Cosmetic Making Supplies FAQ

Cosmetic Supplies Questions

What type of glycerin is in the whipped soap base?

Should I refrigerate Natures Garden’s Whipped Soap Base?

What is a multi base lotion?

Is the preservative in the soy body butter paraben free?

Can I add additional cocoa butter, shea butter, or mango butter to the soy body butter or multi bases?

Are the multi-base lotions and soy body butter natural?

Is Natures Garden’s Soy Body Butter vegan?

What type of goats milk is in Natures Garden’s Goat’s Milk Multi Base Lotion?

Can I infuse green tea into the multi base lotion bases?

Do the multi-base lotion bases contain parabens?

Does the soy body butter lotion base contain parabens?

Does the multi-base lotion have a scent to it?

What is lip balm base?

What is the vitamin E in the lip balm base derived from?

Does the lip balm base have a scent to it?

Is stevia vegan?

Can you whip the lip balm base?

Can I add castor oil to Natures Garden’s lip balm base? 

Can I use food coloring in lip balm?

How do I sweeten lip balm?

What do I use for homemade lip balm flavors?

Does Natures Garden offer lip balm kits?

Can I make lipstick lip balm?

Does Natures Garden carry lip balm containers in bulk?

Why are there two types of titanium dioxide?

Can you add titanium dioxide to the Ritzy Bath Gel?

Can I add titanium dioxide to clear soap base?

• For loose powders, you may prefer oil dispersible (if the skin is not oily) as it will not take water out of the air like water dispersible, and therefore it will keep your product flowing better.
• Also, when making loose powders, if you are formulating for oily skin, consider using the water-dispersible type of titanium dioxide.
• If you are making products with an oil phase such as lotion or body scrubs, use the oil dispersible.
• When creating handmade melt and pour soap, we recommend the water dispersible. However, when making handcrafted cold process soap, either type will work.
  
   

Are the traditional emulsifying wax and the silky emulsifying wax natural?

Can I add emulsifying wax to a lotion that is already made?

Can you substitute the BTMS in a recipe with the silky or traditional emulsifying wax?

Why is my lotion separating?  I added an emulsifier.

Why is the beeswax I purchased a different color than it was last time I ordered it?

Beeswax can vary in color from batch to batch.  This is because it is a natural, uncolored and unbleached product.  Sometimes, it is golden in color.  Other times, it is closer to white in color.  Of course, it can be anywhere in between.  The color is dependent upon nature.  Since it is a natural product, we have no control over the color.  However, we have found that no matter the color, it performs perfectly in lip balm.

What is Natures Garden’s Vitamin E oil derived from?

Vitamin E oil from Natures Garden comes from sunflower and soy beans.

Is Vitamin E oil a preservative?

No, vitamin E oil should not be used as a preservative. While vitamin E oil is an anti-oxidant, it will not prevent bacteria growth.  It is a common myth that it can be used as a preservative.  So, it is very important that you add a preservative.

Is Natures Garden Vitamin E oil lactose free?

Yes, Natures Garden’s Vitamin E oil is lactose free.

What is Optiphen preservative?

Optiphen is a liquid preservative made of Phenoxyethanol and Caprylyl Glycol.  It is both paraben-free and formaldehyde-free.  It will prevent the growth of bacteria as well as yeast and mold in your handmade cosmetic recipes.

What is the shelf life of Natures Garden’s Optiphen preservative?

Optiphen preservative has a shelf life of 1-2 years.

When should I add Optiphen to my products?

When adding Optiphen to your cosmetic products you need to add it between 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit. If you add it at a temperature below 120 degrees Fahrenheit, your product will likely separate.  However, if you add it too above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, you can actually burn the preservative off.

How do I know if I need a preservative?

A preservative should be added to any product containing water.  Any product containing water will allow for the growth of mold and bacteria.  You may notice that some of our body scrub recipes contain Optiphen preservative.  We add a preservative to our oil-based body scrubs because it is very likely that it will come into contact with water.

Do I need to add Optiphen preservative to my cold process soap?

No, you do not need to add Optiphen preservative to your cold process soap.  The pH level of CP soap does not allow for the growth of bacteria.

Do I need to add a preservative to my melt and pour soap recipe?

No, you do not need to add a preservative to your melt and pour soap recipes.  Just like cold process soap, the pH level of MP soap does not allow for the growth of mold or bacteria.

Do I need to add Optiphen preservative to the yogurt or goats milk multi-base lotions?

