lotion Archives - Soap Queen

Heart Lotion Bars

January 24, 2019 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

If you’re looking for a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift, try these Heart Lotion Bars. They’re made with sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, and Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil. The bars are solid at room temperature, but melt on contact with the skin. They’re great for extra dry patches like elbows, knees, and hands.

The bars couldn’t be easier to make – simply melt together the beeswax and sweet almond oil, then add the cocoa butter wafers and stir. The natural scent of cocoa butter smells amazing with the Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil.

What You Need:
6 Cavity Heart Silicone Mold
Pink Rose Petals
6.4 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
4.8 oz. White Beeswax
4.8 oz. Cocoa Butter Wafers
4 mL Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil
Dropper

Click below to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

4.9 from 10 reviews

Heart Lotion Bars

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Bramble Berry

Recipe type: Lotion Bars

Serves: 6 lotion bars

Ingredients

6 Cavity Heart Silicone Mold
Pink Rose Petals
6.4 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
4.8 oz. White Beeswax
4.8 oz. Cocoa Butter Wafers
4 mL Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil
Dropper

Instructions

In a heat-safe container, add 4.8 ounces of white beeswax and 6.4 ounces of sweet almond oil. Melt in the microwave using 60 second bursts.
Add 4.8 ounces of cocoa butter wafers to the hot wax and oil mixture. Stir until the cocoa butter melts. If there are small pieces that won’t melt, place the container back in the microwave and heat using 10 second bursts.
Add 4 mL of Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil and stir in thoroughly.
Place a small pinch of rose petals into each mold cavity. Use a spoon to cover the petals with a bit of the oil mixture (this helps the petals stay in place). Allow to cool and harden for about 1 minute.
Carefully pour the remaining oil mixture into each cavity. Place the mold in the freezer so it cools quickly. That helps prevent crystallization.
Remove from the freezer after 30-60 minutes and enjoy!

Preservatives Quick Guide

January 7, 2019 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Preservatives are an important part of DIY bath and body products. They help prevent mold and bacteria growth, which extends the shelf life of products and makes them safe to use. Check out this post for more information on the options we carry and how to use them.

Preservatives are recommended for products made with water or products that may get water splashed in during use. This post has information on whether they’re needed for soap, lotion, and more. Keep in mind these are general rules and may be different based on your preference, how the product will be used, whether you’re selling the product, etc. It’s a great place to start and adjust from there.

Cold process and melt and pour soap
Preservative: No

You never have to worry about adding a preservative to cold process or melt and pour. They have a pH level of 9-10, which doesn’t allow mold or bacteria to grow. Just another reason to love handmade soap.

Liquid soap
Preservative: Optional
Amount 0.5-1% of the total weight
Type: Optiphen ND

Like bar soap, liquid soap has a pH level that doesn’t allow mold to grow. However, it does require distilled water for dilution. You can add a preservative to be extra careful or if you plan to sell it. The same goes for the Bramble Berry liquid soap bases – you can add preservatives to the ones that need to be diluted, but the ready-to-use options are already preserved and don’t need extra.

Lotion
Preservative: Yes
Amount: 1% of the total weight
Type: Optiphen, Phenonip, or Germaben II

Lotion always needs a preservative because it’s made with water. Without one, the shelf life will only be a few weeks.

Body butter
Preservative: No

This is a simple mixture of butter and oil. Because there’s no water and it will likely be applied to dry skin, don’t worry about a preservative. As always, you can add one if you plan to sell it.

Scrubs and bath salts
Preservative: Optional
Amount: 1% of the total weight
Type: Optiphen or Phenonip

While most scrubs and bath salts aren’t made with water, they are usually stored in the shower and can get water splashed in during use. We recommend a preservative for that reason. You can skip it if the recipe is for personal use and stored in a cool, dry area in between uses.

Bath bombs
Preservative: No

Bath bombs don’t contain water so they don’t need a preservative. When choosing witch hazel to wet them, make sure it’s alcohol based or already has a preservative.

Balms
Preservative: No

Like body butter, balms don’t contain water and they’re usually applied to dry skin. You don’t need to worry about a preservative. That goes for body balm and lip balm.

Room sprays, linen sprays, and perfume
Preservative: Yes
Amount: 1% of the total weight
Type: Optiphen ND

If your recipe contains water, it will need a preservative. If not, check the ingredient list and make sure whatever you’re adding has one. For instance, this Lavender Linen Spray is made with ingredients that already have preservatives. That means you don’t need to add another one. The same goes for recipes that are oil based.

