Now don't you go ruining my new fun! Besides, I'll probably have to ring you up when I'm hopelessly stuck and need help.
What Bath & Body Thing Have You Done Today?
- Thread starter Misschief
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Just thought I'd jump in here real quick. If you're going to be using a lotion on your face, I'd recommend not adding fragrance or keep it really subtle. It's not pleasant having a strongly scented facial cream that you're smelling all day. (Been there, done that) For facial products, as an alternative, consider using a lovely floral water instead as part of your water phase. My personal fave for face products is either rose or neroli water at about 10-25% of the water phase.
Agree! I make a green tea infused face oil with EOs at 0.5% and it's plenty. I've used rose and neroli water for full water replacements in lotion and it was way too much for me to use on my face and almost too much to use on my body. 10-25% of water phase sounds about right, but I hadn't thought to use that strategy. Thanks @Misschief !
Thanks again! I have been considering buying the recipes for quite some time. I actually bought the ingredients for the pourable last time I ordered supplies. I bought the pourable recipe last night. I will keep you posted.
Excellent advice. The same goes for lip balm and any ingredient that has any sort of smell. Lanolin has some really nice properties for a lip balm but I don’t want to smell sheep every time I reapply. I have been able to use it in very small amounts with a small amount of peppermint eo.
Me either! They do make a deodorized lanolin, which I did not find out until I'd already purchased what is likely to be a lifetime supply of the unrefined stuff. 
ETA: here is a link to the deodorized one.
Same! I didn’t realize there is a deodorized version and I have a ton of the regular which I use very little of.
ETA: here is a link to the deodorized one.
I can’t help but laugh every time I read or hear lanolin - Ron Burgundy “what’s her name? What is it? Lanolin? Lanolin, like sheep’s wool?”
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SAME!! Every time I see it in my cabinet, I say to myself- in Ron Burgundy style, “LAN - Lanolin?”I can’t help but laugh every time I read or hear lanolin - Ron Burgundy “what’s her name? What is it? Lanolin? Lanolin, like sheep’s wool?”
You can also buy a smaller amount of ultra refined version of lanolin at drugstores in the baby product section, and probably online as well. I used it way, way back when my son was a newborn and bought some again to use in a lanolin cuticle balm.
On another note, the ingredients for my DIY shampoo and conditioner bars are arriving this week. I am soooo excited!
On another note, the ingredients for my DIY shampoo and conditioner bars are arriving this week. I am soooo excited!
Thanks for the info on lanolin. Which DIY shampoo bars are you making? The pressable or hot pour? I ordered ingredients for the hot pour and expect them early next week. I haven’t used ingredients that need to be adjusted for PH and I’m a little intimidated by that process.
Are you using the pourable shampoo recipe? @KiwiMoose saved my sanity making those. I (sort of) have it down now. Main thing is wait until everything is melted before you add SCI. I use an instant pot as a slow cooker, works well.
I ordered what I need for DIY B&B pourable shampoo bars and it should arrive on Saturday. Am I understanding you make it in a crockpot rather than a double boiler or microwave? I’m guessing it gives you extra time to check the PH while keeping the mixture warm in case you need to adjust the PH?
ETA: Thanks for the tip about adding the SCI last!
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I make large batches in the instant pot - adding all ingredients up to the sci and including the sci - and then dispense it into a 4 cup measuring cup and add the phase 2 ingredients & do my testing & pouring from that. Also I microwave in short bursts to keep it fluid. I make 650 grams at a time which works for my molds. I put the rest of the masterbatched phase 1 ingredients into plastic containers where it hardens completely - and then when I am ready to use it I chop some out, grate it, remelt it, and add the phase 2 ingredients. There are no water based ingredients, so I don’t worry about preservatives. (In phase 1 I mean.)
Trying to melt it all at once resulted in a huge gooey mess. I let it take its time melting. Also, if you masterbatch the phase 1 ingredients, the grating is key.
Highly recommend Anchor Hocking measuring cups rather than Pyrex. The spout just works better.
Edited 2 cup measuring cup to 4 cup.
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I melt all the alcohols/butters, etc in the microwave, then use the same (pyrex-type glass) jug as a 'double boiler' by placing in a pot on the stove top with boiling water already in it. Then I add about a third of the SCI/other powdered surfactants with about half of the liquid surfactants, and mix until fully emulsified before adding another third and the rest of the liquid surfactants, mix thoroughly again, before adding the final part of the SCI and mix until all well combined. I don't let mine cool down much at all before adding the final (cool down) ingredients - I literally remove it from the heat, and the final ingredients, mix them through thoroughly and pour immediately. If you move too slowly it will start to set in the mixing bowl.
@Tammyfarms @Vicki C @KiwiMoose I’m planning to make the pourable bars and really appreciate the tips! For an initial test, my plan is to make 50 g, with additives limited to the preservative, 1% essential oil or FO and a tiny bit of mica just so I can tell if I’m getting the preservative mixed in properly. I’m not planning to adjust the pH while making the first bar, but will for the second round, once I better understand the behavior of the ingredients. My SCI powder seems very fine, and I’m not planning to add extracts, so I’m prepared for the possibility that my batch could run a wee bit dry. Overall it sounds like heat management will be the biggest issue. According to SCM, SCI melts at 69 C/156 F, which is similar to stearic acid and higher than cetearyl acid. (That photo could be enough to scare me off if I hadn’t already purchased all of the ingredients )
@Vicki C it sounds like you are melting the SCI. @KiwiMoose - is the SCI melting using your approach? My SCI is from Lotioncrafter and they have formulation guidelines for using with and without melting.
