Thick, Creamy Scrubs?

[Crystala25]

I have been using the same scrub recipe for my scrubs that I have been for the past two years and love the light, fluffy texture that I am achieving. But, I keep seeing shops that have a scrub that looks super thick and creamy. (Example: http://www.flower-peddler.com/store/product.php?productid=16618&cat=355&page=1, there are other products I have seen but this is just an example.)

I have tried testing out different recipes, but cannot seem to get mine as thick looking, mine are more airy like. Is there a special technique to achieve this texture, a different emulsifier than I am using. (I use e-wax nf and stearic) Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks.

[Carriegsxr6]

well here are the ingrediants listed in that scrub.

INGREDIENTS: Sucrose (Turbinado Sugar), VIRGIN Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Macadamia ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Behenoyl Lactylate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA BUTTER) FRUIT, Brassica Abyssinica (Abyssinian) Oil, Di-PPG2-Myreth-10 Adipate, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Triglycerides of Caprylic/Capric Acid, fragrance, tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol, Punica granatum linn (Pomegranate) seed powder

[Jami]

I can't help you Crystal because I can't make a fluffy emulsified scrub to suit me either. The ingredients look easy enough so I will be watching this thread closely.

Thanks for bringing this topic up!!!

[Smacky]

http://www.thepersonalformulator.com/wvss/product_info.php?products_id=1034&osCsid=576398c3a999aaea5b5ae06fad5e940d

In case anyone is wondering what that is.

[Crystala25]

carriegsxr6, I saw the ingredients listed, but wasn't sure if some of those ingredients used were to help it emulsify better than just ewax or does that matter?

I've even tried a whole bunch of variations on my own recipe, higher precent of butters a few times, higher oil percents, etc.

[Smacky]

BTMS is Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol

It is a conditioning emulsifier. Wonderful stuff!

[elegantnaturals]

Looks like an emulsified scrub to me. Basically, its lotion/cream without the water portion but with added scrubbies.

Here is a basic recipe to get you started. You can tweak to your hearts content.

50-60% oils

15-20% butters

5-10 % ewax

5-10% stearic acid

1% Phenonip

1-2% fo (if using eo's, use 1%)

Alternatively, you can use 5% Polawax and 2% BTMS. Or add in some cetyl alcohol or cetearyl alcohol for the stearic acid. Since this is a wash off product, I'd stick with the less expensive stearic acid.

Add sugars at ounce for ounce of scrub mix. So if you make 16 oz of mix, use 16 oz of sugar. If you are using other types of scrubbies, add per manufacturer's suggestion (or to your own taste).

HTH

[Jami]

Now that you have broken that down into %'s, it is REAL close to the bohunk #14 recipe. The bohunk called for 1.5 oz of turbano sugar per 10 oz of the "base".

I have made that one and really like it but I still can't get it fluffly like that picture. Maybe I added too much sugar, I didn't think 1.5 oz was enough.

[ah-soy]

This would just be my guess, but I think that pic is a marketing 'pose' ...meaning they stir up the scrub really well, pile extra scrub on top and shoot. I know it's got lots of sugar in it and is probably not really fluffy...just realllllllly full of sugar!

I have a really nice thick scrub that doesn't separate and I can stack it up, but it surely not fluffy like icing or meringe (or however that's spelled) :undecided

[Crystala25]

My scrubs that I make right now are emulsified and are the texture of a a coolwhip, mousse type texture, but with sugar. I am trying to get a texture like sugar cokie dough. I've tried altering my recipe many times, but it always goes back to the light fluffy feeling. One time I made my scrub and actaully used sugar cookie fragrance, was the one time it felt and looked that texture, but that same recipe won't work again.

ah-soy, I thought the same thing about the picture being posed for marketing, but I have felt a scrub in the past that actually felt the way it looked.

[jwahlton]

That looks like mine. Mine is a nice thick creamy scrub. The recipe posted here should get yours like that too

[Crystala25]

jwahlton, those look so good, i will have to try the recipe and see how it comapres to mine. A question, when you whip the ingredients together do you use a stand mixer or a hand mixer and for how long?

