Thoughts/Opinions on my Coffee Scrub Recipe

[sappington]

Hi everyone! Hoping to get some opinions on my coffee scrub recipe. I'll post my recipe then some thoughts I've had about it

670 g Brown Sugar(~38%)
600 g Coconut Oil(~34%)
460 g Ground Coffee(~26%)
30 g Ground Cinnamon (~1.7%)

This is a product I'm wanting to sell, so all opinions and criticism is welcome..I have two concerns

1) After being made and bagged up(kraft paper bag), product becomes fairly hard. Out of the people whom I've given it to, most LOVE the product( I'm also a big fan), but I understand concern of it being too hard before they break it apart.. Afterwards it's fine, just needs a little clump busting. Is there an ingredient or change that I can add that would help keep it from solidifying.

2) Does this product need a preservative since it's used in the shower?

 

[cmzaha]

I would not use that high a percentage of cinnamon, if I remember correctly cinnamon needs to be less than 1%. Cinnamon can be very irritating. You could add in some liquid oil to soften it up. Is it cold where you are? I ask because most CO is melts at 76ºF so you could end up with a real mess in a paper bag. Not really a good way to package an oil based scrub. Unless your weather is cold most of the time so the CO stays solid. Also grind your coffee fine it can really be scratchy

No it does not need a preservative, you have no water in it and if it is hard they are not going to introduce water into a paper bag. I will mention that these type of scrubs are hard on the plumbing with all the oils

 

[shunt2011]

I wouldn’t put it in a bag either. Also, using just oil based scrubs is slippery (ask me how I know). I tried it once but not worth the oil in the tub. I make emulsified scrubs. Safer and less messy. You would need to put them in jars. I do use a preservative as wet hands go into it so I want to be safe. You will get differing preferences. I would also be concerned with using ground cinnamon. I’ve not done it myself though

 

[sappington]

Ok so..
-Cut Cinnamon amount.. In half would be appropriate.
-What oil would you recommend? Would sweet almond oil work better than coconut oil?
-If I changed the oil, could I keep the paper bags, or are plastic jars better?
-I live in IL, which is currently cold but gets hot in the summers
-Coffee is the finest grind without being espresso!

I would not use that high a percentage of cinnamon, if I remember correctly cinnamon needs to be less than 1%. Cinnamon can be very irritating. You could add in some liquid oil to soften it up. Is it cold where you are? I ask because most CO is melts at 76ºF so you could end up with a real mess in a paper bag. Not really a good way to package an oil based scrub. Unless your weather is cold most of the time so the CO stays solid. Also grind your coffee fine it can really be scratchy

No it does not need a preservative, you have no water in it and if it is hard they are not going to introduce water into a paper bag. I will mention that these type of scrubs are hard on the plumbing with all the oils

 

[shunt2011]

Regardless of which oil you choose to use you will need to put it in a jar. Oils will seep through the bags. Also jars are more practical to take into the shower to use.

 

[BattleGnome]

Also remember that brown sugar just naturally does something with moisture and becomes clumpy/hard. They say a slice of bread in brown sugar helps absorb excess moisture to keep it smooth, I don’t know if arrowroot or baking soda could help that for you.

Just something to consider if the product ends up sitting on a shelf for a while. I grew up in Illinois and no matter how I remember packaging brown sugar I’d have to stab it with a spoon to break it up before I could use it.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Consider plastic over glass. Wet oily hands holding glass in the bathroom is not a good idea!

 

[lsg]

You might use a small amount of sweet almond oil in your recipe, so that it will remain more pliable.

 

[sappington]

Also remember that brown sugar just naturally does something with moisture and becomes clumpy/hard. They say a slice of bread in brown sugar helps absorb excess moisture to keep it smooth, I don’t know if arrowroot or baking soda could help that for you.

Just something to consider if the product ends up sitting on a shelf for a while. I grew up in Illinois and no matter how I remember packaging brown sugar I’d have to stab it with a spoon to break it up before I could use it.

I'll try those!