No, you do not need to any additional preservatives to the multi-bases.  These pre-lotion bases were formulated with a preservative.  So, there is already enough preservative in the lotion base to cover any of the recipes we have listed in the descriptions of the lotion bases.

How much Optiphen preservative do I need to use?

You do not need to use very much Optiphen in your finished products.  A little bit goes a long way.  In fact, the usage rate of Optiphen is 0.75%- 1.5%.

Is Optiphen a paraben?

No, Optiphen is not a paraben.  Optiphen is paraben free.

What is the shelf life of a product containing Optiphen?

The shelf life of finished products that are properly preserved is typically around 1 year.

Are Natures Garden’s lip tints vegan?

Yes, the lip tints from Natures Garden are vegan.

Are Natures Garden’s lip tints FDA approved?

Yes, the lip tints found at Natures Garden are FDA approved.

Can Natures Garden’s flavorings be used in e-cigarettes?

No, the flavor oils from Natures Garden cannot be used in e-cigarettes.

Are the flavor oils phthalate-free?

Yes, the flavorings are phthalate free.

Do you have a lip balm flavors list?

Yes, all of our lip balm flavorings can be found here.

Are the flavorings from Natures Garden formaldehyde free?

 Yes, the flavorings from Natures Garden are formaldehyde free.

Are Natures Garden’s flavorings paraben free?

Yes, the flavorings from Natures Garden are paraben free.

Are Natures Garden flavor oils alcohol free?

Yes, the flavor oils from Natures Garden are alcohol free.

Are the flavorings from Natures Garden vegan?

Yes, the flavorings purchased from Natures Garden are vegan.

Are your flavor oils sweetened?

No, Natures Garden’s flavorings are not sweetened.  However, you can add sweetener to products like lip balms to give your lip balm a sweet taste.

Are your lip balm flavorings natural?

While the flavorings may contain natural ingredients, they are not 100% natural.

How do I flavor lip balm naturally?

If you would like to use a natural flavoring for your lip balm, you can use essential oils.  However, you will want to check the IFRA statement for each essential oil as not all of them will be lip balm safe.

How much flavor oil should I add to my lip balm recipe?

We suggested using anywhere from 0.4%-4% flavor oil in your handmade lip balm recipe.  It is really a matter of personal preference. 

Do Natures Garden’s flavorings contain soy?

No, Natures Garden’s flavorings do not contain soy.

What is coconut oil 76?

Coconut oil 76 is one of the most common soaping oils and cosmetic oils.  This coconut oil is a food grade coconut oil with a 76 degrees Fahrenheit melt point.  Coconut oil will give soap a bubbly lather and help harden the bar of soap.

What is fractionated coconut oil?

Fractionated coconut oil is a liquid coconut oil that has medium-chain triglycerides of coconut oil.  It is a light oil with very little scent, making it a great carrier oil for body perfumes and essential oils.

Is Natures Garden’s coconut oil 76 food grade?

Yes, Natures Garden’s coconut oil 76 is food grade.  However, we do not sell any of our products for consumption.  We sell our products for cosmetic use only.

I am making one of your bath bomb recipes.  The recipe calls for coconut oil 76.  Can I use fractionated coconut oil instead?

Yes, typically, carrier oils, like coconut oil, can be swapped for other oils when making bath bombs.

Is Natures Garden argan oil true Moroccan argan oil?

Yes, the argan oil from Natures Garden is true Moroccan argan oil.

How much argan oil can I use in cold process soap making?

When formulating cold process soap recipes with argan, we recommend 5%-10% argan oil.

Is Natures Garden argan oil cold pressed or expeller pressed?

The argan oil from Natures Garden is expeller pressed.

Is argan oil good for your hair?

Yes, argan oil is a wonderful oil for your hair in many cases.  It works really well for those with oily hair.  You can read more about the argan oil benefits for your hair in our blog about oils for your hair type found here.

What argan oil is good for?

Argan Oil can be added to a variety of handmade bath and body products. In fact, beauty products like massage oils, soaps, lotions, creams, lip balms, scrubs, haircare products, and so much more can be created.  It is great for hair care and wonderful addition to acne fighting recipes.  It allows the skin to breathe. 

Is Natures Garden’s avocado oil food grade?

While Natures Garden does not sell our oils for food, it is a food grade avocado oil.  However, we sell it for cosmetic use only.

How much apricot kernel oil can I use in cold process soap?

We recommend using 5%-10% apricot oil in cold process soap making.

Is Natures Garden’s rice bran oil food grade?

Natures Garden’s rice bran oil is cosmetic grade.

