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LOTIONMAKING 101 - The Basics
Making lotion is really not as difficult as you may have thought. Certainly, it does take a knack to get it right. But once you develop a formula you really like, you will have an understanding of the way the materials work, and how far you can "tweak" them. Beginner’s luck is common, but please do not give up if your initial attempts do not yield the perfect emulsion. We will discuss lotionmaking for personal use. Of course, you can take these techniques and expand them to scale-up production, but that is not our focus. Our focus is to understand the basics, and make 16 oz. of lotion that is tailored to you, containing the oils and other emollients you really want.
Equipment
RULE #1: IF YOU START STERILE YOU WILL END STERILE
To that end, all equipment used MUST be sterilized before using. Use a dishwasher that reaches over 150F or boil your equipment in a canning pot, just like you were making jams or jellies. Everything must be sterile, including utensils.
What you will need:
(ALL STERILIZED)
· A mixing bowl, preferably stainless steel or tempered glass
· a cake mixer or a blender. You can sterilize the blender parts or sterilize the mixer's beater
· a spatula and funnels. Plastic funnels work best
· several measuring cups and spoons
· a tempered glass bowl or a stainless steel pot for heating the oils & water
· a microwave or a stove top (clean is good, sterile not necessary)
· containers for the finished product. Glass or plastic bottles with pumps or squeeze attachments work best
· bleach & water solution in a plastic spray bottle. I like a 20% solution (20% bleach to 80% water). You will use this for "touch-up" sterilization, when necessary. You could also use this bleach/water stock to sterilize everything with, if you are certain you have a clean water supply (ie, are on city water). Our water supply is well-drawn, and I sterilize by boiling or heating.
· Lots of clean towels (washed with bleach, and dried in the dryer) or paper towels.
For our lotion recipes, please visit our formulary.
INGREDIENTS
Animal, Vegetable, Nut, or Mineral?
You can make a lotion or cream with any type of oil. I prefer vegetable and nut oils, but that is not to say these are the only oils to use.
Take a look at any bottle of commercially prepared hand lotion. I've borrowed a bottle of Barbie Kid Care Body Lotion from my daughter. Here are the ingredients, listed in order of weight in the formula, from most to least, per FDA guidelines.
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Acetate, Stearic acid, Sesame oil, Dicaprylyl Maleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Fragrance, Cetyl alcohol, Dimethicone, polysorbate 80, sorbitan oleate, lanolin oil, acetylated lanolin alcohol, carbomer, triethanolamine, methylparaben, propylparaben, diazolidinyl urea, disodium EDTA, benzophenone-4, D & C Red No. 33, FD&C Red No. 40
What does this all mean?? Let's take these ingredients one at a time, determine what they do, where they belong within the formulation (ie, oil or water phase, or if they are the bridge that keeps them combined, known as the emulsification system) and if they are animal, vegetable, nut or mineral derived.
Water -- hopefully distilled or purified. (See Disodium EDTA, below.) This is the major ingredient. Water phase.
Isopropyl palmitate - fatty acid ester of palmitic acid. Unknown derivation. Probably industrially derived from palm oil. Light liquid wax - oil phase
Stearic Acid - fatty acid, probably animal derived - an emulsifier used in oil phase.
Sesame oil - from the sesame seed. Oil phase
Dicaprylyl Maleate - derived from maleic acid (which is made from catalytic oxidation of benzene over vanadium pentoxide). This is an inexpensive synthetic ingredient. A low molecular weight oil, it mimics low chain fractionated coconut oil (a natural oil). Oil phase.
Glyceryl Stearate - variable proportions of glyceryl monostearate and glyceryl monopalmitate. Emulsifier. Oil phase.
Fragrance – proprietary fragrance oil, skin safe
Cetyl Alcohol - Discovered by the French in 1813, it was then derived from spermaceti (whale oil) via saponification. AKA hexadecyl alcohol, this high chain alcohol is an emollient and emulsion modifier. Derived from a complicated industrial "secret process". Starting material is probably palmitic acid. Probably veggie derived. Emulsifier in oil phase.
Dimethicone - silicone oil. Mineral derived. Increases absorption rate of the oils, and cuts greasy feel. Oil phase.
Polysorbate 80 - an oleate ester of sorbitol (a sugar), co-polymerized with 20 molecules of ethylene oxide for each molecule of sorbitol. Could be vegetable or animal derived, most likely veggie derived. An emulsifier in the water phase. Water soluble.
Sorbitan oleate - almost the same as polysorbate 80. Difference is it hasn't been reacted with ethylene oxide. Just a fatty acid ester of a sugar. Water soluble emulsifier. Water phase.
Lanolin oil- sheep from sheep. Animal derived, for sure. No sheep are killed to obtain lanolin. The product is removed from wool shearings. The oil is a fraction (low end molecule weight) of the whole. Oil phase.
Acetylated lanolin alcohol - Lanolin that's been reacted with acetic acid with a small amount of lye (as the catalyst). Emollient. Animal derived. Oil phase.
