Experiments in the workshop: ACI instead of SCI in my hand cleanser

I am so sick of having dry feeling hands after I wash them, so I thought I'd make my own hand cleanser. This one - orange & honey hand cleanser - was my favourite, so naturally I thought I'd tweak it some more by replacing ACI for the SCI.

Doesn't it look like this is supposed to be an artistic view of being hand soap? Like my cleanser is about to break out into song about a boy she has loved and lost or that her father has trapped her here in this castle until someone worthy of her love can save her? 

I'm not really sure why I'd want to switch out the SCI for the ACI in this case - this is quite a liquidy product until I get the Crothix in near the end, so using ACI instead of SCI should product a really liquidy product! But no matter! When I'm in the mood to experiment, I'm in the mood to experiment!


ORANGE & HONEY HAND CLEANSER WITH ACI
FIRST HEATED PHASE
10% cocamidopropyl betaine
11% polyglucose/lactylate blend
10% ACI
2% glycol distearate

SECOND HEATED PHASE
33.5% water
10% aloe vera
10% orange hydrosol
3% PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate
3% glycerin

COOL DOWN PHASE
3% honeyquat
0.5% liquid Germall Plus
1% fragrance
Crothix (optional)

Weigh the first heated phase into heatproof container and heat in your double boiler until the SCI and glycol distearate has melted. Weigh the second heated phase into a heatproof container and heat until the SCI has melted in the other container. Remove both from the heat and add the second heated phase slowly, stirring as you go, until it is well incorporated. You may want to heat it a little longer to ensure it is well incorporated.

When the temperature reaches 45˚C to 50˚C, add the cool down phase BUT DON'T ADD THE CROTHIX! (Read more about Crothix here if you've never used it before.) I didn't need Crothix in mine, but that will vary given the modifications to ingredients and fragrance you choose.

When the mixture has reached room temperature or has sat for at least four hours, test the viscosity. Add 1% Crothix, and mix very well. If you want it a bit thicker, add another 0.5% and stir well. Repeat until you get the viscosity you want.

So what did I think? I like it! I had to get to 4% Crothix to thicken it, and it's still a bit more liquid than I would want in a body wash or shampoo, but it works well in the pump bottle. The skin feels about the same. I think it looks a little less pearlized than the first version, and I know I didn't use enough colouring.

Considering I can get SCI locally (at Aquarius Aroma & Soap) instead of shipping it from the eastern part of the States, and considering it will thicken more than ACI, I don't think I'll be changing my recipe soon. But it was a neat to experiment, eh?