I don’t have beard but you have solved my 4c dry hair situation. This is going to work magic as a leave in hair balm. My hair Afro hair loves these oils.
A couple of questions, Marie: While trying to buy BTMS-50, a vendor here in Spain told me to buy BTMS-25 and add .05% of cetyl alcohol to the recipe to achieve the same effects of the -50. Your thoughts? And as a side question, I LOVE the smell of palo santo. Have you ever used the essential oil, and if so, what do you think of it? Thanks for your amazing information. Best, Bill
BTMS-50 is 50% behentrimonium methosulfate, while BTMS-25 is only 25% behentrimonium methosulfate. Behentrimonium methosulfate is the active conditioning ingredient; adding 0.05% cetyl alcohol isn't going to make up for a 50% drop in the active ingredient, unfortunately. I'm sure it's possible to make it work, but you'd have to redevelop the entire formulation to get the proper concentration and desired consistency. I'm afraid I've never worked with palo santo :) Happy making!
Hey there Marie, love your videos on beard diy products love your coffee oil and just about to make this conditioning balm. For us bearded gents in Canada there seems to be a shortage of companies here that make “in shower Beard Conditioners”), you mentioned it at beginning of video and I think videos on making “Beard wash, Beard Conditioner and Beard Cowashes” would be greatly welcome to us Canadian DIYers. Thanks so much, you rock
Hi Jeff! Check out my "cleansing conditioner" formulations-I have shared quite a few and they'd be great for beards :) Just call it n "in shower beard conditioner" and voila, now it is :)
I have been looking for a softer beard balm for my husband! This is perfect! Thanks Marie! I love the inclusion of BTMS-50 and the conditioning effect. Wonderful!
OMG - you have just given me the most valuable piece of information and I can't thank you enough. I have been making lotions and moisturisers for the last 2 years and have been fortunate enough to never loose a batch. However, this year we moved house and I have had two big batches separate on me. I had worked out it was to do with the heat of the water and oil phase but was not doing anything different. This year we moved house and I just checked the elevation levels. The old house was right on the waters edge and was 77ft and the new house is at 233ft. Not too high but obviously enough difference to affect my methods. I had no idea that elevation could mess with my water temps. Probably explains why the kettle has also started playing up since moving - I thought it got damaged in the move. Thank you so much for mentioning that. I will have to review my heating methods
Hey Keeley! Happy to help :) However... I don't think this is the problem in your particular case. If we're talking in Imperial, "With each 500-feet increase in elevation, the boiling point of water is lowered by just under 1 °F" (www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/High_Altitude_Cooking_and_Food_Safety.pdf), so given you're dealing with an increase of 156 ft, I think your water may be boiling at 0.25°F cooler than it was before-definitely not enough to impact anything. I think you probably just need a new kettle :) Are you using distilled water? If you're using tap water it may be the new tap water at the new house, too.
Thank you! I think I found a few other issues that have contributed to my issue with a water bath. The area we are now living in is cooler and less humid. I have measured the warmth of my water bath and it is cooler that what I was getting previously which is more like to do with the overall temp in our area. But without you commenting on it, I don't think I would have thought to check my water bath. I always used bottled distilled water for my recipes but use tap in the water bath
Hi, I have a question about the BTMS-50: in your recipe the % by weight of BTMS-50 comes to 24%, but on another part of your website you state it's best to use only 10-15% as it can smell fishy. Is the 24% fine for this recipe?
Hi, I have recently noticed this recipe and did mention that it does have way to much of the properly measured of BTMS50. I would put up to 3g instead of the 6g
24% is fine (it didn't smell fishy and there's no regulatory maximum usage level), but in hindsight is is a bit overkill. You could use less if you wanted to; I'd replace it with cetearyl alcohol to keep the formulation in balance. You can also check out this formulation (www.humblebeeandme.com/midwinter-conditioning-beard-balm/) which is a bit more up to date, and uses a less concentrated BTMS so it's less than half of what is used here. Happy making!
just finished the balm... hope my two victims will love it! Thank you so much for your effort and your inspiration!! You do a great job!! l love to see your videos!!
Yes, but the amounts will vary and the consistency will change. I personally wouldn't as I like how creamy beeswax is and it compliments the formula, but you won't destroy it by using a different wax-you just might not like what you get.
This is cool. I've been looking for a beard balm recipe and coming from you, I think I've found it. Thank you ❤❤ I love your recipes, I've tried out many 😍😍
Hey Marie! Thank you so much for this video! I've been looking for a creamier beard balm recipe for sometime now. From what I understand there are two types of beard balms...conditioning and styling beard balms. Will you be making a creamy "styling" beard balm recipe? I'm wondering if I can just add more beeswax to this recipe...but don't think I'll be able to stir while cooling, then scoop into a 2oz tin. You rock!!
You should be able to style with this, too-those things don't have to be mutually exclusive! You can can add more beeswax, but you might be packing more than scooping :)
Hey Marie, I'm getting low on beard oil and I've been considering mixing equal parts of aloe, shea butter, and coconut, how would this work out in your opinion ?
