Melting BTMS

[kathrynmara08]

Hi! I'm having such a hard time melting BTMS 50 for my conditioner bars. I've been putting it in the oven for about 30 min at 200 degrees. It doesn't totally melt it, though. And I'm afraid to keep it in much longer. What do other people do to melt it?

 

[KiwiMoose]

Microwave for about a minute - but it depends on how much you're trying to melt?

 

[kathrynmara08]

15 grams at a time. Would you recommend microwaving that much?

 

[SSC Oregon]

I'm not super microwave savvy, but you can't go wrong with frequent, Short burst in micro, stir, nuke and repeat quick bursts.

It takes patience to make it, I only use a double boiler set up.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I melt 96 grams in total - of cetyl alcohol (36g), varisoft 65 (40g), and BTMS 50 (20g) in the microwave. It's a bit like melting chocolate in the microwave, in that it looks like it's not melting ( it holds its shape) until you stir it, then it turns into liquid.
However, it will turn instantly back to solid the minute it starts to cool. In fact, the spatula I use to stir it with ends up with a waxing coating immediately after I've removed it from the melted waxes/alcohols. So whatever you are mixing the BTMS-50 with needs to mixed in while it is still hot/melted, other wise you will end up with little waxy specks in your finished product.
My method is to use a pyrex jug in the microwave to melt the items above, then, once melted I transfer the entire jug into a pot of boiling water on the stove ( the jug becomes the 'top' part of the double boiler) while i add the rest of the ingredients to incorporate them.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Also - this is the 'general chat' forum. You might be better to see if you can move it to a more relevant forum to get more people to view it. Maybe the bath and body forum, or the recipe feedback forum?
@Relle - can you help with moving it?

 

[AliOop]

I would also say that BTMS melts a little better for me if it is mixed with other items that have a lower melt point. So while I may and often do start melting the BTMS alone, or with stearic acid, I do add the other ingredients to it, before it has finished melting.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

My method is to use a pyrex jug in the microwave to melt the items above, then, once melted I transfer the entire jug into a pot of boiling water on the stove ( the jug becomes the 'top' part of the double boiler) while i add the rest of the ingredients to incorporate them.

I've noticed that melting waxes along with the rest of the FAs in the batch helps the wax to fully incorporate. Except for shea butter. To prevent "grainyness" that shea butter is known for I add it after the rest are fully melted.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I've noticed that melting waxes along with the rest of the FAs in the batch helps the wax to fully incorporate. Except for shea butter. To prevent "grainyness" that shea butter is known for I add it after the rest are fully melted.

Me too with the shea butter!

 

[justjacqui]

I use a double boiler that heats it up to around 80°C (176 F) and it melts easily (usually with the cetearyl alcohol).

Are you sure that the product is BTMS-50?

 

[kathrynmara08]

Thanks I'll try these methods next time. The oven just takes too much time.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I have never heard of putting it in the oven.

 

[kathrynmara08]

I got the idea from humblebee and me that's what she recommended. It takes too long, though

 

[Tammyfarms]

I use a canning jar in a double boiler setup on the stovetop. I have a rack, like the ones that come with an instant pot, under the jar so it’s not sitting on the bottom of the sauce pan. It melts nicely and fairly quickly if you stir it. Last week when I made shampoo bars, I started the BTMS melting and weighed the rest of my ingredients. By the time I was ready to mix the wet ingredients the BTMS was melted.

 

[GGMA0317]

Hi! I'm having such a hard time melting BTMS 50 for my conditioner bars. I've been putting it in the oven for about 30 min at 200 degrees. It doesn't totally melt it, though. And I'm afraid to keep it in much longer. What do other people do to melt it?

Btms in the oven? I don't understand. It melts easily on the stove, along with oils or by itself. I've melted it in a sauce pan directly on the heat alone and with oils. I've also used the microwave. Are you certain you're using btms. It literally will melt in boiling water..

 

[cmzaha]

I used BTMS25 and 50 a lot in my lotions, making lotions 1 1-2 gallon batches. My method was to melt all my hard waxes, oils, and butters first then add my BTMS into my melted oils stirring until it was fully melted. I had a very large stainless steel flat-bottomed bowl that I could put directly on my electric stove for melting down my waxes and butters. BTMS when overheated will become very fishy smelling that just will not go away. When I would make sample test or melt small batches I would Melt my butter and or waxes in my liquid oils in a beaker in the micro then add in the BTMS last.

 

[SSC Oregon]

Oh wow, Cmza
I was getting a slightly fishy odor from my lotion bars. Overheating makes sense! I was thinking it was the preservative! Thank you!

 

[GGMA0317]

I used BTMS25 and 50 a lot in my lotions, making lotions 1 1-2 gallon batches. My method was to melt all my hard waxes, oils, and butters first then add my BTMS into my melted oils stirring until it was fully melted. I had a very large stainless steel flat-bottomed bowl that I could put directly on my electric stove for melting down my waxes and butters. BTMS when overheated will become very fishy smelling that just will not go away. When I would make sample test or melt small batches I would Melt my butter and or waxes in my liquid oils in a beaker in the micro then add in the BTMS last.

I've bought btms that had a fishy smell right out the bag. The manufacturer stated the smell varied from batch to batch and the manufacturer, but that there was nothing wrong with it.

I used it the same as always. The smell went away once it was heated. I had no problems with any of the products created with it.

I've never overheated it as it's usually gently heated with the other oil soluble ingredients. I've also used it in a one pot emulsion with no problems. I don't make so called lotion bars so idk how melting it in the oven helps that sort of thing. My beakers are too large for microwave. I've got stainless pitcher or heavy bottom sauce pan for heating. Years & gallons of products later and it always melts. I wonder if she mixed up her ingredients.

 

[cmzaha]

I've bought btms that had a fishy smell right out the bag. The manufacturer stated the smell varied from batch to batch and the manufacturer, but that there was nothing wrong with it.

I used it the same as always. The smell went away once it was heated. I had no problems with any of the products created with it.

I've never overheated it as it's usually gently heated with the other oil soluble ingredients. I've also used it in a one pot emulsion with no problems. I don't make so called lotion bars so idk how melting it in the oven helps that sort of thing. My beakers are too large for microwave. I've got stainless pitcher or heavy bottom sauce pan for heating. Years & gallons of products later and it always melts. I wonder if she mixed up her ingredients.

BTMS does normally have a fishy odor some batches can smell more fishy than others. I would only pick up a fishy odor in products if they became overheated as I mentioned above. I have also used it with success in one-pot emulsions by being careful and watching my temps. With solid lotions, I usually melted my oils in the micro and if using BTMS, which I usually did not use in my solid, I added it last the same as I would when making emulsified lotions. I certainly would not melt it down in the oven even at low temps, not knowing what it would do to the BTMS with a slow long melt time, especially with the price of BTMS.

 

[GGMA0317]

BTMS does normally have a fishy odor some batches can smell more fishy than others. I would only pick up a fishy odor in products if they became overheated as I mentioned above. I have also used it with success in one-pot emulsions by being careful and watching my temps. With solid lotions, I usually melted my oils in the micro and if using BTMS, which I usually did not use in my solid, I added it last the same as I would when making emulsified lotions. I certainly would not melt it down in the oven even at low temps, not knowing what it would do to the BTMS with a slow long melt time, especially with the price of BTMS.

Never said it was normal for all btms. Just depending on the manufacturer, it can have a fishy smell. There's no need to use the oven and that's that.