Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Making a stock mix of the oils phase for later lotion-making

  • Making a stock mix of the oils phase for later lotion-making

    Posted by Margaret2 on March 20, 2015 at 10:15 pm

    Aloha,

     I made a largish batch of all the oils, thickener, emulsification wax, beeswax etc. etc that’s in my oils phase of a particular recipe of mine. I melted everything down and then poured it into a cleaned jar. All the e-wax and thickening stearic acid & beeswax were melted and everything looks homogeneous.  The oil phase mix is now in the fridge. 
      
      Can anyone anticipate that this will cause me a problem, when I decide to make the cream?
     
    Of course I will be heating this oil phase & the water phase as usual, separately, in a water bath set-up.
    Thanks for any thoughts you pass my way. 
    MarkBroussard replied 9 years ago 3 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • belassi

    Member
    March 21, 2015 at 1:19 am

    The idea behind this is to reduce measuring time? I’m not sure I would want to include the emulsifier.

  • Margaret2

    Member
    March 21, 2015 at 2:07 am

    Yes, to save time is why I did this. Plus, to have fewer bottles of oils in my fridge ;). After I made the batch I realized I should have asked the chemists corner folken if this was smart or styoooopid to do. 

  • belassi

    Member
    March 21, 2015 at 10:52 pm

    I don’t see any problems with what you did, regarding making the product. I do, though, see other problems that would stop me doing the same. For instance:

    1. shelf life. Some oils last a year or even more. Others barely make it to three months. Your mix will have a shelf life equal to the least stable oil.
    2. I use my range of lipids to make many different products, I need to keep them separate for that reason.
    You have set me thinking though. I might make a standard combination for CP soap; using the oils that are stable of course, such as coconut, palm, shea butter, high-oleic rapeseed oil.
  • MarkBroussard

    Member
    March 22, 2015 at 1:55 am

    Nothing wrong with this approach at all @Margreat.

    I do it all the time.  With oil blends, best if you add 1% Vitamin E (tocopherol acetate is just fine) and/or 1% Rosemary CO2 Extract to your oil blend to prevent rancidity and extend your overall shelf life to 1 year or so.  Like @Belassi siad, I would not include the emulsifiers.
    I also make stock solutions of various base ingredients that I use in all of my formulations.  Just make sure you add preservative to any aqueous stock solutions you make.
  • Margaret2

    Member
    May 19, 2015 at 4:38 am

    I have used my stock oils mix to make a cream and a lotion and both have worked very well, and are not separating after 2 months of having made them. 

    However, for sake of ease, next time I will EXCLUDE the stearic acid, since it made my lotion a bit too thick, still usable, but not thin enough for a pump bottle. 
     I’ll just add either  stearic acid or cetyl alcohol to the stock oils mix, depending on whether I’m making a cream or a lotion. 
    Thanks everyone for your input!

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