I really love this formula. But I have started having an occasional breakout underneath my beard witch I've never had a problem with. Of these ingredients is there one you could recommend backing off on that is maybe the guilty party?
Hmmm. If you're sensitive to scents, it could be irritation from the EOs. Otherwise you might try halving the BTMS-50 and replacing the reduced amount with more mango butter 🤔
Hi Marie! Can I use this balm as a base for a pre-shave cream/balm for men? Maybe if I use some coconut oil, hemp seed oil? Or sweet almond oil instead of camellia seed oil? Shea butter instead of mango butter? I'm trying to make a pre-shave cream and this recipe gave me some ideas. Have you ever thought giving recipes for men products like shaving cream or shaving soap or hair style pomade?
Swapping the oils in the recipe around isn't going to dramatically change the function at all to transform this from a leave-on to a pre-shave balm. I'd probably make something that's emulsified, like the aftershave cream you also commented on, rather than something like this for a pre-shave balm-it'll rinse off more easily when shaving. Shaving/men's recipes are typically the least popular recipes I publish, so I don't really prioritize them 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you for this recipe! I already ordered my first haul of ingredients to make this balm, and your shealoe body butter cream as my first ever DIY projects :) I have a question though. I suffer from a terribly dry skin with flaky dandruff under my beard. Will this balm help my skin as well, or is it only a hair/beard remedy?
Hey! If you suffer from dandruff I'd recommend using some Nizoral-dandruff is often a fungal thing rather than a dryness thing, and Nizoral targets that. I used a bottle once about 7 years ago and haven't had any dandruff since :) Happy making!
Thanks for helping me find something natural I can put into my beard, really appreciate your chanell/blog. My question now is if I might also use it as hair product since most gel and wax products I tried over the last couple of years damaged my hair. Thank you and greetings from Germany!
Thank you for your answer! Could you maybe give me one quick tip that would help me modify the recipe so that it would work better? Maybe a bit more beeswax? Forgive me for wasting your time :)
Hey, I checked out your blog post, quick question, would pistachio oil work, or sunflower, tamanu , avocado oil.? Can't wait to try this recipe, but I would like to use things I have.
None of those are ideal, but none of them will break the recipe, either. I'd probably choose sunflower out of all of those, but they are all way heavier than camellia seed and will create a slower to absorb beard balm.
I'm looking for a tobacco smell what essential oils would you suggest?? And also is there anything that can be used to help the beard look/feel thicker?
For tobacco you'll probably need a fragrance oil, and you might like hydrolyzed rice protein for more volume :) Check it out in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/)!
I did this recipe and it was amazing. One thing I’m curious about: I tried adding water like you said, but it made it a bit chunky no matter how my I stirred. Do you have a recommended water amount?
I have an entire post on how to convert them here: www.humblebeeandme.com/how-to-scale-any-recipe/. That's what I'd be doing, too, as I don't have the notes for this with me at this time :)
Hey, if you had just poured the mixture into the tin and let it cool, what would the consistency have been? Would it have been soft but not creamy? Do you think the wax may have settled to the bottom rather than it staying suspended? Thank You!
I don't hate the concept, but don't love it at the same time. Meh, I am just going to have to buy some BTMS and add it to my next recipe before I pass judgement. I am in south Mississippi and it's always warm in my house. Can I store it in the fridge and it (BTMS) be ok? Does that spatula you're using have a size name to it? Is that a 2 Cup Double Boiler pan you are using? WHERE WERE YOU ON DECEMBER 9TH 1976.... DON'T LIE... ANSWER THE QUESTION!
re there any other emulsifying waxes or agents you could recomend as I can not find BTMS-25/50 on ebay in the UK for some reason? Unless it is known by another name that is, I did try the full name on the site you link to.
In this project it's not the emulsifier, it's the conditioner we want. Check my latest video (the Q&A one) for more details :) And make sure you're looking for the INCI-that may reveal something!
I think she buys hers at Windy Point Soap (www.windypointsoap.com/products/btms-50) but I believe you can also get it at Lotion Crafters in the US. Windy Point does have reasonable shipping to the US though.
Is the INCI Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetyl Alcohol (and) Butylene Glycol? If not, no, it is not BTMS-50. See the blog for a full paragraph on recipe-specific substitutions :)
I've been using my batch for a week now and my beard is very silky smooth. I however use BTSM-25 as I could not find the 50 when I ordered my stuff. I'm experimenting a little bit as my beard tends to frizz so I need to see about making this a little more waxy to hold it. Thanks!
Hi there, love your recipes I have just started out doing diy products and you offer a lot of great information to learn from. So first thank you for that. I calculated the percentages for this recipe as I have been intending to scale it up and saw that 16% is the part made up of the Vitamin E and essential oils. I really wanted to keep the fragrances (not using EO because it's for a person with eczema) around 0.5% and the vitamin E about the same, maybe 1%, but this would mean only 1% of the 16%. How could I calculate the remaining % between the remaining ingredients in order to keep the consistency? It would help tremendously, thx. PS: reading your blog entries 3 times each and also your encyclopedia input to learn the ingredients better. Keep up the great work! ;)
How much weight are you attributing to a "drop"? The weighed part of the formulation weighs 25g, and the essential oils and vitamin E *might* add another gram to that, which would be ~3% at most for all of it. You can certainly reduce the amount further (making up the amount with liquid oil), but it's definitely not 16% :)
This one's from New Directions Aromatics, but they have a $100 minimum order, so refer to the links in the blog (www.humblebeeandme.com/conditioning-beard-balm/) for other options.
