The Great "Lotion" Bar Experiment

[TheGecko]

Given that I like to keep things as simple as possible, I've decided on the following recipe

32% Beeswax
32% Butter
32% Oil
3% FO
1% IPM

I will be using oils; Meadowfoam Seed, Raspberry Seed, and Grapeseed. Each will be combined with Kokum, Mango, Cocoa and Shea Butters. And I went ahead an ordered another bottle of the MFSO because 4oz was simply not enough to have a decent test base. I am making 0.75oz bars and will cut them in half.

To keep the testing simple, I will divide it into four parts and be blind; the first three will be each oil with a different butter and I will had a colorant to each. I will asked each person to pick out which one they liked the best, and least, and why. I will then make another batch with the top pick from the previous three, again blind. I have about a dozen women who are interested in being part of the test group...different ages and different occupations including Domestic Goddess and retired. The only downside to this testing is that it is all local and we are coming into Spring, so I won't know how the product reacts in different parts of the country and in different weather conditions. But it's a start.

I will make each batch 'fresh', let it cure for a week then send it out. I am going to make one additional bar that will go in a tin and sit on the shelf for the next six months.

 

[BWt]

Wow. What a wonderful idea. And you are right about the "curing". The bars are different after a week than they are after one day.
Now am going to my oil supply bin to see what I have that I could test with.

 

[ToniO]

I've recently made a couple of different LB's. The 2nd one is pretty rich since I have useless skin (I have to wear gloves even chopping veggies) but I'm really liking it.
I did roughly 57% butters, 18% waxes, 23% oils and 2% e/o's with infusions in some of the oils. It soaks in really nicely but you don't need much, one light rub across the hands, massage and it soaks in after a minute or two.
I'm a bit of a kitchen sink kind of girl ( I like thinking about the whole sum of fatty acids, etc in the end product) so there's a lot of ingredients but pick at it how you will.
Butters: Kokum and Illipe, quite high (if I was on a desert island with only one butter or oil, I'd pick Kokum- love it, love it!), then Cupuacu (a new rich fav - reminds me of Shea but I'm allergic to Shea so I don't use that), and then Mango and Babassu.
Waxes: Mostly Beeswax and some Rice Bran wax.
Oils: Moringa, Unrefined Avocado infused w/ Comfrey leaf and root, Lemon Balm, Helichrysum, Calendula and Chamomile (be warned, it does turn your bar light green!), Jojoba oil (which is also infused w/ Chamomile, Calendula and Helichrysum [I use it in my skin creams and infuse it when I get it]), Tamanu, Neem, Blueberry seed, Phytocide Elderberry extract (natural preservative for anhydrous products) and Vit. E.
Then 2% e/os Lav, Geranium, Him Cedarwood, Elemi, Calendula, German Chamomile and Helichrysum.
I'm going to make some more using a new mold I bought recently. Should be a nice size for my eczema lotion bar.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KWC2CSY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[BWt]

I've recently made a couple of different LB's. The 2nd one is pretty rich since I have useless skin (I have to wear gloves even chopping veggies) but I'm really liking it.
I did roughly 57% butters, 18% waxes, 23% oils and 2% e/o's with infusions in some of the oils. It soaks in really nicely but you don't need much, one light rub across the hands, massage and it soaks in after a minute or two.
I'm a bit of a kitchen sink kind of girl ( I like thinking about the whole sum of fatty acids, etc in the end product) so there's a lot of ingredients but pick at it how you will.
Butters: Kokum and Illipe, quite high (if I was on a desert island with only one butter or oil, I'd pick Kokum- love it, love it!), then Cupuacu (a new rich fav - reminds me of Shea but I'm allergic to Shea so I don't use that), and then Mango and Babassu.
Waxes: Mostly Beeswax and some Rice Bran wax.
Oils: Moringa, Unrefined Avocado infused w/ Comfrey leaf and root, Lemon Balm, Helichrysum, Calendula and Chamomile, Jojoba oil (which is also infused w/ Chamomile, Calendula and Helichrysum [I use it in my skin creams and infuse it when I get it]), Tamanu, Neem, Blueberry seed, Phytocide Elderberry extract (natural preservative for anhydrous products) and Vit. E.
Then 2% e/os Lav, Geranium, Him Cedarwood, Elemi, Calendula, German Chamomile and Helichrysum.
I'm going to make some more using a new mold I bought recently. Should be a nice size for my eczema lotion bar.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KWC2CSY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Decadent. Luxurious. I want this NOW!
Sounds truly wonderful.