Is castor oil cold pressed or expeller pressed?

Natures Garden’s castor oil is expeller pressed.

Can I add castor oil to the lip balm base?

Yes, castor oil can be added to the lip balm base.  It will give your handmade lip balm more glide.

Where is meadowfoam grown?

Meadowfoam oil is native to Northern California and Southern Oregon.

Is Natures Garden’s Meadowfoam Seed Oil expeller pressed?

Meadowfoam Seed Oil from Natures Garden is expeller pressed

Is Natures Garden’s meadowfoam seed oil refined?

Yes, Natures Garden’s meadowfoam seed oil is refined.

What is meadowfoam seed oil used for?

Meadowfoam seed oil is used in handmade bath and body recipes.  It can be used in handmade scrubs, cold process soap, bath bombs, and other handcrafted products.

Is meadowfoam oil good for hair?

Meadowfoam oil is great for hair. It is a wonderful way to help with dry or damaged hair due to its moisturizing properties.

What are the jojoba oil uses?

Jojoba oil can be used in cosmetic, soap, and cosmetic recipes.  The sky is the limit.  You can use jojoba oil for hair care recipes.  You can create lip gloss recipes, scrub recipes, lotion recipes, haircare recipes, and so much more.

How much jojoba oil can I use in my cold process soap recipe?

We recommend using no more than 5%-10% jojoba oil in cold process soap.

What is the shelf life of jojoba oil?

Jojoba oil has a shelf life of 1-2 years.

How much palm oil should I use in cold process soapmaking?

We recommend using no more than 30%-35% palm oil in cold process soap making recipes.

How much safflower oil should I use in soapmaking?

Natures Garden recommends 5%-15% safflower oil in cold process soap recipes.

What are safflower oil benefits?

Safflower oil is great for providing nourishment and moisture to the skin.   In fact, safflower oil is the perfect replenishment to the skin.  Safflower oil can be added to soap making recipes, homemade lip balms, handcrafted lotions, body scrubs, and other cosmetic products.

Can I use safflower oil for hair care recipes?

Yes, it can be used in hair care recipes.  In fact, Bailey added this one to the homemade conditioner for red hair and it quickly became her favorite hair care oil.  However, just like everyone’s skin is different, so is everyone’s hair.  This means that just because it is a perfect addition to one person’s hair, someone else’s hair may have different needs.  So, I highly recommend this hair care blog to help you choose the right oil for your hair.

Can I use safflower oil for skin care recipes?

Yes, safflower oil is the perfect ingredient in skin care recipes.  It is great in soap and lotions as well as body scrub recipes and other beauty care recipes.

How much sunflower oil should I use in my cp soap recipe?

Our maximum recommendation for sunflower oil when formulating a cold process soap recipe is 25%.

Can you use sunflower oil for hair care recipes?

Yes, you can use sunflower oil for hair.  In fact, it is great for oily hair.  This is because it is a light oil that can be easily absorbed, penetrating the hair follicle without leaving excess oil behind.

Can I use sunflower oil for skin care recipes?

Yes, sunflower oil can be used as an ingredient in skin care recipes.  In fact, in handmade soap recipes, sunflower oil provides moisture with a creamy lather.

How much sweet almond oil can I use in cold process soap?

We recommend using 5%-10% sweet almond oil in cold process soap recipes.

How much sesame seed oil should I use in soapmaking?

When adding sesame seed oil to your handcrafted cp soap, we recommend using 5%-10%.

Can I use lanolin oil in cold process soap recipes instead of the solid lanolin?

Can I use solid lanolin in my soap recipe instead of the liquid lanolin.  Yes, you can use the solid lanolin, but the bar of soap will just be harder.  When using lanolin in soap, whether it be liquid or solid, it does not saponify. 

Is the golden natural cocoa butter unrefined?

Yes, the golden natural cocoa butter from Natures Garden is unrefined.

Is the golden natural cocoa butter food grade?

While Natures Garden does not sell any of our products for consumption, the golden natural cocoa butter is food grade cocoa butter.

Does Natures Garden’s cocoa butter have a scent?

Natures Garden’s carries two types of cocoa butter.  We carry a golden natural, which will have a natural cocoa butter aroma.  We also carry a deodorized cocoa butter that does not have a cocoa butter aroma.

What qualities does shea butter give to soap?

Shea butter will give your soap a creamy lather.  It also gives the soap conditioning properties and some hardness to the soap.

What is the shelf life of Vanilla White Color Stabilizer?

