Facial Lotions / Night Creams / Shaving Soap

[smeetree]

I'm a 37 year old guy who makes soap.

I'm doing this to get my girlfriend and I off chemicals and improve our health. Plus the creativity is nice.

So I am looking to expand and make facial lotion for general moisturizing, night cream for under the eyes (something to help with wrinkles, etc), and shaving soap or cream.

Do you guys have any recipes? If you want to keep yours private maybe send me a PM. I am not a commercial producer. This is just two people in an apartment trying to get off chemicals and maintain our health.

I made my own night cream using coco butter, avocado oil, olive oil, and coconut oil. But it's a little greasy and colors the skin yellow. Overall I like it but just wondering if I can improve on it and learn some more.

Thanks!

 

[lsg]

Here is my go-to place for info and recies:

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/search?q=face+lotion

 

[smeetree]

Here is my go-to place for info and recies:

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/search?q=face+lotion

Bookmarked, thanks!

Do you know if she uses all natural ingredients? I saw preservatives and such in the list, but I am not sure if they are considered natural/safe.

 

[DeeAnna]

Preservatives are pretty much a necessity when you make a lotion, even for personal use. A lotion contains water and lovely foods that microbes like to eat -- fats, sugars, starches, etc. The health risk from these "all natural" cooties in a lotion is much larger than the risk from well researched, well tested, and properly used "unnatural" preservatives.

Making a lotion without preservatives is basically the same as making homemade mayo -- you're combining water, fat, and emulsifier to make a stable emulsion. Let's say you make a batch of classic homemade mayo -- vinegar, oil, and egg yolk -- and leave it out on the counter for a week. Even if that the mayo looks and smells perfectly fine after that week, would you eat it? Would you willingly put it on your face?

If the answers are "no", then you may want to re-think your idea of making and using lotions without preservatives.

There are "eco cert" preservatives available. You might want to look into those products to find the least objectionable preservatives for what you want to do.

If preservatives in any form are not acceptable, then anhydrous products -- fat-only products that do not contain water or water-containing ingredients -- are a fairly safe choice. Or make small batches of lotion and keep the product in the refrigerator for only as long as you'd leave food in the fridge and still be willing to eat it.

 

[Yooper]

If preservatives in any form are not acceptable, then anhydrous products -- fat-only products that do not contain water or water-containing ingredients -- are a fairly safe choice. Or make small batches of lotion and keep the product in the refrigerator for only as long as you'd leave food in the fridge and still be willing to eat it.

That's a great point, and what I do. For non-water-added items like body butter, room temperature is fine. But for lotions, I make a tiny bit and use it up quickly or store it in the fridge (or both).

Lip balms, with no water added, are fine at room temperature for a long time but I still tin them up in tiny amounts because a finger contaminated with bacteria digging into it will expose it to contamination.

I don't use preservatives or "fake" ingredients so I stay away from making many emulsions.

You can go all hippie (a compliment, not derogatory!) or embrace new products- and it's all good if you are satisfied with what you're making. I'm definitely going hippie old school for me and my family.

 

[judymoody]

If you want to make lotion, you will need both an emulsifier and a preservative, both of which probably fall under your definition of "chemicals." Not all chemicals are bad, however, IMO. If you want to avoid them, then oil-based serums as the one you described are probably your best option.

 

[itunu]

There are so many definitions of "natural". It might help to select a "natural" standard to help you select "natural" ingredients - http://chemistscorner.com/cosmetic-chemists-guide-to-natural-and-organic-cosmetic-standards/. A popular natural standard is Ecocert, which DeeAnna mentioned.

If you choose to make a lotion, there is a list and review of Ecocert approved preservatives here (scroll down quite far) - http://makingskincare.com/preservatives/ so you can choose one which covers bacteria fungus and mould.