Also, can you give advice on the ratios of wax to butter to carrier oil to essential oil in general to make a good beard balm. I like my products to be soft but not greasy. Not sure if the greasiness is from the carrier oils or from the shea butter. I don't use coconut oil because I find it FAR TOO greasy/messy (though I enjoy the smell). P.S. I love that you use weight (grams) for all your ingredients! Most recipes out there fluctuate between ounces and tablespoons etc. I can never tell if they are referring to fluid ounces and often turns out to be a disaster. With your recipes, they are super easy as long as you have a scale!! so Thank you!!!!!! Would love to see you do a "dupe" video on replicating Honest Amish's Beard Balm as they have a very unique consistency unlike any of the other balms, AND they have an incredible scent which I can't seem to fully place my finger on. Something between cloves, anise, some woodsy scent, and maybe a dash of citrus.
Here's some reading for you :) www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/can-use-_______-wax-instead-wax-called-recipe/ (lots of experiments linked there) www.humblebeeandme.com/a-guide-to-carrier-oil-substitutions/ :)
Hi Marie! Love your channel and all your recipes. I have a question for you...could I substitute the Camellia seed oil with Hemp seed oil? Thanks in advance
You could, but it will change the end product :) I recommend looking up both oils in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/) to learn more!
Hey Marie!! How can I make this recipe less oily? I made one for my brother but he doesn't like the greasy feel. I did tuick the recipe and used 7g of beeswax for more hold only 8g of sunflower oil 4g fractionated coconut oil 3g mango butter And added 3g of bentonite clay. What would I get if I totally cut the oil face off? Would it still have a consistansy of a balm, I belive it would be harder. And what are your thoughts on incorporating water and preservative to a similar formula?! Pleaseee make a a water based hair balm with a kind of cookie dough texture I beg youuu!!!! Hope all is well!! ❤
You're already using pretty lightweight oils and butters, and including clay, which helps dry things out. You may want to remind your brother that when something is pretty much 100% oils, it will never feel totally not oily lol. You can try incorporating 10-15% isopropyl myristate as an alternative to one of the liquid oils.
www.humblebeeandme.com/quick-guide-cera-bellina-liquid-oil-ratios/ www.humblebeeandme.com/a-quick-guide-to-beeswax-liquid-oil-ratios/ Those guides should give you a good idea :)
I've got a whole FAQ on exactly this :) www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/can-i-use-a-fragrance-or-flavour-oil-in-place-of-the-essential-oils-called-for-in-a-recipe/
I was very when came across your channel. You are very informative and detail which I like. I would like to make this in a larger batch would I just triple the measurements? Could I incorporate shea butter as well?
I've got a couple posts on scaling and adjusting recipes :) www.humblebeeandme.com/how-to-scale-any-recipe/ & www.humblebeeandme.com/formulating-and-diying-with-spreadsheets/.
I'd start by making it as-is first so you can get a feel for the consistency-it is far more on the buttery side than the hard balmy side. If it's too hard, refer to the tips here: www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/how-can-i-make-this-thinner-softer-less-viscous/ :)
Love all your videos! Would you recommend using this on thinning hair? I'm a 39yr old male with thinning hair and I recently stopped using hair gel (with all those chemicals) and started using an all natural hair pomade. I have noticed I don't have dandruff and my hair feels so much softer after a shower! I want to continue using an all natural pomade or hair balm, but what would you recommend for my type of hair?
There's certainly no reason not to use this on thinning hair, though this isn't designed as a pomade so I'm not sure you'd get the styling results you'll want.
I really wish I lived near you. I would just purchase this stuff from you, this and the Cedar smoke one. Along with any new recipe beard stuff you come up with. You're a wizard at this stuff. An extremely beautiful one at that as well.
Quick question as I'm online shopping for my ingredients, in place of the vitamin E oil, would Rice Bran oil work in this recipe as it's high in Vit E ?
Hey! So, using rice bran oil instead of pure vitamin E is sort of like using chocolate cake in place of cocoa powder. Just because they have one ingredient in common doesn't make them swap-able. You can just leave the vitamin E out, though-just know your beard balm likely won't last more than a year before going rancid without it :)
Thanks in advance to this question. Just to be clear, is it the Vitamin E oil that makes it shelf stable? and if so how long could this last before going rancid. Thanks for the video
Have you ever worked with pine tar/pinon pine resin? Wondering if this would give a lot of tack to a beard balm. I'm thinking about making a beard balm like the one in this video and a beard wax to lay on top for those crazy hairs that won't go down. But then I think it might be too much...hmmm...