Lotion vs. Body Butter

December 4, 2018 Filed Under: Lotion, Tips & Tricks

There are DIY moisturizers for every skin type and skill level. If you’re on the hunt for the perfect recipe, this post can help. It goes over the difference between lotion and body butter. It also includes recipes to help you get started.

Lotion is created by combining oil and water with an emulsifier. Body butter is a simple mixture of butter and oil that’s whipped until fluffy.

Lotion
A typical recipe is 70-80% distilled water, 3-5% stearic acid, 3-6% emulsifying wax, and the rest is oil and butter. Those ingredients are heated and combined with a stick blender.

At its core, lotion is fairly simple. However, all the options can complicate the process. There are several emulsifiers and co-emulsifiers to choose from, and you can use alternative liquids in place of distilled water. The oils and butters you choose will affect the texture of the recipe. You can also include specialized additives like glycerin, honeyquat, and DL-Panthenol. Learn more about formulating lotion recipes in this post.

Another factor to consider is the potential for mold growth. That can happen with any water-based recipe if it’s not handled properly. Before making lotion, you’ll need to disinfect all your tools in a 5% bleach and distilled water solution. That includes spoons, bottles, bowls – anything that will come in contact with the ingredients. Then, wipe the tools dry with clean paper towels.

You’ll need to add a preservative at 0.5-1.5% of the total weight of the lotion. Optiphen and Phenonip are both good options. They help prevent mold and bacteria and extend the shelf life of the lotion. Learn more about preservatives in this post.

No matter what ingredients you choose for your lotion, the water gives it a lightweight consistency that absorbs quickly into the skin. That makes it great for both the body and face, and it also works for multiple skin types. If your skin is oily, you can add more water and use lightweight oils like rosehip and lingonberry seed. For dry skin, try a moisturizing butter like shea.

If you’re ready to give lotion a try, check out these recipes:

Body butter
If your skin is very dry or sensitive, body butter is a great option. It couldn’t be simpler to make – just add butter to a bowl and whip until it’s fluffy. You can choose any one you like. For a lighter feeling on the skin, try avocado or lavender butter. More moisturizing options include shea or turmeric shea butter. You can also use harder butters like cocoa, you’ll just need to melt them before whipping. Learn more about butters in this post.

We like to add a lightweight oil like avocado, cucumber seed, or argan to the recipe. It softens the butter and helps it glide onto the skin easily. We recommend about 2 ounces per pound to start. If you prefer a more a balm-like texture, you can also add beeswax. Start with 1 teaspoon of melted beeswax per pound and go from there.

Because body butter doesn’t contain water and likely won’t get any splashed in during use, it doesn’t need an emulsifier or a preservative. You can disinfect your tools if you want to be extra safe or if you plan to sell it.

Body butter has a heavier, more hydrating feeling than lotion. It’s great for dry patches like elbows, hands, and feet. However, it may be too heavy for the face.

Body butter can feel greasy on the skin. Arrowroot powder helps – it cuts the oily texture and helps the recipe absorb more quickly. It also gives it a light and fluffy consistency. Start with 1 teaspoon of arrowroot per pound of butter and test it on the skin. If you want more, add in 1 teaspoon increments until you like the way it feels.

Here are some recipes to try:

Turmeric Body Butter

October 10, 2018 Filed Under: Lotion

Handmade products don’t have to be complicated. This Turmeric Body Butter has just a few ingredients, but they’re all the right ones.

The main ingredient is new turmeric shea butter. It’s a natural mix of moisturizing oils and turmeric root extract, which leaves your skin feeling smooth. The butter is from the Hygge Collection, which includes comforting scents and giftable packaging.

Arrowroot powder is added to create a fluffy texture and so the butter doesn’t feel too greasy on the skin. The ginger essential oil blends wonderfully with the slightly spicy scent of the turmeric shea butter. The end result is a thick yet spreadable butter that is intensely hydrating.

The Turmeric Body Butter Labels give your jars a polished look so they’re ready to give to friends and family. The labels match perfectly with the Turmeric Clay Face Mask. The mask and body butter make a great gift set.

Looking for more whipped body butter recipes? Here are a few of our favorites.

What You Need:
Three 8 oz. Bail Jars
16 oz. Turmeric Shea Butter
3 oz. Coconut Oil
3 mL Ginger Essential Oil
2 Tbsp. Arrowroot Powder

Click below to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

5.0 from 3 reviews

Turmeric Body Butter

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

This turmeric body butter is easy to make and it feels great on the skin.

