Q: Hi Tracey,

I attended your workshop at NDA, i made my first batch of cream but i have some problem with product. I poured cream in two jar one i am using every day and other i kept for future, now the one i am using every day is still good but other one which i keep when open after one month i see fungus on top of it and also i show condensation on lead. I poured cream when it was slightly warm and close it immediately. Can you tell me what went wrong.

Regards,
R.

A: Hi R.,

One way or another some mold got in, and warmth and moisture helped it grow.

You can minimize the risk by:
sterilizing all implements, tools and containers
closing the jar when the product has cooled
keeping your production area very clean and no ceiling fan on
using grapefruit seed extract to combat mold.

Best of luck in the future...

Best, Tracey

Q: I was wondering if you want to add vitamins powdered form, botanical extracts, and other powdered additives at what point would you do this?

A: Make the lotion or cream base first, then add up to 20% of anything you like. The base can still be warm at this point, but it does need to have "set" to a "trace" state. BTW the bubbles we are looking for are air bubbles forming on the bottom and rising to the top. Once you see one, turn off the heat.

Q: The other question I have is you suggested adding a limit of two carrier oils and a few essential oils after the initial emulsion is formed and I am wondering if you always follow this rule as a guide or have you used additional oils as long as the percentage of the final oil amount stays the same?

A: I like to keep things simple. Often products contain all sorts of redundant ingredients, perhaps because an ingredient is "hot" and I often suspect because the formulator does not know what the ingredients do. As a rule, my fanciest products have 1 carrier oil, 1 enhancing oil and 1 or 2 essential oils. http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/657

Q: Lastly you initially started with fractionated coconut oil, however said we can use other carrier oils with the wax in the beginning and I have tried different ones, but have found that the fractionated coconut gives the nicest feel/slip afterwards because it acts as an emollient. Do you find that other lighter oils ie. grapseed/hazelnut perform as nice as the coconut, or have you used more than one in the initial melting with wax as long as the oil percentage stays the same?

A: I always make the plain base, and add up to 20% of other stuff to the base once it's done.

Q: I would be interested in taking additional workshops that would include more complex formulating. I continue to use both methods, but find I like the convenience of using the base and being able to create a variety of lotions/creams from it.

A: Exactly!

Q: I am still unclear about the addition of liquids at this point. To mix in the powdered vitamins if they are not oil based ones, and the botanical extracts I would have thought they need to be dissolved first in a liquid first?

A: You are right. Botanical extracts tend to be best mixed with water, alcohol or glycerine, glycerine being the most flexible ingredient. Read the supplier's recommendations thoroughly for each dried ingredient you plan on using.

Q: I realize that some powdered botanical extracts can be mixed with glycerin and in that case they can be part of the 20% additional carrier or enhancing oils,but if it requires a liquid to disperse the additives before adding into the base won't that effect the stability of the emulsion?

A: Right again. Include the volume of the infused extracts you are adding in the 20%. Your first batch will be experimental as you won't know how well or for how long it will stay in emulsion until you try it.

Q: Do you add the powdered additives right into the base without prior mixing with a particular dispersing agent?

A: I confess to doing this when I am customizing a cream with white willow bark extract for instance, but I normally use a prepared tincture.

Q: Maybe you don't need to due to the high liquid content in the base. I asked because I have always dissolved them in my liquid portion prior to obtaining the emulsion.

A: That's the best plan. It may not always be necessary, but it will always be helpful.

Q: Thank you for your time and professional advice. Any direction you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

A: I am doing a Professional Series at my clinic in January. Perhaps there are workshops you would be interested in!
http://www.anarreshealth.ca/node/1307 May I add you to my Workshop Notice List?