Crafters Choice™ Stearic Acid

International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI):
Stearic Acid

Common Name Ingredient Listing (FDA Approved):
Stearic Acid

Directions:
Measure amount desired. Heat until liquid. Blend into other heated ingredients.

Recommended use levels:

Melt & Pour Soaps: 3% Lotions: 1-25%
Candles: 9-12%

   • Declaration of Conformity
   • Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
   • Animal Testing Statement

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50 Question(s) Shown Below

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Posted By: Kimberly   |   July 05, 2020

"Can I add stearic acid to the lip balm stick base? Is this safe on the lips?"

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Staff Answer This base is very hard on its own but you can add a small amount of stearic acid if you wish.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: July 07, 2020

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Posted By: Janet   |   March 03, 2020

"I am assuming stearic acid is gluten-free since it is made from palm oil. I had a customer ask and wasn't positive. Thanks"

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Staff Answer Stearic acid is derived from palm oil and would be considered gluten free. We are unsure, though, if there is any cross-contamination from the facility where these are manufactured.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: March 03, 2020

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Posted By: Yolande   |   February 11, 2020

"Is Stearic Acid made with palm oil? My whole brand is palm-free. "

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Staff Answer Stearic acid is vegetable based and the main source is palm.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: February 12, 2020

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Posted By: nicole   |   February 11, 2020

"how do you melt stearic acid?"

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Staff Answer Stearic Acid can be melted in a double boiler or microwave. It is a little easier to melt if it is added to some type of carrier oil (sweet almond, olive oil, etc).

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: February 12, 2020

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Posted By: Kelly   |   October 02, 2019

"hello is Stearic Acid consider all natural? when replying can you list the name of the product in question. Thank you "

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Staff Answer Stearic acid is a natural product.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: October 03, 2019

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Posted By: Dianna   |   July 04, 2019

"I want to use detergent free MP soap embeds in CP soap...would putting a small amount of steric acid help the MP soap stay firm and not melt into the CP soap ? Thank You "

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Staff Answer Yes, adding stearic acid will help to harden the MP soap. You can also freeze the embeds before placing in the CP.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: July 05, 2019

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Posted By: Thomas   |   April 09, 2014

"There was a question below as to how much steric acid to use in a pound of MP, with the answer said 3 % or 0.5oz do you count the 0.5 amount before melting the steric acid or after melting and in liquid form? Thank you"

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Staff Answer The stearic acid can be weighed before melting.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: April 09, 2014

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Adding 1 teaspoon per pound will make your bars harder. In my research this is what I continually found, and it’s a bit easier to remember! Best of luck!

Posted By: Amber   |   Date: January 13, 2019

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I meant Tablespoon, sorry about that!

Posted By: Amber   |   Date: July 04, 2019

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Staff Answer You would weigh the stearic acid before melting.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: July 05, 2019

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Posted By: miriam   |   March 27, 2019

"Can I add Steric Acid to MP Base? If so what percentage?"

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Staff Answer Yes you can. We recommend adding 3% or 1 tablespoon per pound of soap.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: March 28, 2019

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Posted By: Krystalynn   |   March 12, 2019

"What is the shelf life?"

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Staff Answer Stearic acid, if kept in a cool, dry area, can last for many years.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: March 13, 2019

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Posted By: Rosamaria   |   February 09, 2019

"Can I use this to harden my Whipped bath butter topping for cupcakes soaps? If so, does anyone know what percentage to use?"

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Staff Answer This is something you would need to test. We have our own Soap Frosting Recipe but a whipped bath butter is very different. You might also look at using the Bubble Cake Hardener: http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/bubble-cake-hardener.aspx

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: February 11, 2019

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Posted By: Michael   |   January 18, 2019

"Is this Stearic Acid Vegan and from vegetable sources?"

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Staff Answer The stearic acid is from a vegetable source.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: January 18, 2019

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Posted By: Eleatrice   |   December 13, 2018

"I am making body cream for my son that has eczema. is this sensitive enough for eczema type skin? or do you have something that is more natural to use? "

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Staff Answer We do not feel stearic acid is harsh to use. Cetyl Alcohol Flakes are a nice substitute to use along with your emulsifying wax. We cannot say what is best used for sensitive skin. You will need to make your product and test it.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: December 13, 2018

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Posted By: Saleshia   |   November 16, 2018

"Can I use it with more than one emulsifier/emollient?"

