Natural Moisturiser

Coldfeet

Life Member
Mar 20, 2013
897
58
Yorkshire
I'm looking for information in a moisturiser made from ingredients as natural as possible, and ideally something I can make myself at home. Has anyone got any recipes or ideas?


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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Basic moisturiser is an emulsion of oil in water.
It really depends on several things on whether a recipe would be suitable for you or not.

Are you allergic to nuts ? (i.e. can I give you a recipe with sweet almond oil in it ?)
Are you on a tight budget ?….I like shea butter, but ordinary grapeseed oil works….
Do you have a medical condition like exzema ?
Where do you wish to moisturise yourself ? Hands, face, body, etc…
Do you wish preservatives, organic ones ? or none ?

There are thousands of recipes available, but if you have a stick blender (or are good with the elbow grease and happy to use a wire whisk) then the basic recipe is oil, water, wax….all at the same temperature, mixed and beaten until they stay in the mixture as they cool down.

Proportions vary depending on what you wish to use, and what's available.
We are no longer 'allowed' to use borax with the beeswax to create a stable emulsion, but there are other chemicals that will do so.

We have a Lotions and Potions Group….really should kick start that again :eek:

atb,
M
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Basic Moisturiser.

2 tablespoonsful of oil, or nut butter.
2 tablespoonsful of water
1 teaspoonful of melted beeswax.

If you increase the quantitiy of beeswax you will make a thick hard cream like a lipsyl.

M
 

cranmere

Settler
Mar 7, 2014
992
2
Somerset, England
Something to note with Toddy's recipe is that because it doesn't have any preservatives it will grow mould eventually. Keep it cool, throw it out if it starts to look dubious. You can also make a mixture of wax and oil that will keep much better because there isn't any water in it, but that is a lot more sticky to use.
 
Hi Coldfeet!

Here is a link to my recipe for a "healing skin salve." Although the plants are native to my area, they should help you get an idea of the ones you want to include in yours. You can also use the same process I did to make your moisturiser.


How to Make a Skin Salve


I would be interested to hear what you come up with. It would be great if you can post your results.

I hope this helps!

- Woodsorrel
 

Coldfeet

Life Member
Mar 20, 2013
897
58
Yorkshire
Hi, thanks for the replies and information.
I'm not aware of any allergies, so happy to try most ingredients. In regard to budget - I would rather not spend too much money at the moment. I am happy to play with what I have got in the house, and once I am happy with the process, will try swapping ingredients for better quality ones. I can get spots of psoriasis, so something that can help with that would be great, and it would generally be used on hands and face. I would also like to keep the ingredients as natural and organic as possible :)
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,120
68
Florida
More than likely you have a natural moisturiser already...olive oil.

I was thinking the same thing.

A couple of years ago a few companies were marketing products made from goats' milk over here: soaps, moisturizers, lotions, etc. No idea how well they worked or just how "natural" they kept their formulas.
 

xylaria

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
More than likely you have a natural moisturiser already...olive oil.
Someone asked me about making a shaving oil. Not being male i looked in to the history and present products. Since romano greeks olive oil has been used as a shaving oil then some bloke twenty years ago comes up with little tiny really really pricey bottles of stuff and makes a fortune.

Anyway moisturizer. 100ml Extra virgin olive oil or extra virgin rapeseed then add beeswax beads so you have 125ml in contaner. Heat until melted then beat as it cools. This doesnt really go off as it doesnt have water, it lasts at least 6 months. This will sit on your skin and prevent chapping.

Most cheap shop moisterisers are simply emulisfing wax* and water with chemicals for more slipperiness and thickeners. If you make them with comfry or nettle tea you get a nice herbal cream. You need to add sodium benozate or potassium sorbate to stop bacterial growth, you can get both from the homebrew shops. You need no more than 2% by wieght, which is a tiny amount if you are only making a 100ml or so. You dont need formaldhyde producers like what in is shop brought goods, as you haven't got silcone oils [dimethicone] and other garbage.

Emulsyfing wax is normally made from coconut oil. one of the fats is seperated and chemically altered.
 
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