How to Use BalmMath
Anhydrous Formulation Calculator for Balms, Butters, Oils & Scrubs
BalmMath is a specialized calculator for anhydrous formulations — products made entirely from oils, butters, waxes, and other water-free ingredients. Its signature feature is a live Hardness Score that predicts how firm your finished product will be, updating instantly as you adjust your formula.
Step 1 — Choose Your Product Type
Always start by selecting a product type. This is not cosmetic — it determines your hardness target range, shows recommended percentage ranges for each ingredient category, sets the IFRA fragrance category for safety checking, and activates product-specific validation rules.
| Product Type | Hardness Target | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Balm – Stick | Firm | A solid balm in a push-up tube or stick format. Must hold shape at room temperature and withstand warm shipping. Typical in lip balm sticks, solid perfume sticks, deodorant sticks, and solid sunscreen sticks. |
| Balm – Pot | Soft | A softer balm in a tin or glass jar. Meant to be scooped with a fingertip. Common for body balms, cuticle balms, healing salves, and multipurpose balm pots. |
| Lotion Bar | Very Firm | An extremely hard bar — harder than a stick balm — designed to melt only on direct skin contact. Used like a solid lotion. Typically contains a high proportion of wax (30–40%). |
| Whipped Body Butter | Soft / Whipped | An airy, mousse-like texture created by whipping solid butters and liquid oils together as they cool. Little to no wax. Very high butter content (50–85%). Must not be melted — whipped from a slushy state. |
| Liquid Body Oil | Liquid | A pourable oil blend with no structuring agents (or minimal). Used as a body oil, hair oil, bath oil, or massage oil. Up to 10% total of structurants/solid emollients allowed if using a gellant to suspend. |
| Perfume Roller | Liquid | A very light liquid oil base specifically for roll-on perfume application. Typically 95–100% liquid oils with no wax or butter. Fragrance load is the primary variable. |
| Makeup Melting Balm | Soft | A cleansing balm that melts makeup on contact and emulsifies with water for easy rinse-off. Requires an emulsifying wax. Softer than a regular pot balm to allow smooth massage application. |
| Scrub – Anhydrous | Soft | An oil-based scrub with physical exfoliants (sugar, salt, walnut shell). Exfoliant is added in the Additives category and makes up 40–60% of the total formula. Requires a preservative because wet hands are introduced at point of use. |
| Scrub – Emulsified | Soft | An oil-based scrub with an emulsifying wax so it rinses cleanly from the skin. Slightly firmer base than anhydrous scrub. Also requires a preservative. |
Pro Tip
Step 2 — Add Structuring Agents (Waxes & Fatty Alcohols)
Structuring agents are the backbone of any anhydrous product. They determine firmness, melting point, and whether your product holds its shape at room temperature. BalmMath divides them into three subcategories.
Traditional Waxes
Hard, crystalline waxes with high melting points. The primary hardeners for stick balms, lotion bars, and firm salves. A little goes a long way.
| Wax | Melting Point | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beeswax (white or yellow) | 144–149°F / 62–65°C | The most common wax for balms. White is odor-neutral; yellow has a light honey scent. Produces a smooth, glossy finish. |
| Candelilla Wax | 158–162°F / 70–72°C | Vegan. Approximately twice as hard as beeswax at the same percentage — use roughly half the amount when substituting. Gives a slightly drier skin feel. |
| Carnauba Wax | 181–187°F / 83–86°C | Vegan. The hardest common cosmetic wax. Adds excellent gloss and heat resistance. Rarely used above 2–3% or the product becomes brittle. |
| Rice Bran Wax | 174–181°F / 79–83°C | Vegan. Very hard, high melting point, great for very firm stick formulas. Natural origin. |
| Ozokerite / Ceresin | 140–167°F / 60–75°C | Mineral wax. Smooth texture, good suspension properties. Common in color cosmetics and eyeliners. |
Emulsifying Waxes
Used in anhydrous products when you want the final product to rinse off with water — primarily in makeup melting balms and emulsified scrubs. In a fully anhydrous environment, they provide a unique silky skin feel.
