Castor Jelly

[Kerven]

Has anyone worked with/made this? It's supposed to be a petroleum-free alternative to petroleum jelly.

From what I've gathered, it's a mix of castor oil, fully hydrogenated castor oil, and partially hydrogenated castor oil. I haven't a clue where to find the partially hydrogenated oil. The other ingredients are fairly easy. I did see one jelly that used beeswax but I don't work with beeswax.

Anyone know of a resonably priced supplier of the jelly - less than $10 a lb for small sizes? Or maybe a recipe that doesn't use beeswax or partially hydrogenated oil?

 

For those who have used it, if heated, did it separate any? What was the approximate melt point?

[TallTayl]

Look for Peg-40 castor. It’s a pretty common cosmetic ingredient. It’s a foam booster, so not sure how well it will work with wax. C3 bubbles come to mind. 

[Kerven]

Hmm. That ingredient is new to me. Looks comparable to what I'm searching for. Not sure about the foaming. Maybe an antifoaming agent... dimethicone?

[TallTayl]

Dimethicone would reduce foam, but then possibly create other issues. 

[pughaus]

@Kerven I suspect you and I may be on the same quest to find an effective, non parrafin, non soy additive to coco wax?  If so, I'm curious if you've tried rice bran wax.  I am still in early testing but so far, results have been...not bad at all.  (Granted, I'm starting with coco83 which may itself have some parrafin in it.) 

[Kerven]

I'm searching for an additive for general wax use. An alternative to petrolatum. I've been working with various blends containing either palm, soy, or coconut. Unfortunately, all of them seem to be missing one thing that binds it all together. The differences in melt points and hardness are causing a few issues, so I figure I need something that's somewhere between the two extremes. Castor's ability to congeal a mixture is an added plus when working with a very thin blends. I guess I could make my own "jelly" with stearic and an oil but I'm not certain how well that would hold after remelting and blending with wax. From what I've read, the jellies are formed by constant agitation while cooling, and that's not in the cards for making candles... Well, I guess it could be, since soy is often brought to a gel phase before pouring, but palm wax, a major component in my blends, refuses (for me, at least) to gel or go below its melt point without crystallizing and floating to the top. That's also why I'm searching for an effective congealer that can suspend the palm to keep it from migrating as it rapidly crystallizes.

 

I asked in the cosmetics section because castor is a cosmetics/bath/body product. Probably should have asked over in the candles.

 

Rice bran wax is amazing, from what I've read. Terribly costly, unfortunately. Haven't tried it yet. Still hunting for a decently priced source that sells by the lb or two. I am curious to see how it compares to castor and palm waxes in structure and heat tolerance. My palm blends that use either palm kernel flakes or co92 tend to be finicky when handled (some of them melt just enough to become greasy), so temperature still affects the lower melt point ingredients despite being held in a higher melt point crystalline structure. I wonder if the same holds true for rice bran wax. I'm also curious to see whether or not rice bran candles turn mushy when containing high percentages of low melt point ingredients and exposed to temperatures much lower than rice bran's melt point but higher than the other ingredients'.

[Candybee]

On 2/23/2018 at 11:25 PM, TallTayl said:

Look for Peg-40 castor. It’s a pretty common cosmetic ingredient. It’s a foam booster, so not sure how well it will work with wax. C3 bubbles come to mind. 

 

This may be what I am looking for as an alternative to anhydrous lanolin for my shaving soaps. Wanted a vegetable alternative for those who may have wool allergies. Since you say its a foam booster that would definitely be a plus.

 

Do you think the Peg-40 Castor might be a good alternative? And if yes, would it be added during or after the cook? I have been adding the lanolin after the cook because it easily melts right into the hot soap batter.

[TallTayl]

It very well might work as a decent sub. I usually add stuff like this at the end of the cook. It does not need to saponify. 

 

Peg-40 Castor comes in different viscosities from what I have found. It can be pretty runny to gel like. The stuff I have from makingcosmetics.com from years ago is like jelly. Is intended for lipstick.  I’ve seen it used in Bath bombs too - I spose in place of polysorbate.

[Candybee]

I think I am going to get a sample and try it out. Will let you know how it works in my shaving soap.

[pughaus]

21 hours ago, Kerven said:

I'm searching for an effective congealer that can suspend the palm to keep it from migrating as it rapidly crystallizes.

 

I asked in the cosmetics section because castor is a cosmetics/bath/body product. Probably should have asked over in the candles.

 

 

You probably already know about the cosmetic chemistry website + forum called chemists corner, but if you don't, you should check it out.  They're your people

 

 

[Faerywren]

I used to use castor jelly years ago for lip gloss in the squeeze tubes. I bought mine from Oak Court Creations. I don't think they sell it any more.

Camden Gray, Essential Wholesale and Essentials by Catalina carry it, though.

Edited February 27, 2018 by Faerywren