Grainy Texture in Homemade Lip Balm

Question

I purchased oils from here and used them to make lip balm with [url=http://www.myskinrecipes.com/shop/%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4/169-fractionated-coconut-oil.html:21664nyn]Fractionated Coconut Oil[/url:21664nyn], [url=http://www.myskinrecipes.com/shop/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4/121-sweet-almond-oil-%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%94%E0%B9%8C.html:21664nyn]Sweet Almond Oil[/url:21664nyn], [url=http://www.myskinrecipes.com/shop/%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4/669-shea-butter-light-oil-%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99-%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C-%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%94%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B2.html:21664nyn]Shea Butter Oil[/url:21664nyn], and [url=http://www.myskinrecipes.com/shop/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%9A%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B9%8C/206-%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%8B%E0%B9%8C-beeswax-cera-alba.html:21664nyn]Beeswax[/url:21664nyn]. After finishing, when I applied it, the texture felt grainy, like there were sand particles in the balm, not smooth. What is causing this, and how can I fix it? Is it because the [url=http://www.myskinrecipes.com/shop/%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4/669-shea-butter-light-oil-%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99-%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C-%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%94%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B2.html:21664nyn]Shea Butter Oil[/url:21664nyn] solidifies at a different temperature than the other oils, or is the [url=http://www.myskinrecipes.com/shop/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%9A%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B9%8C/206-%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%8B%E0%B9%8C-beeswax-cera-alba.html:21664nyn]Beeswax[/url:21664nyn] not good quality? Or should I switch to using something like [url=http://www.myskinrecipes.com/shop/%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B4/1334-olus-oil.html:21664nyn]Vegetable Vaseline[/url:21664nyn] instead of [url=http://www.myskinrecipes.com/shop/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%9A%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B3%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%84%E0%B9%8C/206-%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%8B%E0%B9%8C-beeswax-cera-alba.html:21664nyn]Beeswax[/url:21664nyn]? I want to make a balm with a soft texture.

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Why Your Lip Balm is Grainy

The grainy texture in your lip balm is typically due to the crystallization of fatty acids within the Shea Butter Light Oil. Natural butters like shea butter contain different types of fats that melt and solidify at different temperatures. If the mixture cools slowly, these fats can separate and form small crystals, resulting in that gritty texture you feel.

How to Fix and Prevent Graininess

The key to preventing this is to control the cooling process:

Ensure Complete Melting: Make sure all your ingredients, especially the Shea Butter Light Oil and Beeswax, are completely melted and the mixture is uniform before pouring.
Cool Rapidly: After pouring the melted balm into its container, cool it as quickly as possible without disturbing it. The best way to do this is to place the containers in the refrigerator or even the freezer immediately after pouring. Avoid letting it cool down slowly at room temperature.

If your balm is already grainy, you can try remelting it completely and then cooling it rapidly using the refrigerator or freezer method.

Regarding Beeswax vs. Vegetable Vaseline (Olus Oil)

You asked if the issue is with the Beeswax or if you should use Vegetable Vaseline (Olus Oil) instead.

Beeswax: Beeswax is a wax that helps solidify and structure the lip balm. The type of beeswax you used (Natural White Beeswax) is suitable for lip balms, although for a smoother texture in lipstick-like products, it's sometimes combined with other waxes. However, beeswax itself is less likely to cause the specific type of graininess you described compared to shea butter.
Vegetable Vaseline (Olus Oil): Vegetable Vaseline (Olus Oil) is a blend of natural triglycerides and has a soft, smooth texture similar to petroleum jelly. It is not a wax and does not provide the same level of solidification as beeswax. Replacing beeswax entirely with Olus Oil would result in a much softer, possibly liquid, product depending on your formula's proportions. While Olus Oil is smooth, using it instead of beeswax won't address the crystallization issue originating from the Shea Butter Light Oil.

To achieve a softer texture while still having a solid balm, you might consider slightly reducing the amount of beeswax or adjusting the ratio of oils to butters and wax. However, regardless of the ratio, rapid cooling is crucial when using ingredients prone to crystallization like Shea Butter Light Oil to ensure a smooth finish.

In summary, the graininess is most likely from the Shea Butter Light Oil crystallizing during cooling. Remelting and cooling rapidly in the refrigerator or freezer should resolve this. Replacing beeswax with Olus Oil would change the texture significantly (making it much softer) but wouldn't necessarily prevent the shea butter crystallization if not cooled properly.