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Staff Answer Yes, you can use this with additional emulsifiers.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: November 16, 2018

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Posted By: Saleshia   |   November 16, 2018

"Can I use stearic acid along with Btms-50 or cetyl alcohol or even cetearyl alcohol. I’m only seeing it’s been used with emulsifying wax, but can it be used with other emulsifiers besides emulsifying wax?"

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Staff Answer Yes, BTMS can be used along with either stearic acid or cetyl alcohol.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: November 16, 2018

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Posted By: Amy   |   November 11, 2018

"Is there a palm free alternative to this that I can use in lotion recipes?"

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Staff Answer We don't have a 1:1 replacement but I would start with EWax. It performs beautifully in lotion.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: November 11, 2018

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Posted By: Carmen    |   November 01, 2018

"I Just notice Im out of steric Acos for the recepie of cool mentol scrub, can I substitude with??? Thank you in Advanced!"

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Staff Answer Cetearyl Alcohol and Cetyl Alcohol can also be used as co-emulsifiers in this recipe. Since this is not a lotion, using the emulsifying wax alone might be enough. We would increase the amount to 4 oz. If the product needs to be thicker, additional sugar can be added.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: November 02, 2018

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Posted By: Chisako   |   October 07, 2018

"If I make 100% natural soap, would this product be considered a natural ingredient?" "

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Staff Answer Yes, it can be considered natural.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: October 08, 2018

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Posted By: brittany   |   October 05, 2018

"I have been trying to figure out what % of stearic acid can be used when making whipped body butter? I would like my body butter to hold up in the heat. "

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Staff Answer You can try adding about 3%. You may need to adjust this depending on the consistency you are trying to achieve.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: October 05, 2018

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Posted By: Karen   |   August 23, 2018

"Is your steric acid plant or animal derived? "

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Staff Answer This is plant based.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: August 24, 2018

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Posted By: Carol   |   May 05, 2018

"Does Stearic Acid take the place of an emulsifying wax or is it additional to it?"

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Staff Answer Stearic acid can be used alone but is most often used along with an emulsifying wax to make lotion or other emulsified product.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: May 07, 2018

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Posted By: Joanne   |   May 04, 2018

"I recently made geode bath balms but have encountered a problem keeping the salts intact when using coconut oil. Can I add steric acid to the coconut to raise the melt point. what percentage do I use & what would be the melt point if added to coconut oil? Thank you"

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Staff Answer You may need to add more coconut oil to keep the salts from falling off or try mixing with some cocoa butter. You would need to experiment with the stearic acid if adding this.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: May 07, 2018

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Posted By: Eleanor   |   April 02, 2018

"How much stearic acid do I use in place of 3/4oz (by weight) of beeswax?"

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Staff Answer You did not state what you are making. We are not sure if you can completely replace beeswax with stearic acid.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: April 09, 2018

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OMG, I am so sorry, I was making a facial moisturizer.

Posted By: Eleanor   |   Date: April 09, 2018

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Posted By: Robin   |   December 17, 2017

"Can I use steric acid in place of beeswax in balms?"

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Staff Answer This is something you will need to test. If making a balm, the stearic may not harden enough. It is used normally as a thickener so if used without beeswax, you may not get the same outcome.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: December 20, 2017

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Posted By: Andrea   |   December 03, 2017

"Can I use stearic acid to add to your foaming bath whip base to thicken my whipped soap? TIA!"

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Staff Answer This would not thicken the foaming bath whip. You can try adding some MP soap base as used in a few of the recipes for the bath whip. Adding exfoliants such as sugar or salt will also thicken the product.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: December 06, 2017

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Posted By: Nemanja   |   October 30, 2017

"can i use stearic acid in charcoal face mask?"

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Staff Answer Yes, you can add stearic acid to a face mask.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: October 31, 2017

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Posted By: stacey   |   August 20, 2017

"NON-GMO?"

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Staff Answer Yes, this product is non-GMO.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: September 14, 2017

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Posted By: LeShan   |   September 06, 2017

"How can I incorporate Stearic acid in my soy wax to make wax melts? How much do i use? thank you"

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Staff Answer You can melt the stearic acid along with the soy wax. You may need to experiment to see what the best ratio of stearic to wax would be. Recommended use levels for the stearic is 9-12% in candles.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: September 07, 2017

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Posted By: Nessy184   |   August 09, 2017

"Can it be used on ready bases?"

