Rosies

Spacegirl, I'm looking for suggestions for percentages of these ingreidents; Camphor Menthol Clove bud oil Lavender EO Aloe gel I have several oils which I'll list but I see no need to use a lot of inactive ingredients. SAO CO FCO OO GSO Jojoba MO Castor AO RHO Maybe a few more.

Carebear-Do you have any suggestions on percentages? I thought more people would respond.

I need to make a muscle rub for myself but don't want to buy anymore ingredients than I already have to use in it except I had to order the menthol. Hope to get it soon. This is what I have in mind to use but I don't know what percentages to use. Camphor Menthol Clove bud oil Lavender EO Aloe gel Maybe jojoba oil - Why jojoba? I thought it might help it to absorb into the skin. What do you think? I'm looking for suggestions. I looked up Tiger's balm and it has both camphor and menthol listed at 11% but that seems like a lot to me. I don't want something that's going to set me on fire. LOL Just something to ease the pain.

ladysj, Thanks for your reply. I'll check those out. I wasn't sure about the crystals. Thanks for clairfying for me.

Anyone know of a good source for skin safe menthol? I'd like to make a muscle rub with it. Also does it have to be an oil or can it be crystals? I've never used it before so I'm not familar with it.

Lavender is soothing so you might want to add that to your lotion. It goes well with the tea tree oil too. Keep us posted and good luck.

Are you going to share your formula? Good luck. Happy New Year!

For those of you who use twist up tubes, what size do you use and what do you charge for them? I think I'll have to try this recipe. How does a lotion bar compare to regular lotion?

What products have to be lab tested besides lotions? My daughter wants me to make some soap and other stuff to take to a festival she goes to next year. This is only a hobby for me so I don't want to do the lab testing. Do scrubs and body butters have to be tested? If I ever sell it will only be to friends and then it would only be enough to cover cost. TIA

I was hoping someone would have an answer for you as I've been wanting a recipe for this myself. I've only been able to find the sugar stuff too and it didn't work as well as I'd like.

What do you do to keep it from geling if you don't want it to?

I tried the hot coconut oil this afternoon and it stopped the itch for awhile but it's back already. I've had allergy test and do have a lot of them and they do suck. I do make cold pour and have thought about making my own shampoo bar. I've tried speciality shampoos but have been out for awhile because I haven't needed them so thought maybe something like lavender or tea tree oil might be good. Carrie, It sounds like we have the same itchy spots. My shins itch also. I was thinking the tea tree oil might help. Why do you say not to use it. Maybe I'll try the jojoba tomorrow. Thanks for the replies.

that is pretty funny. actually you use alcohol to make clear soap Carrie, How do you do that? In all my reading I haven't found anything about using alcohol in soap. I'm really intrigued. I spend more time reading and learning than I do making soaps and lotions. The forums are the greatest thing since sliced bread but I know you have to take some of what you read with a grain of salt. I don't like addicitions but it could be a much worse one. I don't think my family and friends will complain as long as they're getting free stuff and I love it, even the mistakes! Now as long as DH doesn't realize just how much I'm spending on my new hobby! I started out just going to make lip balms (using our beeswax) but that's just too easy even though I haven't made one yet that I really like. Still thinking about it though. I love the Carmex and I'm trying to make something like it. I even found a source for some tiny malibu tubes with the slanted applicator. Now I'm waiting for this one ingredient to come in that I want to add to my formula. It ended up costing me over $40.00 by the time I finished adding this and that and the one thing I was originally ordering was only a couple dollars. LOL

I have an itichy scalp (must be something it the shampoos) but don't have dandruff or bugs. I'm going to try using baby shampoo and see if that helps any. Do you have any suggestions for an EO that might help the itch? I don't have it all the time. I have a lot of food allergies so that might be it. Never had it affect my scalp before but it seems to be ever changing! There's one shampoo that I definitely can't use and I think it's because of the grapeseed oil in it. Makes my scalp itch like crasy. That's another question; if I'm allergic to wheat would wheatgerm oil cause an allergy? I would think so. Wheat, soybeans and so many other things give me hives. Here's something I'd like to pass along. One day I had hives and a rash on my back. Got DH to rub some food grade coconut oil on it and as he was rubbing it in he said the rash started disappearing. The CO also helps the itch from the hives better than the prescription cream! Isn't that amazing? I really don't want to put the CO on my scalp even though I know it's good for your hair.