 

[ToniO]

Decadent. Luxurious. I want this NOW!
Sounds truly wonderful.

Ha, it is! It's great! My whole body had freaked out after I'd changed my laundry detergent (but I didn't Sherlock Holmes it for a couple of months b/c the skin problems usually take a while to start). Normally it would take months for it to get back to normal but it's all good after a couple of weeks using this all over.
The great plus of using herbal/floral infusions also, is that they (A) work great, (B) are much more affordable than the e/o equivalent and (C) give great label appeal for customers.
I also made a lighter LB that had Meadowfoam and Sacha Inchi (another great light oil) in place of the Avo, Neem and Tamanu.
Not as rich but a very nice creamy white, quite nice!

 

[Carly B]

Given that I like to keep things as simple as possible, I've decided on the following recipe

32% Beeswax
32% Butter
32% Oil
3% FO
1% IPM

I will be using oils; Meadowfoam Seed, Raspberry Seed, and Grapeseed. Each will be combined with Kokum, Mango, Cocoa and Shea Butters. And I went ahead an ordered another bottle of the MFSO because 4oz was simply not enough to have a decent test base. I am making 0.75oz bars and will cut them in half.

To keep the testing simple, I will divide it into four parts and be blind; the first three will be each oil with a different butter and I will had a colorant to each. I will asked each person to pick out which one they liked the best, and least, and why. I will then make another batch with the top pick from the previous three, again blind. I have about a dozen women who are interested in being part of the test group...different ages and different occupations including Domestic Goddess and retired. The only downside to this testing is that it is all local and we are coming into Spring, so I won't know how the product reacts in different parts of the country and in different weather conditions. But it's a start.

I will make each batch 'fresh', let it cure for a week then send it out. I am going to make one additional bar that will go in a tin and sit on the shelf for the next six months.

So I tried this today. I just converted the percentages to grams, and used mango butter and meadowfoam oil. Used Jazz Club FO from Scent Memory--a favorite of both hubby and me. Because of the small amount, I ended up with 2.5 bars, which is fine (these are just for me and anyone I might bestow one on), They are hardening now. It didn't feel any less greasy while it was still warm, but I'll test it after it hardens and sets. Thanks, @TheGecko !

 

[dmcgee5034]

Given that I like to keep things as simple as possible, I've decided on the following recipe

32% Beeswax
32% Butter
32% Oil
3% FO
1% IPM

I will be using oils; Meadowfoam Seed, Raspberry Seed, and Grapeseed. Each will be combined with Kokum, Mango, Cocoa and Shea Butters. And I went ahead an ordered another bottle of the MFSO because 4oz was simply not enough to have a decent test base. I am making 0.75oz bars and will cut them in half.

To keep the testing simple, I will divide it into four parts and be blind; the first three will be each oil with a different butter and I will had a colorant to each. I will asked each person to pick out which one they liked the best, and least, and why. I will then make another batch with the top pick from the previous three, again blind. I have about a dozen women who are interested in being part of the test group...different ages and different occupations including Domestic Goddess and retired. The only downside to this testing is that it is all local and we are coming into Spring, so I won't know how the product reacts in different parts of the country and in different weather conditions. But it's a start.

I will make each batch 'fresh', let it cure for a week then send it out. I am going to make one additional bar that will go in a tin and sit on the shelf for the next six months.

@TheGecko, I’ve been using 1% FO and it’s really lovely and just right for my sniffer . Just wanted to share in case you wanted to start there and increase to 3% if needed. I also used a smidge or 2 of gold mica or rose gold mica and the LBs are so pretty - I agree, nice to be able to tell the difference by color.

 

[Savage Daughter]

I am far from a lotion bar expert, but have made them several times. After trying @Zing's, I will stick pretty close to that combination. Like you, I hate the greasy feeling on the palms of my hands, and am constantly wiping anything applied off because of it. I'll be honest - I don't use lotion bars on my hands very often. BUT, I love them just about everywhere else. The amount of residue (for lack of a better word) left on my hands after applying the lotion bar to my feet, or wherever, is just enough to rub in and quickly(ish) absorb before it annoys me. The other thing I do if using a lotion bar just on my hands is to rub my palms on my arms or legs - but that might not work too well when you are in public

For me, mango butter really makes a difference. I think shea and coconut are both too greasy feeling for me, but cocoa butter would be my second choice. Jojoba with another light liquid oil is a good choice IMO. I happen to have a little meadowfoam right now, and is probably the best of any I've tried.

