Advice on Lip Balm Formulation Issues

Thank you for reaching out and providing your formula and observations. Based on the issues you encountered and your desired outcome (soft, long-lasting, moisturizing lip balm with a smooth texture and slight shine, focusing on natural ingredients), here is the advice based on your questions:

1. Pouring Difficulty: You are correct. To make pouring easier, you should reheat the mixture to a temperature where it is liquid enough to pour (around 50-60°C or higher, depending on the waxes used) and pour it while hot. This is the standard procedure for filling lip balm into containers.

2. Sticky/Tacky Texture: The staff confirms that the sticky texture is likely due to the high amounts of Shea Butter and Panthenol in your formula. To reduce tackiness, you can try reducing the percentage of Shea Butter to 3-5% and Panthenol (Vitamin B5) ExtraLite™ to 0.5% in your next batch.

3. Lack of Shine and Tackiness: To achieve a smoother texture with a slight shine and reduce tackiness, you can adjust the oil and wax composition. The staff suggests incorporating oils or silicones known for high gloss. Specific recommendations include:

   • Glossy Wax (Light, Non-Greasiness) (Polyethylene Wax) - This can help improve gloss without excessive greasiness.
   • Silicone Shine (Light & Silky) - Silicones like this can provide high shine and a silky feel.
     Regarding Petroleum Jelly, while it can provide shine and barrier properties, the staff's suggestions focus on other ingredients like Glossy Wax or Silicone Shine for achieving the desired gloss and texture.

4. Long-lasting Effect: Yes, the long-lasting effect is partly due to the high wax content in your formula. Waxes help create a protective layer on the lips, increasing wear time. However, as the staff noted, the overall balance of ingredients is crucial. Too much wax can make the product too hard and prevent it from transferring effectively onto the lips (poor payoff), which would reduce the perceived longevity.

5. Moisturizing Effect: The feeling of density and long-lasting moisture is indeed a positive outcome, likely attributed to ingredients like Shea Butter and Panthenol. These are excellent emollients and humectants. However, as mentioned in point 2, using them at high percentages might contribute to the sticky texture you experienced.

6. Preparation Method: The method of adding the water phase (Phase A) to the oil phase (Phase B) all at once is acceptable. The staff notes that while adding gradually might make emulsification slightly easier, especially if using less powerful mixing equipment, adding all at once is fine if you have adequate mixing capabilities. The key is to ensure thorough mixing to achieve a stable emulsion.

In summary, to address the issues of difficult pouring, stickiness, and lack of shine while maintaining the moisturizing benefits, focus on adjusting the percentages of Shea Butter and Panthenol downwards and consider adding ingredients like Glossy Wax or Silicone Shine to improve texture and gloss. Reheating for pouring is the correct technique.

We hope this helps you refine your lip balm formula!