Do you need carrier oils? Is there an alternative?

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Dwilson9

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I understand if you are using essential oils and I’d say if you’re using fragrances oils too, you would need to use carrier oil, yes?

What if you’re not using E.O or F.O though? Do you still need carrier oil? What can be used instead? Does anyone have a recipe?
 
What type of product do you have in mind?

If you are thinking about bath bombs, for instance, you don’t need any carrier oils for the FO or EO, but you probably want polysorbate 80 to help the scent disperse well in the bath water.
 
I’m not sure what path my thinking was going on, but I may have been thinking of an ingredient that could have been used to replace poly 80 that was more natural and considered safer/better. I thought it was the carrier oil that disperse that essential oil, and the poly 80 that dispersed the carrier oil and in turn the essential oils.
 
I’m not sure what path my thinking was going on, but I may have been thinking of an ingredient that could have been used to replace poly 80 that was more natural and considered safer/better. I thought it was the carrier oil that disperse that essential oil, and the poly 80 that dispersed the carrier oil and in turn the essential oils.
Thanks for clarifying your thought process. The PS80 is used directly for dispersing the EO; no carrier oil needed. If you don't want to use PS80, you can use dish soap (which will require reducing the water, since dish soap already contains water).
 
Thanks for clarifying your thought process. The PS80 is used directly for dispersing the EO; no carrier oil needed. If you don't want to use PS80, you can use dish soap (which will require reducing the water, since dish soap already contains water).
Ah okay, well Is there any carrier oil/alternative (can you use wax?) that will moisturise the skin, and dispense with the water well so not sitting on the top. So something that acts as a carrier oil, mostiriser skin and disperse oil into water well? What other poly 80 alternative substitutes can I use?
 
The term "carrier oils" typically refers to the same oils that we use to make soap, or to dilute EOs. Because they are oils, they won't disperse into water without a solubilizer, like PS80 or dishsoap. However, neither PS80 nor dishsoap (even your own liquid soap made with KOH instead of NaOH) would be moisturizing.

It's hard to find one product that will both disperse and moisturize. One exception is turkey red castor oil, aka sulfonated castor oil. I've seen it used in a few bath bomb recipes. You can find it here on Amazon, where they have this description:

Castor Turkey Red is an aqueous solution of sulfated castor oil. It is a low-foaming surface active agent and lubricant which provides effective dispersing and emulsifying performance for oil, waxes, fats, dyes, and pigments. Due to its unique properties, Turkey Red Oil is used for bath oils and in cosmetics. Other than these, it is also used in the textile industry and sugar industries. • In the agricultural industry, it is used as natural manure and helps plants to grow. • In textiles, as surfactants and wetting agents, in paper industry, in cosmetics, in pharmaceuticals industry • For the soap-making industry that wishes to manufacture transparent soaps.

Another exception is PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, but that's no more "natural" than PS80. But if you are interested in trying it, here is a bath bomb recipe that uses it.

Other than jojoba oil, most waxes will not work in bath bombs because of their high melt temperature - hotter than any bath you would want to take. Wax won't disperse your oils, and it also doesn't moisturize; it works as an occlusive to prevent loss of existing moisture.
 
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The term "carrier oils" typically refers to the same oils that we use to make soap, or to dilute EOs. Because they are oils, they won't disperse into water without a solubilizer, like PS80 or dishsoap. However, neither PS80 nor dishsoap (even your own liquid soap made with KOH instead of NaOH) would be moisturizing.

It's hard to find one product that will both disperse and moisturize. One exception is turkey red castor oil, aka sulfonated castor oil. I've seen it used in a few bath bomb recipes. You can find it here on Amazon, where they have this description:

Castor Turkey Red is an aqueous solution of sulfated castor oil. It is a low-foaming surface active agent and lubricant which provides effective dispersing and emulsifying performance for oil, waxes, fats, dyes, and pigments. Due to its unique properties, Turkey Red Oil is used for bath oils and in cosmetics. Other than these, it is also used in the textile industry and sugar industries. • In the agricultural industry, it is used as natural manure and helps plants to grow. • In textiles, as surfactants and wetting agents, in paper industry, in cosmetics, in pharmaceuticals industry • For the soap-making industry that wishes to manufacture transparent soaps.

Another exception is PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, but that's no more "natural" than PS80. But if you are interested in trying it, here is a bath bomb recipe that uses it.

Other than jojoba oil, most waxes will not work in bath bombs because of their high melt temperature - hotter than any bath you would want to take. Wax also doesn't moisturize; it works as an occlusive to prevent loss of existing moisture.
Thank you for all of this! What's a good alternative too Poly 80 then? That's safer... and works well with other ingredients?
 
Thank you for all of this! What's a good alternative too Poly 80 then? That's safer... and works well with other ingredients?
1. Liquid soap (store bought or homemade): this will disperse EOs and carrier oils but will not moisturize. You can use it in the same amount as PS80 if you reduce your binder (water, alcohol, witch hazel) by about half the weight of the soap that is used.

2. Turkey red castor oil (aka sulfonated castor oil): this will both disperse and moisturize. I believe the usage rate is at 1% of batch weight, but try referring back to the recipe I linked previously - that will give you her recommended usage rate. Her recipes tend to work well for humid locations, but I still mix the citric acid last, after all other dry and liquid ingredients have been mixed. This helps prevent activiation of the citric acid.

HTH, and let us know how it works out for you. We'd love to see some pictures of your bath bombs. :)
 
Ah okay, well Is there any carrier oil/alternative (can you use wax?) that will moisturise the skin, and dispense with the water well so not sitting on the top. So something that acts as a carrier oil, mostiriser skin and disperse oil into water well? What other poly 80 alternative substitutes can I use?

You can use turkey red castor oil. It works great.Iy mixes right in with bath water & also disperses essential oils in bath water. It's the only oil which I know of which will 'mix' with water. And yes, castor oil is great for the skin.
 
I don't make bath bombs (at this time, ha!), and haven't tried Turkey Red Oil, so am very interested in the results of your experiments! This handy chart of solubilizers is from Marie Rayma's Humblebee and Me website, where she says to be careful with the amount of Turkey Red Oil as it can become irritating (because of the sulfate? I don't know):
https://www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/different-solubilizer-type-things/She also has a separate entry just on Turkey Red Oil; at the bottom of the article are links to some of her recipes using the stuff, which may be helpful when deciding on amounts to try:
https://www.humblebeeandme.com/project/turkey-red-oil/Good luck! 🍀
 
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