Lotion Making Time

My bottle is empty!

I realized my lotion bottle was empty so got busy and made some new lotions today! This bottle originally had some natural lotion in it that my daughter gave me. I pushed the plunger and put some in my hand, GAG! It was rancid! No lie!

I didn't tell her for a while because I didn't want her to feel bad. Instead I emptied the container, washed it extremely well, and made my own!

Alas, I just ran out, so here I go, it's lotion making time!

Lotion making isn't hard at all, the secret is having the right ingredients, if you live in a big city the chances are you can find a place that carries the stuff you need. If not, do what I do! Order online!

Hand and Body Lotion-98% Natural

Sterilize First!

Before you begin make sure that you have a good sterile environment. Use gloves and a small amount of food safe bleach and water(1:4) to clean any bowls or pots you may use. I'm not a big fan on the use of bleach because the bleaches out there aren't pure sodium hypochlorite anymore. You can also use steam, peroxide and even high proof alcohol. Start as sterile as you can as a good precaution. Use glass, porcelain or stainless steel to mix in. If adding water make sure it's sterile. Make sure whatever container you pour it into has been sterilized as well.

Get a good emulsifier!

I tried using beeswax & borax and couldn't get a good emulsification, I also tried beeswax and potassium sorbate, and I tried lecithin. I had too many problems! Oil is too precious to waste, so get yourself some emulsifying wax! Lotion making suppliers also carry:

• Palm Stearic (vegetable based Stearic Acid) and Cetearyl Alcohol (vegetable based emulsifying wax)
• Palm Stearic, Polysorbate 60, and Cetearyl Alcohol
• Sorbitan Monostearate, Polysorbate 60 and Cetearyl Alcohol
• Sorbitan Monostearate, Polysorbate 60

Figure out which one you like the best. For me, I just use the ewax! :) Oh and a quick note, those wonderful stick blenders aren't so wonderful for lotion. They put too much air into the mixture, better to go with a slow hand mixer or stand mixer!

Preservatives? Absolutely!

You also must add some type of preservative to be safe. If you mix a lotion with no preservatives in it, you risk all types of infection-staff, yeast, fungi, bacteria, molds. It isn't worth it believe me! I'd also go with a newer type of preservative the Germaben, Germaben II, Phenonip, Methyparaben and other types such as Germall and LiquaPar Oil have been tested and found wanting, thus the upgrades. I personally use Jeecide Cap-5 and have never had any issues. You can go to LotionCrafters online or Camden Gray for good preservatives like Jeecide Cap-5, Citricide, Cosmocil CQ, Optiphen Plus or Geogard Ultra at low cost. A small vial will last for many batches of lotion! Stay safe! You can honestly say you're making 98% natural hand lotion! :)

Natural preservatives are mostly antioxidants and will only last 3-6 months at best and they can still fail.  

They include: 

• Benzoin Powder (never more than  .25%)-can be a skin irritant
• Ceylon or Cassia Cinnamon-works best combined with Potassium Sorbate (add a dash to 1/4 teaspoon of each)
• Citric Acid-add to water after it is cooling, right before mixing oils .05-.3% This keeps the PH of the lotion lower.
• Geranium Essential Oil-1 drop per every 2 oz of lotion, add it during the final mixing stage right before bottling.
• Goldenseal, or Grapefruit Seed Extract-.5-1%-add it during the final mixing stage right before bottling.
• Green Tea Extracts-.5-3%-add it during the final mixing stage right before bottling.
• Rosemary Oil Extract-not the same as Rosemary Essential Oil, it is very thick and overpowering! - add at .1-.5% during the final mixing stage right before bottling.
• E T-50 Mixed Tocopherol Oil-add at .05-.5% -add it during the final mixing stage right before bottling.

It's your lotion so you decide what goes in it. Just be safe!

Thickeners and other add ins:

You can also use thickeners, stabilizers and all sorts of add ins like hydrolyzed silk, botanicals, oat protein, corn starch,arrow root-tried it, eh, I didn't see any difference, dimethicone, and on and on! I got lost looking at this stuff and went with NO add ins! LOL! Google it and you will see what I mean! You could spend a fortune and end up with a totally non-natural lotion! Pass! I can buy that in any store- ;) 

Okay we're all set!

Sharpen up your calculator, here is what I use for my lotions:

Ingredients: (use weight not volume)

• 30% of any type of oils (Shea, Coconut, Olive, Argan, Sesame, etc.)
• 60% liquid-can be tea, water, aloe vera, milks
• 8% Emulsifier (you can adjust this 5-8%)
• 2% Preservative

Directions:

1. Melt/warm your oils and ewax and bring to 170 degrees C in a clean glass, porcelain or stainless steel pot. Hold for 20 minutes.
2. Heat your liquid solution 170 degrees C, if using tea let it cool to this temp. Use a thermometer if in doubt! Hold for 20 minutes.
3. Pour your oils into glass mixing bowl, set your mixer at a low speed and slowly pour the hot liquid in. Continue mixing for a few minutes. You should see a nice thin lotion. (you can also use a blender)
4. Cover with clean cloth or paper towel and allow to cool to about 50 degrees.
5.  Add in your fragrances and preservatives at this time-stirring manually to get any air bubbles out of the mixture.
6. Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature you can pour it into your bottles. It will thicken as it finishes cooling.

1. 

Argan, Shea Butter, Sesame oils with Aloe, Chamomile and Honey

My face and hands are happy again! Yay! 


There is an eye make up remover I make that works great too. It contains:

• aloe vera 
• witch hazel 
• a tiny amount of sesame oil (it is lighter than most oils)

Fill bottle 45 % with aloe, 45% witch hazel and 10% sesame oil.

To use: shake vigorously and put a few drops on a cotton ball. Use on closed eyelid to remove waterproof mascara or lips to remove 24 hour lipstick. Wash face as usual.

It works great on my waterproof mascara.  I use very little oil in the mix because there are little bugs that eat oil called mites. Most people have them. Google eyelash bugs it if you don't believe me! If I can find an ingredient that works that isn't an oil I will use it! Wipe away make-up, then you can wash your face as usual with your all natural soap! If you don't have some go visit my Ebay or Etsy store for a good soap! :)


I personally love Mary Kay's Oil Free eye make-up remover! This is as close as I've come to it as far as how it feels after I wipe the cotton ball across it. I just wanted to get away from the chemicals in the Mary Kay product. Still searching for an oil free remover. Unfortunately I have been unable to give up make up. I use lip colors, blush, eyebrow pencil, eye shadows and waterproof mascara. *sigh* I haven't been able to stop, I like how it makes me look and feel. I'm doing lots of other things right. The makeup is my area I'm weak with....Oh well!


Many thanks go out to Isabella Duvall for her wonderful Shea Butter! I used it in several of my recipes today. :)


See ya soon!


Marla
MJR Soaps


Update: I started using Norwex over a year ago (2014) and have no need for any type of make up remover! They have microfiber make up remover wash cloths that work excellent! I use the cloth and then wash my face as usual. I can go soap free too if I want but I like how my skin feels using my aloe hibiscus soap! Check out Norwex-it's still fairly new to the USA.