You should be very proud of yourself when you feel ready to make your first cream. The biggest challenge in making creams is achieving a nice texture and lasting stability. Sometimes creams can be runny. They can also separate or turn out gritty. This very delicate process is perfectly doable if you start with a good base formula and follow it with accuracy.
Every cream has a base. Additives can vary, but the heart of the cream remains
the same: an oil phase, an aqueous phase, and something that binds the two: an
emulsifier. Generally speaking, if the oil phase is waxy or buttery (solid at room
temperature), then your cream will thicken as it cools. But if you start with.liquids, the final texture will remain liquid unless you use a thickener.
It is very convenient to use a thickening emulsifier that gives body and texture to the formulation, as well. Also, the adequate use of a thickener will
improve stability and reduce the risk of separation.
Once you have mastered the base of your cream, substituting oils or adding botanical extracts will become easier. You will then be able to create a customized cream that targets your own skin needs.
Beeswax Facial Cream
Beeswax is a natural emulsifier and a thickener. As your preparation
cools, beeswax will solidify, and your cream will thicken. At the same time,
beeswax locks in moisture by acting as a water barrier. On the other hand, it
confers a greasy finish to the cream, which is why it is more suitable for dry
skin. If you find that your cream’s texture is cosmetically unappealing, a lesser
amount of beeswax usually solves the issue.
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce (30 ml) unbleached, unrefined beeswax, grated
2 ounces (60 ml) almond oil
20 drops (1 ml) vitamin E oil
1 ounce (30 ml) water or hydrosol, such as rose water
20 drops (1 ml) botanical extract such as watermelon
4 drops rosemary oil extract (as a preservative)
20 drops (1 ml) essential oils of your choice
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Melt the wax in a double boiler. Without taking the wax off the heat, add the
oily ingredients (almond oil and vitamin E) to the melted beeswax, one at a
time, whisking continuously.
2. In a separate double boiler, heat the hydrosol until it reaches 175° F. Monitor
the temperature using a candy thermometer. Wait until both phases have
reached that temperature; then turn off the heat and slowly pour the water
phase over the wax in a very thin stream, whisking vigorously. You can use a
stick blender for better results.
3. Keep mixing while the preparation starts to cool and as you add the remaining
ingredients one at a time. Transfer to a sanitized glass jar, and set aside to cool
completely to room temperature. Put a lid on the jar when your cream is no
longer warm.
4. Apply as a night cream during winter, alternating with a lighter cream (such as
the Basic Cream) to allow your skin to breathe.
Basic Cream
This lighter cream that does not contain beeswax makes a good basic formula for a moisturizer. As long as you respect the proportions, you can play with ingredients to create a cream that suits your own skin needs. You can choose a single herbal extract or a blend of two or more to gain
additional skin benefits—for example, use alfalfa extract for its anti-aging properties with licorice extract for its whitening effect.
The texture of the cream can also be adjusted. Use only oils for a lighter
texture, or a blend of oils and butters for a thicker cream. The oils and extracts
you choose will impart their own properties to the finished cream.
Making creams may require many attempts before you can predict how your
ingredients will blend and bond together. If your cream expels water, you need
to use less hydrosol. If it is too hard, you need less butter and more oil. If your
cream is closer to a lotion than a cream, you need less water and more thickener.
Prepare small batches, until you are able to master this art.
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce (30 ml) vegetable oil or shea butter
2 teaspoons vegetable-derived emulsifier, such as lecithin or glyceryl
stearate
10 drops (0.5 ml) vitamin E oil
2 ounces (60 ml) water or hydrosol, such as rose water
20 drops (1 ml) botanical extract, such as pomegranate seed extract
3 drops rosemary oil extract (ROE) or grape seed extract (GSE)
10 drops (0.5 ml) essential oils
NOTE
When using oils only, a good thickener is essential. Xanthan gum at 0.3 percent can transform the water phase into a gel, which is more stable in an emulsion than water.
Sprinkle gum on your water phase before adding the oils. Start with a pinch
and observe the result upon whisking. Usually, ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum is
sufficient to thicken the mixture.
A little trick that might help is to use aloe vera gel instead of a liquid hydrosol for easier thickening.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Melt the butter or heat the vegetable oil in a double boiler over low heat. Mix
in the vegetable-derived emulsifier and vitamin E, stirring continuously.
2. Heat the water phase, the hydrosol, in another double boiler. If your botanical
extract is stable at high temperature, you can incorporate it into your water
phase. Otherwise, leave it aside for later.
3. Monitor the temperature using a candy thermometer. When both phases reach
170°F turn off the heat and pour the oil phase, in a thin stream, over the water
phase, whisking vigorously, or use a stick blender, avoiding splashes.
4. The mixture should blend into a whitish creamy texture. Keep whipping until the mixture reaches 100°F.
5. Add the extracts and the essential oils and whisk until thoroughly blended.
Transfer to a jar and allow to cool to room temperature. Put a lid on the jar when the mixture is no longer warm.
Mineral Sunblock
Once you have made the Basic Cream, you are ready to push things a little further and make a sunscreen. It is also
possible to make sunscreen from ready-made natural cream.
Commercial sunscreens are formulated with either chemical filters or mineral filters. Mineral filters, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, are much more stable than chemical filters and do not pose similar health risks. Zinc oxide
and titanium dioxide have an indefinite shelf life, which means that they are
extremely stable and can tolerate UV light, heat, and moisture without
disintegration.
There are different kinds of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Micronized
particles (in the micron size range) are safer than nano particles (in the nano size
range), which have generated health concerns because of their increased
potential for absorption through the skin.
The amount of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide in a cream affects the SPF, or sun protection factor. SPF 15 means that it takes fifteen times more UV radiation
to burn your skin when it’s covered with sunscreen of that strength than it takes
when your skin is unprotected. SPF is not a percentage; it is a factor, a number
of folds. The average SPF protection is around 15, a sunblock with SPF 30 or
more usually provides stronger protection.
Roughly, 10 percent zinc oxide will yield an SPF close to 15, while a 20.5 percent concentration should produce a sunscreen in the SPF 30 range. The SPF varies with the kind of zinc oxide used and the thickness of the formula, as well
as the amount spread on the skin. Also, the presence of lumps of zinc oxide in
the cream might affect its overall distribution and SPF; it is very important to
obtain a well-blended cream and to spread generous amounts on sun-exposed
areas.
This formula aims at SPF 30.
INGREDIENTS
21 grams zinc oxide powder
1 tablespoon (15 ml) almond oil
65 grams Basic Cream (sufficient for 100 grams total)
Note: This formula requires a digital scale.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Sift the zinc oxide into a small mixing bowl. Make sure you do not inhale any
of the powder.
2. Add the almond oil, and triturate with a pestle or spoon until a very smooth,
lump-free, white paste is obtained.
3. You need just enough Basic Cream to bring the paste weight to an exact 100
grams. Weigh 65 grams and fold gradually, in tiny amounts, into the mixing
bowl. Use the same pestle to triturate. Make sure you have no lumps in your
sunscreen before you transfer it to a glass container with a lid.
4. Apply generously on your face and neck daily. Do not spread it too thin, as
that might compromise the SPF. You can wear mineral makeup on top of the
sunscreen to minimize its whitish appearance.
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