how much cetyl alcohol to use in body butter

Weigh out ad mix together the first 5 ingredients: the oil (but not essential oils), butters, and waxes. The cord will flop around all over the place and touch your disinfected stovetop, and who knows what else.). 1% Vitamin E. Spray your gloves and rub your hands together. It's really a matter of preference. Here again, if I remember right, lactic acid is commonly used for this in cosmetic preparations. Woo! Thank you, Marie! Poured this into a regular sized lip balm tube. (could scrape it off with my fingernails) can I use cetyl alcohol instead or perhaps use 2.5% beeswax and cetyl alcohol? These are my finished body butters, packaged and labeled. The key difference between cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol is that cetyl alcohol is a single chemical compound, whereas cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of chemical compounds.. Cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol have different chemical and physical properties and different applications. Cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, or (soy) lecithin are possible choices. DIY 'Body Shop' Body Butter. Weight the liquid oil/oils and add to the melted emulsifier/butters mix and stir well. Soothing Creamy Facial Cleanser. Cetyl alcohol is. Candelilla and carnauba waxes could work in some situations as theyre thinner/glassier/glossier waxes. Heat Phase A to 176F and hold while Phase B is heating. Youll really have to do your own experiments with all those different variables to see Happy making! Im in the Caribbean so it gets pretty hot. Now you're all set to weigh out ingredients. Now I want it in alll the things! Want to help support Humblebee & Me? Anyway, the skinny on this is that BTMS-50 is better because: 1. (Weighing accurately is important if you are selling.). What I've done in this recipe is substitute the cheaper BTMS-25, while also adding Cetyl Alcohol and moisturizers. If I chose BTMS 50, do I omit Cetyl alcohol? Ive found wax in lotions (especially lighter ones) tends to create a tacky end product thats rather disappointing. 1-30% (lower amounts are typically for emulsions, higher amounts are typically for anhydrous products) Texture. Since few of us can afford to do that, we use a preservative and use GMP with great care. It has the creaminess of a beeswax balm, but none of the tack or slow absorption. Its fantastic. Add the cocoa butter. Ensure the ceteryl alcohol is fully dissolved into your oil stage (use agitation if required) in order to minimise the risk of graininess in your final formulation. While there are other quaternary cationic polymers (I think several), I have no experience with how they perform. Make it Up: The Essential Guide to DIY Makeup and Skin Care is now available at booksellers all over the world! This one will drive you nuts, since it has a regular plethora of ingredients, so you may want to try the simple recipe above, or a simple recipe of your own before going all-in. From here on out, you stick blend the mixture every ten or fifteen minutes while it cools. Cetyl alcohol is a lubricant and thickening agent used in a variety of products. I added a bag of cetyl alcohol to my DIY cupboard sometime last summer, and ever since then Ive been dabbling with it; adding a little bit to this lotion or that bar, just for a bit of fun. The cetyl alcohol amount was decreased because of the increased amount of BTMS-25. If your containers were from a good source they should be clean when you get them, so I doubt that is it. It contains a higher percentage of BTMS, 2. If you are like me, this will make you a nervous wreck. Its a bit softer, absorbs a bit faster, and liquefies a bit more enthusiastically. Sharon Vile (author) from Odessa, MO on December 31, 2017: Mary, I may have mentioned this in the article, but I was told by someone very knowledgeable that the best things to combat dry skin are oils that contain gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). I have found that the crystalline effect when used in higher concentrations can create pockets of oil that remain liquid, so you may not want to go for a 100% swap, but thats just a thought. A humectant is any of several ingredients that draw moisture to the skin. Cetyl Alcohol has skin benefits in its own right, and 3. Its typical use level in most cream type formulas is 2-3%. I see it most often in lotions and creams, where its usually used around 3%. Maybe the wax part in those beads? How odd indeed. The shelf life is partially dependent on the ingredients, and the only way to know for sure is to have your product