Newbie Ewax and Preserve Q

busymakinsoap! · Apr 20, 2011

Hi everyone,

I am a complete newbie when it comes to making bath and body lotions etc. I have read a few posts and have found some recipes that I want to try.

I want to make a lotion and a sugar scrub. Ive already got most of the ingredients (from soap making) so now I need to purchase some Ewax and preservatives. This is where my questions start:

I cant find the optiphen or phenonip that has been suggested as a preservative unless it is known by another name?
I have found :
Benzoin Tincture
LGP
Suttocide
Which are broad spectum - any recommendations on which I should use. There are lots of natural preserves also, but from what I can gather, these arnt recommended?

Also:
I have found some ewax, rather than try and explain it, ill post the link:

http://www.aromaticsandmore.com/product ... -2-23.html

is this ok, it mentions cetyl alcohol as INCI I have no idea what this means!? - is it an ingredient list?
I want to follow carebares scrub recipe and its listed seperate from the Ewax, I'm guessing I leave this out if I purchase this Ewax.

Hope questions make sense. All these scientific words are doing my head in! :roll:

lsg · Apr 20, 2011

I use Optiphen Plus. You can buy it at Lotion Crafters or Wholesale Supplies Plus. You can use Liquid Germall Plus, just follow the instructions. List all the ingredients in that order, that is found under the INCI name given for the emulsifier listed.
I am not quite sure what you are asking about the Cetearyl Alcohol, if it is listed in a recipe you should include it. You can buy Cetearyl Alcohol at the same site where you want to buy your emulsiying wax.

Catmehndi · Apr 20, 2011

I think ewax just means emulsifying wax and there are several options for that: lanette, polawax, beeswax can work for balms etc
(I could be wrong about that...perhaps there IS a product called ewax though I imagine it can be substituted?) :?

busymakinsoap! · Apr 20, 2011

Thanks for the replies. The option listed are my only ones. I live in NZ so cannot order from the mentioned sites.
So LGP is good to use? and can be used in both scrubs and lotions?

My other question re Cetearyl alcohol is because the INCS for this ewax allready has it in it, just wondering if I can skip it out of the recipe if it is only needed at .6%

Many thanks

lsg · Apr 21, 2011

I would be inclined to just stick to the recipe if I had just started making bath and body products. I think Catmehndi is correct, e-wax just means emulsifying wax. All emulsifying wax may contain Cetearyl alcohol.