If you make lotion from scratch, you need stearic acid. It thickens the recipe and keeps the emulsion stable. It can also be used for soap, emulsified scrub, and conditioner.
Usage Instructions: Use at 3 to 5 percent of the total weight in lotion, conditioner, and emulsified scrub.
For cold process soap, use at 0.5 percent of the total weight of the oils.
for hot process soap it can be used up to 5%of the total oils weight