Remelt scented lotion bar?

[misera]

Hi all,

I made some heart shaped lotion bars a week and a half ago and had a little left over so I poured it into a yogurt cup. I'd been using the lotion straight from the yogurt cup for about a week and then the gritty feeling came. It eventually melts into my skin but when I scoop some out and rub it in my hands to melt, little pieces stay solid for longer. I went and checked my lotion bars that had been sitting on my counter since I unmolded them and they too have turned gritty. The temp has only gotten colder since I made them.

I used beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, and vit e (few punctured pills). I melted the beeswax slowly in a stainless steel mixing bowl floating in water in a pot (took a really long time), then lowered the temp to low and put in the shea butter and coconut oil. I turned the stove off right after I saw the shea butter melting fine. When it was all melted I took it out of the pot and added the almond oil, jojoba, vit e, and peppermint EO. Then from there directly poured into heart shaped molds. They cooled down pretty fast since the hearts were small but it was hard to unmold so I put it in the refrigerator. The left over that I put in the yogurt cup never went into the fridge. Unmolded the hearts in a few hours and left them sitting on the counter b/c the original container I was going to put them in didn't really hold as many as I hoped (preparing a gift for a friend).

Anyway, as I've been testing it (it's very nice..) and trying to find another container, the grittiness happened. I also made some body butter after this which was the same process but without the beeswax and it's still smooth as silk. Some butter I made over a month ago is also still perfectly fine. But they're all in sealed containers. Do you think having it in containers made the difference?

Can I remelt the lotion bars even with the Peppermint EO in them and put them into containers asap to keep it from happening again? I'm sure my friend wouldn't mind the grittiness but I just want to know in case I attempt this again for people who may mind.

 

[Susie]

Cocoa, shea, and mango butters need to be tempered to avoid grittiness.

http://intheinterestofannie.blogspot.com/2011/03/tempering-butter-101shea-mango-and.html

Yes, you can re-melt those and bring them all up to the 170F and hold it there an hour. You may lose a bit of scent, but better that than gritty lotion bars.

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with Susie on this. However, I only hold mine for 20 minute at 170. Then put it in the fridge to cool quickly. Unfortunately butters have a tendency to get grainy.

 

[misera]

Thanks guys The beeswax took about 30 mins to fully melt (185 degrees was what I checked to be at when it was done), shea was in the pot for another 20 or so. I'll keep the burner on this time while I melt the shea instead of cutting it off and leave it on for a full hour. I was afraid it was too high a temp. The hearts did go into the fridge but probably 5 mins after pouring. I'll stuff it in while it's still super liquidly this time!

Is it safe to add EO oil to it after taking it off the stove if I lose some scent? I went for half a percent on the peppermint.

 

[misera]

Oops I just noticed I mixed up some of the ingredients for the body butter.. Body butter was the shea, coconut oil, jojoba, almond, and vit e. Lotion bar I used beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter, almond oil, and vit e. So I did beeswax on medium heat to 185 degrees 30 mins melt time, shea butter & cocoa butter at the same time cutting off the heat while on the water ~20 mins, and then the almond oil, vit e & peppermint off of the hot water. I just read that link you posted Susie, does it matter I melted the cocoa butter at the same temp as the shea?

 

[Susie]

I would just go with the highest temperature for the longest period of time if re-melting gritty butter.

What I do to avoid this is I temper the whole container of butter(whichever one) as soon as I get it in(double boiler using Pyrex cup or bowl on stove), then pour it back into the container to re-harden. Just saves a lot of fiddliness when doing balms and butters when you have them all ready to use.

 

[misera]

I would just go with the highest temperature for the longest period of time if re-melting gritty butter.

What I do to avoid this is I temper the whole container of butter(whichever one) as soon as I get it in(double boiler using Pyrex cup or bowl on stove), then pour it back into the container to re-harden. Just saves a lot of fiddliness when doing balms and butters when you have them all ready to use.

I get the shea in 5 pound and cocoa in 7 lb in bags in boxes :[ I guess I could split it up into smaller amounts and get some containers.

 

[kmarvel]

I get the shea in 5 pound and cocoa in 7 lb in bags in boxes :[ I guess I could split it up into smaller amounts and get some containers.

Misera, that is what I do. I pre-package 3 oz baggies of mango butter and keep them in the fridge. I do the same with my local beeswax bars. I cut them up in 3 oz baggies. Saves time when I go to make my lotion bars.

 

[Susie]

I get the shea in 5 pound and cocoa in 7 lb in bags in boxes :[ I guess I could split it up into smaller amounts and get some containers.

You could pour the tempered butters into ice trays or something in 1 oz amounts. When solid, just dump those out and pour the next batch in. Then you don't have to fool with the whole 5 lb or 7 lb amounts at the time. Just do a pound or so at the time.

 

[misera]

Thanks for the great suggestions the beeswax is a butt to cut even into small pieces. I may ask BF's dad to pour into smaller containers in the future when he makes them. I see why people by those pastille things now.

Oh since the 9th, I'm happy to report no signs of grittiness!

Edit: Just wanted to note I remelted them and held them at 180 F for a full hour with a stainless steel mixing bowl floating in a pot of water. Then took the bowl out and immediately poured it into the molds and stuck it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

 

[Susie]

I get my beeswax in a giant lump also. I spread large sheets of aluminum foil out on the counter with edges turned up. I then melt the beeswax and pour in a thin stream all over them. I let them cool and harden until I can break it up into small pieces. Then I just toss the pieces into a Ziploc bag. My pieces are 1-2 g each. I HATED cutting the beeswax up.

 

[misera]

I get my beeswax in a giant lump also. I spread large sheets of aluminum foil out on the counter with edges turned up. I then melt the beeswax and pour in a thin stream all over them. I let them cool and harden until I can break it up into small pieces. Then I just toss the pieces into a Ziploc bag. My pieces are 1-2 g each. I HATED cutting the beeswax up.

:O never thought of that! I definitely felt like I was going to break the knife or my hand in fury when I made the body butter and a loaf of soap the same night. The loaf I have is 13.5 pounds lol. I think I'm going to have to spread over a whole dining room table to get it that thin.