tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post2334943409153219632..comments2024-03-26T12:17:40.771-04:00Comments on Linda's Bees: Second Try at Making Homemade Hand LotionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-59938594620746450142014-12-03T23:11:50.044-05:002014-12-03T23:11:50.044-05:00Wow! Making lotion! That is so ambitious! I'll...Wow! Making lotion! That is so ambitious! I'll have to try this one day!meemsnychttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10584936035577822444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-58891798288978207732012-11-03T14:05:22.815-04:002012-11-03T14:05:22.815-04:00hi. I'm looking for a recipe for a lotion to v...hi. I'm looking for a recipe for a lotion to vy with one I used to buy from a beekeeper who I lost contact with. I want to make some for Christmas and share. I'm looking for a consistency that is fairly thick and feels waxy on the skin rather than greasy but melts in too. I don't want to use cocoa or shea butter as they make my sister come out in a rash. I'm looking at beeswax, sweet almond oil and argan oil as my main ingredients. A beeswaxy smell is great. Can anyone advise?<br />Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-89763287953542044732012-04-21T20:53:22.268-04:002012-04-21T20:53:22.268-04:00Thanks for the kind words - hope you are enjoying ...Thanks for the kind words - hope you are enjoying the blog.<br /><br />LindaLinda Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08089537760868691562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-50681726561508271632012-04-21T18:57:52.854-04:002012-04-21T18:57:52.854-04:00New beekeeper here, but I've been a soap maker...New beekeeper here, but I've been a soap maker for almost 20 years. I found you on beesource and have spent my afternoon enjoying you blog. What you made in your first attempt is what I've been calling hard lotion. No whipping, just mold in mini muffin tin and it pops right out after a few minutes in the freezer. Keep in a pretty little cut glass container on the counter and rub between your hands when needed. -Carol<br />rebelfan1973.blogspot.comRebel Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09847830165681571807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-80757185664980667602012-03-31T17:47:35.954-04:002012-03-31T17:47:35.954-04:00I've been having great success with making bod...I've been having great success with making body butter lately. I use a double boiler to melt the beeswax and oils together. I use sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, cocoa butter, mango butter, avacado butter and or shea butter. Any or all combinations seem to work. Then I beat it all together using a hand mixer. While it cools I scrape down the sides until it's all creamed together. (about 10 or 15 minutes). Then I add whatever essential oils I want to use (lately I've been using Honey Pear, it's delicious!) This has been working great. I got all my supplies from The Sage online. I tried making hand lotion with distilled water in it but had trouble with separation. The body butter melts in your hand and is fabulous. I also use a recipe from The Sage. They have several on their website. People have been buying this and asking for more!Dorishttp://honeyofadiel.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-74363282304023515192012-02-08T20:10:14.783-05:002012-02-08T20:10:14.783-05:00Thank you for sharing your efforts with lotion! I...Thank you for sharing your efforts with lotion! I started with the same recipe, I think, from the Backyard Beekeeper book. :)<br /><br />I make lotion and balm for my family and me due to severe allergies. I started selling some after people really pestered me to do so.<br /><br />Some tips I have discovered over the past couple years of trial and error:<br /><br />~Weighing is better than volume measurements.<br />~For a natural preservative try using a couple drops of grapefruit extract.<br />~To prevent separation of the oils, I mix with the hand mixer until the oils are room temperature.<br />~If you are mixing distilled water into the oils, try heating the water before adding it to the oil. Sometimes I use a gram of borax to the water first, dissolving it, before adding to the oils. This really does help prevrnt separation.<br />~Start mixing on LOW speed (I use a hand mixer with the whisk beaters) scraping with a spatula often, building up to the highest speed until the batch reaches room temperature before spooning into the containers.<br />~Using something closer to a double boiler is better to keep the oils from getting too hot or overcooking. Having the pan/dish holding the oils sitting directly on the heat source, even though it is in a water bath, could still overheat the oils, making the efficacy or "good benefits" of the oils worthless. Some oils do not mind, like coconut oil. However, oils like wheat germ already have a very short shelf life, and heating them too much ruins it.