Marie, I got a tin of Pine Tar from Early's Farm and Garden (not sure if there is one in Calgary?) But you should be able to get it from any tack store, farm and garden store. It is used a lot on horses hooves, so I am told lol. :) ~Karstan
do you sell these? i can not fint BTMS-50 on any sites that have a good shipping solution :/ im not paying 56 dollars to ship 100gr of BTMS-50 but i would like to the the conditioner one way or the other :)
This is a one ounce container, so just do some math. However, if you haven't made this recipe before, please don't scale it up until you have! Make sure you actually like it before you make a ton of it!
I'll keep it in mind :) You could also try making this formulation softer (www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/how-can-i-make-this-thinner-softer-less-viscous/).
I need more details than "I have tried everything"-that leaves a lot to the imagination! Like... have you tried launching it into space? :) Are you using a cosmetic grade fragrance oil or essential oil-not a blended product, a cooking extract, or a diluted scent?
What would cause the balm to be more of a petroleum jelly type texture? I absolutely love this recipe got it right once then after that it's just went down hill....HELP LOL
For more of a petrolatum consistency, you'd likely want a wax that creates oil gels, like cera bellina. Learn more about it in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/)!
I don’t have beard but you have solved my 4c dry hair situation. This is going to work magic as a leave in hair balm. My hair Afro hair loves these oils.
A couple of questions, Marie: While trying to buy BTMS-50, a vendor here in Spain told me to buy BTMS-25 and add .05% of cetyl alcohol to the recipe to achieve the same effects of the -50. Your thoughts? And as a side question, I LOVE the smell of palo santo. Have you ever used the essential oil, and if so, what do you think of it? Thanks for your amazing information. Best, Bill
BTMS-50 is 50% behentrimonium methosulfate, while BTMS-25 is only 25% behentrimonium methosulfate. Behentrimonium methosulfate is the active conditioning ingredient; adding 0.05% cetyl alcohol isn't going to make up for a 50% drop in the active ingredient, unfortunately. I'm sure it's possible to make it work, but you'd have to redevelop the entire formulation to get the proper concentration and desired consistency. I'm afraid I've never worked with palo santo :) Happy making!
Just love the content on your channel.
Well articulated and well researched. Keep it going ♥️
Thank you so much! :)
Hey Marie, I love your videos. What other oil can I use if I don’t have any camellia oil?
Hey there Marie, love your videos on beard diy products love your coffee oil and just about to make this conditioning balm. For us bearded gents in Canada there seems to be a shortage of companies here that make “in shower Beard Conditioners”), you mentioned it at beginning of video and I think videos on making “Beard wash, Beard Conditioner and Beard Cowashes” would be greatly welcome to us Canadian DIYers. Thanks so much, you rock
Hi Jeff! Check out my "cleansing conditioner" formulations-I have shared quite a few and they'd be great for beards :) Just call it n "in shower beard conditioner" and voila, now it is :)
I have been looking for a softer beard balm for my husband! This is perfect! Thanks Marie! I love the inclusion of BTMS-50 and the conditioning effect. Wonderful!
OMG - you have just given me the most valuable piece of information and I can't thank you enough. I have been making lotions and moisturisers for the last 2 years and have been fortunate enough to never loose a batch. However, this year we moved house and I have had two big batches separate on me. I had worked out it was to do with the heat of the water and oil phase but was not doing anything different. This year we moved house and I just checked the elevation levels. The old house was right on the waters edge and was 77ft and the new house is at 233ft. Not too high but obviously enough difference to affect my methods. I had no idea that elevation could mess with my water temps. Probably explains why the kettle has also started playing up since moving - I thought it got damaged in the move. Thank you so much for mentioning that. I will have to review my heating methods
Hey Keeley! Happy to help :) However... I don't think this is the problem in your particular case. If we're talking in Imperial, "With each 500-feet increase in elevation, the boiling point of water is lowered by just under 1 °F" (www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/High_Altitude_Cooking_and_Food_Safety.pdf), so given you're dealing with an increase of 156 ft, I think your water may be boiling at 0.25°F cooler than it was before-definitely not enough to impact anything. I think you probably just need a new kettle :) Are you using distilled water? If you're using tap water it may be the new tap water at the new house, too.
Thank you! I think I found a few other issues that have contributed to my issue with a water bath. The area we are now living in is cooler and less humid. I have measured the warmth of my water bath and it is cooler that what I was getting previously which is more like to do with the overall temp in our area. But without you commenting on it, I don't think I would have thought to check my water bath. I always used bottled distilled water for my recipes but use tap in the water bath
Hi, I have a question about the BTMS-50: in your recipe the % by weight of BTMS-50 comes to 24%, but on another part of your website you state it's best to use only 10-15% as it can smell fishy. Is the 24% fine for this recipe?
Hi, I have recently noticed this recipe and did mention that it does have way to much of the properly measured of BTMS50. I would put up to 3g instead of the 6g
24% is fine (it didn't smell fishy and there's no regulatory maximum usage level), but in hindsight is is a bit overkill. You could use less if you wanted to; I'd replace it with cetearyl alcohol to keep the formulation in balance. You can also check out this formulation (www.humblebeeandme.com/midwinter-conditioning-beard-balm/) which is a bit more up to date, and uses a less concentrated BTMS so it's less than half of what is used here.
Happy making!