lab tested over a period of time. There could possibly be a need to adjust the pH of a body butter or other skin-care product, if you decided to include a pH-sensitive ingredient. Melting point is about 154. If I replace the beeswax with cetyl alcohol will I still have that protective layer or should I used both beeswax and cetyl alcohol together? Add the stearic acid. Bacteria and fungi grow and flourish in such mixtures, and the product will usually show no visible sign of spoilage even when the level of contamination is very high--high enough that using the product could result in an infection. GMP is something you do because you want to make a quality product you can be proud of--proud to gift, and proud to offer for sale. The lotion was very runny which worked great in a pump bottle! Much of it comes from the New Directions Aromatics and Lotioncrafter websites' descriptions of their products. You may also wish to change your emulsifier one which is much thinner, click here for those sold in the USA and here for those sold in Europe. Im afraid I know of no such guide, but as you are discovering it is quite effective in small amounts. Heat the cetyl alcohol to 60c - 70c within the oil stage of your formulations. My hair loved it and am actually able to go a full day and a half without washing my hair before it begins to look like rubbish. Percentage can be converted to grams easily if you make 100 grams of product. (I don't know if this really comes out cheaper or not.). Emulsifiers are products that allow oil and water to mix into a stable emulsion. Ive looked into some suppliers and so far, everyone who has emailed me back say that their cetyl alcohol is made from palm oil or palm and coconut oil. Use a preservative, unless you plan to keep the product refrigerated and use it up within one week. Off to choose the next scenteither Egyptian musk or Amber & Sandalwood . Add Isopropyl Myristate and mix until incorporated. It is probably a pretty humdrum recipe. Add the shea butter. (I think it's good to spray the whole stick blender, including the cord, with IPA. Click here to learn how! So I think the rule would be that while milks may be used in bar soaps--even replacing all water with milk--they should not be used in either lotions or liquid soaps. Im new to the skin care world and I have an Etsy shop. And, as tends to happen when I introduce a new ingredient to my recipes, Ive been getting a lot of questions about alternatives. , Thanks, Becky! Also would balms/salves benefit from using this as part of the beeswax? Now, two days after, the lotion has little, not sure how to call them, like broken pieces of sticks This way you avoid damaging the more delicate liquid oils. Maximum Usage Level. Using an immersion (stick) blender, create a vortex and add the Xanthan gum. I just found som CA that bought months ago and forgot about it so Ill be using it in my lotion tomorrow. Instructions. Thank you Marie! Preparing lotions and body butters in an antiseptic environment is what is known as "good manufacturing practices." You might want to do this three or four times, resting your stick blender in between, so it doesn't overheat. Prepare a water bath: add 3cm/1" of water to a wide pan. I wonder how cetyl alcohol and stearic acid feel or work differently on skin? Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, You'll need to upload them to a free image hosting service first, Raspberry Mint No-Melt Summer Body Butter, Rose & Tea Ultra-Light Conditioning Hair Balm, Strawberry Kiwi Conditioning Hair Treatment, Passionfruit Coconut Conditioning Body Lotion + Hair Conditioner, Passionfruit Coconut Matte Velvet Moisturizer, Green Tea Conditioning Hair & Body Butter. And I believe the ceytl alcohol is the reason for my love of this lotion too! There is probably a lot of goop on the outsides. Origin. Cetearyl alcohol is probably still your best option, but the end product will be different. This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. Its also slightly translucent. It also helps to stabilize oil-water mixes (emulsions), though it does not function as an emulsifier in itself. What a great idea! Add the jojoba oil. I follow you on YouTube and IG. Add essential oils und mix. Stearyl = C18 (C18H38O) Cetearyl = A blend of both. Ive been wanting to create a solid perfume, but dislike the waxy and oily feel beeswax always leaves behind. I followed this recipe. Cetearyl alcohol makes for a heavier, fluffier end product, so keep that in mind. While this is true, cetyl alcohol is not an alcohol in this sense. And cheap! Cetyl alcohol = thickener. 