Good luck @Tammyfarms !
)@Vicki C it sounds like you are melting the SCI. @KiwiMoose - is the SCI melting using your approach? My SCI is from Lotioncrafter and they have formulation guidelines for using with and without melting.
Good luck @Tammyfarms !
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Thank you! I appreciate the detailed reply. At this time I am experimenting and will probably make 100 grams so I’m thinking microwave for now. Good to know about masterbatching phase 1. Thanks again!
Thank you Kiwi. Looks like this one could have been super frustrating without your and Vicki’s help. Love this group.
Thank you and good luck to you as well! I have made a couple different shampoo bars using SCI. I tried melting it and although SCM says it melts, I haven’t been able to get it to melt. I was using a double boiler and had it on the stovetop for quite a long time. I gave up and added in the rest of the ingredients and smooshed it in the mold. Those bars hardened and worked well, just were too conditioning for my scalp. In another attempt I melted the BTMS and then added the SCI. This one went better, but still not cleansing enough. My last batch I followed the SCM instructions for a clarifying shampoo bar which contains no BTMS. This entire recipe was not heated. I put it in the mold and stuck it in the freezer. The next day it was still soft. Initially I put it in a plastic container and was going to scoop out a little each time I used it. I noticed it was getting a little harder so I formed it in a ball and sat it on a soap saver after a week it is fairly hard. I’m going to let it set a bit longer and give it a try. The next day I made the same recipe, removing silicones and adding additional SCI. This bar was quite a bit harder. I have used it twice and can already see that it will not last very long. The upside is that it does a much better job of cleaning my oily scalp and I can see a difference in my hair so that’s a good thing. I’m really hoping the DIY B&B oily hair version will work well.@Tammyfarms @Vicki C @KiwiMoose I’m planning to make the pourable bars and really appreciate the tips! For an initial test, my plan is to make 50 g, with additives limited to the preservative, 1% essential oil or FO and a tiny bit of mica just so I can tell if I’m getting the preservative mixed in properly. I’m not planning to adjust the pH while making the first bar, but will for the second round, once I better understand the behavior of the ingredients. My SCI powder seems very fine, and I’m not planning to add extracts, so I’m prepared for the possibility that my batch could run a wee bit dry. Overall it sounds like heat management will be the biggest issue. According to SCM, SCI melts at 69 C/156 F, which is similar to stearic acid and higher than cetearyl acid. (That photo could be enough to scare me off if I hadn’t already purchased all of the ingredients
@Vicki C it sounds like you are melting the SCI. @KiwiMoose - is the SCI melting using your approach? My SCI is from Lotioncrafter and they have formulation guidelines for using with and without melting.
Good luck @Tammyfarms !
Oh, I didn't realize, You are way ahead of me! Thank you for sharing your experiences.
As I mentioned above, my SCI is from Lotioncrafter, INCI: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate. According to the Lotioncrafter SCI SDS, the product melts at ~200 C.
Other melting temps I found: 191-194 C, > 200 C, 179-180°C. It sounds like close to 200 C is the best guesstimate, rather than 69 C/156 F as suggested by SCM (after re-reading, she mentioned this as a minimum temp for melting).
One trick for faster melting of SCI is to melt it in another liquid surfactant, such as CapB.
I didn't even realise it would melt TBH. I'm not sure what temperature my BTMS, cetearyl and varisoft get to in order to melt, but once they are melted (in the microwave) i move the entire pyrex jug into the pot on water on the stove, and start adding the SCI as explained above. To my understanding it is more 'thoroughly mixed' than it is melted.
@Mobjack Bay - with your SCI make sure you wear a proper respirator mask like this: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/...MIp6Gtva3PhQMVUhuDAx16PwQaEAQYAiABEgLKffD_BwE
@Mobjack Bay - with your SCI make sure you wear a proper respirator mask like this: https://www.dicksmith.co.nz/dn/buy/...MIp6Gtva3PhQMVUhuDAx16PwQaEAQYAiABEgLKffD_BwE
You could be right Kiwi! From Marie at Humblebee & Me:
If you are making a liquid product with Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), it will need to be dissolved in a suitable solvent first. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) does not dissolve readily into water; I once combined some Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) with water in a jar, sealed it, and left it for 6 months. It never dissolved. I recommend combining it with the liquid amphoteric surfactant that is likely also present in the recipe and heating the two together in a water bath until you have a uniform paste. That paste will dissolve into water.
If you are making a liquid product with Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), it will need to be dissolved in a suitable solvent first. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) does not dissolve readily into water; I once combined some Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) with water in a jar, sealed it, and left it for 6 months. It never dissolved. I recommend combining it with the liquid amphoteric surfactant that is likely also present in the recipe and heating the two together in a water bath until you have a uniform paste. That paste will dissolve into water.
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