fairylite

Borax and beeswax is not an effective emulsifier combo, and you'll notice separation in your product sooner or later. It's also easier and more accurate if you convert your recipe to percentage. 5 grams is more black and white to measure out than 1/2 cup of liquid.

To thicken up your lotion, you could try adding cetyl alcohol or stearic acid. Cetyl alcohol will produce a lotion-like texture, whereas stearic will add some drag to the product where it'll feel more like a body butter.

If you whip it too much, it'll also deflate once it's in heat.

Fractionated coconut oil (FCO) is produced by heat rather than cold pressing, and it's a liquid at room temperature. Many like using FCO because it's light, and sinks in quickly.

Coconut 76 and 92 just refer to the melting temperature. Obviously coconut 76 melts at 76 degrees Fahrenheit, and 92 melts at 92 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on your recipe, you can use either one (for example, I use Coconut 92 in my summer scrub because I want to have a higher melting point). Virgin coconut oil is also coconut oil (smells delicious!), but it tends to be more expensive so if you're on a budget, 76 or 92 can be substituted.

If a recipe calls for coconut oil in a recipe, you can use either 76, 92 or VCO. FCO will generally be referred to specifically in a recipe.

Hope that helps!

Browning is going to occur due to the vanilla content in the fragrance oil, and not due to the product form. That said, vanilla stabilizer is water-soluble only, so you're not going to be able to use it in an oil-based scrub.

Are you having issues with your e-wax, or lecithin as the emulsifier?

If it's the latter, I suspect you're having issues because lecithin is not a complete emulsification system like e-wax or BTMS is. In order to use lecithin successfully, you'll have to combine it with another emulsifier using the HLB system. Lecithin has an HLB of anywhere from 4-9 depending on what kind you're using, so you'll need to know what HLB your first particular lecithin is.

Thanks ladies.

So if I only use the Ewax the scrub will not be as emulsified as it would be if I used that & the stearic acid.

As I have both I think I will make up 2 smaller batches & see which is preferred. The glide aspect isn't really an issue in this particular scrub so I can do without the cetyl alcohol.

I'll have to speak to my chemist & find out if I can get anything added to my assessment if the one with stearic is more popular.

Off to play now, thanks again.

Sally.x

The emulsification of the scrub will depend on the amount of your e-wax. Stearic is not going to affect how well emulsifies, but rather the feeling that's left behind. Also, a scrub without stearic/cetyl is going to be less thick.

Like you said, try a batch with 3-5% stearic and a batch without to see what you like!

Stearic acid is indeed an emulsifier (if you are calculating HLB values, it's definitely included), however it's main function is to act as a thickener. Stearic and cetyl are similar in that they will both thicken up a product (lotion or sugar scrub), but stearic is often used for products you want to stay on the skin as it'll leave a "draggy" effect (like a body butter). Cetyl alcohol is better for products where you want more glide, and not necessarily for oils to stay on the skin.

That actually sounds really interesting. Would the part that laps onto the cap be sticky as well, or just plain/no adhesive?

CS like that is what makes people repeat customers. Of course, Stacy's bakery FOs are to die for!

If you're buying the base to sell, you'll have some issues with adding your own ingredients to the base. You'll have to adjust the preservative amount to account for the additional ingredients, but it can be difficult to gauge how much to add since you don't know how much preservative was added by the supplier. You also have a potential issue with the emulsion breaking due to the higher amount of oils vs. water.

Use around 3-5%, depending how strong you want it.

So that's anywhere from 0.12 oz to 0.2 oz.

I like a soap-based scrub. Less slick bathtubs afterwards. :smiley2:

It's easy to calculate. You want 6% of your total base weight, so 0.06 x 4 oz = 0.24 ounces.

1. The texture depends on how much liquid (in this case, oils) you add. You can add more oils and re-whip it.

2. Pastry bags (or ziplocs work just fine) makes it easier to pipe out once the product has set. If you offer custom scenting (as opposed to 4 or 5 scents), you might find it easier to scent as the orders come in. It's all personal preference, though.

3. I don't like to have product sitting on the shelves, so I always make my products as the orders come in. But if you plan on making things ahead of time, I'd say no more than 3-6 months. Keep in mind that the time that you have the FBB is also a factor in the "freshness" of the product.

4. Browning occurs due to the fragrance, not the type of product. So if your fragrance contains vanilla, it will discolor.

5. I use wide mouth jars, so I just use a spatula and scoop into the jar after I finish whipping.