by Rustic Escentuals
The Foaming Bath Butter is such a versatile product – you can make just about anything soapy with it! This is a Paraben-free base that is so much fun to customize. In this tutorial we are going to start with the basic process – keep tuned for future fun such as sugar scrubs, salt scrubs, body parfaits, shaving butters and so on. Let’s get started.
Supplies and Equipment Needed
Microwave safe glass container
Digital Scale
Butter knife or large spoon to cut up the Foaming Bath Butter
Rubber gloves
Rubber or silicone spatula
Scissors
Zip lock storage bags – for dispensing into jars
Mixer: Whatever you have available
-A stand mixer with a flat beater and a stainless steel whip beater -OR-
-A hand mixer with two stainless steel beaters
Stainless steel bowl
4 oz Apricot Kernel Oil
Low Profile Frosted 2.9 oz Jars with Lids
Thermometer to monitor oil temperature
2 lbs of Foaming Bath Butter Base
Optional – Gel Soap colorants
1 ounce of Satsuma Fragrance Oil
Step 1: Take 2 lbs of Foaming Bath Butter base and place in the mixing bowl. Cut up the base using a butter knife or a large spoon. The smaller pieces make it easier to begin whipping.
Step 2: If you’re using a stand mixer, begin slowly beating the Foaming Bath Butter base using a Flat Beater – this helps to prevent clumping up of the base inside the wire whip beaters when you get ready to whip the base.
Step 3: Use your favorite carrier oil or butter if you want to make it more moisturizing. You can use up to 2 ounces of oil or butter to 1 pound of foaming bath butter base. For this tutorial I am using Apricot Kernel Oil. Weigh out 4 ounces. Make sure you zero out the container on the digital scales before pouring the Apricot Kernel Oil to get an accurate weight.
Step 4: Heat up the 4 ounces of Apricot Kernel Oil in the microwave – you want it warmed but not too hot. I recommend zapping it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Take the temperature of your oil and make sure to keep it to around 118 – 120 degrees before adding to the Foaming Bath Butter base. This helps in softening up the base without making it too hot and helping with the whipping. It is very important that you not heat the Foaming Bath Butter in the microwave. If you make the base hotter than 122 degrees Fahrenheit it will break down the properties of the preservative.
Step 5: Add the warm oil to the Foaming Bath Butter.
Step 6: Add your Fragrance Oil. For a 2 lb base add 3% fragrance oil (1 ounce). I used Satsuma Fragrance Oil because of the lovely citrus scent and it just goes so well with the Bath Butter!
Note: 3% of 2 lb is .96 ounces. You can go a little more or less depending on taste. This base will accept a fragrance load of up to 5% (no more than this). The recommended level is 2 – 3%. Test how much you like by starting with 2% and working your way up. Some fragrances are a bit stronger, some a bit lighter.
Step 7: If working with a stand mixer, switch to your whip beater.
Step 8: Start timing yourself. Begin whipping the base on low and as it becomes smoother gradually increase to high (about 30 seconds). At the 2-minute mark, stop the mixer and scrape off the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and then continue to whip on high for a total of 5-10 minutes. You will notice that it begins to increase in volume.
Step 9: Continue whipping and stop when the base doubles in volume. If you whip it to 3 or 4 times its volume, the Foaming Bath Butter will collapse on you. I whipped for about 8 minutes when it became super fluffy and it doubled in size and then stopped. Your timing may be different, depending on your mixer.
Filling your cosmetic jars
Step 10: You can fill your jars in one of two ways. 1) You can spoon the mixture into ziplock-type bags and seal the bag. Snip off a corner and squeeze into the jars. Use jars with a wide mouth opening for easy dispensing like the Low Profile Frosted 2.9 oz Jars. These are the perfect jars to scoop the soap out of when using. Oh and a little warning, dispensing can be messy!
Step 11: 2) Another way to dispense into your jars is to spoon it into your jars.
Step 12: Smooth off the tops and wipe off the rims. Make sure they’re nice and clean before sealing off the jars. Allow the product to set for 24 hours before use.
Step 13: Optional: You can color the Foaming Bath Butter easily – just add a few drops of a Gel Soap Colorant of your choice in Step 3.
Note: The product aerates and whips better when using a 2-pound volume of base. Do not exceed the recommended amount of oils/butter/fragrance to your base. The preservative system will be stable at this amount.
Step 14: Enjoy!
