Working With Products That Are Ever Changing

Formulating and having this type of business can get frustrating and cause tension for me. I am always worried about the environment of our creations. Heat, oxygen, and water are enemies of body products in general. Any one of these elements can alter the composition and stability of the butters and oils, which is typically what I work with so I feel like I am always pushing the door from blowing open in a storm. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I've been working on new formulations to try to make a butter cream that contains oil and butters and I am just not happy with it. I don't want to have it be water-based and I need it to absorb quickly into the skin. I don't like feeling greasy when I moisturize, although the shea butter is buttery and people go crazy for it! One of the biggest concerns for businesses in this field is making sure to address all of the possible spoilage issues. I am trying to make a yummy cream that has no preservatives in it, but every unbutter-based cream is water-based. That being the case, one must have antimicrobial, and antifungal preservatives added or it will grow mold and bacteria and just be a pool of goo you wouldn't want to touch. (Remember, water is bad for these products.) There are natural preservatives, but they really only extend the shelf life by assisting in stabilizing the oils. Hence, my need to create a fluffy, light easy-to-absorb moisturizer that goes on easy and sinks in quickly. It is taking some time, I will tell you. I thought I was really close, but I ended up not liking the scent of my skin after awhile, due to it smelling kind of butter-like. Not a big fan of that oil stink. I have a super sensitive nose and I need a light and airy fragrance, not a looming, heavy one.

It would be easier if I created things that didn't change from the environment over time, like clothing, art, or jewelry, but because I love what I do and make, I have to just get better. I need to continue to create bath goodies, frustrations and all because the reality is that I take great enjoyment when I use a product I've made that I think is dynamite.