I was playing with my Abyssinian oil today & LOVE the way it immediately soaks into the skin. I got a decent price on mine. Not sure what it's priced like elsewhere, but I'm in Canada. I intend on using this, meadowfoam, mango butter & a few other things in my lotion bars.

Very interested in this thread as I have more playing with my oils & butters to do this weekend

 

[dibbles]

Thank you for mentioning this @QuasiQuadrant. I'll take a look at it.

 

[MomInWA]

One thing that's helped me make lotion bars more convenient to use when working or driving is to pour the oil-butter-wax mixture into twist-up tubes (the big 2-oz. ones that look like giant lip balms). That way I can rub the bar on the backs of my hands or wherever without getting anything on my fingertips or palms (ha, perhaps it doesn't count as a "bar" anymore when in that shape, but the formula is the same). I don't recall where I got my tubes (bought a bunch a number of years ago) but they look pretty much like these at Wholesale Supplies Plus: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/2-oz-natural-twist-up-tubetop.aspx

Oh, that's a clever idea! My daughter buys her lip balm in a cardboard tube, so I was thinking I'd try that when I make my next batch. I've been buying jars and bottles from Specialty Bottle - Wholesale Glass Bottles, Jars, Metal Tins and have been happy with them.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I made ten different lotion bar recipes about a month ago and have been testing them on and off since then. My favorites are the @Zing recipe made with beeswax, mango butter and jojoba and the lanolin variation of @DeeAnna recipe made with beeswax, jojoba and meadowfoam. The butter recipe is heavier and works really well as a first layer under the body cream I use to combat the worst of the dry winter skin on my arms and legs. I like the liquid oil-based bar better for my hands. It feels silky smooth and has more "glide" in comparison with the bar made with mango. I wouldn't characterize either of the recipes as tacky or sticky.

Why do we call these lotion bars? I made some for gifts and called them balm bars -- like lip balm, but for the body.

@QuasiQuadrant I love Abyssinian oil in my lighter face cream.

 

[Savage Daughter]

I made ten different lotion bar recipes about a month ago and have been testing them on and off since then. My favorites are the @Zing recipe made with beeswax, mango butter and jojoba and the lanolin variation of @DeeAnna recipe made with beeswax, jojoba and meadowfoam. The butter recipe is heavier and works really well as a first layer under the body cream I use to combat the worst of the dry winter skin on my arms and legs. I like the liquid oil-based bar better for my hands. It feels silky smooth and has more "glide" in comparison with the bar made with mango. I wouldn't characterize either of the recipes as tacky or sticky.

Why do we call these lotion bars? I made some for gifts and called them balm bars -- like lip balm, but for the body.

@QuasiQuadrant I love Abyssinian oil in my lighter face cream.

Yes, Abyssinian oil is definitely a special one...I am currently thinking of all the products I may use it in as long as the price remains reasonable in my area. It's definitely got a much nicer feel than jojoba, a liquid wax I know.

Another nice one for the face is milk thistle oil....wow, amazing stuff for eczema, dry skin, itchy skin, breakouts, you name it. I plan on testing it in solid bars very soon.

Meadowfoam is beautiful....so incredible!

I may have missed someone else mentioning it, but rosehip seed oil is also very nice.

Emu oil is also pretty special, but I don't feel right about using it in products I'm flogging for profit. It does, however, have valuable medicinal properties.

What about castor wax in 'lotion bars'? I have been playing with this today in making a custom lip balm recipe. It might be quite nice in a lotion bar & has the effect of stabilizing & hardening. Lip / body balms won't so easily melt if they get too hot, but will still melt in contact with body heat when mixed with other liquid oils.

I'm going nuts looking for my big honking bag of marshmallow root so I can infuse some for various products, including the main topic of this thread. Marshmallow root is amazing for the skin & hair.

Yes, I am thinking through what I am going to call my 'lotion bars' as this name for them has never sit right with me. A 'balm bar' makes more sense to me, although I don't want to steal your idea

 

[Savage Daughter]

Thank you for mentioning this @QuasiQuadrant. I'll take a look at it.

