Well, this has me stumped...lotion bars

[navigator9]

I made some lotion bars yesterday, using beeswax, cocoa butter and avocado oil. The oils were completely melted, clear, no bits of cocoa butter or beeswax remaining. When they cooled, this is what the tops look like. It's hard to get the camera to pick them up, they're easier to see in person, but there are lighter colored, round spots all over the top. The funny part, the part I can't explain, is that they're all the same size, maybe just under 1/4 inch, and they're evenly distributed across the surface, like an intentional design. Anyone have any ideas what could cause this? Difficult to see in the pic, maybe the easiest to see is the one in the upper right corner.

 

[Cellador]

I think this is normal, though I don't have the scientific background to tell you why or how it happens. I haven't made lotion bars in some time, but I seem to remember that the patchiness fades over time.
Did you let them cool at room temperature or in the freezer?

 

[DeeAnna]

I've seen something like this a time or two, but not consistently. I've wondered if it happens when the product cools at just the right rate. Something about how the crystals form, maybe?

 

[SaltedFig]

That pattern is created by the beeswax. It shows up in old-fashioned (natural) polishes too.

Any method that brings the mixture to cloud point before the pour will stop this from happening.

I've found melting the wax separately and pouring it into warmed oils helps avoid the pattern.
The combined temperature of the mixture can be brought lower while still remaining liquid, so this way the mixture can set before the pattern forms.

You could try remelting one, and stirring it until it cools (and just starts getting cloudy) before re-pouring it, to see if this works for you.

Typing at the same time as DeeAnna: I also think cooling speed has an effect, but I've never played purposely with that.

 

[IrishLass]

I have no advice to offer, but just wanted to say that I think that looks so cool! It's almost as if the beeswax is trying to reorganize itself back into a honeycomb pattern.


IrishLass

 

[Obsidian]

I agree its the beeswax. My family has raised bees for years and the wax they melt down after harvest always has spots like that.

 

[navigator9]

Ah, just got home and read these answers, thank you so much! The bars cooled at room temp. I don't mind the pattern at all, I was just interested to know what had caused it. So it's the beeswax! I find it interesting that the spots are all the same size, and distributed so evenly. They look intentional. And yes, IL, if the spots were more angled instead of round, it really would look like they were trying to form a honeycomb pattern. Neat! Thanks again for the info. I was passing these out to some friends today, they're really coming in handy in this bitter cold weather that just sucks every bit of moisture out of your skin. It's nice having the ingredients on hand, they're so easy to make. I've started carrying one around in my purse in a little tin. Forget this weather, I'm ready for S...P...R...I...N...G!!!