How I Made SoapLab’s Foaming Body Butter Base

Hi good morning guys. So after like a million attempts (or so i feel when it was only the 46th;D), I'm finally releasing soaplab’s foaming body butter base! Yeay!

Now before i get into detail on how i did it; let me tell you why i did it.

So few months ago; i created a base for scrub that was creamy and it was quite nice; but a follower of ours asked if i could make a soapy scrub instead.

Usually if one wanted a ‘soapy’ scrub, the only way was to incorporate it into a solid soap. You know like in mp soap base or make cp soap from scratch. Unfortunately though; it got boring and people wanted something else.

A lot of us (me included); we want the ‘pastey’ looking scrub. You know the ones that spa uses where you can scoop it out type? But unfortunately though; these commercial scrubs are made using plastic microbeads; and we; we want our product to be as ‘natural’ as possible. And obviously avoid plastic micro-beads as much as possible. So because of that; in natural product; we usually go for a more natural exfoliants; like sugar or salt or oatmeal or coffee.

Unfortunately; these natural exfoliants melts in water; and so most of existing bases; like the lotion base, or cream base or the liquid soap base cant be used. It maybe ok for a day or two but within a week; all the exfoliants will melt.

The only other alternative one has was either to use solid soap base; or using oil as scrub base (or balm base) to make sure it doesnt melt. However; thats not too suitable for our asian weather thats hot and humid. After showering with oil based scrub; one will usually feel ‘sticky’ after few hours that we have to take another shower. Huhu.

So based on that; i decided to create a soap ‘paste’ that can be whipped; and doesnt have any ‘water’ so that the scrubs dont ‘melt’. But at the same time it shouldnt be sticky.

My idea before i started creating was that i wanted something that was ‘water based’ that looks like butter (so that it can suspend the exfoliants. If we used liquid it will sink in), is moisturising when applied but not oily, and can become a foam once touches the water. Crazy right?

So i went on searching. And searching i did. I studied patents, i studied formulation of existing scrubs and i also spend thousands buying raw material to test it out.

Existing-Ly there are foaming body butter in the market. However; they are not without water; and so for that one will have to add two times more exfoliants coz half of it will ‘melt’. Also these foaming body butter are made for the western cold weather. Not for asian humid and hot weather; so they were kind of not stable and not cleansing enough (oh yes i stank:-D)

So anyways; after like few failed attempts; i finally saw the base to take form. But it still took few dozens more attempt to finally find the perfect recipe. Some of the reasons why the bases failed was because

1. It separated after 2 weeks
2. The oil was too much so bathroom floor was slippery
3. It burnt coz of over heating to melt
4. Didn't become ‘butter or cream like’ but became a ‘cendol’ like texture
5. Melted the exfoliants
6. The butter didn't mix
7. And many more..

And so finally; this are the ingredients in our currently Foaming Body Butter. Its probably the most perfect combination (for now) but there are still chances of it improving in the future:-)

The ingredients ive added is: glycerin, shea butter, castor oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, sodium cocyl isothionate (it gives the solid and creamy foam texture), and sodium lauroyl sarcosinate (a mild naturally derived surfactant that gives cleansing effect; sourced from coconut)

So as you can see; we didnt add any water in it; and the best part is: because there is no water: we dont really need to add preservatives! Yeay! (Read here on why you need to add preservative if you have water inside your product)

So thats it guys; its launched; And now after few months of searching; im back to my normal self (no more crazy scientist mode). Its probably going to last for a week before i go around searching for the next thing to do:-)

Tell me; what else would you want me to do? Which bases should i make next? 

Love;

Nisha