I notice this balm keeps my wild beard hair controlled. Almost like there is a static charge...Do you think it is the BTMS-50?
Yup! Magic, eh? ;)
just finished the balm... hope my two victims will love it! Thank you so much for your effort and your inspiration!! You do a great job!! l love to see your videos!!
ursula trivisano did the victims like it?
Thanks, Ursula! :D
carina singh : they love it!!
did you like it?
This recipe is amazing, thanks for sharing. Is it available as a formula in percentages on your pateron?
You are amazing. Your videos and your blog are awesome! Thank you for sharing. I learned a lot!
Thanks for watching!
This looks great. Can you use a different wax? Jojoba or candelilla ?
Yes, but the amounts will vary and the consistency will change. I personally wouldn't as I like how creamy beeswax is and it compliments the formula, but you won't destroy it by using a different wax-you just might not like what you get.
Can I use BTMS-85 instead of BTMS-50 will appreciate your feedback. Thank you.
This is cool. I've been looking for a beard balm recipe and coming from you, I think I've found it. Thank you ❤❤ I love your recipes, I've tried out many 😍😍
Thanks so much, Becky! Happy beard balming ;)
I made this and it is amazing! I’ll be making again soon, trying for a autumn scent and then a winter scent. Thanks Marie, you’re the best!
Woo! I'm so glad you're enjoying it :) Thanks for DIYing with me!
Humblebee & Me No, thank you Marie, you’re awesome!
Hey Marie! Thank you so much for this video! I've been looking for a creamier beard balm recipe for sometime now. From what I understand there are two types of beard balms...conditioning and styling beard balms. Will you be making a creamy "styling" beard balm recipe? I'm wondering if I can just add more beeswax to this recipe...but don't think I'll be able to stir while cooling, then scoop into a 2oz tin. You rock!!
You should be able to style with this, too-those things don't have to be mutually exclusive! You can can add more beeswax, but you might be packing more than scooping :)
Hey Marie, I'm getting low on beard oil and I've been considering mixing equal parts of aloe, shea butter, and coconut, how would this work out in your opinion ?
Oh I love this!! Been looking for something like this for an age. Awesome!
Enjoy! :)
I really love this formula. But I have started having an occasional breakout underneath my beard witch I've never had a problem with. Of these ingredients is there one you could recommend backing off on that is maybe the guilty party?
Hmmm. If you're sensitive to scents, it could be irritation from the EOs. Otherwise you might try halving the BTMS-50 and replacing the reduced amount with more mango butter 🤔
The final product is fantastic! Is there another conditioning ingredient besides btms-50 that is plant based or plant derived?
Hi Marie! Can I use this balm as a base for a pre-shave cream/balm for men? Maybe if I use some coconut oil, hemp seed oil? Or sweet almond oil instead of camellia seed oil? Shea butter instead of mango butter? I'm trying to make a pre-shave cream and this recipe gave me some ideas. Have you ever thought giving recipes for men products like shaving cream or shaving soap or hair style pomade?
Swapping the oils in the recipe around isn't going to dramatically change the function at all to transform this from a leave-on to a pre-shave balm. I'd probably make something that's emulsified, like the aftershave cream you also commented on, rather than something like this for a pre-shave balm-it'll rinse off more easily when shaving.
Shaving/men's recipes are typically the least popular recipes I publish, so I don't really prioritize them 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you for this recipe! I already ordered my first haul of ingredients to make this balm, and your shealoe body butter cream as my first ever DIY projects :) I have a question though. I suffer from a terribly dry skin with flaky dandruff under my beard. Will this balm help my skin as well, or is it only a hair/beard remedy?
Hey! If you suffer from dandruff I'd recommend using some Nizoral-dandruff is often a fungal thing rather than a dryness thing, and Nizoral targets that. I used a bottle once about 7 years ago and haven't had any dandruff since :) Happy making!
Thanks for helping me find something natural I can put into my beard, really appreciate your chanell/blog. My question now is if I might also use it as hair product since most gel and wax products I tried over the last couple of years damaged my hair. Thank you and greetings from Germany!
You can certainly try, though I have not designed it for such purposes :)
Thank you for your answer! Could you maybe give me one quick tip that would help me modify the recipe so that it would work better? Maybe a bit more beeswax? Forgive me for wasting your time :)
Okay I just graduated from beard salve to beard balm in my formulating. Thank you so much for recommending the BTMS conditioners!
You're very welcome! Happy making :D
Never heard of BTMS. I feel like I need it for my ingriedients. But is it save for our beard?
Hi ,can we use emulsifying wax instead btms
It almost has the consistency of a whipped balm. That is neat.
It is pretty cool-thank you!
Brilliant. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks!
Hey, I checked out your blog post, quick question, would pistachio oil work, or sunflower, tamanu , avocado oil.? Can't wait to try this recipe, but I would like to use things I have.
None of those are ideal, but none of them will break the recipe, either. I'd probably choose sunflower out of all of those, but they are all way heavier than camellia seed and will create a slower to absorb beard balm.
What are your thoughts about adding cera bellina instead of beeswax? Also adding Penstia powder?
It's worth a try!