- Emulsifying Wax NF (BTMS-50 base): O/W emulsifier, allows the balm to rinse cleanly. Standard choice for cleansing balms.
- BTMS-25 / BTMS-50: Cationic conditioning emulsifier. Adds slip and detangling. Often used in hair cleansing balms.
- Olivem 1000: Naturally-derived O/W emulsifier with skin-conditioning properties.
Fatty Alcohols
Waxy solids derived from vegetable oils. They add structure and body with a much smoother, silkier skin feel than hard waxes. Common in pot balms and body butters.
- Cetyl Alcohol (C16): Smooth, silky texture. Melts at about 120°F (49°C). Gives a lighter feel than cetearyl.
- Cetearyl Alcohol (C16/C18 blend): Slightly waxier than cetyl alone. Good structure and emollient properties.
- Stearyl Alcohol (C18): Firmer than cetyl. Produces a rich, creamy feel.
Typical Ranges by Product Type
Step 3 — Add Solid Emollients (Butters)
Solid emollients are the heart of a balm formula. They melt on contact with skin, delivering nourishment, moisture, and a rich skin feel. Unlike waxes, they contribute softness and slip rather than firm structure.
Natural Butters
| Butter | Skin Feel | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shea Butter (unrefined) | Rich, creamy | The most widely used cosmetic butter. High oleic and stearic content. Unrefined has a nutty scent; refined is odor-neutral. |
| Cocoa Butter | Firm, glossy, slightly waxy | High melting point (~93°F / 34°C). Adds noticeable hardness. Characteristic chocolate scent in unrefined; neutral in refined. Very occlusive. |
| Mango Butter | Light, silky, non-greasy | Lighter than shea or cocoa. Good for lip products and facial formulas. Slow to absorb. |
| Kokum Butter | Very firm, dry | Highest melting point of common butters (~107°F / 42°C). Excellent for stick products in hot climates. Very dry, astringent feel. |
| Murumuru Butter | Silky, quick absorbing | Lightweight, non-greasy. Good for scalp and hair butters as well as light body products. |
| Cupuaçu Butter | Creamy, soft | Unique ability to absorb water (up to 240% its own weight). Emollient and humectant properties in one. Luxury ingredient. |
Synthetic Solid Esters
Lighter-feeling alternatives to natural butters, often used to reduce greasiness or add structure without the richness of shea or cocoa.
- Cetyl Esters: Plant-derived synthetic wax. Light, non-greasy, slightly powdery feel. Good replacement for spermaceti. Used in lip balms and stick products.
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate: Lightweight, dry-touch ester. Reduces greasiness from heavy butters. Common in sun care and body lotions as well as anhydrous serums.
- Isopropyl Myristate (IPM): Very light, fast-absorbing ester. Reduces drag. Can be comedogenic at high levels — use below 10% in facial products.
Typical Ranges by Product Type
Step 4 — Add Liquid Emollients (Oils & Esters)
Liquid emollients are the primary vehicle for delivering skin benefits. They provide slip, spreadability, and skin feel — and their fatty acid profile determines how the finished product absorbs, how it smells, and how quickly it goes rancid.
Carrier Oils
| Oil | Skin Feel | Stability |
|---|---|---|
| Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) | Very light, non-greasy | Excellent — saturated, odorless, very long shelf life |
| Sweet Almond Oil | Medium, good slip | Good — mostly oleic, light nutty scent |
| Jojoba Oil (technically a wax ester) | Light, dry, non-comedogenic | Excellent — extremely stable, almost indefinite shelf life |
| Argan Oil | Light, fast-absorbing | Good — high oleic content |
| Rosehip Seed Oil | Light, absorbs quickly | Poor — very high linolenic acid, use <10%, keep refrigerated |
| Castor Oil | Thick, tacky, very glossy | Good — adds gloss and cling, use 10–20% for lip gloss effect |
| Squalane | Featherlight, skin-identical | Excellent — very stable, plant or shark-derived |
Esters & Silicones
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (CCT): Derived from coconut oil. Light, dry, very stable. Extremely common as a base oil in balms and serums.