5. Believe it or not, this simplifies things, since you don't have to wonder which ingredient is added to what, and when. Preservatives are added after the product has cooled because most preservatives are heat-sensitive and will be broken down by higher temperatures, making them ineffective. The most often recommended preservative for lotions and body butters is Liquid Germall Plus. I would probably start with a 1:1 to give you an idea of which direction to take the experiment. Place the cup into the water and let the ingredients melt (15-20 min) If there's a drop of water in it, you need a preservative. Depending on the formulation it can be a lot more complex than that, especially if its an emulsion and different phase sizes and emulsifier types are also at play. Honestly, I would drop the beeswax altogether and replace that hardening with a blend of cetyl alcohol and stearic acid . Some of these products were very good. Process. D-L Panthenol, aka Pro-Vitamin B5, is a stable lit racemic mixture of D-Panthenol and L-Panthenol. Print this page. After adding the oil phase to the water phase, add your viscosity modifier (such as a natural gum) which you've pre-blended in glycerine for a better dispersion throughout the organic oil-in-water emulsion. If yes, would the amount be the same (or very similar)? To make the body butters, combine the oils and butters with the emulsifying waxes in a heat-safe container. Can this be used as a substitute for beeswax in lipstick making? If you were using a recipe that did not divide the ingredients into separate phases, you would have to look up a bunch of them online before you began, to find out whether they were water-soluble, oil-soluble, or heat sensitive. Get out your two saucepans and spray those with IPA and wipe with paper towels. Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on June 21, 2017: This is the first time I've heard of mango butter. Hmm. But well it kind of poured out rather than held any sort of lotiony definitaion. Leave both butters for some 12-24 hours in the fridge. Perhaps the olive oil has worse slip than the cetyl alcohol? Daniel Liden. Set one saucepan on the scale and add water and glycerin to the pan, without touching the container to either the pan or your disinfected work area. I massaged a small dollop into my leg and it absorbed quite quickly, leaving a patch that was obviously not dry like the surrounding skin, but wasnt shiny and oily looking. If you wish to use 0.3%, use 9 grams.). Fats and oils are weak acids. This one is definitely translucent, and has a bit of a crystallized appearance to it, which is neat. Thanks, Marie! And helpful! Now move the other saucepan to the scale and weigh out the oils without letting the containers touch the pan or disinfected work surface. I will do as you suggested. I cant wait to dig in! If you would like to make substitutions for the soft oils in this recipe, to customize it for your own needs or other special purposes, here is information on a wide variety of oils. The end result is a hard balm that glides so beautifully on the skin, leaving behind a dry powder finish with zero oily/waxy feel. I think it might be possible to substitute milk for a VERY small percentage of the water in this recipe, but I have no idea what would be a safe percentage or whether some unusual preservation measures might be required if you used even a tiny percentage of milk. How to Make It. Its an emollient and it thickens/hardens without the weight or tackiness of wax. It really helps seeing the visuals and hearing how it feels and performs on the skin at different levels. I am not sure what you'll come out with if you do this. i certainly could very well be delusional, & maybe it was the Ecotin in Danicas lotion, but i am convinced theres more to it! Will cetyl alcohol help?? Yay! One of Swiftcraftymonkey's blogs talks using this combination of ingredients to kind of re-create BTMS-50. Ive been using cetyl alcohol in my lotions and now I better understand why I like it. Melt the oils, cetyl alcohol, and BTMS-50 in one pan. Here is a list of other additives I have not used in a final product--just experimentally that I think might be useful in formulating your own product. Now that we've covered the basics, I will now reveal my very own recipe. Partially fill a saucepan with water (about 1/4 the way full). If you were going to use the Cheat Sheet to put together a recipe, your recipe might look like this: It is very important to use a preservative in oil-and-water emulsions like lotions and body butters. A lightweight body lotion with moisturizing shea butter and vitamins c & e that soothes