trouble with lip balm tubes?

[SparkleCookie]

I haven't spent much time in this forum lately so I'm sorry if this has been covered.

I tried to make lip balm for the first time yesterday.  YAY.  I used a premade mix from TheChemistryStore.c om and added flavoring, stevia and a bit of mica.  I poured it into the tubes and it all seemed to be going well...
but then today when I tried to actually use the tubes, they don't work!    8 of the 10 tubes just don't work.  I twist and twist and the balm doesn't move up or down...

Has anyone else had this problem?  Is it too soft?  Too hard?  Did I pour it while it was too hot?  I don't get it.

Help??

[MareMare]

Weird! I've never had that kind of problem, it sounds like your tubes are defective. I would contact whoever you bought them from and ask for a refund or replacement.

[SparkleCookie]

You think?  I can't help but wonder if I'm missing something.  The tubes worked while empty... bah!!

[sporadic]

If the tubes worked when empty, but not when full, then something is wrong with the process.  You likely poured the base too hot which caused the inner plastic mechanisms to warp. 

[SparkleCookie]

Oh, that's an interesting thought.  Maybe I'm not going crazy!

[MassSoapgirl]

I haven't spent much time in this forum lately so I'm sorry if this has been covered.
I tried to make lip balm for the first time yesterday.  YAY.  I used a premade mix from TheChemistryStore.c om and added flavoring, stevia and a bit of mica.  I poured it into the tubes and it all seemed to be going well...
but then today when I tried to actually use the tubes, they don't work!    8 of the 10 tubes just don't work.  I twist and twist and the balm doesn't move up or down...
Has anyone else had this problem?  Is it too soft?  Too hard?  Did I pour it while it was too hot?  I don't get it.Help??

Sounds like you heated up the lip balm base too hot and warped/melted the workings.

[Nymeria]

I'm guessing it's not an over-heating issue. You would *know* if they had overheated because they warp. Like seriously warp; they look like a Salvador Dali painting. And there's not a whole lot of "inner workings" in a lip balm tube, lol.

My guess is as MareMare said, the tubes could be defective. You say they worked before you filled them, did the bottom part move up and down or was it just the spindle turning? Sometimes you'll get tubes where the spindle turns but the bottom part doesn't turn. In that case, I'd call the manufacturer/supplier and see what they can do. Especially since 8 out of 10 aren't working right, that smells fishy to me.

I'd call them and see what's up. I've heard of people having this problem when they pour the mixture when it's too cool and it doesn't attach properly, but that doesn't sound like the case here.