mychellec

I agree that your emulsifier may be the culprit, though I haven't played with Lotionpro either. You might try BTMS for your emulsifier. It has a nice, almost powdery feel in lotions and creams and it adsorbs to and conditions skin. I agree that you want to keep the sodium lactate at 2% as it is photo-sensitizing, and your Vitamin E should be at 1% or less. I love the feel of cylcomethicone in my lotions as well. FCO is a nice light oil, so that will not add tackiness to your formula; sesame is a bit more occlusive but still should not be sticky. I do love the glide cetyl contributes to a formula, and have never found it to be sticky, but play with it and see. HTH!

Go to Swift's blog! She is an incredible wealth of info on all things B&B. She has a few download-able charts with the various properties of oils, butters, etc. Here's the link: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/

I use in-shower lotion bars for the same effect. A combo of e-wax, cocoa, shea, and mango butters, cetyl, stearic, and avocado oil. Red has a great recipe posted in this forum. Also, an emulsified scrub, with or without the scrubbies, makes a great in-shower lotion as well. The e-wax (or combo of e-wax and btms is even better) emulsifies the oils with the water from the shower to create a lotion that then rinses off, leaving a moisturized layer on skin that isn't greasy. I like to get as much of my body care done in the shower as I can, and these products allow me to get really soft and not have to lotion up after my shower (though I usually do anyways, as I make so many yummy lotions)!

If you increase your water and reduce your oils you will get a lotion texture as opposed to a frosting/cream. By increasing your water and decreasing your oils, you will decrease your emulsifier, as this is an oil-in-water emulsion and emulsification is based on the oil portion of your formula, rather than the water (the rule of thumb for e-wax is 20-25% of your oil phase). I would replace some of the coconut oil with a liquid oil, and do the same for a portion of the kokum butter, as well as replace a portion of the oils with water, then recalculate your emulsification needs. This will yield a lighter product. HTH!

You might want to consider adding preservative whenever you add extracts, botanicals, etc to anything - even if it is anhydrous. Anything food-based is definitely going to require a preservative, in my experience. Salt and sugar can remain stable in an oil mixture as long as water is not exposed to the mix - I use a preservative for anhydrous products (such as phenonip) for my scrubs. Clays do tend toward microbial contamination, so you will want to preserve your oil/clay mixes as well (remember, just because you can't see growth doesn't mean it isn't contaminated). I am also very careful with extracts, botanicals, honey and aloe powders, etc - these things are classic "bug food," especially if water or bacteria are introduced. Also, Apple Cider Vinegar will need an emulsifier, such as Polysorbate 20, to blend with your oils - otherwise it will just sit on top. HTH! Happy crafting!

Since emulsification is based on the amount of the oil phase, not the water phase, of a product you can add up to 100% water to a lotion without experiencing separation, as this is an oil-in-water emulsion. I.e., the rate of emulsifier is based on the percentage of the oils phase, so if you add to the oil phase then you would have to increase the emulsifier. You can continue to add as much water as you need to a recipe without adjusting the emulsifier. I also saw that thread on their forum, and posted this there. I don't know where they are getting this 20% from, but rest assured you can go higher. As for the preservative, you would want to add for sure if you are adding water. The additional preservative would be based on the volume of water or shea added. If using LGP, for example, and adding 8 oz water then you would add .5% of 8 oz to the lotion. You don't want to add according to the total batch size as this would be too much. HTH!

Hello Reg! I also have long, tangle-prone hair and have to sleep in braids to keep it under control. I understand! I find that adding a little cylcomethicone and dimethicone to my conditioners made all the difference. Just 2% each gives my conditioner slip and detangling qualities. I hope that helps your little girl!

I've been using the ultra-refined high-melt point shea from MMS for some time now and I love it!! It is nice and creamy, and I have no grains in my shea butter lip balms after months of exposing them to temperature variations. I highly recommend this stuff.

Figure out how much you want to make, then scoop out and weigh until you get what you need. You don't want to have to melt down the whole tub every time - big pain! As for flavor, each one is different. Se what the manufacturer's recommendation is for your flavor. I like to start with 1%, and go up from there. Happy crafting!

This could work as a lava-type gloss, as it won't be uniformly mixed. Glycerin is water-soluble, so it won't stay mixed with your oils. I've used glycerin in lip gloss at a very small percentage, and threw in a bit of lanolin to help it stay emulsified. Though technically with that method it is only suspended, and runs a big chance of the glycerin separating out eventually. You might want to consider using food-grade stearic acid or a polymer to help hold it together, if a uniform product is your goal. Don't be bummed about that gallon - glycerin lasts a long time, and you can use it in lotion, hair products, lube, etc.

I'm not much help because I don't know the answer. But my .02 cents is that I don't think I would want to use a spray/perfume that is colored. I would be afraid it would color me or my clothes! I prefer a clear spray in a pretty bottle. It probably wouldn't stain, but the average consumer might think so. Now I want to know, so please tell us what you find out!

Michael's sells a Wilton cake decorator. It's plastic with a push-down mechanism and is great for very thick (frosting consistency) creams and lotions. I can't remember what it's called right now, but it might help.

You can sub BTMS-50 for ewax. Just experiment a little. E-wax has the 25% of your oil phase rule attached to it, whereas the numbers associated with BTMS run the gamut. According to some of Croda's info (the manufacturer) you can use it as an emulsifier at 3% regardless of the oil phase. It's more about the thickness and feel that you are trying to achieve. I would start at half of your e-wax amount and go from there.

