Lotion question

[PrairieLights]

Picking your brains...
My sister wants me to make her a lotion that is less oily but still moisturizing, than my body butter or lotion bar. She uses it as her "perfume", and she wants to be able to put it on throughout the day without that time oil takes to "soak" in. I was using avalon's unscented base, but she is allergic to aloe, so I used a different one for her and it is oily. She wants me to make hers from scratch.

I suppose what I am asking is... any ideas on moisture verses oily? I don't have the problem she does - It all soaks in after a few minutes - But I do understand what she wants.

Is lotion really going to make it less oily for her, yet still moisturizing?

I emailed her to ask which oils work best with her skin, because that may be the culprit.

But I am interested in your thoughts and opinions.

Thank you!

 

[DeeAnna]

"...Is lotion really going to make it less oily for her, yet still moisturizing?..."

Speaking in general, yes. Lotion is usually going to feel less oily or greasy than an anhydrous product like a body butter.

The water dilutes the fats so a dollop of lotion has less fat than the same size dollop of body butter. Also the water makes it easier to spread the fats over the skin, and this also helps spread the fat in a thinner layer on the skin.

That said, your choice of fats in a lotion will also make a big difference. There are lighter and drier feeling fats (meadowfoam, coconut oil) and heavier and greasier feeling fats (olive). You can also use an emulsifier that does double duty as a non-oil-based conditioner (BTMS or conditioning emulsifier).

Susan at Swift Crafty Monkey is a great resource for lotion making info: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.ca/

 

[IrishLass]

I think I understand where your sis is coming from. For example, I love my anhydrous body butter for certain areas of my body, but I don't like using it as a hand moisturizer or facial moisturizer, no matter what kind of oil or butter I make it with. Both my hands and face feel more 'moisturized', yet less greasy/oily when I use lotion on them instead. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but that's the way it is with me. I suppose that's because my body butter is 100% fat and it forms more of a barrier rather than 'sinking in', while lotion on the other hand contains water, which forms less of a barrier and feels more hydrating to me.

I also make an emulsified body butter, which is hydrous (contains water), and I use that on my face and hands. I use LotionCrafter's "Body Butter Bliss" formula to make it (the formula is on their site). Wonderful stuff!


Edited to add- DeeAnna beat me to it yet again! lol

IrishLass

 

[DeeAnna]

One point you bring out, IL, is that the water in a lotion helps hydrate the surface layer of skin, and that can be really soothing and refreshing. An anhydrous product can't give that same "tall drink of cool water" feeling.

 

[snappyllama]

For all things B&B, I highly recommend Point of Interest! Swift Craft Monkey site. There is gobs of great information there. She has an eBook with proceeds going to charity called Introduction to Lotionmaking that consolidates a lot of the information on the site. I've found it an excellent guide.

Here's her formula for a light lotion. I love that she gives the "why" behind her choices.

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2009/04/lotions-facial-moisturizers.html

 

[doriettefarm]

I'll ditto DeeAnna & snappy's suggestion to check out the SwiftCraftMonkey site . . . what a wealth of info there! Also wanted to link a recipe that I recently tried and really liked because it was a thick lotion without any oily feel whatsoever. I used a WSP recipe but subbed kokum butter for the hemp butter (because my hemp butter was rancid & yucky). Hemp & kokum are supposed to be 'drier' oils so maybe your sis will dig it.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/education/recipes/hemp-lotion-from-scratch.aspx

 

[cmzaha]

I also recommend making up very small test batches. I now have a shelf full of samples and cannot say i one one I am completely in love with. I am working on an emulsified butter. Oils, and especially butters and emulsifiers make huge differences in the feel. I take a recipe I think I like then run small samples with each emulsifier I have to test the difference.

 

[PrairieLights]

You all rock!
I had checked out monkey and wsp... It is so hard for me to sit and read from the computer. It makes me anxious, for some reason. Therefore, SCM site is a hard read for me. Is there a place that gives the percentages? (like soap calculators do?). She thinks she'd like olive and coconut oils... If I knew my percentages, I could get that magic e-wax (said in a mysterious voice) and start small samples.