Author: Bramble Berry

Recipe type: Body Butter

Serves: 20 oz. butter

Ingredients

Three 8 oz. Bail Jars
16 oz. Turmeric Shea Butter
3 oz. Coconut Oil
3 mL Ginger Essential Oil
2 Tbsp. Arrowroot Powder

Instructions

Place 16 ounces of turmeric shea butter into a large mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on medium and begin breaking up the butter. Continue to mix until it softens.
Add 3 ounces of melted coconut oil to the mixing bowl. Use a spatula to mix in the coconut oil slightly.
Turn the mixer on low and mix in the coconut oil. Gradually begin to increase the speed and mix for about 1 minute until the butter and coconut oil are combined.
Add 3 mL of ginger essential oil and 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder. Use a spatula to gently fold in the powder. Then, use the mixer to whip the butter for about another minute to fully incorporate all the ingredients.
Use a spoon to transfer the butter into jars. To use, place a small amount of butter on dry skin and rub in to absorb. Store this butter in a cool, dry place. If you live in a very hot climate, you may want to store the butter in the fridge to prevent melting. Enjoy!

Oat & Cashmere Lotion

October 2, 2018 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

Cashmere Fragrance Oil is a complex blend of white freesia, magnolia, blueberry, and violet. The moment we smelled it, we knew it would be perfect for a leave-on product. The scent inspired this luxurious Oat & Cashmere Lotion.

This recipe combines skin-loving ingredients like oat oil, oat extract, and colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is a micro-fine ground powder that blends in smoothly without any grit or exfoliation. It’s well known for its calming properties, and it’s commonly added straight to bath water to soothe the skin.

Oat oil and Cashmere Fragrance Oil are both part of the Hygge Collection, which is inspired by the Danish concept of happiness and comfort. Click here to explore the entire collection, which includes five new fragrance oils and giftable packaging.

Give your lotion a polished look with Oat & Cashmere Lotion labels. They pair perfectly with the Soothing Oatmeal Bath Salts labels. Both make a great gift or addition to your product line.

What You Need:
Five to six 4 oz. Bottles
18.5 oz. Distilled Water (77%)
0.2 oz. Colloidal Oatmeal (1%)
1.3 oz. Polawax Emulsifying Wax (5%)
0.7 oz. BTMS-50 Conditioning Emulsifier (3%)
1.7 oz. Oat Oil (7%)
0.5 oz. Avocado Oil (2%)
0.7 oz. Oat Extract (3%)
0.2 oz. Cashmere Fragrance Oil (1%)
0.2 oz. Optiphen (1%)

Click below to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

EQUIPMENT PREP: Disinfect your utensils by dipping them in a 5% bleach water solution and allowing to dry. This includes mixing containers, your stick blender, and any spoons or spatulas that may come in contact with your lotion. Your products must be as free of germs, bacteria, and microbes as possible. To be safe, bleach water all your utensils.

ONE: In a heat-safe container, add 18.5 ounces of distilled water. Heat in the microwave on 1 minute bursts until the water is about 160°F. Add 0.2 ounces of colloidal oatmeal to the water and use your stick blender to mix it in and break up any clumps.

TWO: In a separate heat-safe container, combine 1.7 ounces of oat oil, 0.5 ounces of avocado oil, 0.7 oz. oat extract, 1.3 ounces of Polawax Emulsifying Wax, and 0.7 ounces of BTMS-50. Heat the mixture in the microwave on 30-60 second bursts until the waxes are fully melted.

THREE: Check the temperature of both containers. Each one should be about 160°F (the oil mixture may be a little bit hotter). When they’re ready, tap your stick blender on the bottom of the bowl to release bubbles. Pour the oils and wax into the water and begin pulsing the stick blender. Blend the mixture for 60-90 seconds, making sure the oil and water phases are fully emulsified.

FOUR: Continue stick blending until the temperature drops to about 130-140°F. Add 0.2 ounces of Cashmere Fragrance Oil and 0.2 ounces of Optiphen. Stick blend for another 60-90 seconds to fully combine.

FIVE: Carefully pour the lotion into the containers – we used a funnel to help. Let the bottles sit overnight without a cap to prevent condensation. Once completely cooled, place the caps on the bottles, apply labels, and enjoy.

