Scenting bath powder

[Candybee]

Anyone make bath powder? how do you scent it. I want to try both FO's and EO's.

[Darbla]

I added some lime margarita FO to some cornstarch a while back and have been using that.  I plopped a few drops onto maybe half a cup of cornstarch in a small jar, shook that up, and it's great.  I suppose if you're selling you'd want a more specific recipe but for my personal use this is fine. 

 

I logged on right now to go in the craft forum and ask for suggestions for a powder box for that mixture so I'll ask here, since you brought it up.  So what can you all think of for that?  No glass, something cute that would look good on the bathroom vanity, maybe there's something I can DIY?  You guys are always super creative so any ideas?

[Candybee]

Thanks Darbla. I also found some info on scenting and basically you just add it to the powder and sift it in to blend it.

 

WSP has a bath powder recipe: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/handmade101/how-to-make-recipes/talc-free-baby-powder.aspx?utm_source=Wholesale+Supplies+Plus+%26+Handmade+Studio+Newsletter&utm_campaign=009b3fdc47-Awesome-additive-recipes-plus-25-off-2020&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0fd7a88983-009b3fdc47-24246997&ct=t(Awesome-additive-recipes-plus-25-off-2020)&mc_cid=009b3fdc47&mc_eid=c7e92e4c6d

 

and they have cute powder containers too: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/search.aspx?q=powder shaker container

 

Re powder containers, I got mine at SKS. They are the traditional type like J&J uses: https://www.sks-bottle.com/search_result.php?keywords=powder bottles

 

also here at Elements: https://www.elementsbathandbody.com/4-oz-Powder-Bottle.html

 

 

[TallTayl]

I use a ninja blender to disperse ingredients and break up any clumps

[NightLight]

Various methods

cornstarch

tapioca starch

white kaolin

change percentages!

[NightLight]

Have no idea about bentonite, but it is drying and absorbent. You do have to test. 

[Candybee]

I'm going to use white kaolin, arrowroot, and cornstarch. I have tapioca and bentonite clay so I can play around with it a little bit.

 

Oh, and I also got my aloe 40x powder from Camden-Grey so I can add that too and see if I like it.

 

Several recipes I've seen use dried herbs crushed into fine powder. I have a ninja type blender and an ice crushing blender but not sure those would grind powders.. Plus I am skeptical about adding dried herbs in products that will make it scratchy. Maybe it doesn't if you grind the herbs fine enough?

 

[Candybee]

On 6/6/2020 at 11:34 AM, TallTayl said:

I use a ninja blender to disperse ingredients and break up any clumps

 

Do you package yours in powder shakers or round jars with pouf? I have done several tests on my powder and can't get any combo to go through the shaker tops. Its very frustrating. The powder itself is very nice but won't shake out no matter what I try.

 

Also, I have tried 1.5 - 2% fragrance/essential oils. Is this too much? Is this what is causing it not to shake out? Or perhaps using clay is the culprit. Clay seems much denser than the arrowroot, tapioca & cornstarch I am using. I am down to 3% kaolin clay now. Perhaps I should ditch the clay? Lower my fragrance % to 1% or less? IDK

 

Is there some secret to adding in the fragrance/essential oils to scent it? I've even added an anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate) and  it still won't shake out of the shaker bottles I bought. At this point I am not sure what else to try except give in an purchase jars to package my powder.

[TallTayl]

I just make it for personal use because packaging for production is problematic. I run to the same problems unless I’m using plastic shakers which I don’t want to use.
 

 

2% I think it’s a lot in a powder. I would go down to a half to one percent and it should be fully scented. 
 

it also might just need to cure open for a while to evaporate off those components in the fragrance that are caking

[Candybee]

That's a start TT. Thanks. Was planning another test batch tomorrow with 1% scent. I assume it can still cure in the shaker bottle. Its so humid here whatever container I put it in must be air tight.

[TallTayl]

I cure it open, prior to packaging. It is the only way I have to allow it to evaporate enough to make any difference.  Then it can be fluffed and packaged. I do the same with scented salts. 

[TallTayl]

If you have natra sorb around it may help fluff too.  That stuff is puffy.  I would also try to  scent one ingredient, then work the scented portion into the rest of the powder to disperse.

[TallTayl]

Sipping my coffee other tricks came to mind.  Mixing the scent into something that evaporates, like a perfumers alcohol will help evaporate out volatiles. Spritz like a perfume over the top, stir/shake well. Repeat to disperse. It does not take much scent in powders. Use as little liquid in total as possible.

 

i have even buried a cotton ball of scent in a jar and the scent permeated the powder within a few days. 

[Candybee]

Those are great ideas TT!

 

I was thinking of something similar to a cotton ball or even using the cotton ball. I wish I had some of those air freshener blanks you use to make for cars and such. I could douse the blank, let it dry, then bury it in the container with the powder to scent it. 

 

But instead of buying yet another ingredient I will try paper towels,  or cotton balls, or something that can soak up fragrance.

 

I was also thinking how to disperse the liquid/scent and a sprayer is a perfect idea. I have mister bottles I can use. Also, I am using vitamin E acetate which is very thick and gooey. Was thinking of mixing the vitamin E into the fragrance to thin it out, then put the mixture in a spray mister. Then I can try both spraying directly on the powder while stirring it up, or spraying on the paper towels or cotton balls and leaving it in the powder. 