The shelf life of Vanilla White Color Stabilizer is 2 years.

Is the Vanilla White Color Stabilizer Prop 65 compliant?

Yes, Natures Garden’s Vanilla White is Prop 65 compliant.

What is the INCI name for Vanilla White Color Stabilizer?

Since Vanilla White Color Stabilizer is considered a fragrance oil compound, it just needs to be listed as fragrance oil.

Is Natures Garden’s Vanilla White Color Stabilizer phthalate free?

Yes, the Vanilla White Color Stabilizer is phthalate free.

Does Natures Garden carry an unscented shower gel base?

Yes, we do.  It is called Ritzy Bath Gel.  It can be found here.

When I added fragrance oil to the shower gel base it thinned out.  Can I fix this?

You can use Xanthum Gum to thicken homemade body wash.  You will need to follow the instructions to create a Xanthum slurry.  Then, add the slurry to your shower gel to thicken it back up.  The amount that you will need will depend upon how much the shower gel thinned out.  Some fragrance oils will thin a base out more than others.

What ingredients are in shower gel?

Our Ritzy bath gel or shower gel ingredients are listed in the description of the bath gel itself.  You will also find the ingredients on the label of the Ritzy Bath Gel.

How do you make your own shower gel?

The simplest way to create shower gel is with the Ritzy Bath Gel.  This shower gel is a pre-made base.  Ritzy Bath Gel is created by adding a body safe fragrance oil and/or color.  Then, it can be added to a bottle.

How much Stinky No More Wash do I use?

When using the Stinky No More Wash, use 1 cup per load of laundry when using the base as a laundry detergent.  If you are using the Stinky No More Wash as a carpet cleaner, use it as directed by the carpet cleaning machine you are using.

Is the Odor Eliminator vegan?

While we haven’t had the odor eliminator base certified vegan, there are no animal products and no animal by products in the product, to our knowledge.

What do you use to color bath bombs?

Bath bombs can be colored naturally with herbs.  You can also use some FUN Soap Colorants.  While you can use a water-based soap dye, they can slightly activate the bath bomb mixture, reducing the fizziness of the bath bomb.

Can food coloring be used to color bath bombs?

While some will use food coloring to color bath bombs, they are water based.  So, since they are water based, they will slightly activate the bath bomb.

How do I color bath bombs naturally?

Bath bombs can be colored naturally using powdered herbs that are found in our herbs and spices category.

Do you carry water soluble dyes for bath bombs?

Our Da Bomb Soap Dyes are water soluble. 

What is the best bath bomb colorant?

We recommend using some FUN Soap Colorants or natural powdered herbs.  Since they are not water based, they will not activate the bath bomb like a water-based colorant will.  Since water activates bath bombs, a water-based dye will as well.

Does Natures Garden offer bath bomb recipes or bath fizzy recipes?

Yes, we offer a number of bath bomb recipes.  You can find the bath fizzy recipe here.

Does Natures Garden have a black bath bomb colorant?

You can create a black bath bomb in a couple of ways.  First, you can use activated charcoal.  You can also use our Black Oxide FUN Soap Colorant.

How do you use bath fizzies?

When using a bath fizzy, you simply need to place a fizzy in your warm bath water.

How do you make a bath fizzy that also produces bubbles in the bath water?

You can add an ingredient such as Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, also known as SCI, to the dry portion of the bath bomb mixture.  Then, your bath bomb will bubble as well as fizz.

What are the ingredients for bath bombs?

While there are many variations, a basic bath bomb will consist of baking soda and citric acid.  It will use 2-parts baking soda to 1-part citric acid.  However, you can also add colorants, herbs, fragrance, and other additives to make the bath fizzies your own.

How long do you leave a bath bomb in?

When using a bath bomb, you can leave it in until it dissolves.  The bath bomb or bath fizzy doesn’t need to be removed once it is added to the bath water.

Can you use a bath bomb in the shower?

Yes, bath bombs can be used in the shower.  However, you shouldn’t add any extra carrier oils when using it for this purpose.  It will make the floor slippery.  Often times these types of bath products are used for the aroma.  For example, you can make a sinus relief bath fizzy to clear your sinuses. 

How do you make your own lotion?

Lotion making involves an oil phase and a water phase.  They are then combined to create the lotion.  You can find several lotion recipes and links to the lotion making supplies that recipe uses, in our recipe box here.

What type of lotion making equipment do I need?