Can I use a preservative in this? Recommendation? Thanks
There is no need; please read up on when preservatives are required at www.humblebeeandme.com/faq/preservatives/ :) Happy making!
I'm looking for a tobacco smell what essential oils would you suggest?? And also is there anything that can be used to help the beard look/feel thicker?
For tobacco you'll probably need a fragrance oil, and you might like hydrolyzed rice protein for more volume :) Check it out in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/)!
I am using Vitamin E Acetate, will that be exactly 2 drop ?
I did this recipe and it was amazing. One thing I’m curious about: I tried adding water like you said, but it made it a bit chunky no matter how my I stirred. Do you have a recommended water amount?
She meant adding water to your beard whilst applying the balm not adding it to the product
Hi Marie, do you have the recipe with percentages, please. Thanks x
I have an entire post on how to convert them here: www.humblebeeandme.com/how-to-scale-any-recipe/. That's what I'd be doing, too, as I don't have the notes for this with me at this time :)
@@HumblebeeAndMe Thank you so much. xx
Can this recipe be used if you live in the Caribbean or do you recommend adding a bit more beeswax or less mango butter and oils?
You might want to increase the beeswax by 2% and decrease a liquid oil :) Happy making!
I do not have camellia oil what could I use instead. Thank you
finally! I find a video on how to make a Conditioning Beard Balm! btw great video. Thanks for posting this
Thanks for watching!
Hey, if you had just poured the mixture into the tin and let it cool, what would the consistency have been? Would it have been soft but not creamy? Do you think the wax may have settled to the bottom rather than it staying suspended? Thank You!
It might separate (that would be impacted by how quickly it cools), and wouldn't be as creamy/soft, especially for the first few uses.
Hi I love your video tutorials .Can I ask can I ask if you would need to use a preservative in this .what would the life be without any preservatives.
I've got a whole FAQ on this :) www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/need-add-preservative-recipe-long-will-last/
I don't hate the concept, but don't love it at the same time. Meh, I am just going to have to buy some BTMS and add it to my next recipe before I pass judgement. I am in south Mississippi and it's always warm in my house. Can I store it in the fridge and it (BTMS) be ok?
Does that spatula you're using have a size name to it? Is that a 2 Cup Double Boiler pan you are using? WHERE WERE YOU ON DECEMBER 9TH 1976.... DON'T LIE... ANSWER THE QUESTION!
re there any other emulsifying waxes or agents you could recomend as I can not find BTMS-25/50 on ebay in the UK for some reason? Unless it is known by another name that is, I did try the full name on the site you link to.
In this project it's not the emulsifier, it's the conditioner we want. Check my latest video (the Q&A one) for more details :) And make sure you're looking for the INCI-that may reveal something!
Help please, where do you source your BTMS 50 from? I can't seem to find a link in your article. Thanks.
I think she buys hers at Windy Point Soap (www.windypointsoap.com/products/btms-50) but I believe you can also get it at Lotion Crafters in the US. Windy Point does have reasonable shipping to the US though.
Hi Marie, Not sure if BTMS-50 is available where I live...can we use Olivem 1000 instead?
Hey! No; the point of the BTMS-50 is that it is cationic and conditioning, not that it is an emulsifier, and that's all Olivem 1000 is.
Two questions, I have an emulsifying wax called silky emulsifying wax, is this btms-50! And what can I us instead of camellia seed oil? Thanks
Is the INCI Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetyl Alcohol (and) Butylene Glycol? If not, no, it is not BTMS-50. See the blog for a full paragraph on recipe-specific substitutions :)
I've been using my batch for a week now and my beard is very silky smooth. I however use BTSM-25 as I could not find the 50 when I ordered my stuff. I'm experimenting a little bit as my beard tends to frizz so I need to see about making this a little more waxy to hold it. Thanks!
Very cool! Thanks for the feedback, Chad :D
I would call this more of a beard butter than a balm. I like the recipe idea.
Thanks for watching!
It it normal for the beard balm to "sweat" when its setting up? Mine seems to be sweating quite a lot. Do I need more wax,coco butter,she butter??
Hmmm. Are you stirring it as it cools? What's the ambient temperature like where you're working?
Hi there, love your recipes I have just started out doing diy products and you offer a lot of great information to learn from. So first thank you for that. I calculated the percentages for this recipe as I have been intending to scale it up and saw that 16% is the part made up of the Vitamin E and essential oils. I really wanted to keep the fragrances (not using EO because it's for a person with eczema) around 0.5% and the vitamin E about the same, maybe 1%, but this would mean only 1% of the 16%. How could I calculate the remaining % between the remaining ingredients in order to keep the consistency? It would help tremendously, thx. PS: reading your blog entries 3 times each and also your encyclopedia input to learn the ingredients better. Keep up the great work! ;)
How much weight are you attributing to a "drop"? The weighed part of the formulation weighs 25g, and the essential oils and vitamin E *might* add another gram to that, which would be ~3% at most for all of it. You can certainly reduce the amount further (making up the amount with liquid oil), but it's definitely not 16% :)
Hello. Sorry if someone has already asked. But, do you have any for sale?
Nope! humblebeebeauty.com/ :)
Could you use sunflower wax or Castor wax flakes instead of beeswax?
great product, were do you get your Vit E oil?