No worries You'll find a combination which works for you.

 

[Christa10]

Oh, that's a clever idea! My daughter buys her lip balm in a cardboard tube, so I was thinking I'd try that when I make my next batch. I've been buying jars and bottles from Specialty Bottle - Wholesale Glass Bottles, Jars, Metal Tins and have been happy with them.

Hi MominWA, you might look at General Bottle. Their prices are quite competitive. Bottles Wholesale - Wholesale Jars & Containers - GBS

 

[TheGecko]

My favorites are the @Zing recipe made with beeswax, mango butter and jojoba and the lanolin variation of @DeeAnna recipe made with beeswax, jojoba and meadowfoam. The butter recipe is heavier and works really well as a first layer under the body cream I use to combat the worst of the dry winter skin on my arms and legs. I like the liquid oil-based bar better for my hands. It feels silky smooth and has more "glide" in comparison with the bar made with mango. I wouldn't characterize either of the recipes as tacky or sticky.

I have Jojoba so I'll try @Zing's and @DeeAnna's versions too.

I've been thinking of offering two versions...a 'winter' blend and a 'summer' blend, but that is down the road.

Why do we call these lotion bars? I made some for gifts and called them balm bars -- like lip balm, but for the body.

Probably because you apply them on your skin like lotion. Some folks call the Lotion Bars, some call them "Body Balm" or "Massage Bars", some call the "Solid Lotion Bars". Whatever works for you.

 

[MomInWA]

Hi MominWA, you might look at General Bottle. Their prices are quite competitive. Bottles Wholesale - Wholesale Jars & Containers - GBS

Thank you, that's very helpful!

 

[cerelife]

I have 2 names for mine. Same recipe but different molds.
1. Monkey Bars - in a monkey mold (duh!)
2. Butter Bars - in a stylized round mold

 

[BWt]

So I read the articles from @bwtapestry (Thank you). Since I have the destashed oils sitting on my desk, I figured I would dab a little on. On a scales of 1 to 5 with 1 being the fastest absorbing, I agree that the Evening Primrose has a slow absorption rate (5). Meadowfoam is listed as a 2 and Raspberry Seed is a 3, but I found them to be the opposite.

On the butter front, the 'fastest' are Kokum, Cocoa and Shea though it appears to matter what kind of Shea you use. I checked to see what mine is...Virgin Shea from Ghana so I guess it is okay.

I was surprised that Coconut is a 4 and those who raved about Neem, it is a 5.

So I have a 15 cavity mold that I use for my 'purse' size LBs...0.75oz. So I think I will make a bunch of 4.50oz micro batches...one to keep and 5 to pass out to my guinea pigs...I mean, friends and family...to try out.

I only have 4oz of MFSO so I will have to plan carefully. And I think I will tint my bars so I know which one is which.

@TheGecko How is the lotion bar experiment coming along? Thought of your bar experiment recently. Found Myrrh Resinoid at $20 per lb plus reasonable shipping. Ordered some and it is marvelous. Also saw a coupon on site 20OFF for new users. HBNO. Wholesale Myrrh Resnoid Oil In USA - Essential Natural Oils
Have been putting on skin at 100% (back of hand) for one week and no reaction. Thick, luscious. Very good scent.

 

[CecileBC]

I've been thinking of offering two versions...a 'winter' blend and a 'summer' blend, but that is down the road.

Hi @TheGecko !
This is also exactly what I have been thinking: a summer blend and a winter blend - however, more in terms of making sure the bars do not melt during transportation during summer months (or on market stalls...). Winter blends would then be a tad "greasier" but with a lovely slip, and the summer blend a little harder with more wax in them. I don't know if it will be easy to market though: the "winter" versions not available for sale during summer months ? Maybe....

 

[JillGat]

My previous lotion bars were 1/3 coconut oil, 1/3 shea butter, 1/3 beeswax. I don't add EO or FO because I love the honey scent of our local beeswax. But way too greasy and tacky. So I got some meadowfoam seed oil. And I see recommendations for adding isopropyl myristate and Vitamin E in various posts. How does this sound:

33% beeswax
33% mango butter
33% MFSO
1% IPM
squirt of Vit E?

For a name: Body Balm Butter might be kind of a fun tongue twister.