Re: OT--cream not hardening

[Guest guest]

>

> I have a recipe for an oil-only face/neck cream. It calls for mostly

> coconut oil and cocoa butter (total 6 oz), which are solid at room

> temp. It also calls for macadamia-nut oil (2 oz), apricot-kernel oil

> (1.3 oz), and vitamin-E oil (.3 oz). I substituted organic avocado

> oil for the apricot kernel and organic red-raspberry seed oil for

the

> vitamin E. Those are the only changes. It's been more than 24 hours

> and it has not set; it's still liquid. Could 1.6 oz of avocado and

> raspberry-seed oils really prevent 6 oz of solid fat from re-

> solidifying? I have a jar in the fridge but I don't have my hopes up.

>

Really what you have is 3.6 oz of liquid oils and 6 oz of solid oils.

Have you made this recipe without the substitutions? Maybe it's

supposed to be somewhat fluid and your substitutions pushed it " over

the edge " ?

Cocoa butter is such a brittle " oil " you would think that would be

plenty to re-solidify to blend. I wouldn't count on the coconut to help

too much (that melts too easily on contact)

Petra

[Guest guest]

Hi Adam,Are you blending it via hand or stick blender? Maybe it's not

incorporating enough?  Try a stick blender if you did it by hand.-

[Guest guest]

> Hi Adam,Are you blending it via hand or stick blender? Maybe it's

> not incorporating enough? Try a stick blender if you did it by

> hand.-

You are a genius and I am a dunce. I simply stirred the oils and fats

together. Out comes the blender!

[Guest guest]

--- >> Hi Adam~

Being that THIS is my passion before perfumery....Maybe I can help.....

What was the percentage they called for for the cocoa butter....

2nd in the world of butter/cream making you can usually substitute

texture for texture(oil) and the end results basiclly are the

same....BUT this doesnt mean it will DO the same thing....just FEEL

the same.

If you want it a little harder you will need to add more cocoa

butter....AND use the blender to incorporate it better.

Caterina

[Guest guest]

>

> > Hi Adam,Are you blending it via hand or stick blender? Maybe it's

> > not incorporating enough? Try a stick blender if you did it by

> > hand.-

>

Stick mixers rule! I get mine used at thrift shops. You can even get

oil and vinegar to meld together in a nice cohesive body with a stick

mixer. So I need to try it with oils and other liquids together -

cause I have some dynamite hand cream, only it doesn't have the water

in it yet. I rub it on my hands and then run them under the faucet

and rub it all in. Works great, but it's not convenient for others.

Andrine

[Guest guest]

:remember that you can use the stick blender all you want ...but if

you add water to oil, itll look blended for a few hours and youll

think have an amazing creation....but it wil begin to seperate after

that QUICKLY....Ask

me how I KNOW firsthand. Youll need an emulsifier if you add water.

Caterina

>

[Guest guest]

> Beeswax is the ultimate hardening element, isn't it? Is it any

worse at

> clogging pores than cocoa butter? ;-) I try to avoid both, and I

have no

> experience with creams, so this is all conjecture.

>

Actually beeswax is good for your skin. Here is some info I found...

" Primitive people knew and used beeswax as an antiseptic and for

wound healing. Hippocrates even recommended that a layer of beeswax

be placed on the neck for quinsy.

Beeswax is one of natures most wonderful ingredients to use, and does

a sterling job as a thickening agent, emulsifier, and humectant. It

has wonderfully emollient, soothing and softening properties and

helps the skin retain moisture.

People with acne sometimes incorrectly think that it is a comedogenic

ingredient (an ingredient that promotes the formation of acne and

pimples), whereas it in actual fact has an irritation potential of

zero, and a comedogenicity rating of 0 - 2, which means that when it

is properly used it will NOT promote the formation of acne or pimples.

When formulated and used correctly in cosmetic formulations, beeswax

will not cause a problem or clog the pores, but brings a host of very

positive attributes, such as healing, antiseptic, emollient and

softening to a cosmetic product. "

Not sure about the Cocoa butter. I found this interesting tidbit on

the web...

