blend into oblivion, I put some lotion in some nice pump bottles that I purchased from Amazon. Took one to work and can't get it to pump out for the life of me! LOL Too thick and luxurious for just a common pump bottle! So, next time, jars? Make the lotion thinner? How do I adjust my recipe to do that, even - just add more water?

Thanks for all the responses! I appreciate the input/knowledge!

 

[DeeAnna]

Oh, gosh, no -- don't use jars if you want your preservative to have half a chance of working properly. Always, always choose packaging that prevents fingers from touching and contaminating the product in its container.

There are pump tops that are rated for high viscosity products. Majestic Mountain Sage sells tops like this, and I'm sure other suppliers do too. They have a larger tube and nozzle than typical pump tops. Or you can use a Malibu bottle, also called a tottle. Or you could use a flip-top or snap top cap, but you will also need a squeezable type of bottle for these to work well.

edit: Yes, you can also increase the water % in your recipe. For me, a thick lotion is 65-70% water, a medium body lotion is 70-75%, and a light lotion is around 80%. The % depends a bit on the kind of fats used (solid at room temp vs liquid oils). If you have very dry skin, however, a thicker lotion works better than a lighter one, IMO, to add enough protection and soothing.

 

[Deborah Long]

Or you can use a Malibu bottle, also called a tottle

OOoo....I love tottles! lol

 

[cmzaha]

My lotion is very thick and I use the high viscosity pumps and sometimes Tottles, both work just fine. I just use disposable piping bags for filling the bottles.

 

[atiz]

So now that I know not to stick blend into oblivion, I put some lotion in some nice pump bottles that I purchased from Amazon. Took one to work and can't get it to pump out for the life of me! LOL Too thick and luxurious for just a common pump bottle! So, next time, jars? Make the lotion thinner? How do I adjust my recipe to do that, even - just add more water?

Thanks for all the responses! I appreciate the input/knowledge!

Sounds like a nice lotion!
Tottles work good, I also really love the little travel bottles (gotoob), they dispense very nicely.
As for adjusting thickness, it depends on the recipe -- decrease the oil phase, especially those fats that would make it thick -- like cetyl alcohol and such. The last lotion I made is very light, about 85% water phase, which is great in pump bottles, but still feels good.

 

[Deborah Long]

Sounds like a nice lotion!

Thanks! I love it! I won't need lotion for a minute, but next time, I will try to adjust to make it a tad thinner/lighter (although I love it the way it is!)