4.8 from 5 reviews

Oat & Cashmere Lotion

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour

Author: Soap Queen

Recipe type: Lotion

Serves: 6 bottles

Ingredients

Five to six 4 oz. Bottles
18.5 oz. Distilled Water (77%)
0.2 oz. Colloidal Oatmeal (1%)
1.3 oz. Polawax Emulsifying Wax (5%)
0.7 oz. BTMS-50 Conditioning Emulsifier (3%)
1.7 oz. Oat Oil (7%)
0.5 oz. Avocado Oil (2%)
0.7 oz. Oat Extract (3%)
0.2 oz. Cashmere Fragrance Oil (1%)
0.2 oz. Optiphen (1%)

Instructions

EQUIPMENT PREP: Disinfect your utensils by dipping them in a 5% bleach water solution and allowing to dry. This includes mixing containers, your stick blender, and any spoons or spatulas that may come in contact with your lotion. Your products must be as free of germs, bacteria, and microbes as possible. To be safe, bleach water all your utensils.

In a heat-safe container, add 18.5 ounces of distilled water. Heat in the microwave on 1 minute bursts until the water is about 160°F. Add 0.2 ounces of colloidal oatmeal to the water and use your stick blender to mix it in and break up any clumps.
In a separate heat-safe container, combine 1.7 ounces of oat oil, 0.5 ounces of avocado oil, 0.7 oz. oat extract, 1.3 ounces of Polawax Emulsifying Wax, and 0.7 ounces of BTMS-50. Heat the mixture in the microwave on 30-60 second bursts until the waxes are fully melted.
Check the temperature of both containers. Each one should be about 160°F (the oil mixture may be a little bit hotter). When they’re ready, tap your stick blender on the bottom of the bowl to release bubbles. Pour the oils and wax into the water and begin pulsing the stick blender. Blend the mixture for 60-90 seconds, making sure the oil and water phases are fully emulsified.
Continue stick blending until the temperature drops to about 130-140°F. Add 0.2 ounces of Cashmere Fragrance Oil and 0.2 ounces of Optiphen. Stick blend for another 60-90 seconds to fully combine.
Carefully pour the lotion into the containers – we used a funnel to help. Let the bottles sit overnight without a cap to prevent condensation. Once completely cooled, place the caps on the bottles, apply labels, and enjoy.

Carrot Hair Conditioner Tutorial

April 24, 2018 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

This hair conditioner is made with a combination of carrot seed oil, carrot extract, and carrot essential oil. Carrot seed oil is known for its silky texture and carrot essential oil is known for its carotene and vitamin A content. Both ingredients leave hair feeling soft and moisturized.

Carrot essential oil does has a unique earthy smell. It’s not everybody’s favorite, but when mixed with Lavender Fine Essential Oil, the conditioner has an earthy, floral smell. Feel free to use any essential or fragrance oil you like in this recipe.

This conditioner has a thinner, more lightweight texture. If you prefer a thicker conditioner, decrease the water and increase the amount of cetearyl alcohol. The Ginger & Moringa Conditioner is a great example of a thicker, heavier conditioner. In general, this recipe may be better for finer hair that is easily weighed down.

[Read more…]

Orchid Lotion DIY

March 12, 2018 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

This Orchid Lotion is a thick and luxurious product – perfect for protecting the skin from harsh weather. Jojoba oil is well known for its absorption and moisturizing abilities. Bramble Berry’s orchid extract is dispersed in fractionated coconut oil, which has a lightweight and non-greasy feel. Together, they create a lotion that absorbs quickly and thoroughly hydrates the skin.

The lotion is scented with Blushing Orchid Fragrance Oil. It’s a complex blend of tuberose, cucumber, clove, and balsam. It smells like a high-end perfume, which makes it perfect for leave-on body products. The Blushing Orchid Fragrance Oil is part of the new Modern Floral Collection. The collection includes four floral fragrances, botanicals, extracts, and more. Click here to explore them all.

Lotion is easier to make than you may think. The process involves binding together water and oils using an emulsifier. For more information on how to create your own lotion or how to tweak this recipe, click here. This recipe is quite thick, but it easily comes out of a pump container. It would also be suitable for jars.

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Moringa Clay Mask DIY

November 28, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

The moringa tree is also known as the Miracle Tree and the Tree of Life. It’s considered a superfood because the leaves are packed with vitamins A, B, and C, manganese, and protein, and the seeds contain potassium, fiber, and magnesium. This DIY mask contains moringa seed oil and moringa leaf powder to create an incredibly skin-loving product.

This mask recipe was designed with combination skin in mind. The amount of kaolin clay creates a thick but spreadable texture. If you have dry skin, you can use less kaolin clay as shown in the DIY Lavender Clay Face Mask. If you have oily skin, increase the amount of clay as shown in the DIY Sea Clay Mask. Find all of our clay mask recipes below.