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Staff Answer This should not be added to a ready-made base. This is meant for from-scratch recipes.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: August 10, 2017

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Posted By: Dawn   |   July 06, 2017

"Would I be able to tell if my stearic acid has gone bad and if so, how?"

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Staff Answer Stearic Acid should last quite a long time, especially if kept in a cool, dark place. We have never known it to go bad. You did not state if the product had an odor or why you feel it has gone "bad".

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: July 07, 2017

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Posted By: rex   |   June 12, 2017

"Where is the palm sourced from to make your stearic acid with? I'm looking for ethically harvested palm stearic acid. Unless there's stearic made from another plant available? Thank you"

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Staff Answer We support RSPO vendors whenever possible. However, due to the quantities we purchase in, the RSPO vendors are not always able to meet our demand.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: June 22, 2017

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Posted By: Edna   |   April 15, 2017

"Can I use stearic acid to make conditioner instead of ewax "

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Staff Answer You can use stearic acid along with emulsifying wax but it will not work to emulsify if used alone.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: April 19, 2017

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Posted By: Innana   |   February 20, 2017

"Can this product be used in a facial scrub?"

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Staff Answer You can use stearic acid as a thickener in a facial scrub along with an emulsifier. The stearic will not emulsify on its own.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: March 02, 2017

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Posted By: Thelma   |   February 18, 2016

"How long is Stearic acid keep able? Does it become stale after a while?"

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Staff Answer The recommended shelf life for our products is one year and then an additional year after a final product has been created.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: February 23, 2016

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Posted By: Shari   |   January 21, 2016

"Is your palm stearic acid made with RSPO palm oil?"

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Staff Answer We support RSPO vendors whenever possible. However, due to the quantities we purchase in, RSPO vendors are not always able to meet our demand.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: February 10, 2016

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Posted By: Joseph   |   February 08, 2016

"Is it possible to add stearic acid to thicken a lotion thats already been made? If so, how would I go about doing so? In the past, I've noticed if I reheat my lotions once they've thickened up it never fully 're-thickens'."

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Staff Answer Hi Joseph, Stearic acid can be used to thicken lotion but not after the lotion has already been made. All of our lotion bases are emulsified lotions. Adding additional additives can break the emulsion and cause your finished product to separate. For these reasons we do not recommend adding anything to our lotion bases other than color and fragrance. Please feel free to call customer service for further assistance. Thank you! 1-800-359-0944

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: February 08, 2016

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Posted By: Theresa   |   January 28, 2016

"Do you recommend using stearic acid in soy wax melts? What % would you recommend? Does it affect the hot throw or just make it a little harder wax melt? I do have trouble with my wax melts leaving a residue on the cellophane I put them in including when people handle them at vendor shows. Will this help with that?"

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Staff Answer Hi Theresa, stearic acid should harden up your soy wax melts. I would recommend using 1 tablespoon per pound. It will make for a harder melt. I'm not sure if it will help with no residue on your cellophane from handling.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: February 08, 2016

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Posted By: Amy   |   August 17, 2015

"Can stearic acid be used to modify the pH of products? If so, how much would be needed to lower pH from 7 to below 6? Thank you! "

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Staff Answer Stearic acid isn't going to reduce the pH. It's a fatty acid and it doesn't reduce the pH of a product.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: August 20, 2015

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Posted By: Renee   |   February 21, 2015

"I am wondering if adding stearic acid to my whipped sugar scrubs will raise the melting point of the coconut oil I am using to whip. I also use a combination of other carrier oils. I live and ship out of a warm tropical climate and wish to have my coconut oil not go flat and melt."

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Staff Answer Yes, stearic acid will help to stabilize your sugar scrubs. You will have to test to get the right ratio for your products and to ensure optimal performance.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: February 23, 2015

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Posted By: Patricia    |   November 20, 2014

"I've never used steric acid before, but I'm very interested. I was wondering if I can add this to a liquid shampoo base to thicken it and give a more luxurious feel? If so how much can I use?... and can this be used in lotion bars? I read somewhere that you dissolve in water?? Is it oil soluble and water soluble? "

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Staff Answer Yes this product can be used in a shampoo and lotion bars. We have not tested this product in a shampoo or a lotion bar so it may require some trial and error on your part to achieve your desired results. The recommended usage rate for this product is 3% in a soap base and 1-25% in a lotion. As stated in the "Additional Information" this product is insoluble in water.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: November 21, 2014

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Posted By: nyanyaboxx   |   October 30, 2014

"at what point in CP soap making proces should I add this? does it have to be melted down?"

