Lip Balm Flavor and adding sweetner...

[candlebean]

For all of the lip balm kings and queens out there...I have been playing around with my flavor oils I got from the co-op. They smell great, but some taste a little funny - I don't know how to describe it, but vanilla doesn't taste like vanilla. I added another flavor that is supposed to be a sweetner, but it just tasted weird...kind of metallic or zingy :undecided :lipsrseal So my big question is this: When you add a sweetner, how much do you add? Say my recipe calls for 2g of FO....do I add 1g of FO and 1g of sweetner? When I lick my lips, I just want it to taste like the flavor I added. I am using Jojoba Oil, beeswax, FO, and Vitamin E.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Fern-Marie]

This ought to be interesting to see the progression.

I just got some Stevia Herb, haven't tried it yet, but hey, one step at time. The whole project just kind of ticked me off.

The Sweet-n-Low, and Equal, Sugar, Honey, and the new stuff in the yellow pack did not disolve, did not work...none of it. What a horror show. I don't want grit raking across my lips.

I consider myself a "lip balm connoisseur". It won't get my stamp of approval until I like it...and I am picky.

[candlebean]

I hear you - my DH likes the ones I've made, but I can't stand to have it on my lips with that aftertaste! Maybe I'm using too much FO or sweetner...hopefully someone will chime in with some words of wisdom for us!

[LovelyLathers]

I have found that too much fo will make them taste weird. Also that adding the stavia or the sweetener to the already over done fo is way too weird tasting for me. I added a touch of honey to some too and it helped but I am afraid to use that because of all the warnings about young children getting botulism from it if they use it. BTW I use the liquid stavia not the powders, no grit but it is very sweet you only need a drop at a time until you get it to the right taste you like. As far as the metallic taste I never had that happen so I can't help you. But I was wondering could it be the Vit. E that is giving you a bit of a taste if there is too much? Sue

[candlebean]

Thanks Sue...I am making very small batches while I test so I think it must be that I am adding too much FO....Instead of trying to measure out a gram at a time, I think I will just add a few drops and see how that goes. After thinking about this for a while, I decided to do a little experiment - I dipped the tip of my finger into some straight FO (just a tiny tiny bit) and put it on my lips and got the same taste, which led me to believe that I was just putting in too much FO.....I don't recommend doing that - I had to go brush my teeth and lips after :lipsrseal What we crazy experimenters do to figure things out! I know it wasn't the Vit E because when I went back in the kitchen to clean up, I realized that I forgot to add it

[Fern-Marie]

Candlebean, How much FO were you putting in? I don't want to repeat the mistake and end up wasting product.

LovelyLathers, thanks for the heads up on the Stevia. I have powder.

My cousin did a test with it and it melted fully...I will give it a whirl next week. I hope that I can make this work well.

[candlebean]

I was using the following recipe:

5g beeswax

22g Jojoba Oil

1g FO

But my stupid scale only seems to want to show me even grams so it was really hard to measure out just 1g of FO or 5g of beeswax... it would only register either 4 or 6g when I was measuring out the beeswax, or 0 or 2g when I was trying to measure out the FO...a new scale is next on the list. I figured when I started making bigger batches I wouldn't have this problem...

[candlebean]

Update: I made a new batch using the same flavor and added my FO and sweetner by the drop - what a great improvement! For 3 1/4 oz teter sized pots I used:

5g beeswax

22g jojoba oil

1g Vit E

8 drops FO

4 drops sweetner

[xverion]

Would adding maybe a few drops of corn syrup for a sweetener do the trick? I've only done 1 lip balm years ago, but used peppermint FO so I didn't use sweetener. Just thinking out loud.

[Fern-Marie]

Candlebean, are you using liquid stevia?

Corn Syrup, now there's one I hadn't thought of. If the Stevia doesn't work, that'll be my next venture.

Think out loud is how I make it through the day! Kind of like learning a new dance step and your lips are moving as you count?

[CareBear]

You can always make a master-batch of the base w/out the FO and then add it in as desired.

Doesn't help you with the FO really, but I know there are some conversions on here for grams to tsp and drops....

I was using the following recipe:

5g beeswax

22g Jojoba Oil

1g FO

But my stupid scale only seems to want to show me even grams so it was really hard to measure out just 1g of FO or 5g of beeswax... it would only register either 4 or 6g when I was measuring out the beeswax, or 0 or 2g when I was trying to measure out the FO...a new scale is next on the list. I figured when I started making bigger batches I wouldn't have this problem...

[xverion]

I guess as long as I'm not talking out loud around a group of strangers, then it would be ok. LOL!

[fosterscreations]

I too struggle with lip balms mine smell great but have no taste. And I have tried numerous Flavor oils and they are all bitter.

I have thought about using splenda as a sweetener but corn syrup or glucose might work too.

I will have to do some testing this week.

[CareBear]

I was using the following recipe:

5g beeswax

22g Jojoba Oil

1g FO

BTW, when I make unflavored the formula that got rave reviews is 30% beeswax, 70% jojoba+E combined (a drop of E then bring up to the 70%, since I make small batches)

[Fern-Marie]

I'm going to jump in here again.

I did a ton of research on the lip balms and flavor oils. This is what I found out:

They aren't "Flavor Oils", per se, they are actually scents.

Now, before you freak on me, hear me out. Have you ever purchased a really 'highly flavored' lip balm...like one of those dupes of Cinnabon, Reese's Cup, etc.?

What is the first thing you notice when you open the cap.....the smell.

It's one of those brain tricks. You smell it and therefore you think you taste it - more than you actually do.

Now, don't get me wrong, there is a slight taste on the flavor oils....but the most successful ones are the sweeter ones. Your brain is picking up a high scent, with a slight taste, and (often times) a lot of sweetness.

Why do you think some of the sellers of flavors already add some sweetener.

Try one of those dupes, you'll see what I mean. Once I put two and two together, I gathered up all of the 'Christmas stocking' ones that I had and put them all to the test....smell and sweet.

Hence, my desire for a better sweetener. One of them actually had stevia in it.

[candlebean]

I hear that about the flavor oil not really being flavored but a nose trick....so crazy! I'm not using Stevia - I use Sugar Kisses - another flavor oil I got in the co-op that says it can be used as a sweenter....my cherry tasted like cherry today - even if it was only from the scent I was happy because it didn't taste bitter (phew) testing is fun and all, but I am so happy that I finally got this one down...thanks for all of the great tips!

[CareBear]

I hear that about the flavor oil not really being flavored but a nose trick....so crazy! I'm not using Stevia - I use Sugar Kisses - another flavor oil I got in the co-op that says it can be used as a sweenter....my cherry tasted like cherry today - even if it was only from the scent I was happy because it didn't taste bitter (phew) testing is fun and all, but I am so happy that I finally got this one down...thanks for all of the great tips!

Years ago I did product development work for a flavor company - for the longest 6 months of my life. It's only fun to a degree... (and no, I remember nothing)