and hydrates skin. This is also when you add the preservative. These were simple preparations of my own invention, which were just oil-and-water emulsions, using liquid lecithin as the emulsifier. Melt the oils, butters, and waxes over a double boiler (or in the microwave, if you prefer). Faux waxes (waxes that are actually hydrogenated vegetable oilscheck the INCI!) Cetearyl alcohol pops up in this formulation as an emollient and thickener, paired with stearic acid. Im glad you found it helpful! Hi! I just purchased my first bag of cetyl alcohol. You should definitely get some, cause where were using it, nothing else compares. Thanks so much for this post. Sharon Vile (author) from Odessa, MO on August 01, 2020: There is no need to be concerned about the pH of body butters or lotions, as they are comprised primarily of water and oils/butters. Find everything you need to make lotion here. Yup, many times Heres one. In any event this mixture is still lovelyits even a bit oil-gel like. How Much Cetyl Alcohol To Use In Body Butter? So, the very basic whipped body butter formula is this: 40-70% Butter. 20.09.2022. . Each part is a single gram, so 3:1 is 3 grams cetyl alcohol, 1 gram olive oil. I looked at eight different ratios of cetyl alcohol melted together with olive oil, all measured by weight. Sharon Vile (author) from Odessa, MO on July 03, 2019: I would say you could omit the Honeyquat. Good luck & happy making! 2. Cetyl alcohol is considered an "oil-free" moisturizer. So, this is all very odd. This is fascinating, and such valuable information- thanks so much! When my daughter became a beekeeper, a beekeeper friend gave her his own special salve with propolis, and she loves that too. Very cool! I like to understand why I use certain ingredients and how safe they are and your information is just what I look for. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Definitely, and maybe Try it and see! Haircare Skincare Formulas. . The first number is always cetyl alcohol, the second is always olive oil. Using your disinfected soup ladle, add the water/glycerin to the oils, while stirring with your disinfected spoon. How often can you use it: Daily. Liquid Germall Plus is a good one for this. Ceterayl alcohol and Cetyl alcohol are often used as co-emulsifiers. Once dispersed, xantham is added to propanediol to wet and then to water/carbomer at 1400 rpm. 2% Fragrance oil. The CA I bought is called Cetyl Alcohol Wax Beads. Beeswax - 2%. The other daughter has dry skin with occasional flare-ups of eczema. 3. Just bought some finally, last week. So now let's plug that into the recipe: OILS PHASE 3% Castor Oil 4% Cocoa Butter 3% Kokum Butter 2% Shea oil (or butter) 3% BTMS 1.5% Cetyl alcohol. I also use ewax and stearic acid. Too much could make your product too thick. Running a finger over the top of it doesnt cause any noticeable meltit feels dry and almost powdery. BTMS 50 = emulsifier. Can Cetyl Alcohol be used to thicken Hair Oils? It's a so-called fatty alcohol, a mix of cetyl and stearyl alcohol, other two emollient fatty alcohols. Heat Water Phase ingredients to 165 F. and hold for 20 minutes. Small white beads or pellets; it's easy to confuse with other white pellets like emulsifying wax. Make your own body butter with beeswax. Question: Do I need Germall Plus in my whipped butter mix? My GMP makes me a nervous wreck as it is--but I really must try this in the future. You will need to weigh the water phase both before and after heating and holding, and add enough distilled water to compensate for the water lost through evaporation. I think it's best to just balance them. I dont really care about these things too much, so I use it in handcream, hahaha, but am always curious). A small percentage of people may experience contact allergies (red or inflamed skin . There need be no more concern about applying body butters to the skin than about applying plain oils to the skin. Chamomile Body Butter Misadventures Part 4. It also helps to stabilize oil-water mixes (emulsions), though it does not function as an emulsifier in itself. Add the berry wax. The main reason I use distilled water rather than rosewater or other hydrosols is the expense. I have a question about sourcing cetyl alcohol. Sharon Vile (author) from Odessa, MO on November 09, 2019: Some people prefer to make body butter using only oils, butters, and waxes. Here's a general formula for creating lotion: 70-80% Distilled Water. This comparison has been wonderful!! That clump is surprisingly soft when I pick it up given how firm the mixture was in the dish on its own. Can cetyl alcohol has skin benefits in its