# Need more hydrating from a face lotion/cream



## kittywings (Jan 12, 2009)

I LOVE Dermalogica's Intensive Moisture Balance, but I am trying not to spend the money on it.  I did some research and heard a lot of good things about olive oil, so I was trying that.  My skin still feels dry underneath the oil if that makes sense.  So I bought emulsifying wax, stearic acid, borax and made some lotion with those and the olive oil (I've been trying to find Germaben II or something else as a preservative in Phoenix... but I can't seem to find anything so far- online places seeme to charge as much for shipping as the product itself).  Anyway, my skin feels a TEENSY bit more moisturized but still feels thirsty with this new lotion.  Is there a way to infuse more moisture in the lotion?


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## topcat (Jan 13, 2009)

Sorry I can't help with ingredients/recipes here kittywings....I just thought that possibly the olive oil is your culprit?  Your skin may like something different?  I have read posts here that shea butter is excellent for skin and Tabitha whips her shea.  You could use shea plus a skin loving oil like maybe jojoba or ricebran or sweet almond (lighter than olive) and whip them together?

Check out other threads here and you may find something that suits you. 

Something else to consider....if your skin still feels dry underneath the oil/lotion you are using, you may need to gently exfoliate first - this will get rid of the dead skin cells and allow the fresher ones to be moisturised.  HTH!

Tanya


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## Lindy (Jan 13, 2009)

Another thing you can do is after you have put the oil on your face use a face cloth and put the hottest water you can stand on it, wring it out and put that on your face, starting on your forehead, let it cool and then repeat putting the cloth on your cheeks and then again for the lower third of your face.  This will open the pores up allowing for better absorption and it will also allow any impurities to be removed just through the presence of the hot cloth and oil.  This is what I have been doing with my salve and the difference in my skin is significant.

HTH
Lindy


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## kittywings (Jan 13, 2009)

I am a big exfoliator (if anything I need to calm it down), it's not that.  I just bought some Almond oil today and am gonna give that a try.  I had tried to use coconut oil before and at first I thought it was good but then it was totally clogging my pores and that drives me nuts!  Putting super hot water on your skin isn't good because it really dries it out, I guess OVER oil it wouldn't be as bad but when I use too hot water (as I tend to) my skin is ULTRA-ULTRA dry!  I'm trying so hard not to break down and buy the Dermalogica because it's the ONLY lotion that works for me (I have tried so many).
I'll let you know how the almond oil works.  Thanks for your help!


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## digit (Jan 13, 2009)

I am no expert at skin or lotions, but maybe some of this will help.

First, the skin needs water, then protection. It is important to hydrate your skin from the inside, too. Mama was right.......drink more water. I have dry and problem skin. After rinsing my face at night, I pour a bit of oil in my hands, rub them together and then pat it on.

Choose oils for your moisturizer by your needs and tendency to clog pores. (I find this a helpful site to start with http://www.dermaxime.com/acne-comedogen ... dients.htm) Some oils will penetrate to a point, others provide a protection barrier. Because of reactions to various oils (I can use shea everywhere BUT the face due to latex sensitivities), it may be a trial and error thing. Problem there is that it can take a few weeks for your skin to adjust to a new product for you to be able to reliably determine the effects. My understanding of lotions is that the water portion hydrates and the oil portion protects.

Have you tried the oil cleansing method? http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/  It may help, too. That also, is a trial and error thing to determine which oils or combo to use. Maybe start with straight Olive Oil and go from there. Or use a gentler cleanser or cleansing cream. 

Digit


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## TheGardener (Jan 13, 2009)

Castor oil is also very good for dry skin.  My skin reacts the same as yours to hot water.  But a hot face cloth over oil doesn't make my skin dry, it simply helps the oil to penetrate.


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## 7053joanne (Jan 13, 2009)

I make facial oils for my friends that are a combination of sweet almond, evening primrose, a little bit of fract. coconut, rosehip seed oil, hempseed and a little macadamia and lots of VIT E.  Then I will add a blend of essential oils.  Works like a charm for their weather beaten skin.


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## kittywings (Jan 13, 2009)

The almond oil was definitely better, I think with some tweaking it will be do-able. I had let my skin dry too much before putting on the oil so I did smear a little water on my face after applying the oil and that did help a lot.  I think I'll try making a lotion out of the almond oil today and I'll let you know!


