Whipped sugar soap scrub that foams..

[Rightmeow]

Hi greetings!

 

I'm new to this site and new to the art of creating body care goods.

 

The foaming whipped sugar scrubs truly intrigue me.

I used to purchase jars of them through etsy often.

 

I realized that since I have an overall interest in this product why not try and give it a go at making my very own batch of it!?

I don't feel comfortable or confident enough to start making my base from scratch just yet

So I looked around online & ended up purchasing Stephensons OPC bath butter base just to be able to get my feet wet and be able to grow some experience off of it.

I also got a 275W HB hand mixer along with a bottle of Unrefined

j ojoba oil, organic essential oils which I got on a great sale and I'm wondering what else I need to make it happen...

 

I'm trying to take in and learn as much as I can as I go. There is a never ending ocean of knowledge to absorb when it comes to crafting soaps! Would I sound like a nerd if I said I find it semi exciting but at the same time a bit overwhelming haha.

 

As for preservatives I understand that I should use one due to the wet area and wet fingers going in and out of the Jar making way for bacteria and mold to thrive inside.

To be honest I don't want to use one at all but I know that isn't too smart. When it comes down to it, I'd rather NOT use a heavy duty preservative.

What do you think is best to use?

 

I've only done a little bit of research when it comes to preservatives and found that a lot of people especially sellers use optiphen (I think that's how it's spelled)

Otiphen plus? (If that makes sense).

I've also heard of something like phenonip I believe.

 

What is a recommendable preservative that does not have a heavy duty chemical make up and at the same time won't empty out my pockets that I can put into the Stephenson OPC foaming bath base?

 

I know I have more questions but think that's enough for now 😃

 

Thanks in advance to those who can help

[TallTayl]

Hi and welcome! We all get that feeling of excitement tempered by a little overwhelm.
 

a quick look at the INCI list on the Stephenson site (https://stephenson-kbuild-production.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/product-technical-document/06-solid-surfactant-range/crystal-opc/CRYSTAL-OPC---INCI-&-Specification-Rev-21.pdf)  shows:

 

The base is preserved with phenoxyethanol at between 0.5%-1%.  I’d look at their processing guides on their site to see if another preservative is indicated when making products with the base.  
https://stephenson-kbuild-production.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/product-technical-document/06-solid-surfactant-range/crystal-opc/Crystal-OPC-Processing-Guide-Rev-2.pdf
 

if you were to want to try making it some day, you can play with those ingredients in those ranges to figure out what you like.  Lots will vary based on your particular source of the ingredient and the techniques used to make it. 
 

good luck! Have fun 😊

[TaylorBDBW]

I am very new to this site, and kind of new to soap making, however, I do have a little knowledge here, I like to make everything from scratch (that's just me, no judgment) but the ingredients, I use when making my whipped soap base are SLSA (it's just what I started with, rather than Sodium Cocyl Isethionate) can be a little intimidating when you first start out. One thing I have realized lately is that when making this kind of stuff. Some of it can be more forgiving than you think you can go back and add a little of this or that to get your desired consistency, as long as you document your measurements you should have no real issues in creating a good solid formulation of your own...But the main ingredients I use are SLSA, Vegetable Glycerin, distilled water, Emulsifying wax, and Stearic Acid (about 5%) might want to add a little more Stearic Acid if you use a liquid emulsifier since the Emulsifying wax contains cetyl alcohol which is also a thickener. One thing though when adding stearic acid always start with less, and add more if you need to, but also bear in mind if you do add too much, glycerin will help to soften it back up. As for a  preservative, I use germall plus, do keep in mind although the bottle is expensive it goes a long way. on Germallplus the usage level is .1%-.2% they say about 7-9 drops per pound. Also keep in mind the temperature when you mix it in can't be too hot. some stuff to think about when choosing a preservative is yes they are kind of spendy but so are hospital bills if someone gets sick off your product. and also if the preservative isn't the right kind then the bacteria can be more harmful than the chemicals you were trying to avoid in the first place. Not trying to scare you, just that's my take on the subject. But if you want lots of bubbles you want to look into your surfactants. SLSA and SCI are both surfactants but you can add cosurfactants to increase the foam, coco midopropyl betaine is good for bubbles it is a lighter surfactant, and decyl glucoside is a more dense surfactant producing smaller bubbles and foamier if you will...bottom line is you kind of have to play around with the mixtures to get the desired outcome, once you do that though then you know what works for you and have YOUR formulation...I know it seems a little expensive but once you get a good bath butter/ whipped soap base recipe down you can do so much! Shaving Cream for men and women, scrubs, and whipped soap that looks amazing! Not that you'll need it but good luck, u got this! 🙂