" Cocoa butter, also called cacao butter, is the cream-colored fat

extracted from cacao seeds (cocoa beans) and used to add flavor,

scent, and smoothness to chocolate, cosmetics, tanning oil, soap, and

a multitude of topical lotions and creams. Cocoa butter has been

called the ultimate moisturizer, and has been used to keep skin soft

and supple for centuries. It is one of the most stable, highly

concentrated natural fats known, and melts at body temperature so

that it is readily absorbed into the skin. Cocoa butter is often

recommended for treatment of skin conditions such as eczema and

dermatitis. When applied topically, it creates a barrier between

sensitive skin and the environment and also helps retain moisture. In

addition, cocoa butter contains cocoa mass polyphenol (CMP), a

substance that inhibits the production of the immuno globulin IgE.

IgE is known to aggravate symptoms of both dermatitis and asthma.

Pregnant women have long used to cocoa butter formulations to prevent

and treat stretch marks, but this pleasant-smelling substance is

added to countless other topical preparations as well. Lotions and

oils containing cocoa butter are often used in aromatherapy massages

to promote feelings of relaxation and well-being. Recent research

indicates that massaging the skin with cocoa butter may help relieve

stress, boost the immune system, and even prevent cancer. This is

because cocoa butter, like chocolate, contains a lot of CMP.

Researchers in Japan reported that CMP inhibits the growth of

cancerous cells and tumors by reducing active oxygen levels in the

body, and concluded that CMP inhibits the oxidation of LDL (good)

cholesterol and the production of inflammatory cells; there is some

evidence that the CMP in cocoa butter may also help prevent heart

disease and ease arthritic symptoms.

Preliminary research indicates that CMP actually helps suppress

excessive T-cell activity in the immune system, which could help

treat conditions associated with overactive immune systems, such as

psoriasis, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. "

[Guest guest]

> > Stick mixers rule!

>

> The thing I've never been clear on is: what do you stick mix _in_?

> A jar? A bowl? (No, it gets everywhere.) ??

>  

> They do rule, if you guys are refering to what I think you are

refering to.  I love them to puree soup.  They usually come with a

mixing cup, kind of tall.

>

Yep -- great for making creams, making soap, making soup (great for

bisques), I keep finding more things to use mine for and more reasons

to love them. I use a tall, narrow, cylindrical shaped jar to mix

smaller quantities of stuff in... Larger quantities are done in pans

and in bowls.

Oh - and those little battery-powered egg whisks (or milk frothers, if

you will) can also be found at thrift stores dirt cheap. Usually for

a buck or two. The stick mixers are usually about $2-5 used.

Andrine

(The thrift-store queen... apparently...)

[Guest guest]

(about cocoa butter)<snipped>

> Preliminary research indicates that CMP actually helps suppress

> excessive T-cell activity in the immune system, which could help

> treat conditions associated with overactive immune systems, such as

> psoriasis, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. "

>

Hmmm... Looks like I should start hitting that chocolate harder... ; )

Actually, the entire article you provided here was really informative.

Thank you!

Andrine

[Guest guest]

> The thing I've never been clear on is: what do you stick mix _in_? A

> jar? A bowl? (No, it gets everywhere.) ??

Whenever I mix up a batch of cream I sanitize my whole kitchen,

equipment and self (I wear a clean apron, cover my hair and wear

surgical gloves). All of my equipment for cream making is either

glassware or stainless steel. I have a separate stick blender for my

creams and another for food (can't live without it). In addition, I

use either a stainless steel bowl or better, a stainless steel cocktail

shaker. It has the vertical height so your cream mixtures don't splash

out. Finally, I have a small bottle of alcohol that I spray onto

everything just prior to using. It might seem excessive, but I'd rather

reduce the chances of contamination.

Maggie

[Guest guest]

> The thing I've never been clear on is: what do you stick mix _in_? A

> jar? A bowl? (No, it gets everywhere.) ??

I didn't finish reading all the posts, so I don't know if you've found

your answer, but I blend in a big mason jar.. I think it's a half

gallon size? I started doing this recently and it's made making things

so much easier. I put the jar into a pan of water and melt things

directly in the jar, take it off the heat, and blend in it. Cleaning

up after salves etc is such a pain in the ass, this really helps.. just

one thing to clean! And, splashing only occurs in the jar.