This one's from New Directions Aromatics, but they have a $100 minimum order, so refer to the links in the blog (www.humblebeeandme.com/conditioning-beard-balm/) for other options.
Hey there, can I do this recipe but exchange some things? I have apricot seed oil, jojoba, shea butter. Can I use these instead?
www.humblebeeandme.com/a-guide-to-carrier-oil-substitutions/ :)
Also, can you give advice on the ratios of wax to butter to carrier oil to essential oil in general to make a good beard balm. I like my products to be soft but not greasy. Not sure if the greasiness is from the carrier oils or from the shea butter. I don't use coconut oil because I find it FAR TOO greasy/messy (though I enjoy the smell). P.S. I love that you use weight (grams) for all your ingredients! Most recipes out there fluctuate between ounces and tablespoons etc. I can never tell if they are referring to fluid ounces and often turns out to be a disaster. With your recipes, they are super easy as long as you have a scale!! so Thank you!!!!!! Would love to see you do a "dupe" video on replicating Honest Amish's Beard Balm as they have a very unique consistency unlike any of the other balms, AND they have an incredible scent which I can't seem to fully place my finger on. Something between cloves, anise, some woodsy scent, and maybe a dash of citrus.
Here's some reading for you :)
www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/can-use-_______-wax-instead-wax-called-recipe/ (lots of experiments linked there)
www.humblebeeandme.com/a-guide-to-carrier-oil-substitutions/
:)
Hi Marie! Love your channel and all your recipes. I have a question for you...could I substitute the Camellia seed oil with Hemp seed oil? Thanks in advance
You could, but it will change the end product :) I recommend looking up both oils in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/) to learn more!
@@HumblebeeAndMe This is perfect! Thank you!! :D
Hey Marie!! How can I make this recipe less oily?
I made one for my brother but he doesn't like the greasy feel.
I did tuick the recipe and used
7g of beeswax for more hold
only 8g of sunflower oil
4g fractionated coconut oil
3g mango butter
And added 3g of bentonite clay.
What would I get if I totally cut the oil face off? Would it still have a consistansy of a balm, I belive it would be harder.
And what are your thoughts on incorporating water and preservative to a similar formula?!
Pleaseee make a a water based hair balm with a kind of cookie dough texture I beg youuu!!!!
Hope all is well!! ❤
You're already using pretty lightweight oils and butters, and including clay, which helps dry things out. You may want to remind your brother that when something is pretty much 100% oils, it will never feel totally not oily lol. You can try incorporating 10-15% isopropyl myristate as an alternative to one of the liquid oils.
Humblebee & Me Thanks Marie!! ❤
I like the consistency, but do you have an opinion on how that might change if I used cera bellina in replace of the beeswax?
It would probably be a bit softer. I would just go with the recipe as written.
www.humblebeeandme.com/quick-guide-cera-bellina-liquid-oil-ratios/
www.humblebeeandme.com/a-quick-guide-to-beeswax-liquid-oil-ratios/
Those guides should give you a good idea :)
Love this! Can you make a beard wash next?
My cleansing conditioners would make great beard washes :)
Nice. Can I add fragrance oil to this recipe instead of essential oils?
I've got a whole FAQ on exactly this :) www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/can-i-use-a-fragrance-or-flavour-oil-in-place-of-the-essential-oils-called-for-in-a-recipe/
I was very when came across your channel. You are very informative and detail which I like.
I would like to make this in a larger batch would I just triple the measurements? Could I incorporate shea butter as well?
I've got a couple posts on scaling and adjusting recipes :) www.humblebeeandme.com/how-to-scale-any-recipe/ & www.humblebeeandme.com/formulating-and-diying-with-spreadsheets/.
Hi,
Any advice on how I would turn your recipe into a beard butter (with the inclusion of BTMS-50)?
I'd start by making it as-is first so you can get a feel for the consistency-it is far more on the buttery side than the hard balmy side. If it's too hard, refer to the tips here: www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/how-can-i-make-this-thinner-softer-less-viscous/ :)
Love all your videos! Would you recommend using this on thinning hair? I'm a 39yr old male with thinning hair and I recently stopped using hair gel (with all those chemicals) and started using an all natural hair pomade. I have noticed I don't have dandruff and my hair feels so much softer after a shower! I want to continue using an all natural pomade or hair balm, but what would you recommend for my type of hair?
There's certainly no reason not to use this on thinning hair, though this isn't designed as a pomade so I'm not sure you'd get the styling results you'll want.
Still working on a larger batch to this consistency. Just can't get it
Can we add colour (skin safe), to the conditioner?
Your infectious !
Thanks for the tips !
Thanks so much for watching! 😄
Why is a cutie pie teaching us how to make beard anything?? I don't know, but I like it!!!!!
I've had quite a few bearded boyfriends and I've got lots of bearded friends who happily test things for me :)
Humblebee & Me well, your doing a great job!! Keep it up!!
I really wish I lived near you. I would just purchase this stuff from you, this and the Cedar smoke one. Along with any new recipe beard stuff you come up with. You're a wizard at this stuff. An extremely beautiful one at that as well.