This mask is lightly scented with the Spa Essential Oil Blend. It’s a complex blend of lavender fine essential oil, bergamot essential oil, rosemary essential oil, and more. If you have sensitive skin, you can omit the essential oil completely. Read more about recipe substitutions below.

A few notes about recipe substitutions and changes:

Polawax Emulsifying Wax is a highly reliable and strong emulsifier. It could be substituted for the generic version, Emulsifying Wax, if you prefer, although this recipe was not tested with Emulsifying Wax. Due to the clay in the recipe, we splurged and used Polawax Emulsifying Wax to avoid any chance of separation.
This recipe calls for avocado and moringa seed oil. Other oils can be used instead if you prefer; we recommend staying with liquid oils that absorb easily into the skin. Changing the total amount of oil in the recipe will change the overall texture of the mask.
Because this recipe is essentially a lotion and contains a large amount of water, a preservative is necessary to prevent mold and bacterial growth. We chose Optiphen, but other water-soluble preservatives will work. Learn more about preservatives here.
Increase the total amount of clay if you want it to be better suited for oily skin, or decrease the amount to make it better for dry skin. Decreasing the amount of clay may create a thinner product.
If you prefer to use different clays, feel free to swap them. Clays have different absorbing properties, which will affect how it feels on the skin. Learn which clay is right for your skin.
If you have very sensitive skin, fragrance and essential oils can be irritating. Omit from the recipe if you prefer.
Green tea extract can be substituted with a different extract if you prefer. Find more extracts here.

[Read more…]

Lavender & Honeyquat Lotion Recipe

July 19, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

Old favorites like olive oil and rice bran oil are great additions in handmade lotion. There’s no denying their powerful moisturizing properties, but the list of ingredients you can add to your recipe doesn’t stop there. Your skin will love additives like our new honeyquat and allantoin powder.

Both of those new ingredients are used in this Lavender and Honeyquat Lotion. It’s also made with moringa seed oil, rosehip seed oil, and shea butter. That mixture creates a thick lotion that absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves it feeling soft and silky. Allantoin powder adds a hydrating feel to the lotion while honeyquat draws more moisture to the skin.

This lotion has a sweet, floral scent from new Lavender Absolute 50%, which is amazing paired with the herby scent of moringa seed oil. On its own, lavender absolute is incredibly thick and hard to work with. Bramble Berry’s Lavender Absolute 50% has been diluted with fractionated coconut oil to create a thinner product that’s easier to use. It’s still quite thick and heavy, so pay special attention to the lotion temperature when you add it to this recipe. If it’s added while the lotion is still very thin, it may separate out.

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Sultry Jasmine Lotion Tutorial

April 7, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

Jasmine blossoms are known for their strong and sweet aroma. The new Sultry Black Jasmine Fragrance Oil is an alluring spin on a classic jasmine scent, with additional notes of cassis, bergamot, and smoky musk. Because of its perfume-like qualities, it’s a great choice for leave-on products such as body oil. It’s also the perfect fit for this creamy body lotion recipe.

Inspired by the Sultry Black Jasmine Fragrance Oil, this lotion recipe is made with rosehip seed oil. Rosehip seed oil is rich in vitamins A and C and is great for extremely dry skin. It’s known as a “dry” oil, which means it dries quickly on the skin without leaving a greasy feel. Its addition makes this lotion fantastic for hands if you work in an office and don’t want to leave an oily smear on papers you touch.

Jasmine Essential Water is used as a portion of the liquid in this recipe. Essential waters are created by infusing purified water with essential oil. If you like, you can use a full 12 ounces of distilled water instead. Diluted Royal Purple LabColor gives the lotion a soft purple hue. This can be omitted from the recipe completely, or you can add more if you prefer a more saturated color. Learn how to dilute LabColors here.

Polawax Emulsifying Wax is the emulsifier that brings the water and oil together. Stearic acid is a co-emulsifier, and also acts as a thickening agent. Learn more about formulating lotion recipes here. Because of the thickness of this recipe, it is not suitable for bottles with pumps. Not interested in making your own lotion from scratch? Lotion base is a great option!

[Read more…]

Lavender Lotion Bar Tutorial

October 11, 2016 Filed Under: Lotion

When skin needs serious moisture, lotion bars are the way to go. A lotion bar typically refers to a combination of butters, wax and oil that create a firm yet spreadable product when combined. Because they are made solely of oils, they are great for extremely dry areas like elbows, knees and cuticles. They are wonderful for a home spa day, or if skin needs a pick-me-up throughout the day.