[jwahlton]

jwahlton, those look so good, i will have to try the recipe and see how it comapres to mine. A question, when you whip the ingredients together do you use a stand mixer or a hand mixer and for how long?

Thank you. No I don't whip mine

[Jami]

That looks like mine. Mine is a nice thick creamy scrub. The recipe posted here should get yours like that too

I have looked through and written down every scrub recipe I could find but I don't think I have seen one that looks as good as yours. Which recipe is it you use?

I really like your colored scrubs! I have decided I am going to have to use all white sugar in some of my scrubs with wilton coloring just to have some "pretty" scrubs. I like using brown sugar because it isn't as harsh it sure can make some ummm "interesting" looking scrubs lol

Thanks!!

[Ann M]

I have found that whipping scrubs is not the answer for me. They just end up deflating over time and pulling away from the sides of the containers. What does work really well for me is to melt my oils, butters, e-wax/stearic, etc... and then let it sit over night covered with a towel. If I'm in a big hurry, I do pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so until a crust begins to form. Yet, letting it sit over night gives me the best results. The next morning, I use my standard mixer or even my hand mixer and just mix the solidified scrub for 3-5 minutes. It turns a nice creamy white. I then add my fo and preservative and mix a bit more. Finally I add the sugar. I use about 1/2 the total amount of my recipe in sugar. So if I am making 20 oz of scrub, I would use 10 oz of sugar. I use 2/3 white sugar and 1/3 turbinado sugar. This creates a nice creamy scrub that stays soft ( not pasty).

Ann M

[thesoapbox]

They look great but I really hate the way emulsified scrubs feel after using them. Feels like I rubbed candle wax all over lol! I so prefer the oily scrubs instead. But the e ones do look pretty.

Angi

[Ann M]

My emulsified scrubs leave just a soft moisturized feeling behind. No waxy or oily feeling at all. I really believe the combination of ewax, stearic and cetyl alcohol help to rinse the scrub clean. I love the feel of cetyl alcohol better than stearic because it doesn't have the drag that stearic does, but in scrubs I usually use the combination of all 3 or just ewax and cetyl.

The purpose of an emulsified scrub is that it rinses clean. I use coconut oil, PKO, shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, FCO and sometimes other oils. My emulsifiers total 19% and leave no residue behind.

Ann M

[Jami]

Ann, I have cetyl but haven't used it yet. Do you replace the stearic with cetyl or split up the %?

edited: never mind, I looked at my bohunk recipe and it has 19% emulsifiers as well so I will just play around with the cetyl, stearic and ewax combos.

[Ann M]

I usually use either 10% ewax, 8% stearic and 1 % cetyl or I just replace all of the stearic for the cetyl and use 9% cetyl and 10% ewax. When making scrubs I don't notice as much difference and stearic is cheaper for me. Yet, when I make lotions, I now use only ewax and cetyl or BTMS. No more stearic in lotions.

Ann M

[Jami]

Yeah the bohunk is 10% ewax, 8% stearic and 1% cetyl. I had to look at the recipe to see what the total % was and I ended up answering my own question lol.

Since I haven't used cetyl before, I can't wait to see what a difference it makes (if any) in how the scrub feels on my skin. I do know I have really dry legs and in the winter, really dry skin. The emulisifed scrub is going to make a BIG difference in how my skin feels vs. how it felt in the past.

[Michi]

Crystala, I think you could achieve the results you want using the same recipe you are using right now, but don't "whip" it, just mix and add more sugar that will get you the Paste you're looking for.

I agree with Ann M- my emulsified scrub does not leave a waxy feeling behind at all! Mine feels like you just applied lotion.

In fact my #1 customer of my scrubs, uses the scrub, then rinses, then shaves her legs without using any kind of shave cream or soap, she's got enough slip from the scrub.

My scrub is the best seller of all my products-candles included. LOL

[Crystala25]

I will have to try using the non whip method, I haven't tried that technique yet. I will let you all know how it turns out, thanks.

[Crystala25]

You are all so great, thanks so much for everyones help. Okay, I made up two new batches of scrubs without the whipping, just stirring the ingredients together. (I also upped my butter a bit) They turned out thick and creamy and so yummy. I guess I was overwhipping my scrubs this whole time.