# honey in body butters



## beate64 (Jan 4, 2009)

Hello there, I am about to make my own body butter and like to use honey in it but am unsure about the amount to use in regards to the other ingredients, oils/butters.
Does have anyone experience using honey in creams or butters? 
I am very thankful for any advice 

Thanks so much!!!


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## beaglady (Jun 15, 2004)

What properties do you expect the honey to add to the finished product? Will this be an oil based product or an emulsion?


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## beate64 (Jan 4, 2009)

Hello and thanks for your reply,

I like the moisturizing, antimicrobial, and healing properties of honey and would like to use it in a cream/butter.

I did order different butters and oils to mix together for a product rich in natural antioxidants and with natural UV protection. (For a blocker I am using a natural product with zinc, but this is supposed to be for every day, face and body.)

I am not sure if I will add a water phase yet as I wanted to keep it simple, but I also ordered organic soy lecithin which is used as an emulsifier and honey is also an emulsifier... so it might be a good idea to add some aloe vera juice maybe... just a thought... so I am pretty much open for ideas and suggestions...   

Thanks again, Beate.


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## LusciousHoney (Jan 8, 2008)

I've not heard that honey is an emulsifier... people usually have a hard time incorporating honey into their lip balms which is an all oil/wax environment. The lecithin will probably help to emulsify the honey, but I wouldn't count on it also emulsifing aloe vera juice. You could try aloe vera powder instead?
Petra


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## samak (Sep 15, 2006)

I agree, honey is not an emulsifier. It is water soluble, so if you try mixing it with oils, you will see that it just settles to the bottom.


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## beaglady (Jun 15, 2004)

If you dilute the honey as part of the water phase, you will lose any benefit of anti-microbial properties. Think mead. I would strongly recommmend using a preservative if you are going to add honey to an emulsified cream, because it will provide additional nutrients for molds and bacteria to grow in. 

Like many others, I have had trouble keeping honey emulsified in lip balm, and a non-emulsified body butter is basically the same product. I'd also be concerned about stickiness in the finished product.

I have used lecithin as in ingredient in a lotion, but not as the main emulsifying ingredient. It was to strengthen a beeswax/borax emulsion and allow it to hold more water than it would typically hold. 

If you've never made body butters before, Id suggest you start by coming up with a basic formula, then worry about adding honey after you have an otherwise seccessful result.


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## doedie74 (Apr 18, 2021)

Honey can be added to a cool down phase of a lotion with both and oil and water phase. You will need an emulsifier to prevent the honey from "separating" from the oily ingredients. Since Lip balm is all oil based, I would not add honey as it will sink to the bottom of the container and separate out. The "honey" scent you get from the beeswax from your own hives is often enough to "impart the essence of the honey" without adding it and drastically changing your recipe. I would google a honey and lotion recipe and try that. There are some good, easy recipes out there. I would also rec going to humblebeeandme.com. The author of that page will teach you so much.


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