<br />~Coconut oil can actually be drying to the skin. Try another oil that is semi-solid at room temperature, like shea butter or cocoa butter. It'll add to the great smell of the lotion! :)<br /><br />I love the whole process of weighing and mixing, trying different consistencies and scents...Jen Haleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-22674579979958271712010-08-28T20:23:54.502-04:002010-08-28T20:23:54.502-04:00I know this is an old post, but I got here by goog...I know this is an old post, but I got here by googling the backyard beekeeper recipe, because my first try ended up just like yours, and maybe I can help someone else. I am pretty convinced that they left out that you need to add AT LEAST three cups of water. I remelted my first try and added three cups of warm distilled water, and then mixed with my stick blender. Even then I got something more like body butter, but at least it was usable. I think it is a decent base recipe, but I will add even more water next time, plus as natural a preservative as I can find.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-72603532430751843312009-08-31T00:45:40.132-04:002009-08-31T00:45:40.132-04:00By the way, I love your blog. I have came across i...By the way, I love your blog. I have came across it many times. <br /><br />I just tried two recipes. the first used Lanolin. Gross stuff to be honest. Smells nasty and is hard to remove from my hands. They still smell. <br /><br />I tried another recipe, tweaking it a litte (i am a chef by trade). So far so good. <br /><br />I hope all is well and your bees are well too. I love bees and beekeeping and cooking. <br /><br />Oh, I forgot to add, use a stick blender. They are cheap. <br /><br />Fee lfree to come over and check out our new web site. It is growing. <br /><br />http://www.sweetascanbeehoneyfarm.com <br /><br />Take care, <br /><br />Chef Isaac<br />Sweet as can BEE Honey FarmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-5950566612127833932009-06-18T00:34:51.888-04:002009-06-18T00:34:51.888-04:00where did you buy Lanolin and bees wax? I searched...where did you buy Lanolin and bees wax? I searched at Trader Joe's and at Whole foods. Could not find anhydrous Lanoline.Frenynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-26430776533507709422009-02-26T18:56:00.000-05:002009-02-26T18:56:00.000-05:00well you thought yours made a mess...my glass pyre...well you thought yours made a mess...my glass pyrex busted under the heat of the water. all the oils went into the water and it was RUINED. i'll try again...as soon as i get more olive oil. hahaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-91191471898821298582009-02-19T15:21:00.000-05:002009-02-19T15:21:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.HBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00457255992295971802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-60202023145151944412008-09-18T14:44:00.000-04:002008-09-18T14:44:00.000-04:00Hi Annette, I bought an extra blender on E-Bay so...Hi Annette, I bought an extra blender on E-Bay so I wouldn't ruin my good one. I poured the liquid into the blender container and about 10 minutes later, turned it on for a few seconds. I then waited another 10 minutes and did that again and on and on until I had the consistency that I wanted and it was cool.Linda Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08089537760868691562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-46959080728839806252008-09-18T14:18:00.000-04:002008-09-18T14:18:00.000-04:00Oops!! I meant I am "now" in the process. SorryOops!! I meant I am "now" in the process. SorryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-13647008188897122942008-09-18T14:16:00.000-04:002008-09-18T14:16:00.000-04:00I know this is going back in time for you Linda, b...I know this is going back in time for you Linda, but I am not in the process of trying to make hand lotions with my beeswax. Same problem of it coming out like a candle and it does this with every recipe I try even when I cut the beeswax amount down.<BR/><BR/>I want to use my blender like you did, but I wonder how in the heck did you clean the blender afterwards?? This worries me as I would be afraid to place into my dishwasher for fear of clogging up the drains.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for any advice<BR/>Annette from Placerville CaliforniaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27329001.post-45759611925285404162008-07-29T02:02:00.000-04:002008-07-29T02:02:00.000-04:00I'm so glad I found your blog! i had tried to mak...I'm so glad I found your blog! i had tried to make a lotion recipe following the directions but it seperated on me! i have no luck with blenders. so after melting down, I got out my hand mixer with balloon whip attachment and treated it as if it was a batch of mayonnaise. What do you know...it worked! I had some lovely hand cream (it is kinda greasy but feels good) that doesn't make my skin itch! and no harsh chemicals! Happy lotioning!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com