Natural moisturiser recipes

[the_vermins]

I have been looking at some different recipes to try for moisturisers and thought I'd post them for people to try and comment on.  I'm going to have a burl of them at some stage in the next few weeks.

Beeswax-Almond Hand Cream

¼ cup beeswax
½ cup almond oil
½ cup coconut oil
¼ cup rosewater

Melt the beeswax and coconut oil over a double boiler. Add the remaining ingredients and heat until well mixed, several minutes. Pour into a container while still hot since it does harden as it cools. Makes about 1½ cups.

Beeswax Lip Balm

2 tablespoons beeswax
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Melt the ingredients over a double boiler. Pour into a container while still hot since it will harden as it cools. Makes about 1/4 cup.

Body Lotion
makes 2 cups

1 cup aloe Vera gel
1 teaspoon lanolin
1 teaspoon pure Vit E oil
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 to 3/4 ounce beeswax
3/4 cup almond oil
up to 1and 1/2 teaspoons essential oil or more to prolong scent ( I used a combination of lavender EO and rose geranium EO - scent is lovely and is great for skin)

Place aloe Vera gel, lanolin, & vit E oil in blender or food processor.
Place coconut oil & beeswax in 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup, microwave on high 30 seconds, and stir with chopstick. Repeat heating in 10-second blocks until fully melted. Stir in almond oil, reheating if necessary. Run blender or processor at low to medium speed, then pour in melted oils in thin stream as if making mayonnaise. As oil is blended in, cream will turn white and
blender's motor will start to grind. As soon as melted oils are added and you've achieved mayonnaise-like consistency, stop motor, add essential oil(s) and pulse-blend. Do not overblend. Transfer cream to glass jars while still warm, as it thickens quickly.


Cocoa Butter Dry Skin Complex
 
This thick, rich "complex" for dry skin is made with lots of cocoa butter and other oils designed to aid dry skin. While it is liquid at room temperature, it is rather thick and requires shaking a little before using. I used unscented cocoa butter so I could add essential oils and not have to worry about a chocolate aroma, but you can use scented cocoa butter just as well if you like the aroma of chocolate. If you use unscented cocoa butter, you will enjoy the blend of essential oils ... a fresh, clean and soothing combination.
Yield: Approx. 2.5 ounces
Ingredients:
20 grams cocoa butter (I used unscented)
18 grams sesame oil
18 grams extra virgin olive oil
18 grams avocado oil
1 drop  clary sage essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
1 drop rose essential oil
1 drop geranium essential oil
Blending Procedure:
1.   Place cocoa butter, sesame oil, olive oil and avocado oil in a heat proof (I use Pyrex) measuring cup, and place the cup in a saucepan of boiling water. Once the cocoa butter is nearly melted, remove the mixture from heat and stir with a clean spoon or pop sickle stick to mix well.
2.   Make sure the cocoa butter is completely melted and mixed in. Add the essential oils next and stir well to incorporate.
3.   Pour the mixture into a glass bottle with a dropper top and dispense a little at a time to soothe and protect dry skin.
4.   In cooler climates, this Cocoa Butter Dry Skin Complex could harden a bit. If this happens, just warm it under warm water before using or store it in a sunny window to keep it pourable. Enjoy!!


Cocoa Butter Hand Cream

4 tbs. beeswax
4 tbs. cocoa butter
4 tbs. almond oil

Melt together beeswax and cocoa butter. Add almond oil. Mix completely until smooth. (May use blender). Pour into a pretty pot or jar. Let harden and it is ready to use or to be given as a gift.


Let me know if you try any of them and what you think.  I got these recipes from an ebook I bought years ago called 893 Bath & Cosmetic Recipes Vol I.  Don't know who the author is.  Might have to look a little deeper for that.
Enjoy. Steph.

[ellie j]

These look good and simple just what I need . Thanks will let you know how I go 

[the_vermins]

Obviously we'll have to work out conversion temps etc too. Now to order some bits and pieces.

[thermoheaven]

You're going to find the lip balm waaaayyyy too hard with all that beeswax in it.

[the_vermins]

Maybe it should be 1:1 ratio.

[meganjane]

Just be aware that those recipes with aloe gel and rosewater will go bad if not kept in the fridge. Even if they are kept in the fridge, they should be used within a few days.
The aloe gel one may keep longer if the gel has preservative in it already.

[the_vermins]

Thanks for that Meganjane.  What sort of preservative would help it last a bit longer?  I go through body cream quickly so that doesn't bother me. 

[ahoney]

most commercial aloe vera jels have a preservative in them already, however it is a nasty one and I would not use it, fresh is best and it's very easy to grow, just treat it badly, don't water much and don't fertilise!

[the_vermins]

Ah right.  I have some in the garden that's been well neglected.  So neglected that it's thriving.   I"ll use fresh instead and make a smaller amount.  I <3 this forum.

[meganjane]

Just bumping this topic as I want to answer the question about preservative. I use a natural one that I buy from New Directions called Plantaserve M.

Beeswax is very 'draggy' in a lip balm. I prefer candellila and carnauba wax. They're both natural plant waxes.

[the_vermins]

Thanks for that Meganjane. 
Tis funny.  I still havent' got around to making these but thought I'd do it and look at what you left me! LOL!  Now I'll make lovely lip balm.