Lotion, oh Lotion

The solid lotion trial is still going, so I do not have any news to report on what people think of it. I do have my own opinion and I'm trying not to skew the results of the trial by sharing my opinion too soon. However, I do want to compare 3 different lotion recipes that I've been playing with this past month.

My first experiment was with the solid lotion (which we're doing the trial on right now). The reason I wanted to play with adding the solid lotion to the product line for Osmosis was because it was a natural evolution. Customers were already using their Osmosis lip balm as a cuticle cream and have joked about putting it all over their skin. Solid lotion is essentially lip balm for the rest of your skin. It is made with oils and waxes, just like lip balm. (Do not use it on your lips, though, because the fragrance is not approved for lips.) The results of the solid lotion trial will determine if it will become a regular product for Osmosis.

My second experiment came from a recipe I found at Soap Queen's blog here. It is a whipped shea butter recipe that looks an awful lot like frosting, yet definetely not for eating! I had the ingredients left over from the holiday rush of lip balm making, so I thought it was worth a shot. This recipe is super easy and you can generally get the ingredients at a natural food store or online. It is entirely made of fats... aka solid oils. By whipping them, you add air and make it easier to apply to your skin. It also keeps you from using more than is necessary.

My third experiment came from Wabi Sabi Baby's blog here. It is a simple 3 ingredient liquid lotion. You will need to find the emulsifying wax online. This recipe is so simple it's insane! No one should ever have to buy the commercially made, petroleum laden lotions ever again. There are lots of variations you can make to this recipe and I have found a concoction that I absolutely love!

What I have learned from these experiments:

• Oil-based lotions are meant to hold moisture in. Just like a waxy lip balm, it keeps the air from pulling moisture from your skin (by osmosis).


• Castor oil (a humectant which I use in my lip balms to help draw moisture to your lips) is too heavy to use on your skin.


• Because the first two lotions listed above are oil-based, it is best to use them after a long soak or shower. The solid lotion would be excellent to use after finishing the dishes!


• Drink your water! Give the lotion something to hold in!


• The second recipe is almost like magic, but I'd have to do another trial to confirm that. I've been using it after shaving and it seems to slow the re-growth. I have also used it on my arms and have seen a positive effect on my keratosis pilaris (aka chicken bumps). (I had read of a person using just extra virgin coconut oil on her keratosis pilaris and seeing it greatly improve... I imagine that ingredient is why this is working.)


• The 1st two oil-based recipes will be oily on your skin until is soaks in. It is best not to sit on the couch right after applying. Putting clothes on will be fine because you can wash your clothes.


• The 1st two recipes will eventually go rancid because they are oil-based. Vitamin E, an antioxidant, will slow that process.


• The 3rd recipe above has water in it. Water is what bacteria and mold need to grow and thrive. Without a preservative, this should be treated like food. Once it is open, it should be checked each time it is used for unwelcome growth.


• The 3rd recipe will need to used up, so make small batches.


• In my concoction for the 3rd, water-based recipe, I added glycerin. Glycerin is a water-friendly humectant. It does the same thing that the castor oil in my lip balm does. It draws moisture to your skin.


• The water based recipe is "oil in water", which means the water hits your skin first and then the oil sits on top to hold it in.


• I have mostly been using experiment #3 on my hands at bedtime. It makes my hands super soft.

I would, personally, like to add the liquid lotion to my line of products, even without a trial. I feel with the glycerin as a humectant, it fits very nicely into my main purpose for creating Osmosis. The only problem with the liquid lotion is the need for preservatives. There is a big movement in the cosmetics industry to keep parabens (a type of preservative) out of products. Apparently, there has been some studies that found parabens in breast cancer tumors. Parabens do have estrogen-like properties. There are other types of preservatives, but none that are natural. I have been trying to educate myself on the use of preservatives. As you can imagine, this is very time-consuming. It will come down to my personal views after educating myself on both sides of the issue. At that point, I will decide if I can offer the liquid lotion to customers.

In the meantime, you can read up on the use of preservatives, too! I've found some insight here and here and here.

I can't wait to hear from my solid lotion trial participants! I hope I'll have some results to share with you all, soon. In the meantime, keep drinking all that water and use your Osmosis lip products.