Things You'll Need:
- Vegetable oil or herbal oil Beeswax Microwave or double boiler Water or herbal tea Small glass or plastic containers Mixing bowl and a whisk Blender Small spatula
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Step 1
Choose your oil based on your skin care needs. Include a bit of melted beeswax in the warmed oil to serve as your fatty component and provide a stiffer structure and a more solid cream-like end product once the aqueous portion is whipped in. The amount of aqueous substance that you add can transform this oil into a thick cream or a thin lotion.
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Step 2
Homogenize your oily fatty substance together with a watery aqueous ingredient (such as rose water). Use a blender or vigorously stir and whip the two ingredients for many minutes to create an emulsion.
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Step 3
Measure 1 cup of oil and melt 1 ounce of beeswax. Melt the beeswax in a microwave or double boiler while warming your cup of oil. If you pour melted beeswax into cold oil, it will instantly harden and you won't be able to stir in the aqueous ingredients unless you melt down the fatty portion again. To change the oil/beeswax mixture into an emulsion, the aqueous component of the formula must be vigorously stirred in, drop by drop, before the salve-like mixture hardens. If you add the aqueous portion too quickly it will not homogenize.
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Step 4
Blend your oily and aqueous ingredients. Place the warm melted beeswax/oil combo in a blender and slowly drizzle in rose water or another watery component. This cupful of oil/beeswax combination will except from 1/3 up to 1 cup of a watery substance, depending on how thickness of your finished product. For an eye cream, for example, you may want to keep the emulsion fairly thick, so you can use it sparingly under the eyes. In that case, add only 1/3 cup of a watery component. For a lotion, however, add a larger amount of the watery component.
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Step 5
Add embellishments. Instead of using plain vegetable oil, use an herbal oil. Comfrey oil, St .Johnswort oil, or calendula oil are classic skin herbs available from herb shops. You could also substitute 1 tbsp. of vitamin E oil for your cup full of oil. Or opt for some of the more expensive skin oils. such as rose hip seed oil, apricot kernel oil, or sea buckthorn oil.
Substitute a small amount of the oil, such 1 tbsp., for 1 tbsp. of melted cocoa butter or melted shea nut butter. This will produce a thicker, fatty portion that will accept a larger quantity of the aqueous portion before becoming runny.
Make a strong herbal tea to serve as your aqueous portion. Chamomile heals inflammation and comfrey root relieves dryness, Add yarrow for oiliness and acne. You may substitute aloe vera juice, or aloe gel for part or all or the aqueous portion. Use that version on sunburns or to repair sun-damaged skin. -
Step 6
Experiment with small amounts of the oily and the aqueous portions. Once you are satisfied with simple oils and waters, branch out to more expensive ingredients. Customize the recipes for your individual needs. Make your own herbal oils in large batches and buy professional-looking salve containers or lotion bottles in which to store your creations. Print fancy labels on your home computer to beautify your creations. Add a few drops of essential oils to scent your products in the last minute of the blending process. Record recipes so you can reproduce your successes.
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Step 7
Fill containers with your emulsion. Once the entire portion of the aqueous component has been slowly whisked and beaten into the fatty component, scrape or pour the resulting cream or lotion from the blender or mixing bowl into small containers. Small squeeze bottles are best for lotions and short squat containers are best for creams.