Everyone has helpful advice, as always. The water and emulsifying wax must be what she is looking for. I know that any preservative will be an issue though.

Blabbing now: I'd ordinarily have her search preservatives, recipes, etc, and make her choice, but she is not well. It is hard enough for her to email me back. So - thank you SO MUCH for letting me pick your brains instead! I really appreciate all of you!!! <3

Hey Carolyn - we are from so cal - she is still there. ;-)

HEY! P.S. - I noticed on avalon's lotion that one ingredient is potassium hydroxide!!! What is up with that?!?!

 

[PrairieLights]

Ah, I see her percentages. Now to make decisions....................:think:
-LisaB

 

[DeeAnna]

"...I noticed on avalon's lotion that one ingredient is potassium hydroxide!!! What is up with that?!?! ..."

I can't speak about "avalon's lotion" but I can tell you that small amounts of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide are used sometimes to adjust the pH. Nothing to get worried about.

 

[Misschief]

I went through a struggle trying to make a lotion for myself that would absorb quickly, yet moisturize my hands. I work with paper so greasy fingers are not a good thing. I'm also a knitter; greasy hands and yarn do not play well together. I downloaded Anne L. Watson's Lotionmaking ebook and started doing some online research about the qualities of oils and absorption.

I came across a couple of websites that explain some of the properties of oils used in skin care and found it very helpful. I've also attached a link to a pdf from WSP's website that was very informative. Using those resources and Anne Watson's ebook, I came up with a lovely cream that sinks in within moments and leaves my hands feeling moisturized without being greasy. The recipe I used is from the ebook and uses macadamia oil, shea butter, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, rosehip oil, evening primrose oil, stearic acid, ewax and Vit E. I used green tea as my water.



http://www.zhealthinfo.com/carrier.htm

View attachment OilsAndButters.pdf

 

[cmzaha]

I went through a struggle trying to make a lotion for myself that would absorb quickly, yet moisturize my hands. I work with paper so greasy fingers are not a good thing. I'm also a knitter; greasy hands and yarn do not play well together. I downloaded Anne L. Watson's Lotionmaking ebook and started doing some online research about the qualities of oils and absorption.

I came across a couple of websites that explain some of the properties of oils used in skin care and found it very helpful. I've also attached a link to a pdf from WSP's website that was very informative. Using those resources and Anne Watson's ebook, I came up with a lovely cream that sinks in within moments and leaves my hands feeling moisturized without being greasy. The recipe I used is from the ebook and uses macadamia oil, shea butter, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, rosehip oil, evening primrose oil, stearic acid, ewax and Vit E. I used green tea as my water.



http://www.zhealthinfo.com/carrier.htm

Those are quite expensive oils to play around with and I am afraid of Teas as water. Lotion does like to grow bugs. Maybe DeeAnna will give her opinion on that. Recently I joined a swap in which we were comparing emulsifiers and I do fine it one of the biggest factors in the feel of lotion. Today I am going to run the same recipe and compare using stearic /versus cetyl alcohol.
I not to sure I would trust using tea, but maybe DeeAnna will give her opinion. Watsons book did not impress me especially with the comment of not using preservatives.
Here is a lovely simple recipe that you can adjust by lowering the water, upping the oils or butters. I did find a big difference between Polawax and Creammaker from Lotion Crafter. This is not originally my recipe but from some folks at the Dish, our swap recipe. I happen to really like it but I cannot use shea in my lotion due to being allergic and so far I have not found a butter that gives the exact same feel.
Approx 69% water
6% Polawax or your wax of preferance. The supplier of your wax will give the usage range
3% Cetyl Alcohol
7% Olive
7% Fractionated Coconut Oil
7% Shea Butter
Preservative per amount necessary for type of preservative.
Remember to keep have your percentages equal 100%.

