Question about improving lotion and b. butters

[TallTayl]

There’s a lot of water plus the glycerin there which takes a while to evaporate. The recipe choice of thickeners and emulsifiers hold that water for a while, slowing the evaporation.  
 

swapping in BTMS, for instance, will feel more powdery. 

A little isopropyl myristate evaporates quickly leaving a more dry feel. 
 

if you have a favorite product that is sold retail, always check the ingredient listing for cues on how they get that feel. We may not have exactly their ingredients but we usually have things that are close enough.

[moodybalm]

+1 for Isopropyl Myristate (IPM). I only use a few % in my products, but I do read you can use "up to 100%" in formulations. Definitely follow NightLight's advice and try removing the shea/stearic and trying a lighter oil. I use Capric Triglyceride for my lotion bars because I want a very light feel, but I also hear sunflower oil is light. Definitely avoid oils like castor if you don't want a greasy feel.

[Candybee]

My first lotion was greasy and lacked glide so I know how you are feeling. But after doing some more research into lotion and cream making helped me a lot. Why I didn't even know there was a basic formulary for crafting lotions and creams. Once I incorporated the formula's and started trying switching out ingredients that had properties I wanted my lotions and creams starting coming out pretty awesome.

 

For my emulsified lotions and creams I keep my oils down to no more than 1-2% and my butters 2-5% tops.  My favorite butter in lotions or creams is kokum. It absorbs well into the skin. I also like jojoba oil for my liquid oil.

 

For glide and silkiness there is a variety of products you can use, just pay attention to their solubility of either water or oil and adjust your oils or liquids accordingly if you sub one of them.

 

I love the feel of alkyl esters, silk amino acids, and WSP's Luxglide N350 in my lotions or creams. I don't use all at once thou due to the expense. But trying out one of these in your formulation should give you some silkiness and/or glide.

 

I also shop around for my E-wax as there are different kinds and some add glide and or silkiness besides being an emulsifier. I like to use a combo of one of the BTMS's coupled with one of the E-waxes. ITDF and WSP have some great wax emulsifiers that offer a range of properties. I like WSP's E-wax Soft & Silky that is very nice. Couple that with alkyl esters and you have a rockin upscale lotion.

 

Just switching out one or two ingredients can make all the difference. I don't use all of these at once, rather a combo of emollients/esters and maybe a combo of emusifiers and depending on what I want from my lotion.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Candybee