Teach Soap

I have a recipe for the following for lip balm (I know that actual weights are better, scale is next on my order list!):

4 teaspoons beeswax
2 teaspoons shea butter
3 teaspoons sweet almond oil (for glossier balm can add another 1 1/2 teaspoons almond oil)
1/2 teaspoon flavoring oil (i haven't used quite that much for the oils that are strong and might burn like peppermint)

My question is can I just substitute the following :
2 teaspoons cocoa butter in place of the shea butter
and
3 teaspoons of olive oil in place of the sweet almond oil?

I am allergic to the sweet almond oil so I'd like to make some I can use instead of just ones that friends can use! Some of my friends have complained about the balms being a little too hard, so I thought maybe the change to the cocoa butter might soften it a bit, along with the olive oil. I've gotten rave reviews about my soaps and balms from friends and coworkers so far

You can sub butter for butter and liquid oil for liquid oil. I would convert that into ozs. or grams. You'll get a better feel of what the recipe actually feels like and get the same results each and very time. Measuring in spoons is not very accurate. A good scale is a must.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I'm very new to this but I've been experimenting a lot - I actually find that cocoa butter adds to the hardness - so I use a softer butter (like pistachio, which is what I have around right now...) I found that reducing the proportion of beeswax and cocoa butter and increasing the proportion of oils helped make it softer. This is what I came up with that seems to be working really well in chapstick tubes - it's still a little too hard for my liking in the lip balm tubs but I'll keep experimenting... maybe with coconut oil.

1 oz beeswax
.5 oz cocoa butter
2.5 oz pistachio butter
1 oz sweet almond oil
1 oz castor oil

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

HI Soapbuddy,

Good question - the product I used is from Bramble Berry and you're right - when I look at the INCA it says " INCI: Pistacia Vera Seed Oil (and) Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil" I can't seem to find anywhere on line that sells just straight Pistachio Butter... I'm guessing they have to add vegetable oil because the regular pistachio butter (the kind you eat) is super expensive and perishable? (I bought some in Sicily once and it went rancid really fast!!)

This one caught my eye because my brother loves all things pistachio and I needed an excuse to make some "manly" things - not just girly stuff for my mom and sister It still feels nice and not greasy or anything. A bit too expensive to use in lip balms if I end up making them in larger quantities though! (And I will be sure to make sure I'm labeling correctly if I get to the point where it's not just family...)

It's an ongoing experiment - finding the combination of oils/butters that's unique, cost-effective, and the right consistency. I've read all the forums but am still figuring out which ingredients make the balms harder, softer, smoother, greasier, etc, etc... I'm writing everything down as I go along and taking notes on each batch!

Pistachios are expensive so I'm sure that's why it's blended. I'm glad that you are taking notes. That way if you come up with a formula that you love, you will be able to recreate it.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

i found that the cocoa butter and olive oil is just as hard.

I can't use pistachio butter either (nut allergy) but maybe i'll adjust the beeswax and cocoa butter down a bit and the oil up a bit. I'm keeping notes on what i've done too, so i can keep track of what works and doesn't work for me.

I always seem to have to add more oils and butters then a lip balm recipe calls for. Maybe cause I live in the northeast. I just like it softer I guess.

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hmmm, haven't tried mango butter. will have to order some.

It's dependent where you live. My lip balm formula is harder because of heat in Palm Springs. For cooler climates you can get away making your recipe softer.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.