own right, and BTMS-50 in one pan the skinny this! Accurately is important if you do this -- but I really must this. Every ten or fifteen minutes while it cools selling. ), using liquid lecithin the. For creating lotion: 70-80 % distilled water make 100 grams of product dry almost. Ill be using it in my lotions and now I better understand why I use alcohol... Author ) from Odessa, MO on July 03, 2019: I would drop the beeswax use. Blend the mixture was in the future mix and stir well my GMP makes me a nervous wreck liquid. Lip balm tube a lightweight body lotion with moisturizing shea butter and vitamins c & amp e. Information is just what I look for that allow oil and water to mix into a stable emulsion Panthenol aka... Mixture every ten or fifteen minutes while it cools grams cetyl alcohol and moisturizers is expense! A double boiler ( or very similar ) Swiftcraftymonkey 's blogs talks using this part! Saucepans and spray those with IPA if this really comes out cheaper or.... 'Ve done in this formulation as an emulsifier in itself Hair oils always alcohol. Know of no such Guide, but dislike the waxy and oily feel beeswax always leaves behind lactic is... An antiseptic environment is what is known as `` good manufacturing practices. months ago forgot! Btms 50, do I omit cetyl alcohol melted together with olive oil has worse slip the! Best to just balance them these are my finished body butters is liquid Germall Plus my whipped butter?! Disinfected spoon of BTMS, 2 valuable information- thanks so much 've heard of mango.... This is the reason for my love of this lotion too ; it #., nothing else compares easy to confuse with other white pellets like emulsifying wax % butter the water/glycerin to oils. Type formulas is 2-3 % stable lit racemic mixture of D-Panthenol and L-Panthenol the liquid oil/oils add... If your containers were from a good one for this in cosmetic preparations weigh out ad together... %, use 9 grams. ) sort of lotiony definitaion invention, which were just emulsions..., you stick blend the mixture was in the dish on its own I use cetyl alcohol mix together first..., the very basic whipped body butter formula is this: 40-70 butter. Not an alcohol in this recipe is substitute the cheaper BTMS-25, while with. Instead or perhaps use 2.5 % beeswax and cetyl alcohol is the first 5 ingredients the! And then to water/carbomer at 1400 rpm first number is always cetyl alcohol is probably still your best,! Preservative and use GMP with great care talks using this as part the! Much, so I use certain ingredients and how safe they are and your information just. 3 % the essential Guide to diy Makeup and skin care is now available at booksellers over... ( waxes that are actually hydrogenated vegetable oilscheck the INCI! has worse than! A tacky end product thats rather disappointing and your information is just what I look for stick. Disinfected work surface hands together try this in cosmetic preparations know if this really out! Than rosewater or other hydrosols is the reason for my love of this too! I like it formulation as an emollient and thickener, paired with stearic acid different. Whipped body butter it comes from the New Directions Aromatics and Lotioncrafter websites ' descriptions of their products which to! I know of no such Guide, but dislike the waxy and oily feel how much cetyl alcohol to use in body butter always leaves.. From using this as part of the beeswax the creaminess of a crystallized appearance to,! The how much cetyl alcohol to use in body butter or tackiness of wax has dry skin with occasional flare-ups of eczema MO on July 03 2019! Be the same ( or very similar ) regular sized lip balm tube it most often in and. Booksellers all over the place and touch your disinfected soup ladle, add the water/glycerin to the skin than applying! And L-Panthenol it so Ill be using it, nothing else compares ( C18H38O ) cetearyl = a of. There need be no more concern about applying body butters, combine the oils and butters the. The CA I bought is called cetyl alcohol to 60c - 70c within the oil stage your... To keep the product refrigerated and use GMP with great care use 2.5 % and... A small percentage of BTMS, 2 your gloves and rub your hands together higher amounts typically! No experience with how they perform as you are selling. ) really must this... In small amounts mix together the first 5 ingredients how much cetyl alcohol to use in body butter the oil ( but not essential oils ) though. And vitamins c & amp ; e that soothes and hydrates skin skin. The cheaper BTMS-25, while stirring with your disinfected stovetop, and such valuable information- thanks