- Diisostearyl Malate: Thick, high-gloss ester. Used in lip glosses and high-shine lip balms at 10–30%.
- Cyclomethicone / Cyclopentasiloxane: Silicone. Extremely light, volatile (evaporates from skin). Adds silkiness and reduces greasiness.
- Dimethicone: Non-volatile silicone. Provides slip, occlusive film, and a smooth application feel.
Typical Ranges by Product Type
Step 5 — Add Gellants (If Needed)
Oil gellants are optional ingredients that thicken liquid oils into a gel-like consistency without adding wax hardness. They are primarily used in oil serums and liquid body oils where you want a gel texture rather than a straight liquid, or when you need to suspend solid particles (pigments, exfoliants, mica) in a liquid oil base.
- Polyethylene (PE Wax / Microspheres): Synthetic wax microspheres. Used at 2–10% to create a soft, buttery gel texture in clear or translucent oil products. Very popular in oil-based gels and serum sticks.
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate + Hydrogenated Castor Oil: When combined, these gel together to form a clear, shiny gel at 10–20% combined. Popular in glossy oil serums and clear lip glosses.
- Candelilla Wax (low level): At 2–4%, candelilla can gel a liquid oil into a soft, slightly matte product. More structured than PE wax at equivalent levels.
- Ozokerite / Ceresin (low level): At 1–3%, mineral waxes can produce a petroleum jelly-like gel texture in a liquid oil base.
Pro Tip
Step 6 — Add Hot Process Additives
Hot process additives are heat-stable ingredients that can be added during the main melt phase (above 140°F / 60°C) without degradation. These go in while the formula is still liquid and hot.
- Physical Exfoliants: Sugar (white or brown), sea salt, Himalayan pink salt, Epsom salt, walnut shell powder, bamboo powder, pumice, rice bran powder. Added at 40–60% of the total formula for scrubs — entered in the Additives category in BalmMath.
- Powders and Clays: Kaolin clay, arrowroot powder, cornstarch, tapioca starch, silica. Added at 1–10% to adjust skin feel (reduce greasiness, add slip or powder-softness).
- Oil-Soluble Actives: Oil-soluble vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin D), CoQ10, sea buckthorn oil (as a concentrated active), oil-soluble bakuchiol. Heat-stable and can be added hot.
- Colorants (high melting point): Iron oxides, ultramarines, and micas are heat-stable and can be added to the hot phase. Disperse in a small amount of liquid oil before adding to prevent clumping.
Step 7 — Add Cool-Down Ingredients (Below 140°F / 60°C)
Cool-down ingredients are heat-sensitive and must be added after the formula has cooled below 140°F (60°C). Adding them too hot will degrade their effectiveness or cause fragrance to flash off.
Antioxidants — Required for All Anhydrous Products
Anhydrous products do not need antimicrobial preservatives, but they do need antioxidants to prevent oils from going rancid. BalmMath analyzes your oil blend's fatty acid profile and calculates the specific antioxidant type and amount needed based on your PUFA and MUFA content.
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol, T50 or T95): The most common antioxidant for balms. T50 (mixed tocopherols) at 0.5–1% is effective for most formulas. T95 (alpha-tocopherol) is more potent and used at lower doses.
- Rosemary Oleoresin Extract (ROE): A natural antioxidant more potent than Vitamin E for highly unsaturated oil blends. Use at 0.02–0.1%. Has a strong herbal scent at higher levels.
- BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene): Synthetic, highly effective. Used at 0.01–0.1%. Controversial for natural formulations but very stable.
Fragrance & Essential Oils
Always add fragrance below 140°F (60°C). At higher temperatures, volatile aroma compounds evaporate and IFRA-restricted compounds can degrade unpredictably. BalmMath checks your fragrance % against the IFRA limit for your product type automatically.
- Fragrance Oils: Typical range 0.5–2% for lip products (IFRA Category 1 is very restrictive), 1–3% for body balms and butters, up to 5% for non-leave-on products.
