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What comes to mind when you think of aloe? Sunburns? Plants with serrated leaves? Soothing creams or gels? Aloe Vera has been used as part of the personal care industry for a long time and for many enjoyable reasons. Today, we are going to make the Aloe Butter Hand Cream. This recipe is a marvelous hand cream, but it is also great for your entire body after a soothing bath or shower.
SUPPLIES
IngredientsAloe Butter |
EquipmentScale |
RECIPE
Percentages
6.5% Aloe Butter
2.5% Avocado Oil
6% Apricot Kernel Oil
2.5% Liquid Glycerin
5% Conditioning Emulsifier
3.5% Stearic Acid
71.5% Distilled Water
0.5% Vitamin E Natural
1% Germaben II
1% Pixie Dust Fragrance Oil
8 ounces0.52 ounce Aloe Butter |
100 grams6.5 grams Aloe Butter |
INSTRUCTIONS
Weigh all ingredients except Vitamin E Natural, Germaben II, and Pixie Dust Fragrance Oil into the microwave safe container. Heat in the microwave using short time bursts until everything is melted.
Blend using the immersion blender.
Add Vitamin E Natural, Germaben II and Pixie Dust Fragrance Oil once the temperature drops below 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Blend until completely mixed.
Pour into jars and allow to cool completely. Cap the jars.
NOTES
This cream can cool quickly, so you may want to pour the cooling cream into a plastic zip bag. After the cream has cooled, cut off a bottom corner of the bag and fill your jars as if the bag were a pastry bag. Check out our Minty Foot Cream post for more details on this method.
I chose Pixie Dust Fragrance Oil for the wonderful fresh green aloe scent that complements this recipe very well. I think it is perfect for chasing away any winter blues with a hint of springtime anticipation. I hope you enjoy this cream!
Don’t forget to submit your blog or video posts to win the MMS Perfumer’s Kit. Remember, this kit is worth $280! Submissions are due by February 1st for posts during January.
Cooled cream on my finger.
Collect all needed supplies.
All ingredients weighed into the beaker.
Ingredients after being microwaved.
Using the immersion blender to blend ingredients together.
Cream in the 2 oz Low Profile Jars.
Hi Andee,
This sounds like a great recipe, and I am planning on trying it out. I would like your opinion – so many recipes for creams say that you should only heat the oils/butters as one step, and mix all of the other liquids in a separate step. Then they say to bring both mixtures to the same temp prior to blending together with the immersion blender. I have always done it that way, but your way looks so much better! Do you ever have problems with the emulsion separating with your method? Thanks so much,
KathyG
Kathy,
I have never had an issue with an emulsion separating when I’ve used this method. I believe the reason is because I have my lotion cool so I can add the preservative and fragrance. Usually by the time I end up pouring the lotion or cream, it is starting to thicken.
Good Luck!
I made a batch of this- it’s terrific- my hands get sooo rough, they snag fabric (UGH) and this lotion leaves my skin silky smooth. THANKS 🙂
Just made this for the second time this week – it’s a good one. However I didn’t have that fancy Emulsifying Wax so I just used the “straight Emulsifying Wax” – that’s OK and I was out of Apricot Kernel Oil so I used some Camellia Seed Oil instead. I also reduced the water to 290 gm. thereby increasing the percentages of the “good” stuff. My Essential Oils became – 40 drops of Lavender, 15 drops of Roman Chamomile and 15 drops of Bourbon Geranium – and that was because I particularly like this combination. This cream is just so perfect – I have a small tin of it on my worktable and I always marvel at it when I reach for it. This recipe is well worth making – I’m pretty sure that I will be using it as a “Basic” recipe for hand and body pampering because it just has that great smoothing, aromatic quality that I’m after.
By the way – this method of heating the oil and water components together is so easy and takes the stress of watching temps for two separate phases – and then worrying about “dribbling” the right way. This has turned out to be way too easy – not to mention – less stressful!
Andee
What is the best lotion recipe for a non greasy lotion, and can goats milk be added in place of the water? Crafters Choice had a really nice goat milk lotion, would like to make one similar to that. Felt like silk afterwards.
Thanks!
We do not recommend using milk instead of water unless you make the lotion fresh every few days and refrigerate what you have not used.
As far as recipes go, do you have something that you have tried and liked or do you have a starting point that we can help you adjust?
Another thing, can this lotion be made up unscented then heated at a later date to put in containers as needed?
I would make this cream and then place into plastic zipper bags or an open mouth jar. When ready to use, simply scoop out the desired amount and mix with fragrance before filling containers. Please remember that most lotions should be used within 6-9 months from the date of production if promptly used.
I just came across this recipe and would like to try it. The only preservative that I have on hand is Optiphen. What would be the correct amount to use with the measurements in this recipe? Could I use a hydrosol in place of the distilled water? I did notice that in one of the comments it isn’t recommended to use goat milk. Would it be at all possible to use just a small amount for part of the liquid, i.e. 10.35 oz. water, 2.0 oz. goat milk? I also do not have apricot kernel oil on hand, but I do have other oils such as rice bran, sunflower, rose hip, cherry, coconut, sea buckthorn or grapeseed. Any recommendations with those oils? Also, is the consistency of this too thick for a pump bottle? Thanks!
You can change the preservative, just recalculate the amount needed. You can use a hydrosol instead of water. We do not recommend milk because of preservation issues. Changes in the oil will change the finished texture and viscosity. As the recipe stands I would use in a pump bottle. I do make oil changes in recipes regularly, basing my decision on liquid for liquid, solid for solid and availability on my shelf at the time I desire to make. Not all oils are favorites in lotions, this really is a personal preference thing. If you like the feel of the oil, alone, on your forearm then I would try it in a lotion. If the oil is just OK or barely tolerable then you will likely feel the same about the finished lotion.
Thank you for the feedback! I am new to using preservatives, so how do I go about calculating for using Optiphen? I have only ever made anhydrous butters/creams, so this will be my first go at trying a hydrous recipe.
Optiphen is used at 1.5% until it can be determined that your mixture requires less.
Take the total weight of all materials going into your cream and multiply by 1.5% which equals the amount you need to use.
weight of all items * .015 = weight of Optiphen using same unit of measure as the rest of the formula (grams, ounces, lbs, etc)
I hope that helps!
Tina