Carbomer - a thickening agent. Most carbomers are high molecular weight homo- and co-polymers of acrylic acid crosslinked with a polyalkenyl polyether. Mineral derived. Water soluble. Water phase.
Triethanolamine - aka TEA. Made from ammonia and ethyl alcohol. An organic base used to neutralize the carbomer. Water soluble. Water phase.
Methylparaben - First made in 1867, this preservative is synthetically derived. It is highly bio-compatible (safe for use with humans) with very low toxicity. Oil phase.
Propylparaben - First made in 1887, this preservative is also synthetically derived. Methyl & propylparaben are often used in tandem to increase the activity of the preservative system. Oil phase.
Diazolidinyl urea - a broad spectrum anti-microbial of synthetic origin. Some reports of sensitization and allergic reaction have been documented. Completely synthetic. Water soluble, water phase.
Disodium EDTA - chelating agent (designed to capture metals to help in the prevention of rancidity and to facilitate the use of tap water as opposed to the more expensive distilled or purified water).
Benzophenone-4 - a UV absorber; also used as a fixative for heavy perfumes. Synthetic. Oil phase.
D & C Red No. 33 - FDA approved colorant for drug and cosmetic use.
FD & C Red No. 40 - FDA approved colorant for use in food, drugs and cosmetics.
To recap, not all synthetic ingredients are our enemies. Some have very useful properties and are bio-compatible.
Keep in mind that you absolutely need
1) a preservative system in place in order to sell your lotions or other water-based solutions to the public
2) A stable emulsifying system as the pivotal point of your lotion formula and
Ingredients: Veggie and Nut Oils
There are many fixed oils – both vegetable and nut – available to the soap and lotion maker. Use only food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical grade oils in formulations such as we sell at Snowdrift Farm.
Be sure the oils you use are fresh. Refined, cold pressed oils make the best soaps and lotions. They have longer shelf lives than unrefined oils. Refined oils can withstand oxidation far better than unrefined oils can. They have far less odor, if any, because they have been deodorized. They are perfect for making soaps and lotions because they do not have the odors associated with unrefined oils.
Unrefined oils are highly flavorful and wonderful for cooking and seasoning, but they have very short shelf lives. And that’s fine for food preparation – most consumers expect to have to either eat or discard fresh food products within short periods of time.
Consumers do not have the same expectations of skin care products. We expect our skin care products to last until they are finished up, even if that takes forever. The concept of tossing body care products and make-up 2-3 days after they are made is absurd to most people. Most goods would never make it to market before their stale date. Refined oils are an assurance to the toiletries maker that the oils you use are stable and will give longer shelf life to your finished goods.
Store your oils in airtight containers in a cool, dark and dry place. Refrigerators are perfect places for all oils and butters. If your oil thickens and clouds up in the refrigerator, it will become clear and fluid once again at room temperature. You can freeze your butters, as well. Make sure they are well-protected and defrost and use within 6 months. Discard any oils or butters that smell rancid or “fishy”.
Fruit and Vegetable Seed Oils
Developed to satisfy modern consumers’ demands for low-cost, polyunsaturated oils, fruit and vegetable seed oils are fine, all-purpose oils. They work well in soaps and lotions, as well as a full line of other body care products.
When choosing vegetable oils to use in soaps, be careful to pick those high in oleic, lauric and stearic acids, such as olive, jojoba or sunflower, coconut and palm, as your primary oils. Use lower percentages of oils high in essential fatty acids (EFAs) such as apricot kernel or hemp seed oils. These oils tend to be more fragile and less able to provide hardness or stability to the formula. Add them for their nutritional value, not for hardness or shelf life.
Nut Seed Oils
Sweet almond oil and is a longtime favorite of soapmakers. Macadamia and kukui nut oils are finding their way into the mainstream, as well. In general, nut oils are fine additions to most soap recipes, when used as less than 15% of the oil weight.
Nut oil seeds work well in lotions, providing essential fatty acids which help moisturize the skin.
When using nut oils, it’s a good idea to list your ingredients on the label. Certain individuals are allergic to nuts.
Olive Oils
There are many grades of olive oil ranging from extra virgin to pomace. The difference between each grade depends upon its place in a series of pressings made from the fruit of the olive tree. First pressings are generally done immediately after picking, and the best oils come from field pressings. This is considered extra virgin olive oil. Subsequent pressings yield grades such as virgin, grade A and pomace. The last of these, the pomace oil, is performed using a solvent which is removed before the oil is bottled.
Vegetable Butters
Most vegetable butters contain hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated oils are made by mixing a vegetable or nut oil with a precious metal catalyst, such as platinum or palladium on ceramic, under hydrogen pressure. The result is the creation of saturated fatty acids, such as stearine, which provides for a hardened mass, at room temperature.
There are a few exceptions to hydrogenation, namely, aloe butter and Monoi or Polynesian Tiare oils, that are made by infusing the plant material into a solid vegetable oil such as coconut oil.
Shea (aka Karite), mango and cocoa butters are made by extracting the vegetable or nut oil under hydraulic pressure. No other ingredients are needed, so we refer to these types of butters as naturally occurring.
