How to make emulsifying wax with beeswax and borax. May 17, 2011 · The emulsifier part can be 100% Emulsifying Wax, or a combination of 80% Beeswax, 10% Borax, and 10% Liquid Lecithin. As long as emulsifying wax is used correctly and the emulsion is prepared appropriately, beeswax can be added to it. Aqueous phase Preparation: Methylparaben, propylparaben, tween-80, borax, and glycerin were dissolved in water in another beaker at the temperature of 70°-80°C. Jan 30, 2026 · Making lotion with beeswax is a rewarding skill that allows you to control exactly what goes onto your skin. However, these balms and creams usually have another ingredient (such as borax) that will do the emulsification, not the beeswax. Does anyone know of an alternative to borax that would allow me to still use beeswax (+whatever else) to create an effective emulsifier? It's not the same as Emulsifying Wax ( Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Polysorbate 60), it's not as stable and more difficult to work with. ) Beeswax with Borax Lecithin with a secondary emulsifier Setting the emulsion in beeswax hand cream. . Borax, also called sodium borate or tetrasodium borate, has been used for decades both in homemade DIY recipes and also at an industrial scale, in combination with beeswax, to emulsify oils Shop bulk herbs and spices at Mountain Rose Herbs. At the molecular level, emulsifying wax attracts both water and oil at the same time, so it binds them together and keeps them from separating. Check ahead of time to see how your e-wax was made and if you are comfortable with the process. You can pair beeswax with borax to make an emulsion, but then you can only do a 1:1 ratio of oils to water, which makes for a very heavy, waxy, greasy lotion. Understanding the different types helps formulators choose the right wax for texture, stability, and performance. This is because beeswax is quite heavy and waxy, and because our oil phase is really quite large. Sep 5, 2025 · Preparation of cold cream Oil phase Preparation: White Wax/ White Beeswax and Mineral oil (Liquid paraffin) were melted in a glass or SS beaker at 70°-80°C and mixed. Besides being an additional ingredient, beeswax may also promote the stability of emulsions produced using emulsifying wax. Types of Emulsifying Wax Emulsifying wax is a crucial ingredient in cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food formulations, enabling the blending of oil and water into stable emulsions. Beeswax is often used in products such as cosmetics and lotions, to thicken them or to help the other ingredients to blend. Jan 7, 2026 · Here’s my recipe: 1 c magnesium brine 3/4 c avocado oil 5 TB tallow 2 TB beeswax I’ve been emulsifying in a blender. Our herbs are trusted for their unmatched quality and freshness and are hand-selected from the finest harvests each year. Jul 20, 2021 · The only and only way beeswax functions as an emulsifier (and you can read it in old cosmetic science and formulation books) is in combination with borax. Would an emulsion blender or food processor work better? Sadly, swapping out an emulsifying wax for anything other than a different emulsifying wax (which beeswax isn’t) is like using a paint chip instead of an egg because they’re both yellow. Jan 16, 2026 · To create a basic emulsion formula, use 100 Emulsifying Wax or a combination of 80 Beeswax, 10 Borax, and 10 Liquid Lecithin. Borax is safe-ish for skin, it is a known carcinogen in high concentrations but considered safe at lower exposures, it's available at almost any grocery store with the cleaning supplies. The second option uses beeswax instead, for my readers who don’t want to use emulsifying wax. Dec 20, 2021 · All over the internet, you will find people saying that beeswax is an emulsifier. Apr 1, 2022 · By adding borax to beeswax, for example, you can transform it into an emulsifying wax. You can buy emulsifying wax from craft and beauty supply stores, or you can make your own with beeswax, sodium borate and soy lecithin. The sort of lotion in this recipe—a beeswax/borax emulsion—is going to be much heavier, greasier, and waxier than the lotions you are likely used to using. Its applications vary widely depending on composition, water content, and source. The key to success is understanding the correct ratio of oil, water Sep 28, 2025 · Made with goat milk, distilled water, aloe, coconut oil, jojoba oil, shea butter, emulsifying wax, stearic acid, goat milk soap, castor oil, glycerin, potassium sorbate, vitamin E, optiphen & scent LAUNDRY DETERGENT- Made with Borax, Washing Soda, Baking Soda, goat milk soap and scent LIP BALMS- Made with goats milk, coconut oil, shea butter Jan 19, 2014 · Examples; Palm Stearic (a vegetable-based Stearic Acid) with Cetearyl Alcohol (a vegetable-based emulsifying wax. Beeswax acts primarily as a thickener and stabilizer, not a true emulsifier. Try experimenting with the amount of water, oil, or emulsifier you have to create unique textures. They have made many balms and creams using beeswax and think that this is the emulsifying agent. Beeswax is not a true emulsifier by itself and needs to be combined with other ingredients. Since beeswax isn’t a true emulsifier (unless you combine it with borax/sodium borate), it’s trickier to get a lotion to turn out right, but it can be done! As the subreddit has referenced in its Wiki from FormulaBotanica, beeswax cannot be emulsified without borax in order to make it possible to used as such. Oct 12, 2011 · Homemade lotion is really fun to make. I chose beeswax and have experimented with just that. Of course, the beeswax would be just another ingredient, not an emulsifier. Let’s take a look at how they are different from each other. To keep the water and oils together, you must add an emulsifying wax. Jan 23, 2022 · Emulsifying wax is an emulsifier that is used to create an emulsion, while beeswax is a form of wax derived from the bees and can be used as an emollient, thickener, herbal ingredient, and humectant in the formulation. Heat the beeswax to 70 degrees C in a large pot with water and set it in the pot carefully. zsn yjdtc ahecf beqoe yslmmc jiav rrk oofyv bsfg tbyqgcl