- Essential Oils: Check IFRA limits for each individual oil — some (e.g., bergamot, citrus oils) have very low limits in leave-on products due to phototoxicity or sensitization risk.
- Flavor Oils: Used in lip balms. Must be cosmetic-grade (food-safe is not sufficient for lip use). IFRA Category 1 limits apply.
Preservatives — Required for Scrubs Only
Scrubs (anhydrous and emulsified) require a preservative because wet hands introduce water into the jar during every use, creating conditions for microbial growth. BalmMath will flag missing preservatives for scrub product types.
- Germall Plus (DMDM Hydantoin + IPBC): Broad spectrum, effective at 0.1–0.5%.
- Optiphen (Phenoxyethanol + Caprylyl Glycol): Paraben-free, effective in oil-heavy formulas. Use at 0.75–1.5%.
- Phenonip (Phenoxyethanol + Parabens): Oil-soluble blend, suitable for anhydrous and low-water formulas. Use at 0.5–1%.
Temperature Matters
Step 8 — Read the Hardness Score
The Hardness Score updates live as you add and adjust ingredients. It is a weighted calculation based on each ingredient's melting point and its hardness contribution coefficient.
| Score Range | Consistency | Typical Products |
|---|---|---|
| 0–15 | Liquid / Pourable | Liquid body oils, perfume rollers, bath oils |
| 15–30 | Soft / Spreadable | Whipped butters, soft pot balms, oil serums with gellant |
| 30–50 | Medium / Firm Pot | Pot balms, body salves, solid perfumes |
| 50–70 | Firm / Stick | Lip balm sticks, solid lotion sticks, deodorant sticks |
| 70–100 | Very Firm / Bar | Lotion bars, extra-hard stick balms, tropical-climate formulas |
Pro Tip
Step 9 — Use QS and Generate Results
Set One Ingredient to QS
Click the QS button next to any ingredient to designate it as the fill ingredient — usually a stable, neutral carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil or sweet almond oil. It will auto-adjust to bring your total to exactly 100%.Verify the Formula Total
The formula total must equal 100% before you can generate results. BalmMath shows a running total and highlights it red if you are over or under. Non-QS ingredients must be adjusted manually.Enter Batch Weight
Set your batch size and unit (grams or ounces). Results will show each ingredient weight for that exact batch.Generate Results
BalmMath produces: ingredient weights for your batch size, the INCI list in descending order (ready to copy to your label), the estimated melting point in °F and °C, a shelf life note based on PUFA content of your oils, and any validation warnings (hardness out of range, IFRA exceeded, missing preservative for scrubs).Troubleshooting
| If… | Then… | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness Score is too low for stick format | Not enough wax or too much liquid oil | Increase beeswax or candelilla by 2–3%; reduce liquid oil by the same amount |
| Hardness Score is too high for pot balm | Too much wax | Reduce wax to 5–10%, increase liquid oil percentage |
| IFRA fragrance warning appears | Fragrance % exceeds limit for selected product type | Reduce fragrance %, or if using multiple fragrance materials check IFRAMath for the full blend analysis |
| Balm too greasy on skin | Too many heavy saturated oils or butters | Reduce heavy butter (cocoa, mango); add light esters (caprylic/capric triglyceride, C12-15 alkyl benzoate); add 5–10% arrowroot powder in cool-down phase |
| Formula total won't reach 100% | No QS ingredient set, or all percentages locked | Click QS on your main carrier oil; it will auto-fill the remaining % |
| Preservative warning on a non-scrub product | Preservative may have been added unnecessarily | Confirm product type — preservatives are only required for anhydrous and emulsified scrubs |
| Whipped butter collapses or separates | Poured at too high a temperature (melted state) | Do not melt whipped butter formulas — cool to slushy state (~90–95°F / 32–35°C) and whip with hand mixer |
Open BalmMath and build your formula
Select a product type and start adding ingredients. The Hardness Score and IFRA check update in real time.