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Lotion
Making - Recipes and Tips
Below
are a few of my older recipes. I have since added a few interesting
ingredients to my inventory, such as Naturamulse Emulsifying Wax and
Suprapein - a completely natural herbal extract used to preserve
creams and lotions.
Stay
tuned for updated recipes as I do some experimenting.
Below
are a few tips. The tips are geared towards my experience, which has
been making lotions without preservatives for myself only and using
and trying to maintain the nutritive qualities of any ingredient that
I add.
Lotion
Making Tips:
-
When
making a lotion the main objective is to keep the temps as moderate
as possible to preserve the integrity of the often fragile
ingredients, this is especially true when working with natural
ingredients such as essential oils and nutritive carrier oils.
On
the other hand, the ingredients need to be warm enough to melt any
solid ingredients and keep them that way, and to be within the same
temperature range as the water phase when mixing. It can seem tricky
sometimes but it's quite rewarding and fun to make up your own
amazing lotion. You'll know what I mean when you make one, it's quite
the same as the pride you feel when you create something of your own
as opposed to buying it off the shelf. You won't believe you did it yourself!
-
I
find another main benefit to making your own lotions and creams to
be that you can use many nutritive and soothing ingredients that
aren't practical in off the shelf items. Teas and hydrosols are a
good example. When using these items keep in mind that they have a
reduced shelf life. I wouldn't personally recommend putting them up
for sale but would store them in the fridge or freezer - see below.
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When
making your own lotions and creams, make smaller batches. Divide
them into even smaller portions and freeze, unthawing a bit at a time
as you use them. You can do this in what ever way suits you - some
use ice cube trays and transfer to a freezer bag or container when
they are frozen. It is quite common practice among those who make
creams and lotions for themselves, I have never detected a comprimize
in consistancy or texture in doing this.
-
Vitamin
E is always a good idea to add when using oils that may go rancid
quickly. This is more of a concern if you are using a preservative
for the water portion and plan to keep the lotion or cream at room
temperature for the life of the product. While the preservative will
cover the mold and nasties aspect, it will not protect the oils from
going rancid.
-
If
your lotion or cream develops an off scent, even if there is no mold
or discoloration or change in consistancy, it's best to dump it as
the oils have probably deteriorated (rubbing oxidized, rancid oils
into your skin isn't helping anything :0)
Natural
Fragrance Coconut Lotion
10g
Ultra
Refined Shea
15g
Virgin
Coconut Oil
12.25g
ewax - you can use Naturamulse
following manufacturers recommendations
6g
Stearic
Acid
2g
Glycerin
3oz
Distilled Water or Chamomile or Linden Tea
3.85oz
Chamomile or Rose Floral Water (or distilled water)
a
few drops liquid Milk Protien
touch
of iridescent glitter if desired
Put
stearic acid into a large pyrex measuring cup. Place this in a pot
of water on medium heat. Add the ewax when the stearic acid is almost
melted. Take off heat and add the shea butter. When all is liquid
place back on heat for a minute to add the virgin coconut oil. Remove
from heat.
While
the oils are melting, warm the distilled water and glycerine to
roughly the same temps as the oils. (keep the oils as low as possible
but not so low that the stearic acid solidifies again) When the oils
mixed thoroughly slowly add and mix distilled water. Wait until the
last minute possible (coolest temps) to add the hydrosol very slowly
so that the scent is retained.
I
you're using a preservative add according to manufacturer's
instructions and bottle into clean bottles. This lotion can safely be
put into plastic since there are no essential oils. Slather all over
yourself and SNIFF :0)
I
am working on a version of this recipe in cream form. Also I think
it would be great with unrefined cocoa butter but if you're using it
in the lotion version you may want to adjust the stearic acid a
touch. I'll post as soon as I've played :0)
If
you want to add fragrance, vanilla is nice.
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