 

Also, I like the idea of trying out spraying the fragrance mix on just one small portion of the power mix or one ingredient and then working it into the rest of the mix. I had actually started thinking about this yesterday. I remember that the corn starch has anti-caking and moisture absorption properties so maybe I should try spritzing the wet mixture on a bit of cornstarch first then work that into the rest of the cornstarch. Then either allow that to "dry" out a bit before blending that into the whole powder mixture.

 

I am trying to get both fragrance and vitamin E into my powder as I want my powder to have aloe and vitamin E. I have powdered aloe so that is not a problem. But the vitamin E and fragrance are very problematic.

 

Will give these techniques a trial run today and see what works. Will keep you posted.

 

PS - I checked out my store bought powder shaker to see if the holes were larger or different than the powder shakers I purchased. And the holes are exactly the same so I can't say its a bottle defect. Plus the powder in the store bought shaker comes out with ease. So working on fixing my powder formulation is something to strive for.

Edited June 24, 2020 by Candybee

[TallTayl]

 

 

TL/DR “wetting” starches causes clumps. Other ingredients can trap scent molecule without causing clumps. Magnesium stearate is a common pharma powder used as a lubricant for other powdery components.

i would forego the liquid vitamin e acetate as it is not necessary in a powder. It doesn’t “do” much of anything in this form.  Combined with sweat on skin both powdered aloe and vitamins E can become sticky or gummy, which is not really the desired outcome is it? 

 

longer: 
 

I would spray the clay with scent and let it dry out. It’s probably why commercial makers use it. The crevices in the clay particles can trap scent molecules.  

microscopic view of kaolin.

 

microscopic view of corn starch

 

microscopic view of tapioca starch

 

 

magnesium stearate under micriscope

 

Here’s a nifty article about how magnesium stearate is used in pharma as an effective lubricant for powders. 
 

 

[TallTayl]

Looks like magnesium stearate is also a hydrophobic oil binder, so it makes sense why it is used in many Scented powders.

http://www.organic-creations.com/thickeners-stabilizers/485-magnesium-stearate#/6-pack_size-1_lb

[Candybee]

Magnesium stearate is already in my recipe. I also used it with my cornstarch and fragrance/aloe mix tests including the one I did today. I have a small container with cornstarch, magnesium stearate, fragrance, and aloe all blended together. I even used my mini cordless mixer to blend it all together. It feels luxurious, soft and silky.

 

It is not exactly damp but the moisture in the mix is enough to make it sort of stick together. I put a dry paper towels in the container to help keep the moisture contained and hopefully to draw some of it out of the container.

 

Will see how it looks in a few days. I have not added this small test batch to a full batch. I wanted a chance to let it dry out a bit the blend it with more dry ingredients. Could be that this will be the way it works, or it could be another flop. Time will tell.

Edited June 24, 2020 by Candybee

[Candybee]

4 hours ago, TallTayl said:

TL/DR “wetting” starches causes clumps

 

Not sure what you are saying. What is tl/dr?

[Candybee]

4 hours ago, TallTayl said:

i would forego the liquid vitamin e acetate as it is not necessary in a powder. It doesn’t “do” much of anything in this form.

 

I see aloe and vitamin E in powders I have looked at in my research. Plus, I have a line of products with aloe and vitamin E and wanted the powder to match. Believe me I thought long and hard on this one as I knew they were going to be problematic. For now, I am willing to work at finding a way to make them work. If I can't, then I will ditch them.

[TallTayl]

22 minutes ago, Candybee said:

 

Not sure what you are saying. What is tl/dr?

Tl/dr too long didn’t read - a bullet summary for people who don’t want the longer version. 

[TallTayl]

I suspect much of your clumping will be solved by only scenting the non-starch components, letting the scented piece cure a bit then blending into the starch. 

[Candybee]

4 hours ago, TallTayl said:

I suspect much of your clumping will be solved by only scenting the non-starch components, letting the scented piece cure a bit then blending into the starch. 

 

You mean the clay? The 'damp' starch clumping makes sense. Will try the clay scenting trick too. Thanks. 

 

With my test today I tried adding half the amount of fragrance/vitamin E mix into a couple ounces of cornstarch with magnesium stearate. So far its the best looking batch, the dryest. However, even with using slightly less than 1% fragrance still make the powder damp and start to stick and look heavy. So next test will be the clay.

 

I should try the cotton ball with fragrance in the powder and ditch the vitamin E. But I want to keep trying to see if I can still incorporate the vitamin E.

[Candybee]

Wouldn't it be funny if all these test powders in all the containers dried out in a few days/weeks on their own?!!

[TallTayl]

44 minutes ago, Candybee said:

Wouldn't it be funny if all these test powders in all the containers dried out in a few days/weeks on their own?!!

It may.  I have not ever been so lucky, lol.

 

often the simplest products take the most time.  And that is OK. 

[Candybee]

The body powder and deodorant have been the hardest products for me to develop so far. Both have a substantial amount of powder/dry ingredients in them. Learning how to get the formulations just right has not been easy but very enlightening.