melting beeswax

[Guspuppy]

I made a lotion bar from a recipe I found on this forum and WOW do I love it!! But I have a problem in that my beeswax did not melt completely and so my lotion bars (I made them in a chocolates silicone mold) are grainy from the unmelted bits. I had put the beeswax in a container in a pot of water as suggested and turned the heat on low. It didn't seem to be doing anything so I added the oil to it before it was melted to help spread the heat around the wax. It did melt after about 20 minutes but not totally, as I found out after adding the shea butter and pouring. So, how can I make sure my beeswax is totally melted? Will it burn in the homemade 'double boiler' jar if I leave it sit for a long time on the stove? Was adding the oil to help it melt a bad idea? I was afraid the oil would burn if I left it sit too long, and stirring only seemed to make things cool off again faster. Help?? Thanks!

 

[dixiedragon]

I think the grainy bits are actually from the shea butter and not the beeswax. When shea butter cools slowly, it gives the different components a chance to separate. So the stearic acid will separate from the other parts and form little grainy bits. Remelt your lotion bars and put them while still melted in the fridge, freezer or outside, if it's cold outside in your location.

Supposedly tempering the shea butter will help reduce/eliminate graininess.

 

[lsg]

You might try using a little ButterEZ with your shea butter. It helps prevent the graininess.

 

[TBandCW]

I don't make lotion bars, but for other products I melt my beeswax in the microwave. I don't melt it all the way and swirl it around to get the last bit melted.

 

[Guspuppy]

Sorry, I was unclear. When I said grainy I meant there are little chunks of wax that feel grainy against my hands as the rest of the lotion is melted from around them. Can I still remelt it enough to melt the wax without destroying the shea butter and causing actual graininess when it cools again? It is clearly unmelted beeswax not any kind of separation from the different FA's cooling down. I could see the chunks of wax as I was pouring it out!

 

[Catastrophe]

Sorry, I was unclear. When I said grainy I meant there are little chunks of wax that feel grainy against my hands as the rest of the lotion is melted from around them. Can I still remelt it enough to melt the wax without destroying the shea butter and causing actual graininess when it cools again? It is clearly unmelted beeswax not any kind of separation from the different FA's cooling down. I could see the chunks of wax as I was pouring it out!

You can remelt, just put it in the fridge to cool.

 

[Guspuppy]

Thank you, I did just that after posting. It's so much nicer without tiny chunks of wax!