When making homemade lotion, the ingredients you need will depend on your recipe itself.  However, you will need oils and butters, water, an emulsifier, possibly a thickener, color, scent.  You will also need a stick blender, mixing bowls, mixing spoons, and pots for a double boiler.

Do you have any free recipes available for lotion crafters?

Yes, we offer a variety of recipes for lotion crafters.  All of our lotion and cream recipes can be found here.

What is the purpose of stearic acid in lotion?

Stearic acid is used to thicken homemade lotion recipes.

How do you make lotion thinner?

Lotion can be made thinner by incorporating lighter oils, reducing or eliminating butters, changing the amount or type of emulsifier, reducing the amount of water or thickeners used in the homemade lotion.

My lotion is separating, how can I fix it?

When making homemade lotion, you can get separation if the oil and water phases are not combined at the proper temperature.  However, you can also have separation if you do not add your preservative at the correct temperature.  This is not a problem that can be fixed.  Once the lotion is created, it cannot be corrected.  If you attempt to reheat the lotion, you will breakdown the ingredients or cause a burnt aroma.  You can also burn off fragrance oil and preservative.

What is the difference between polysorbate 80 and polysorbate 20?

The other difference happens in our products. We generally use polysorbate 20 to emulsify fragrance or essential oils in water, whereas we generally use polysorbate 80 to emulsify carrier or more complicated oils in water. If I were to make a shampoo to which I wanted to add 2% fragrance oils, I'd use polysorbate 20. If I were to make a shampoo to which I wanted to add 2% olive oil, I'd use polysorbate 80. If I were to make a bath bomb or bath oil, I'd want to use polysorbate 80 to carry the heavier oils into the bath water and make them disperse. That's the long answer. The short answer is that we use polysorbate 20 to emulsify small amounts of lighter oils and polysorbate 80 to emulsify slighter larger amounts of heavier oils.

Is polysorbate 20 a natural product?

Yes, polysorbate 20 is a natural vegetable sourced emulsifier which creates solubility between water-based ingredients and oil-based ingredients. 

Is polysorbate 80 all natural?

Yes, polysorbate 80 is a natural vegetable sourced emulsifier which creates solubility between water-based ingredients and oil-based ingredients. 

Can I replace beeswax with candelilla wax or sunflower wax?

When creating our cosmetic recipes, we formulate them with those particular ingredients.  We have not tested them using other ingredients.  So, you will need to do some testing.  However, in our experience, you can replace it with sunflower wax or candelilla wax, but you will use less candelilla wax and you will use about ½ of the amount of the sunflower wax you would use for beeswax.

Is Natures Garden’s candelilla wax vegan?

Yes, Natures Garden’s candelilla wax is vegan.

Does Natures Garden’s rice bran wax contain any chemicals?

No, rice bran wax from Natures Garden does not contain any chemicals, nor is it processed with chemicals.

What is sodium lactate?

Sodium lactate is the salt of lactic acid. It is made by fermenting of a sugar source.  This sugar source could be vegetables like corn or beets.  Then, the lactic acid is neutralized to create sodium lactate.

What does sodium lactate do in soap?

Since sodium lactate is a natural humectant, it will help create a moisturizing bar of soap. In addition, it will make handmade soap harder.  So, as long as you use the correct amount, it will create a harder bar.  In addition, since it will harden faster, allowing you to remove it from the mold sooner.  However, you should use caution.  If you use too much, your soap can become hard and crumbly.  The amount you should use will vary, depending on the hardness of the oils and butters in your soap recipes.  We recommend using a maximum of 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. sodium lactate per pound of cold process soaping oils. 

The sodium lactate label says Sodium Lactate 60.  What does the 60 mean?

The 60 on the sodium lactate label means that there is 60% sodium lactate in the product.

What type of vegetable is the vegetable glycerin derived from?

The vegetable glycerin from Natures Garden is derived from soy.

Is Natures Garden’s vegetable glycerin kosher?

Yes, the vegetable glycerin found at Natures Garden is USP/NF kosher.

I am looking at Natures Garden’s bath and body recipes using the odor eliminator base.  Some of the recipes call for polysorbate.  Why?

The recipes that call for polysorbate use more fragrance oil.  Polysorbate is an emulsifier.  So, by adding polysorbate to the Odor Eliminator body spray and room scenting base, we can add more fragrance oil to give the spray a stronger scent.

Can mica powders be used in bath and body products?

Yes, Natures Garden’s diamond dust mica and 24 K gold mica pigments can be used in handmade soaps, body scrub recipes, and even lip balms.   They are both FDA approved for lips, eyes, face, nails.