I made a scrub out of whipped shea (80/20 shea to avocado oil) and threw in 70% sugar. It was just an experiment but I loved it! Left me nice and moisturized. You could do something similar with your shea, oil, and salt and/or sugar, maybe scent with the peppermint and throw in some Vit E. I don't think I want coffee in my scrub. It may be nice, but then I think about having to clean my shower!

I wanted to add that there is a "percent of solids" test to determine how much water is actually in a product. It involves weighing out an amount of the product, putting it in the oven for an amount of time, then re-weighing to see how much water has dissolved out. This can tell you what the percentage of water in the product is. I'm not sure of the exact process (it's been a long time since I read about the process), but I'm sure there is info all over the web. HTH!

True. I like to research duping as a place to start, and then make something better! :smiley2:

You're welcome! Formula fun! You can use aqloe juice or gel. The gel will make a thicker product. A store-bought gel bought from the cosmetics aisle will likely already have some preservatives in it - that can be a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective. Let us know how this turns out!

Sounds very nice, thank you!

I primarily use Liquid Germall Plus, and it does not impact the feel or smell of the product. It is used in such a small amount that you don't notice it's there. Optiphen, IME, smells terrible and has a tendency to curdle lotions. I only use it in scrubs, and only if I have to. I hope you find a system you like.

Okay, so the Burts Bees is a cream, not a lotion. So the water content is going to be between 60-70% (probably more towards 60). Let's look at the ingredients: Water, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, - emollient glycerin, - humectant ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, - emollient stearic acid, - thickener royal jelly, - optional/omit (jury is still out on this & it's pricey) kaolin, - clay, thickener fragrance, - rarely at more than 1% Everything after the fragrance is 1% or less of the product, and can be omitted (except the preservative, of course) aloe barbadensis leaf juice, - use at 1% lecithin, sucrose distearate, - lecitihin at 1%, thickener sodium borate, - borax, omit (skin sensitizer) xanthan gum, - use at 1% or less, thickener sodium lactate, - humectant chlorophenesin, phenoxyethanol - preservative at manufacturer's recommendation You can omit the extracts and not notice it in the viscosity of finished product: (prunus serotina (wild cherry) bark extract, pollen extract, mentha viridis (spearmint) extract, betula alba (birch) bark extract, arctium lappa (burdock) root extract,sucrose stearate,) So if we take out the extracts and fillers, we have a basic cream consisting of water, sesame oil, glycerin, castor oil, and a sprinkling of clay, aloe, lecithin, xantham gum, and preservative. As a starting point you might try: Water 65% Oils at 10-20% Glycerin at 3% Sodium Lactate at 1-2% (any more than this is photo-sensitizing) E-Wax at 3-5% Stearic Acid at 2-3% Aloe at 2% or less lecithin at 2% or less xantham gum at .5-1% Clay at .5-1% Preservative and fragrance at manufacturer's recommendation These are just figure off the top of my head, so you'll need to play with them to make it equal 100%. This might be too thick or thin, but it's a place to start. Good luck and let me know what you come up with!

Duping your favorite product isn't that hard! Lotions vary a bit, but all follow the same basic formula. First, how thick is it? Getting the proper viscosity is the first step. Second, what ingredients do you have, and what can you sub for something similar? Third, start looking for recipes that either contain those ingredients, or are similar. Than play! It will probably take several attempts, but that's the fun part. Just take detailed notes and compare away. Making your own can be pricey at first, but in the long run it is much more cost effective. With store bought products we are paying a lot for packaging, and the products often contain a higher concentration of water to goodies than our products do. Good luck! I think I'll start playing with the Burt's Bees lotion, and let you know what I come up with.

I started with lip balms 13 years ago! I love lip balm and can never get enough of it, or find the perfect balm - so I started making my own. Its easy, just melt and pour, and you can get starter ingredients locally (cocoa butter, beeswax, shea butter, oils, etc). A basic, non-emulsified body butter is just a soft lip balm, so that's a nice place to start as well. Nowadays I make every B&B product my family uses, from conditioner to diaper cream to laundry soap. But one place I've never gone? Bath salts! So easy, but I've never made them. Go figure. =)

I second dropping the citric - though then we have a lot of cyclomethicone if you're going to replace it with that! I would suggest 2% cyclo and adding the rest to the water phase, or add another goodie like glycerin or extracts. For better absorption you could use BTMS-50 in place of the e-wax (it lends a drier feel to creams), and/or maybe replace a portion of that citric with IPM (ispropyl myristrate - or something similar to that spelling) in addition to the cyclo. It aids in absorbability. Sounds like a nice recipe!

Your e-wax should be 25% of your oil phase (i.e. 20% oil phase, 5% e-wax). Then I use cetyl at half the amount of e-wax (i.e. 5% e-wax and 2.5% cetyl). If you have the necessary amount of e-wax for emulsification, then you can omit or sub out the rest of it. HTH!

I do a massage butter with cocoa and shea butters, cocoa powder, and milk chocolate FO - melt, mix in cocoa powder, strain out the powder, add milk chocolate FO, and let it cool in the fridge for an hour (I like to stir every fifteen minutes to keep it softer). It is truly decadent and wonderful. I don't have the formula with me, but I know there are some similar recipes floating around the net. The hard part is to remember not to eat it! I have never experienced any stickiness with chocolate in a product, but I keep the percentage small.