# Face Cream / Body Butter



## eam (Aug 22, 2010)

I made my so-called face cream based upon a previous post where I got lots of suggestions (and I'm chicken to make a lotion). I used 50% shea butter (unrefined), 25% coconut oil, and 25% almond oil. I made a REALLY small batch (measured in teaspoons) and put it into a few of my lip balm pots to give to friends to critique. I had a little bit leftover that I left in a custard cup. I made it on Saturday. What was in the custard cup has firmed up perfectly. The lip balm pots are runny. I put them in the frig for a bit to firm up, which they did. I took them up and they've all turned back to liquid at room temperature. Will they ever firm up? 

Note: I called this post face cream / body butter because it's not really nice enough for a face cream (which is what I was going for) but is a great after-shower body butter/rub.

Any ideas of why it isn't firming up?

Thanks.
Elizabeth


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

If it's only the oils/butters mentioned, then I would think that it didn't get mixed well enough and you've got more shea in the custard cup than what ended up in the lip balm pots. How warm is your room temperature (since coconut melts at 76)?


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## eam (Aug 22, 2010)

Given that it's still winter here, our room temp is usually about 60-65ºF, so not especially warm. The lip balm pots are a VERY yellow color, which I thought was from the shea. The custard cup solidified to a nice light yellow color. Would the almond and coconut give a yellow color if the shea didn't get mixed in properly? I just stirred with a spoon since I was only using 4 tsps of oils. Should I stick blend (obviously I'll need more product to do that!)?

Thanks.
Elizabeth


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2011)

You will need to mix it a little better, even using a small wire whip can help...


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## eam (Aug 22, 2010)

Ok, I'll try doing a bigger batch that I can whip in some way. I just didn't want to waste the oils/fats if it turned out poorly. But, given what I've seen so far, even if it doesn't turn out exactly as I want, I don't think it will be a waste. I think I'll put everything in a 2-cup measuring cup that I can fit my stick blender in.

Now, another question. If I want to add something like dimethicone would it help to reduce the greasy feel? And would I then need a preservative since it's no longer just a mix of butters and oils?

Thanks.....I learn a bit and have more questions!
Elizabeth


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Not sure about dimethicone, but you can use cornstarch to lessen the greasiness. Some people don't like it, but it worked great for me with a whipped shea and CFO blend I made.


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## SimplyE (Jan 15, 2010)

Dimethicone will give it slip and can be nice. It won't help much with the greasy, but will give it a really nice feeling at a low percentage. I hate the feeling of any starches, but a lot of people really like it. Try adding some IPM if you have any to help with the greasy feel. You would not need to add a preserve with dimeth as it is an oil. 

Remember that in a body butter, you are using strictly oils and butters, which will be greasy regardless. Choose oils and butters that are lighter to help with it. Whipping really helps with the greasy feeling because it is putting air into the butter and makes it feel lighter...especially in your case where you have a 50/50 butters/oils.

On a side note, shea butter does have a tendency to clog pores, as do most butters. I personally would not use a butter on my face. Good luck!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Your butters, face cream etc...should be more along the lines of 60/40 (60% butters and 40% oils)...lotion crafters has tons of info...I am old school and still use tapioca pure, when I first started making butters and face cream you could go on a website for the manufacuters of all these products and they would send you a trial size...well the trial sizes were about 1/2 quarts, so I had every family member with a different address order them. I have about 20 of them still. They are sized for huge trail batches, and I use a 3.5 gallon bucket and make lotion and butters (which is also my face cream which I simply add stuff to) in 2 gallon batches in those buckets...once made I store them in 1 gallon buckets so they can be scented. Vicki


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## eam (Aug 22, 2010)

Thanks - I guess I should either up the shea butter (since that's the only butter I'm using) or else add another butter to the mix. I assume the coconut counts as an oil even though it's solid as room temp?

I've tried another small batch (but bigger than the last) using 50% shea, 25% almond, 25% coconut. I've added a bit of cornstarch to part of it to see what we like. I'll see if this firms up. If not, I'll 'rebatch' again.

I have an order ready to go into Lotioncrafter and IPM is on the list. I'll also take a closer look at their site; I've read their document on the HLB system and learned lots. (I'm getting up my nerve to try Barb's lotion.)

Vicki: Do you use the tapioca in place of the cornstarch?

Thanks everyone.
Elizabeth


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Yes, tapioca pure gives a silky texture to your lotions and butters. It is not tapioca you buy in the store. I actually use it because of the label appeal, very honestly a little deceptive. You can use food grade corn starch but the manufactured modified starch (dang that isn't all it's called) works well to, it's just a little slippier feeling in the lotion than the tapioca pure.

Have you thought about using cocoa butter? It is a main stay in my products. And although for label appeal it's nice to use the more expensive oils, just do so in very limited amounts so you can afford to make the lotion  1% and it can be on the label.


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## eam (Aug 22, 2010)

Thanks. I was just saying to my husband that maybe I should add another butter and cocoa might be it. My second batch firmed up a bit more than the first, presumably because of the stick blending, but not as firm as I'd like. The cornstarch made it a bit gritty but the grittiness went away almost immediately.

I'll try the cocoa, do a 60-40 (butter-oil) blend. Then consider the tapioca, IPM, or whatever after this next test run!

Thanks again; I'll get this yet!
Elizabeth


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