DIY Face Moisturizer

DIY Face Moisturizer

This simple cream recipe is silky and soothing to the skin. This thick, oil based cream is effective for those with very dry skin.

What You’ll Need:

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Whisk(s)
• Various stirring implements
• Glass or stainless steel bowls
• Glass or stainless steel saucepans
• A double-boiler
• A blender or food processor
• A variety of clean lidded jars (sterilize these in a boiling water bath and then let them air-dry)
• A spatula

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup organic olive oil
• ¼ cup organic sweet almond oil
• ¼ cup organic grapeseed oil
• 1/16 cup organic coconut oil
• 1/16 cup beeswax pastilles
• 1 cup organic hydrosol of your choice
• ½ cup organic aloe vera gel
• ¼ tsp vitamin E oil
• 8-15 drops of essential oil (lavender, orange, neroli, or sandalwood all work well)

Prep:

STEP 1: Blend the oils together in a stainless steel or glass saucepan, and warm on very low heat; the oils should be warmed through, but not be allowed to really heat up.

STEP 2: In another saucepan or double boiler, also on low heat, heat the wax pastilles until they’ve melted completely.

STEP 3: Take your hydrosol and the aloe vera gel, and combine them gently in a bowl. I generally use a small whisk to blend these, but take care not to whip them up: just swish them together slowly.

STEP 4: If you have a double boiler, warm it on low heat to prepare it for the last step. If you don’t have one, you can place a pyrex measuring jug or a clean, thick glass jar in a heat-proof saucepan that’s filled with enough water to surround the glass to the halfway mark.

STEP 5: As this will make a fairly sizeable batch of cream, be sure to have several clean glass jars and lids ready to go. I find that I can fill 5 baby food jars (the ones that are around 4 oz/128 ml) 3/4 of the way full, but you can also use smaller lidded cosmetic tins (1 oz or 2 oz sizes) as well.

Making the Cream:

STEP 1: Take half of the warmed oil mixture and pour it into the double-boiler you’ve pre-heated. Add about 1/4 oz of the melted wax, and stir gently. This mixture should be wholly liquid, so if you find that the wax is starting to harden or congeal, the water in the lower part of the double-boiler isn’t warm enough: raise the heat a little bit and stir softly until everything’s liquid again.

STEP 2: In either an upright blender or food processor, combine about 6 oz (3/4 cup) of the hydrosol/aloe blend with the vitamin E oil and the essential oil* of your choice.

*Note that you don’t have to add essential oils if you’d prefer a fragrance-free cream, but if you do decide to add them, either just use one scent (such as rose, lavender, etc.) or a combination of two that complement one another well

STEP 3: If you’re using an upright blender, remove the lid, turn the blender on low, and pour the warmed oil/wax mixture slowly into the very center of the spinning mixture below, taking very special care that you pour it in a steady, slow, thin stream. This is to ensure that the ingredients emulsify smoothly and don’t clump up. If you’re using a food processor, divide the warmed oil mixture in half and get a friend to stand across from you and pour slowly and steadily at the same time that you do: this will allow the mixture to be divided equally.

The cream will look a bit weird until it starts to thicken, but the sound the blender blades make will change to a lower pitch as the ingredients get thicker and creamier. Turn off the machine and use your spatula to scrape around the inside of the blender/food processor bowl and around the blades. This will scoop up any errant bits and moosh it all together well. Once you’ve done this, pulse the machine a couple of times to mix it well one last time.

STEP 4: Use your spatula and spoons to decant the cream into your jars. Use the spatula for getting every last bit out of nooks and crannies, but use the spoons to actually transfer the cream into the containers, as you’ll have greater control. Label these jars clearly with the date you created them and the scent that you used. If you keep the jars refrigerated, they’ll last for up to a year. Should you happen to notice that the contents smell a bit “off”, or if you see any mould on the cream, discard it immediately.