Consider plastic over glass. Wet oily hands holding glass in the bathroom is not a good idea!

Good point! I was planning on using plastic... Much cheaper too!

You might use a small amount of sweet almond oil in your recipe, so that it will remain more pliable.

I have some on hand, so I'll give that a shot! How much do you think is a good amount?

 

[DeeAnna]

Use as much liquid oil as you need to get the texture you want. It's really personal preference. Try it at 10% or 20% of your total fat, see what you think, and then go from there. Some people would use all liquid oil and no coconut.

I'm with Shari, however -- an emulsifying scrub is way nicer to use.

 

[shunt2011]

Use as much liquid oil as you need to get the texture you want. It's really personal preference. Try it at 10% or 20% of your total fat, see what you think, and then go from there. Some people would use all liquid oil and no coconut.

I'm with Shari, however -- an emulsifying scrub is way nicer to use.

And much less dangerous in the tub.

 

[dixiedragon]

I purchased a sugar scrub with brown sugar. It's actually already divided into cubes which are roughly 1 "serving". The cubes are pretty hard - it would be difficult to dig out of the jar if it was 1 solid mass. But the cube form is perfect b/c I can pick 1 cube out of the jar, wet it and it use it.

If you really want to stick with the paper bag, you need to look for something with some kind of wax or foil or plastic lining.

https://www.papermart.com/kraft-tin...zrual29aMEaYKrVwUTkf5fvAofqOPKL4aArYyEALw_wcB

 

[DeeAnna]

I think a paper bag, even if plastic lined, would not work well to maintain a consistent texture. In the dry winter, the product will dry out and become hard. In a humid summer the brown sugar will absorb water from the air and get sticky. An air tight container will help the product have a more consistent texture.

I honestly don't think adding starch or baking soda will do much to control the texture, given the high % of sugar in this mixture.

 

[sappington]

I think a paper bag, even if plastic lined, would not work well to maintain a consistent texture. In the dry winter, the product will dry out and become hard. In a humid summer the brown sugar will absorb water from the air and get sticky. An air tight container will help the product have a more consistent texture.

I honestly don't think adding starch or baking soda will do much to control the texture, given the high % of sugar in this mixture.

Do you think a metallized inside would work? My current bags are plastic lined

 

[sappington]

Use as much liquid oil as you need to get the texture you want. It's really personal preference. Try it at 10% or 20% of your total fat, see what you think, and then go from there. Some people would use all liquid oil and no coconut.

I'm with Shari, however -- an emulsifying scrub is way nicer to use.

I like the idea of having an emulsified scrub.. perhaps I could do both!'

I'm comparing my recipe to a would be competitor and noticed these differences

Substitutions
Sweet Almond Oil instead of Coconut oil

In their recipe and not mine
Water
Sodium chorlide
orange oil
vitamin E
soybean oil

Right off the bat I notice the Vitamin E which I assume is being used as an anti oxidant since they add water to their product.. Any opinions on the other inputs they use?

 

[DeeAnna]

"...Vitamin E which I assume is being used as an anti oxidant since they add water to their product...."

An antioxidant is used to protect the fats. It is beneficial whether there is water or not, so I'm not quite sure why you have this opinion.

As far as the other ingredients -- can't really say. The list of ingredients doesn't make sense. This seems to be a water-based lotion with missing ingredients (preservative and emulsifier) or the ingredients list is in the wrong order for a scrub type product. Or something -- not sure what's going on.

FWIW department: A scrub with an emulsifier in it is not an emulsified scrub because the stuff as made is not actually an emulsion. It is an anhydrous product that contains an emulsifier. It is more correctly called an emulsifying scrub -- meaning when you add water, the product turns into an emulsion at that point.

Here's more on emulsifying scrubs and lotion bars:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/in-shower-lotion-bar.63280/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/sugar-scrub-info.58468/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/face-scrub-recipes-please.63362/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/can-i-make-sugar-salt-scrub.63170

 

[sappington]

I think I was confusing anti-oxidants and preservatives!

Thanks for all the info!