Hair Conditioner Recipe Help

Hair Conditioner Recipe Help

by Sheila
(Perth, Scotland)

Was very excited to try the Hair Conditioning recipe using Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, distilled water and Emulsifying Wax (I used Beeswax).

I followed the recipe exactly making sure I only heated the distilled water to 'luke warm'. Everything seemed fine until I started to add the warmed distilled water to the oil and beeswax combination. I used a metal whisk as instructed and very slowly added the distilled water. At first all seemed fine then suddenly with only half the water added the ingredients stopped blending together...(the water would no longer mix in with the rest of the solution). I did this twice and got the same result.
No good whatsoever.

My thinking is that with the water only being lukewarm, it cools the rest of the mixture too quickly and therefore the beeswax hardens. Can't think what else it could be.

Can you help please? I would love to make this successfully.

Thanks
Kind regards,
Sheila

Comments for
Hair Conditioner Recipe Help

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Beeswax Emulsifying NEW
by: Kym

Did you add borax to the water phase? Try adding 5% of the total weight of beeswax for borax.

Example:
If the beeswax is 5% of your total recipe, then 5% of 5% is 0.38%. So you would use 5% beeswax and 0.38% of borax.

Beeswax/borax emulsification is tricky, because too much borax will make it gritty and too much beeswax will make it gloppy. So you may have to make adjustments.

I'm experimenting with cosmetics myself and I too am determined to use a more natural approach. I hope that this helps.

Hair Conditioner NEW
by: Sheila

Hi Martina,
I gave up with the Beeswax. I didn't want to purchase just any emulsifier as I want to keep my products Organic. I eventually found this place (in Scotland where I live) and bought their Organic Emulsifier which made a very successful conditioner.

I'm sure they'll post abroad, but perhaps that might be a tad expensive.

Here's the link anyways :)

http://www.aromantic.co.uk/buy-cold-emulsifier-organic-uk.htm

beeswax NEW
by: Marina

Hi! I was looking into using beeswax as well to make conditioner and stumbled upon this website http://makingbathproducts.com/emulsifying-wax-how-to-use-emulsifying-wax/
He talks about how to use beeswax with borax and why it's so hard to make it work. Apparently it's a lot easier to use the emulsifying wax instead because beeswax can only handle up to a 50-50 oil-water ratio.
I haven't tried to make conditioner or shampoo yet, so if you do use the beeswax with borax, please let me know the results!

Emulsifying Wax for Lotion Recipes and Conditioners NEW
by: Kyley

Hi Sheila,

Yeah, that was my experience too. Try using this emulsifying wax from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Although it does come from plants, it's so processed that it's not considered "natural" anymore. I finally gave in and used it anyway because I was so frustrated with the separation problem. Now I justify it by saying I'm only using a little...

Hair Conditioner Recipe (using Beeswax) NEW
by: Sheila

Hello Kyley,
Well, eventually got round to trying the recipe again still using the Beeswax but heating the water to a much higher temperature. I thought it was working......but no.....just when I thought it about ready to put into bottles, it once again separated! Oh No!

Would you mind letting me know which emulsifier I should use instead of the Beeswax?

I would very much appreciate it :)

Many thanks

Sheila

air Conditioning Recipe NEW
by: Sheila

Dear Kyley,

Thank you so much for getting back to me. I'm glad to hear I am not an utter failure and that I can in fact blame the tools! ;)

I will try again with the water fairly hot. If it doesn't work, would you mind letting me know what is the best emulsifier to use?

Thanks again.

It's great to get some input.

All the very best

x

Using Beeswax in the Conditioner Recipe NEW
by: Kyley

Hi Sheila,

The problem lies with the beeswax, as you suggested.

I stopped using beeswax as an emulsifier because I can never get it to work. Even if it works initially, I find that over time the water separates back out. I know that beeswax is a more natural emulsifier, but I just canNOT make it work.

It sounds like you're on the right track for figuring out the problem - maybe try heating the water to 'hot' and then just whisking your brains out??? Maybe try using an immersion blender or even an electric hand mixer.

Sorry I can't be of more help, and best of luck!!!

By the way, if you DO get it to work, would you mind letting me know what you did? I'll post it on the main recipe page for other folks as well.

Thanks!

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