First Balm Question on Sanitation

[sephera]

Hi

I made my first balm to use on the face and hair last night.

1 part beeswax, 1 part castor oil, 1 part Argan/Jojoba, 2 parts Almond.

About 20 drops of essential oils.

I wiped down my pyrex glass cup, bench space and jar with Isocol Rubbing Alcohol.

Used the double boiler method to melt wax and oils.

Pour everything in the jar and put it in the fridge I used it when it was hard.

It feels a bit itchy and my face? Did I take all necessary steps to ensure sanitation of my product?

 

[Cellador]

You are making a product without water, so you don't have to worry about mold, fungus, & yeast growing in your products. But, it's always great to keep things as sanitary as possible. I spray everything with alcohol and always wear gloves.
Have you used this product before? The EOs are not new to your skin?

 

[sephera]

Hi

Good to know, only thing is the bees wax might be older. But I heard they don't expire.

I am not keen in venturing into water based products worried about contamination etc.

Is there any possibility that water could have crept in during any time in the process.

 

[penelopejane]

So you’ve used the EO directly on your skin before at that percentage?

 

[shunt2011]

What essential oils are you using. You may be having a reaction to those. May have an allergy to one.

 

[Dahila]

I do not know many people who respond well to beeswax, I mean face, it clogs pores, It is draggy. If you have to use beeswax there is modified beeswax, Cera belina , it is awesome and good for face but still it is not everyday use
when you use beeswax use percentage at 100% , 14 % of beeswax will give you kind of soft product,

 

[Cellador]

It's possible, but oil & water don't mix without an emulsifier. I think it's more likely that any itchiness is caused by the ingredients themselves. Castor oil can be drying to some skin types. Your face could also be more sensitive to EOs than other parts of the body.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Your recipe & method looks good.

1 part beeswax to 4 parts liquid oil is the ratio for making a Vaseline type product. Would I use Vaseline on my face and hair? Not likely. But I would use it on elbows and feet -- esp. infused with "healing herbs".

Would I use argan, jojoba, almond oil on my face and hair? Yes. Since you have those ingredients on hand, that may be the better option for you. I would put them into a 2 oz "serum pump" and use only 1-2 pumps for face & hair (first on the ends, then the rest of the hair to provide shine and control frizzies).

To see if you're sensitive to any of those oils, try a dot of each on your wrist or face to see how your skin reacts. Do the same with your EO blend. I'm sorta leaning toward that as the culprit for your itchies. Not sure. There's no clove or cinnamon in the blend, yes?

I use 10% bleach solution to wipe down counters, work space, scale. I spray/drench all equipment, bowls, etc. with 90% isopropyl alcohol and set out ahead of time to air dry. I sanitize my containers with a product used by home made beer and wine enthusiasts -- Sodium Metabisulfate Sanitizer. I use the powder and mix with distilled water as needed.

PS: It is said that Jackie Kennedy slathered her whole body with almond oil before going to bed every night! You may not know who Doris Day is, but she used mayonnaise to condition her hair before shampooing. Tried it. Hard as the dickens to get rid of that smell! Everyone kept asking me, "Where's the salad? I smell salad!"