# Lotion getting grainy??



## Meshale

Ok....so i have noticed on a couple of batches of my lotion...that they are getting a grainy texture that leaves tiny grains on your hands...HELP.....what is causing this???? :really


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## kidsngarden

Shea can go grainy, but it's not supposed to in lotion, just balms. That's the only time I have ever gotten graininess is in balms.

I would suspect the stearic not being melted enough? It takes FOREVER to melt!

Bethany


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## Guest

I agree with Bethany. Make sure your butters, waxes and oils are thoroughly melted and also that your water/milk is hot when you emulsify.

Christy


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## Meshale

is there a temp that i am supposed to be getting to??and can i get it to hot???


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## kidsngarden

I heat my Gm and other liquids in the water phase to 170 degrees, heat and hold 20 minutes.

I'm not sure how hot my oils get - past 180 I think I measured once with a thermometer. I always melt my stearic and ewax and hard butters like cocoa the longest it seems to take at least 7 minutes in the microwave. Then I add my softer butters, shea, mango, etc. and stir until melted, then the liquid oils. Then I add it to the water phase.

Bethany


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## kidsngarden

Hi again Michelle,
I saw your post on the whisk and noticed you put that your lotions are 100% GM...
I would caution you against that. I believe the percentage of GM in lotion should not be more that 10% of the TOTAL weight of the lotion. I'm not sure there is a Preservative anywhere that can hold up to that amount of GM!
Bethany


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## Sondra

right been there and done that when I started with lotion it was 100% and let me tell will only keep if refrigerated and then only abt 1 mo that I feel safe at.


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## Meshale

Sondra have you ever had it get grainy??


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## Guest

I have never had lotion go grainy and can only guess that it is the shea if you are not heating it good, and holding.. stearic if you are not melting it enough, but the stick blender should take care of the stearic..
Goat milk should never be more than 10 percent total weight of recipe, it is a disaster waiting to happen for sure.. there is no preservative that can combat the nasties that will grow in your lotions..
You will still get some benefit from 10 percent if you cut back to that,, if you do decide to go with 100 percent goat milk, please keep it refigerated for your safety..


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## Meshale

I am using the Mango Butter..could that be doing it also?


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## NubianSoaps.com

Meshale, you need to get a good recipe, like Barbs and follow it exactly. Start with whipped butters, lip balms, sugar scrubs. Then move to lotion with an excellent recipe, a knowledge of how to clean your area and wear single use gloves, and products from someone you trust. Using 100% goatmilk, not knowing what temps to use just cries out to all of us that you need to learn before you just do it. It is unsafe. Using too much organic anything in your recipes make them unable to be perserved. Now you can use things like aloe vera juice because most come preperserved, then you add your perservative to your other phazes.

Yes keep this in the fridge, use for a couple weeks, or how long your milk would normally last in the fridge and then throw it out. Vicki


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## Meshale

Well let me give you the recipe i am using

2g citric acid
14g Glycerin
24g Stearic acid
49g E-wax
40g Mango Butter
70g Sweet Almond Oil
20g jojoba oil

823g liquid

8g Germaben
fragrance oil


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## Meshale

ok i just read her reciepe...what is, dimethicone 
and IPM...what do they do??,,,THanks


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## kidsngarden

I don't use dimethicone or the IPM in my recipe (also barb's) and it is fine. I think Dimethicone is for helping with greasiness. I'm not sure what the IPM is for.

As for your recipe above I haven't done the math, but the part that doesn't work for sure is using the 100% GM for all the liquid. Also what are you doing to those ingredients? Are you seperating the oils, liquids and preservative/additive phases? Are you heating and holding the liquids? I would Check to see when germaben is to be added and make sure it is the best preservative for this application. I'm not sure since I use phenonip.

HTH,
Bethany


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## Meshale

ok not going to be using the 100% GM anymore!.....and what i have been doing is seperating oils and liquids heating seperate..then adding them heating them together..then blending with the hand blender..and then cooling and adding the germ and fragrance.....


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## kidsngarden

There's no need to heat them once you have put them together. Are you heating and holding your liquids at 170 for 20 minutes? again check to see when Germaben needs to be added. Most perservatives should be added to the oils at 100 degrees or less. But I know with phenonip you should ad it to the oils and the liquids (divide in half) when they are are 150-165 degrees. Betcha Germaben is added at 100 degress, but check. 

Your citric should be added in the liquid phase so it dissolves.

To reduce your GM, figure out the total wieght of all your ingredients and divide by 10, that is the most you can use (I use even less! - 7%)

Bethany


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## Meshale

Thank you!!..i am working on it!*S*


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