Slimy body wash

[e_mc_01]

Hey guys!

I’m fairly new to soap making in general and I recently ventured off into making body wash for my kids. For some reason it always comes out slimy! Made a Cocoyl Isethionate & Coca Betaine based wash- slimy. Castile soap body wash (added a little goats milk to it)- slimy! Tried adding xantham gum & Stearyl acid, still slimy please help!

 

[DeeAnna]

> "...added a little goats milk to it..."

Adding food sources such as milk is a risky business. You're creating a perfect environment for microbes to grow in your cleanser. Even the very best preservative doesn't stand a chance of working in a situation like this. Please reconsider.

If you want feedback from readers, please provide accurate recipes so people know exactly what you're doing and can give good advice in response.

 

[lsg]

You might try YouTube under body wash recipes. Here is one example:

 

[e_mc_01]

You might try YouTube under body wash recipes. Here is one example:

It was one of her recipes I followed! Maybe it is the added goats milk I’m subscribed to Tara on Patreon.com

 

[e_mc_01]

> "...added a little goats milk to it..."

Adding food sources such as milk is a risky business. You're creating a perfect environment for microbes to grow in your cleanser. Even the very best preservative doesn't stand a chance of working in a situation like this. Please reconsider.

If you want feedback from readers, please provide accurate recipes so people know exactly what you're doing and can give good advice in response.

I will remember to put recipes next time asking for advice! the photo is was one of the recipes + I added honey, goats milk, xantham gum, & Stearyl alcohol.

The other recipe was:
•equal parts distilled water & castille soap (contains lye, argan, castor, olive, jojoba, & castor oils)
•germall plus
•xantham gum
•stearyl acid
•goats milk
•honey

 

[A-Polly]

Just an idle thought, maybe completely off the wall: do you have soft or hard water? Not sure it means the same as your "slimy" but soft water can make a soap feel as if it almost never completely rinses off (at least in my experience, going from moderately hard to soft and back again!).

 

[justjacqui]

Xanthan gum is definitely a "slimy" feeling thickener. This could be your issue. How much are you adding?

Please don't add honey or goat's milk to body wash. You are just asking for bacteria to grow.

Why are you adding stearyl alcohol or stearic acid?

The amount of glycerin seems very high. At that level it may be reducing your foaming. 3% or less would be adequate.

As a side note SCI is usually recommended for shampoo bars and solid body products. Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate (SLMI) is the equivalent that is recommended for clear liquid products. SCI can be used but it takes more effort to solubilize it.

 

[Saponificarian]

That is a huge amount of CAPB in a body wash. It has the potential to irritate sensitive skin and kill foam.

Use 10% CABP with the same amount of SCI. You can nuke both in the microwave together, and add your phase B. Make sure phase B is slightly hotter than Phase A when you combine both. You should aim for about 10-15% ASM in your body wash, which you have with your current formula. However, to make a good body wash, you need a mix of surfactants. You have an anionic and an amphoteric in this body wash. I would add a non-ionic to it. Maybe at 3-5% depending on the ASM.

Using 10% each of SCI and CAPB will give you an ASM of 11.7 - I would say try it and see how you like it. You might need to thicken with salt. Make a salt solution to 1 part salt to 2 parts water and add drops to the body wash before adding your preservative.

Olive oil liquid soap is slimy if not diluted right. I would add 10% Coconut oil or PKO to the mix, or a butter/tallow/lard to break up the oleic acid in your castile soap.

The ingredients you are using in the amount you are using them are meant to make 'slimy' soap.

ETA - Glycerine also cuts foam. I would drop it, honestly. I would use some re-fatting agents like Cromollient SC, Crothix, Water Soluble Shea at about 1-2%. If you must use Glycerine, I wouldn't use it at more than 2%.

ASM - Active Surfactant Matter.

 

[e_mc_01]

Xanthan gum is definitely a "slimy" feeling thickener. This could be your issue. How much are you adding?

Please don't add honey or goat's milk to body wash. You are just asking for bacteria to grow.

Why are you adding stearyl alcohol or stearic acid?

The amount of glycerin seems very high. At that level it may be reducing your foaming. 3% or less would be adequate.

As a side note SCI is usually recommended for shampoo bars and solid body products. Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate (SLMI) is the equivalent that is recommended for clear liquid products. SCI can be used but it takes more effort to solubilize it.

I added the Stearyl alcohol/acid because I was thinking the sliminess was coming for the ingredients not emulsifying correcting.

Just an idle thought, maybe completely off the wall: do you have soft or hard water? Not sure it means the same as your "slimy" but soft water can make a soap feel as if it almost never completely rinses off (at least in my experience, going from moderately hard to soft and back again!).

I’ve considered this! But I thought you HAVE TO use distilled water for lotions and body wash?

 

[DeeAnna]

...I’ve considered this! But I thought you HAVE TO use distilled water for lotions and body wash?

@A-Polly is talking about when you use the body wash for bathing. It is best practice to use distilled water for making a product, but it wouldn't be reasonable to bathe with distilled water.

I think all of us are thinking it's when you use the product for bathing that you are noticing the product feels slimy?

Or maybe the rest of us are misunderstanding your concern?