These Lavender Lotion Bars are made with a luxurious blend of argan oil, avocado butter and white beeswax. Argan oil is rich in vitamin E and gives this bar a spreadable texture. Avocado butter and beeswax add firmness to the bars. Lavender 40/42 essential oil gives a light and calming floral scent. I love using the mini deodorant tubes for lotion bars because they are easy to travel with and carry around in your purse. Download and print this free label template for a finishing touch.

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Beeswax & Honey Lotion Bars DIY

August 18, 2016 Filed Under: Lotion

Beeswax is an incredibly versatile ingredient. It’s used in a variety of projects including balms, soap, lotion and more. In these Beeswax & Honey Lotion Bars, yellow beeswax gives firmness and a lovely yellow color. To add softness and skin-loving properties, olive oil and shea butter are added. The combination of the oil, butter and wax create a lotion bar that’s firm at room temperature, but softens when applied to the skin.

Pure Honey Fragrance Oil adds a sweet smell to the bars. Combined with the natural smoky scent from yellow beeswax, these bars smell good enough to eat! Two lotion bars can fit into a candle tin fairly comfortably, but the top of the bar may get a little squished. If you’re packaging them in tins, you may want to underfill the cavities slightly to make them a little slimmer. You could also package the bars in bail jars, cube boxes, or gift bags. If you’re giving these bars as gifts, download and print these labels on Waterproof Label Paper for a polished look. Store them in a cool, dry and dark place to avoid any melting or softening.

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Sunshine Lotion Tutorial

July 12, 2016 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

I’d love to spend hours in the sun, but my skin might disagree. Rather than bathing in sunshine and risking a burn, I created this Sunshine Lotion Recipe. It’s a thick and creamy texture, yet it feels surprisingly lightweight on the skin. Scented with Sunflower Fragrance Oil and Southern Peach Fragrance Oil, it smells slightly fruity, flowery and completely amazing. It’s like spreading a little bit of summer on your skin!

If you’ve never made lotion before, it’s surprisingly simple. In a nutshell, it boils down to mixing water and a small amount of oil together. In order to blend the the oil and water together, you need an emulsifier. In this case, emulsifying wax gives the lotion a nice “slip.” This recipe also contains stearic acid, which acts as a co-emulsifer and thickener. If you’d like to learn more about the different components of lotion recipes, the How to Create Homemade Lotion Recipes post is full of information.

In addition to water, oils and emulsifier, lotion recipes require a preservative. Preservatives are anit-microbial solutions that prevent mold and bacteria from growing in your products. Any product that contains water requires a preservative. For the preservative in this recipe, I used optiphen which is a paraben and formaldehyde-free preservative. To learn more about which preservative is right for you project, click here.

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Sunday Night Spotlight: Glycerin

April 24, 2016 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Glycerin is a thick, clear fluid that is used in a wide variety of bath and beauty products. It is a humectant, which means it has the ability to attract moisture in the air to the skin. This ability makes it great for lotions, soaps and other products. In addition to the bath and beauty industry, glycerin is used in the food industry as a sweetener. Outside the United States, it is commonly referred to as glycerol.

Glycerin is a major ingredient in melt and pour soap bases. In fact, some refer to melt and pour soap as “glycerin soap.” The large amount of glycerin is one of the reasons why melt and pour soap feels great on the skin. Adding extra glycerin to the soap softens the base. This is great if you want a bendable texture. For example, in the Melt & Pour Soap Ribbon Tutorial, additional glycerin gives soap the flexibility to create ribbons. The moldable texture also comes in handy in the Candy Cane Soap Tutorial, and the Embedded Melt & Pour Jellyroll Soap.

Left to right: Melt and Pour Soap Ribbons, Candy Cane Soap

Because glycerin attracts moisture from the air, it can cause melt and pour soap to “sweat.” This sweat is known as glycerin dew. Learn more about glycerin dew and how to prevent it in this post. In cold process soap, glycerin is a naturally occurring by-product of the saponification process. If the soap gets too hot, the glycerin can congeal which leads to glycerin rivers (shown below). Glycerin rivers are not harmful in any way, but they are a cosmetic issue. Click here to learn more about glycerin rivers and how to prevent them.

When cold process soap gets hot, the glycerin can congeal into “glycerin rivers.”

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Heart Lotion Bars

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Turmeric Body Butter

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Oat & Cashmere Lotion

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