Got DH to pick up some vodka and used it to thin the lotion. It's been 6 days now and it still isn't seperating but I know it still could. DH tested it for me and said it has a little sting to it but no more than most after shave lotions he's used and not as much as some. Smells wonderful. Now hopefully I still have my gift sets. This is funny. Dh told the woman at the liquor store his wife was going to use the vodka to make soap (instead of lotion). She told him he could believe that if he wanted but she didn't believe it.! LOL I know I couldn't sell it with the vodka in it but I'm not so all should be okay.

I just bought some of this stuff today and come home to find this post. For ingredients it reads, Composed of Refined Olive Oils and Virgin Olive Oils. Will this be good for soaping? I'm still a newbie so TIA.

Since some people use alcohol to sterlize bottles for lotion could a perfumers alcohol be used to thin a lotion? I made a small batch of aftershave lotion for Christmas gifts and it's more like a cream and needs thinned. I tried using water with more preserative added but the liquid preserative turned grainy in the water before I even added it to the lotion so I don't think that will work. The alcohol seems to be working in a small amount I tried it in (it isn't seperating yet) but will it be safe. It seems like it should be since it can be used to sterlize bottles. This is different from regular alcohol (it doesn't have the smell) so do you think it will work the same and make my lotion still be safe? I already made cologne and wanted to give this as sets but don't want to order more of the FO (used all of it)and pay the shipping for one little bottle if you know what I mean. What are your thoughts on this? I used Germaben II-E at 1 % in the lotion.

All I could find for recipes on lotion crafters was 2 books for sale. I'm sure I've seen recipes there before but can't find them now. Would you use more preserative using the goat milk?

Hey everybody! :highfive: The soap is already out of the mold and still beautiful! I'd post a pic but don't see how to do it. Just curious, but what do you do with soap if you do get a false trace and don't realize it till after it's poured and gets oily?:rolleyes2 I made another small batch today but I may have to leave it in the mold a little longer. I did it exactly the same except used a different FO but it didn't start getting firmer as I was pouring it like the one yesterday. I'm staying with the smaller batches for now until I get more experience so if I do screw it up it won't be so much lost. I don't like the looks of the one I had to rebatch because it seized up on me but I think it will still be yummy for personal use. Wouldn't want to give it as gifts though

Does anyone have a recipe for goat milk lotion or have you made it and can give me some tips for making it? I'm dying to try making some. I did a google search but didn't find anything worthwhile.

Carebear- You're so encouraging! I just checked it again and the thicker bars are heating up some so I put them in the frig so maybe they'll stay beautiful and creamy looking. There's no oil on them so I guess it isn't a false trace. Just maybe I made my first perfect batch! If all looks well tomorrow I think I'll make another one! Do you ever do RT soaping? If so does your lye water ever get a crystalized film on top and what do you do about it? Thanks for your encouragement.

I made a small batch of beginners goat milk soap today at RT using a wisk instead of SB. I mixed the lye with the water (strong solution) then added the cold milk concentrate at trace then added the FO. Maybe I'm worrying for nothing because this soap is beautiful. It's creamy looking (the milk didn't scorch) and firming up nice. It's about 5 hours old in individual molds. What's got me worried is it never heated up except just a tiny bit after I poured it in the molds so I'm wondering if I got a false trace and what the end results will be. It didn't gel either. I still consider myself a newbie so your input is really needed here.

Well I did it! What most people call rustic I call ugly but it's a yummy soap even if it is ugly. I grated it in a plastic crockpot liner, put a little water in the crockpot, put the bag in without adding water to the soap, put the lid on the pot, turned it on low and stired it about every half hour till it was melted, cut the corner off the bag and squeezed it into the mold.

Guess I'll have to take my chances and order from them without any opinions and form my own!

Has anyone ordered any supplies from the chemistry store? If so how would you rate their products and service? I've been searching for a supplier that has most of what I need (and they do) so I don't have to pay shipping from several places. TIA for your opinions.