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You add it with your oils. SA has it's own SAP value. Run it through the soap calculator as you would any oils, butters, fats etc.

Posted By: Jecci   |   Date: October 31, 2014

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Some add it in with their oils and others add it at trace. Just be aware it could accelerate trace.

Posted By: emmelou   |   Date: October 31, 2014

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Posted By: Edward    |   September 20, 2014

"Do I understand correctly that this product is derived from Palm oil? If so can I include it in my 100% natural bars?"

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Yes, it is made of triple pressed palm oil.

Posted By: emmelou   |   Date: September 24, 2014

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Posted By: Celestina   |   October 03, 2013

"Does this have the same hardening effect in CP soap? If so, what rate would I use it at?"

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Stearic acid can be used in CP/HP process soap although (WSP does not recommend it). I would do a small test batch using the stearic acid at 1-2% of your total batch weight. Please remember to re-calculate your recipe through a lye calculator before beginning.

Posted By: Erin   |   Date: October 03, 2013

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You can actually use up to 5% to make a harder soap, but if you're already using a lot of hard oils like palm and coconut, it might cause very thick tract. Here is trick to make a soap into a shaving soap - add 10% - 30% stearic acid and remove liquid oils like olive and castor. Make sure to whip softly, it will thicken up super quickly! adding a lot of stearic to soaps will create a thick, lotion-like lather in the old fashioned style.

Posted By: Melissa   |   Date: August 26, 2014

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Posted By: Wuraola   |   July 16, 2014

"How much stearic acid should I use in creams? I know the usage rate here states 1 to 25% but I know its the range for both lotions and creams? What is the range for creams? Thanks."

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Staff Answer Lotions and creams are essentially the same product. the only difference is how thick you want it to be. The more stearic acid, the thicker it will be. For a cream I would recommend 10-25%.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: July 17, 2014

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The amount you want to use will be a personal preference. If it's just to thicken a lotion a little bit, around 1%. If you want a really thick butter, about 5%. You would only use really high amounts to create super stiff creams such as shaving creams and maybe emulsified scrubs. Start low and work your way up.

Posted By: Melissa   |   Date: August 26, 2014

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Posted By: Jo   |   March 11, 2014

"Since this is made out of Palm, it is the same as Palm Stearic? I have a recipe that calls for Palm Stearic,but I am unsure what that is exactly."

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Staff Answer Yes, Palm Stearic Acid is the same as palm stearic and stearic acid.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: March 11, 2014

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Posted By: Rhonda   |   October 08, 2013

"Is your Stearic Acid vegan?"

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Staff Answer Our Stearic Acid is palm-based, however, we do not have certification that it is a vegan product.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: October 08, 2013

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Posted By: milagros   |   September 27, 2013

"how much stearic acid would you recommend i use for melt and pour soap, if i were to use it per pound ?"

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Staff Answer We recommend to use up to 3% Stearic Acid in MP Soap, which is about 0.5 oz. Stearic Acid per pound of soap.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: October 01, 2013

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Posted By: Elizabeth   |   September 19, 2013

"What is this stearic acid derived from? Tallow? Vegetables?"

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Hello, This product is a "triple pressed palm stearic acid". Thank you for your question Erin

Posted By: erin   |   Date: September 20, 2013

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Posted By: Chelsie   |   September 03, 2013

"Can this be used in products for eyes? I need this for eyeliner but want to make sure it's safe to use."

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Hello, WSP's recommends this products for MP soaps, lotions and candles. However I know that this product is used in eyeliner makeup (at what percentage or ratio I do not know). If you are making this product for yourself and not to sell I suggest making a test batch first and applying a small section on your eyelid (away from your eye). I do not recommend selling the eyeliner with this product in it as WSP does not recommend it for eye liner usage. Thank You For Your Question

Posted By: erin   |   Date: September 16, 2013

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Posted By: Inez   |   September 01, 2013

"How much of this should i use per pound of cold processed soap?"

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You can use 1-25% of Stearic acid.

Posted By: andrew   |   Date: September 01, 2013

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Posted By: Susan   |   August 14, 2013

"Is the stearic acid vegetable based? "

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Staff Answer Our stearic acid is triple pressed palm stearic acid.

Posted By: WSP Staff   |   Date: August 15, 2013

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