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## kittywings (Jan 13, 2009)

I forgot part of what I meant to say: if I add a little more stearic acid to a lotion... will it suspend more water (does that make sense?)?


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## mandolyn (Jan 13, 2009)

Another thing you might try is to spritz your face with rose hydrosol when it feels dry. You can do that at any time during the day. If the mist is fine enough, it won't even disturb makeup.

I have really dry skin, so I make an instant lotion right on my face by spritzing heavily with hydrosol, then massaging in a light oil. I use rosehip seed oil a lot. I also like apricot kernel & camellia seed oil.

For really intensive moisturizing, I use shea butter, but I can't use it all the time or I start getting break-outs.


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## IanT (Jan 13, 2009)

I just made a massage lotion with castor, avocado, jojoba, swt almond, aloe butter, and unrefined shea a little ewax and stearic acid....


it soaks in REAL nice..

I like castor and avocado for moisture (at least from my experience so far) it feels like your skin drinks it up the aloe butter probably helps too


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## busymammaof3 (Jan 17, 2009)

*facial moisturizer*

I have using my own facial moisturizer for about a year now. My mother and aunt both swear by it.

I use jojoba oil with my emuslifier, distilled water and stearci acid.

We all 3 have very sensitive and dry skin. This has never clogged our pores and my aunt said since using it her face cleared up and is much softer.

Almond oil, you have already experienced is also real good. But I prefer jojoba. It is well known to highly penetrate.

Although hot water can dry otu the skin, especially if done too long...it is very beneficial to the skin. Especially when trying to cleanse, tone and moisturize the delicate skin on your face.

I have noticed, using my lotion, that when I wash my face with hot water and homemade facial soap....and then immediately moisterize with the lotion...it works perfectly on hudrating my dry, flaky skin.

In extreme, cold weather (like when I visit my grandmother in AK), I keep a small travel size bottle of it in my purse, so I can rehydrate whenever I need it.

Vitamin E, in too high amounts can clog pores...I tried that with mine. A little is great. But you can have too much.

My advice, a basic, lotion recipe using jojoba or almond oil, distilled water, emulsifier, stearic acid is the way to go. No glycerin. And make sure if you add vitamin E you are exact and sparing, as with any other additive. Remember, this is your face. And it must be addressed much different than the rest of your skin.


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## busymammaof3 (Jan 17, 2009)

*The rest of the body*

If the rest of your body (not your face) is very dry...altering your basic facial lotion recipe is easily done. Adding shea butter and avacado oil worked like a charm for me and my family! Tweak the percentages of the oils, with the water, emulsifier and thickener...and I think you'll see a big difference in hydration on your skin.

Some people are allergic to shea butter. If you find that is true for you...try using cocoa butter instead. It turns a basic lotion into one for those who have severe dry skin.

I use my basic jojoba moisturizer for my face, after I shower, bath,or just wash my face.

I use the lotion with shea butter at night, on my feet, before I put my socks on...to get into bed. I also use the shea butter lotion and sometimes a whipped body butter all over (not my face) right after getting out of a hot shower/bath. The skin really absorbs it well and leaves it feeling very moisturized.

Sorry if I am rambling. Hope that helps!


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## pepperi27 (Jan 17, 2009)

My face is often times very dry especially when I don't drink enough water. Before I jump outta the shower, after washing it with plain soap, I submerge my face in very warm water. I have a specific gentle towel that I rub my face with then I add small amounts of cocoa butter lotion. I have base lotion here and I just melt some cocoa butter and add it in shake it up and I'm good!


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## kittywings (Jan 28, 2009)

So I bought a bunch of stuff off lotioncrafter using my favorite lotion's ingredient list as a guide.   I couldn't find everything there, but a lot of it, I did.  Using their usage guidlines and researching which phase to add ingredients to... I made my own lotion and it is AWESOME!  I gave some to my mom and she likes it too!  YAY!


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## busymammaof3 (Jan 29, 2009)

Congrats! Glad you got the results you were looking for!


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## barefootbody (Feb 22, 2009)

May I suggest taking Omega 3 supplements? Really has helped with my dry winter skin.


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## andreja (Sep 2, 2009)

I realize this is an old thread, but kittywings, could you post the recipe you used?


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## IanT (Sep 5, 2009)

ever tried aloe butter?? its awwwwwwwwwwwwwwesome


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