 

[Misschief]

I do use Optiphen in my lotions. I, too, wouldn't trust teas in my creams and lotions unless I was storing them in the fridge and only making enough to last a few days. The only reason I downloaded her ebook was to see what information I could glean. I've been collecting creams and lotions recipes for quite some time. Hers come through as being on the "simple" side. Like you, the fact that she doesn't always use a preservative; the recipe I "followed" did use one because of the use of tea. I would have added it if it wasn't in the recipe.

I agree that they are expensive oils to "play around" with. For me, though, I was going more for the properties of the oils rather than the price. I am, after all, worth it! I was able to source all of the oils locally, at my health food store and have most of them on hand. As well, I've been making my own creams and lotions (never selling) for over 10 years. I love this stuff.

 

[Arimara]

I went through a struggle trying to make a lotion for myself that would absorb quickly, yet moisturize my hands. I work with paper so greasy fingers are not a good thing. I'm also a knitter; greasy hands and yarn do not play well together. I downloaded Anne L. Watson's Lotionmaking ebook and started doing some online research about the qualities of oils and absorption.

I came across a couple of websites that explain some of the properties of oils used in skin care and found it very helpful. I've also attached a link to a pdf from WSP's website that was very informative. Using those resources and Anne Watson's ebook, I came up with a lovely cream that sinks in within moments and leaves my hands feeling moisturized without being greasy. The recipe I used is from the ebook and uses macadamia oil, shea butter, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, rosehip oil, evening primrose oil, stearic acid, ewax and Vit E. I used green tea as my water.



http://www.zhealthinfo.com/carrier.htm

That looks like a lovely recipe but I can't use any tree nut oils in lotions. Is there anything that can be subbed for macademia oil?

 

[goodjoan]

If she just wants the scent without the lotion, why not make her a little lotion bar but put it in a chap stick tube so she can apply a little now and then. Using beeswax and a fairly "dry" oil like coconut she should be able to put it on and have it dry quickly but stay scented.

 

[Misschief]

That looks like a lovely recipe but I can't use any tree nut oils in lotions. Is there anything that can be subbed for macademia oil?

You could sub any oil, really. What about meadowfoam oil? It's lovely, too.

 

[Arimara]

You could sub any oil, really. What about meadowfoam oil? It's lovely, too.

Never used it. I hear enough good things about it to try it..

 

[Seawolfe]

Those are quite expensive oils to play around with and I am afraid of Teas as water. Lotion does like to grow bugs. Maybe DeeAnna will give her opinion on that. Recently I joined a swap in which we were comparing emulsifiers and I do fine it one of the biggest factors in the feel of lotion. Today I am going to run the same recipe and compare using stearic /versus cetyl alcohol.

Carolyn, I keep reading suggestions to try 50% stearic and 50% cetyl alcohol. Just an idea. If I didn't hate working with stearic I'd test it for you

 

[DeeAnna]

I've used stearic and cetyl (but only one or the other, not a blend of both).

All other things being equal, to me stearic feels more waxy and dense. Think room temperature cream cheese that has been stirred a bit so it's spreadable.

Cetyl is less dense and somewhat more fluffy. Think a whipped cream texture, but not quite as light as real whipped cream -- if you know the consistency of Cool Whip topping, cetyl is more like that.

I tend to pair cetyl with conditioning emulsifier (similar to BTMS) if I'm going for a slightly lighter, drier feeling lotion. I pair stearic with e-wax when I want a slightly heavier, denser lotion.

I'm talking slight shades of gray here ... not huge black and white differences. Because the differences are slight, I'm not sure I'd use a blend of both thickeners. But that's just me -- YMMV.

 

[PrairieLights]

Oooo! Such excellent information for me. So appreciated! I bet cetyl is the fluffy she is going for. Pair with....?. Hey, what is the difference between polawax and e wax, and is e wax short for emulsifying wax? I think I might start with Carolyn's recipe when I get the chance. Not heard back from sis. :-( I hate being so far from her - but that is a different topic.
And DeeAnna, I was more fascinated by the thought that they used potassium hydroxide. It, unfortunately or fortunately, does not freak me out. I'd take a picture of the back of my hands to prove it, but then I'd start getting lectured... ;-)