It doesn't matter where you live, I still don't sell this stuff 😝 You might be able to come to a class on it, though! Thanks for watching :)
Quick question as I'm online shopping for my ingredients, in place of the vitamin E oil, would Rice Bran oil work in this recipe as it's high in Vit E ?
Hey! So, using rice bran oil instead of pure vitamin E is sort of like using chocolate cake in place of cocoa powder. Just because they have one ingredient in common doesn't make them swap-able. You can just leave the vitamin E out, though-just know your beard balm likely won't last more than a year before going rancid without it :)
Humblebee & Me Ah ok. I'll track down Vit E so. Thanks for explaining!
Thanks in advance to this question. Just to be clear, is it the Vitamin E oil that makes it shelf stable? and if so how long could this last before going rancid. Thanks for the video
do you think we can use rosemary essential oil instead of all of those essential oils?
Yup!
Where do you get the tins for the finished balm? Thank you!
Amazon has 'em! amzn.to/2SGE1hU
Could I substitute candelilla wax instead of beeswax?
Have you ever worked with pine tar/pinon pine resin? Wondering if this would give a lot of tack to a beard balm. I'm thinking about making a beard balm like the one in this video and a beard wax to lay on top for those crazy hairs that won't go down. But then I think it might be too much...hmmm...
I haven't as I've never found a source for it! I'd love to, though :)
Marie, I got a tin of Pine Tar from Early's Farm and Garden (not sure if there is one in Calgary?) But you should be able to get it from any tack store, farm and garden store. It is used a lot on horses hooves, so I am told lol. :) ~Karstan
Thank you! I will look into it 😊
I may have missed it but what size is that little tin/batch?
do you sell these? i can not fint BTMS-50 on any sites that have a good shipping solution :/ im not paying 56 dollars to ship 100gr of BTMS-50
but i would like to the the conditioner one way or the other :)
I'm afraid I don't; where are you located? $56 sounds absurd!
im located in norway :)
Thank you for this wonderful video! Can you make video for beard butter, beard shampoo and sweet minit beard oil. Thank you!
I'll keep your requests in mind :) Thanks for watching!
How much of the BTMS and beeswax do I use for a 4oz container? Thanks
This is a one ounce container, so just do some math. However, if you haven't made this recipe before, please don't scale it up until you have! Make sure you actually like it before you make a ton of it!
Would you do a recipe for a conditioning beard butter?
I'll keep it in mind :) You could also try making this formulation softer (www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/how-can-i-make-this-thinner-softer-less-viscous/).
Is the btms-50 considered natural wax?
No, but it is safe and wonderful! Learn more in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/).
Do you have a substitution suggestion for someone who has a nut allergy and cannot tolerate almond oil in his beard balm and oil?
I've got a whole article on carrier oil subs here: www.humblebeeandme.com/a-guide-to-carrier-oil-substitutions/
How long it will last?
Or it need any preservative?
I've got an entire article on this :) www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/long-will-______-last-shelf-life/
Please help! Why don’t mine smell??? They have hardly any scent at all! I have tried everything!
I need more details than "I have tried everything"-that leaves a lot to the imagination! Like... have you tried launching it into space? :)
Are you using a cosmetic grade fragrance oil or essential oil-not a blended product, a cooking extract, or a diluted scent?
Can I replace mango butter with Shea butter because I cant find it in my country
Give this a read for more info :) www.humblebeeandme.com/project/mango-butter/
Where do we find the BTMS-50 NDA doesn't have it?
Windy Point!
Would you consider assisting with a hair pomade recipe?
She has a video but is a balm. Nourishing hair balm something like that
Kayla K I asked the same question. I will be sending her Dr. Jon's light hold pomade. amazing ingredients!! So creamy and soft.
I might dev something up for fun one day as a post/video, but if you're asking if I'm available for hire, I'm not. Too busy here!
Dear what size is yout little container? Tks
30mL (1fl oz)
Thank you! 😀
love love love it
Can I use cetyl alcohol
Great Video. Thank you. You are my great new discovery. Can you please make a video for Beard Butter?
I'll keep it in mind-thanks for the suggestion!
Can I avoid adding beeswax?
Is there a substitution for camellia seed oil
Yup! Refer to the blog post (linked in the description box) for a full paragraph on different options :)
What would cause the balm to be more of a petroleum jelly type texture? I absolutely love this recipe got it right once then after that it's just went down hill....HELP LOL
For more of a petrolatum consistency, you'd likely want a wax that creates oil gels, like cera bellina. Learn more about it in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/)!
What can I replace the camellia oil with if I don't have that oil.
www.humblebeeandme.com/conditioning-beard-balm/
have you made a hair balm?
Yup, I see you found it :)
Hi, where from can we get this wax
Go down to the description box and click through to the blog; everything is linked there :)
Great video. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
can i use btms 25?
You can try it, but is does produce firmer products than BTMS 50 so you may need to make adjustments to get a desirable end consistency.
will this work for growing a beard
You can certainly use it on a growing beard, but it will not accelerate hair growth.
I like this beard balm
Thank you.i need that.very good.
Thanks for watching!