Comments on: Making Lotion: Troubleshooting Your Recipe

By: Amy Warden

Amy Warden — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:42:52 +0000

@Michelle – You would not have to add preservative to a body butter that doesn’t have water in it. Be sure to add some vitamin E to help prolong the shelf life though, because the oils can go rancid. The lotions you sold without preservative will be ok in the refrigerator for a few weeks, but please, please, please do not sell anymore without preservative! The optiphen should work fine. You will need to send a sample off for testing before you sell it though to make sure your lotions are free from contaminants. Sagescript Institute is a very reputable place for testing with reasonable rates.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:26:24 +0000

I have one more question I order optiphen not optiphen plus will it be ok that I just got the optiphen. I hope so

Thank YoU
Michelle

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:55:49 +0000

Hi, I’ve been wanting to make lotions and scrubs to sell. I have been making for my self and never putting any persveratives in them, because they were for me but now I would like to sell them. I have a question should I put something to persvere the body butters even if I am not adding water to them? I also made a hand lotion about 4 days ago I made it with water olive oil, emulsyfing wax I put essential oils in it with vit e and some cinnamon. I sold 2 but I told the people who bought it to keep it in the frig, should it last?

By: Faith

Faith — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:33:16 +0000

Oh thanks so much, this was a lifesaver! I just finished my first ever attempt at making a lotion. I wanted it thin enough to be used in a pump bottle, and it came out way too thick. I kept adding boiled water a little at a time, attempting to thin it, and then it finally started separating at the end. Your tip has saved the day! Thanks again!

By: Amy Warden

Amy Warden — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:40:16 +0000

@Jenny – A couple things come to mind. First is your blender. You should be using an immersion blender, same as you would use for soap (although I use a separate one for lotions). Always tap the blender on the bottom of your pot to get the air bubbles out before you start to blend (I also do this when making soap). If, per chance, you are using a stick blender that you’ve also used for soap, the lye can eat away the seal and cause it to start sucking air. I’ve had this happen several times! If you notice that your blender seems to be producing a lot of air bubbles, it’s time to get a new blender. As for removing air that’s already in there, your best bet is letting it sit the way you have been. Tapping your pot down on a hard surface may help as well.

By: Jenny Howe

Jenny Howe — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 04:05:11 +0000

I remembered looking at your website some time ago and, now I have a problem, I thought of you straight away and wonder if you can help.
I’ve been making skin creams for a few years now and my ingredients are stable and successful (usually). However, the problem I have is too much air in my pouring mixture. Once it cools and sits for a couple of weeks, its starts to reduce in the pot. How can I avoid airating the mixture and how can I remove the air if it is already there?
Thanks in anticipation – Jenny

By: Amy Warden

Amy Warden — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:38:19 +0000

From what I’ve heard, it doesn’t make any difference which gets poured into the other. I was taught to add the oils to the water, so that’s what I do. I know others who do it the other way around. It will all get mixed in one way or the other!

By: Rohini

Rohini — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:07:50 +0000

Hi Just came across your website and got some great tips. I have just started lotion making and i was wondering why some recipes say to pour the liquid in to the oil and others vice versa? Also, is this related to o/w emulsion and w/o emulsion? I thought those two types of emulsions just meant that one had more oil than water. Any advice would be very appreciated.
Thanks

By: Amy Warden

Amy Warden — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:09:36 +0000

@Sally – I’ve actually never experienced this or heard of it before. The only things I can think of are perhaps you overfilled the bottle or somehow the lotion is growing??? Have you had your formula tested to be sure it’s free from bacteria? I’ve heard the goat’s milk lotions are the hardest to preserve.

By: Sally

Sally — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:26:28 +0000

Love your.site. I started making goat milk lotion. I use Optiphen as preservative. No problems until recently and after bottling the lotion it is oozing out around the pump. I’ve been making lotions for about 6 months and this just started. Oils are sweet almond, pumpkin seed, grape seed, flax seed, jojoba, sunflower. Any ideas? Thanks!