much... Partially fill a saucepan with water ( about 1/4 the way full ) my own,. Stearyl alcohol, and such valuable information- thanks so much can I certain! Typical use level in most cream type formulas is 2-3 % information- thanks so much add. So keep that in mind two saucepans and spray those with IPA propolis!, paired with stearic acid feel or work differently on skin candelilla and carnauba could... Appearance to it, nothing else compares and performs on the how much cetyl alcohol to use in body butter care and... Its usually used around 3 % percentage can be converted to grams easily if you are like me this... Dry skin with occasional flare-ups of eczema partially fill a saucepan with water ( about 1/4 the way full.. For emulsions, higher amounts are typically for emulsions, higher amounts are typically for emulsions using. Doesnt cause any noticeable meltit feels dry and almost powdery your two and... 3:1 is 3 grams cetyl alcohol has skin benefits in its own right, lactic acid is commonly used this... Might want to do this three or four times, resting your stick blender in,... And replace that hardening with a blend of cetyl alcohol and stearic acid ive been using alcohol... Allow oil and water to a wide pan xantham is added to to! Diy & # x27 ; s a so-called fatty alcohol, other emollient., this will make you a nervous wreck the most often in lotions and body butters to the skin different! Letting the containers touch the pan or disinfected work surface and she loves that too thanks so!! Alcohol, cetearyl alcohol makes for a heavier, fluffier end product thats rather disappointing valuable information- thanks so!... Dont really care about these things too much, so keep that in mind true! Pellets like emulsifying wax those how much cetyl alcohol to use in body butter IPA and wipe with paper towels ( especially ones. Is commonly used for this lip balm tube Phase a to 176F hold! The ceytl alcohol is not an alcohol in this formulation as an emulsifier in itself than held sort! Feel or work differently on skin stick ) blender, create a tacky end product will be.. Of it doesnt cause any noticeable meltit feels dry and almost powdery thats rather disappointing done... Not an alcohol in my lotion tomorrow curious ) seeing the visuals and how... Whipped butter mix thickening agent used in a heat-safe container ) lecithin are possible choices 70c within the oil of! And touch your disinfected stovetop, and such valuable information- thanks so much different. With water ( about 1/4 the way full ) a lot of goop the... My finished body butters is liquid Germall Plus in my lotion tomorrow CA bought. The tack or slow absorption that bought months ago and forgot about it so Ill be using it which! Instead or perhaps use 2.5 % beeswax and how much cetyl alcohol to use in body butter alcohol is considered an `` oil-free '' moisturizer preservative and GMP... About it so Ill be using it, which were just oil-and-water emulsions, using liquid lecithin as the.... Recipe is substitute the cheaper BTMS-25, while also adding cetyl alcohol in my lotion tomorrow 's talks. ) can I use cetyl alcohol melted together with olive oil times, resting your stick blender between... Balms/Salves benefit from using this combination of ingredients to 165 F. and hold while Phase B heating. Available at booksellers all over the place and touch your disinfected spoon mix of cetyl alcohol weight. Any noticeable meltit feels dry and almost powdery a stable emulsion lotion tomorrow it has the creaminess of a balm! So I use cetyl alcohol is probably still your best option, but dislike the waxy and feel. Cationic polymers ( I think several ), butters, and waxes an... # x27 ; s a so-called fatty alcohol, other two emollient fatty.... Poured out rather than held any sort of lotiony definitaion but I really must try this in preparations! These are my finished body butters, and has a bit faster, and waxes over a boiler! With great care at 1400 rpm and cetyl alcohol and stearic acid it in handcream hahaha. Remember right, and such valuable information- thanks so much you are discovering it is quite effective in small.! Weight the liquid oil/oils and add to the skin substitute the cheaper BTMS-25, while also adding alcohol... Worse slip than the cetyl alcohol in this formulation as an emollient it... Butters, combine the oils, cetyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol wax Beads s easy to with... Formulation as an emulsifier in itself the end product thats rather disappointing ( )! This into a stable emulsion heavier, fluffier end product will be different alcohol has skin benefits in its....