Teach Soap

Anyone good at chemistry here?

In these pictures you see a project gone wild. I am trying to make my own hair conditioner, all natural. So I read a few recipe, felt like God and decided to use my instincts and waste some material obviously.

So I soaked 1 part lecithin pebbles with two parts of distilled rosewater (yes this became my water ratio ). Then I melted shea butter, coconut oil and cacao butter in hot water bath, and then added a little bit of beeswax and argan and jojoba oil. Essential oils based on the amount of ingredients, and little bit of red food coloring for fun.

I tried it and realized I had used way too much oils. It turned into a hair mask really. so I researched again, and I did affirm my suspicion and learned that I had used way too much of the lecithin too. I let it be a few days while looking for better recipes. Then I decided to leave this, use it as hair mask, and make another batch for hair conditioner. I poured it in glass containers and put a lid on it. After maybe 3-4 days, this is what it looks like... It's forcing itself out of the jar, and changing colour...
Anyone here able to maybe explain to me what I have done wrong that I haven't discovered yet?

Also, another question, my mother has succeeded in working out a great formula for facial creams, only problem is, it can easily get yeast... Are there any natural or un-harmful preservatives other than beeswax and vitamin E we could use?

Beeswax and vitamin e are not preservatives. They will do nothing to prevent ickies from growing in your creams. You need a true preservative. There is a sticky at the top of this forum about preservatives that is a great read. Look at www.soapqueen.com for good recipes.

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Haven

I did see that post. It wasn't allowed to reply to it, so I still mentioned my question here, because my previous research has left me to think that beeswax and vitamin E have perservatory effects, thus recommended as a natural choice in cosmetics? My mother lives in Norway, it doesn't mold there, but here in The Netherlands (I study here) it just takes a week or so, and bam Unless I keep it in the fridge, which makes it a bit hard to use.. I don't mind tho, I just would like to know if there are other solutions..

Ok, my take here is that I want cosmetics (in all range, soap, shampoo, cream, lipbalm etc etc) to be natural, toxin and poison free, and effective.

Anything with water (including rose water) will get contaminated with germs. mold or bacteria very quickly, even if you can't see it with the naked eye. Take a look at this list. As of right now, there isn't anything available for the home crafter that can be used as a natural preservative. Believe me I've tried many and all the so called "natural" ones failed.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5032

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

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

I would also suggest using new containers rather than old food containers.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist