Make Your Own Beauty Products at Home
Making your own facial soap is fairly easy and can be extremely rewarding.
Here are few basic steps to the art of liquid soap making.
Basic ingredients found in soap:
Water
Sodium or Potassium hydroxide (lye)
Fat or oil
First pour required amount of distilled water in your stainless steel pot
Measure and weigh potassium hydroxide and add to water (insulate bottom of pot because potassium hydroxide generates a lot of heat)
When water approaches the boiling point, set aside and prepare oils
Measure oils and heat to 120-130F. Water mixture must be the same temperature as oil mixture before you combine. If both mixtures are at the appropriate temperature then combine oil and water solutions.
Blend the combined mixture for 2-3 minutes and rest for 5 minutes and repeat the process until the soap begins to produce trace (when the mixture becomes thick and holds dropped droplets or soap trailing).
After you have a heavy trace place the inner pot in a double broiler and make sure the outer pot is filled with sufficient water (the water level should be the same as the soap level, and you need to keep the water in the outer pan constant).
Check the soap every 15 minutes while cooking and continue to stir in intervals. You should start to see opaque soap curds and free oils; these must be mixed in continually. After the first �½ hour of stirring and checking your mixture you can check it less frequently. The soap will need to cook for 4-6 hours before you get a finished product.
Turning over the soap is extremely important because the soap can trap liquids at the bottom. When the soap is transparent and has not free liquid left it is ready.
In order to customize your soap you can add ingredients such as coconut oil which has moisturizing and lathering properties or olive oil which is good for your skin and won’t clog your pores. An example of a homemade facial cleanser recipe is:
MOISTURIZING FACIAL CLEANSER
Rich facial soap, formulated for dry or mature skins. The coconut oil provides deep cleansing, while the shea and avocado helps with moisture.
Oils you will need: (by weight):
45 oz of coconut 76 degree
3 oz. of shea butter
12 oz. of avocado oil
25 oz. of olive oil
40 oz. of sunflower seed oil
If you make your own facial cleanser you are sure to need a mask and a scrub to go with your cleanser. Here are a couple of homemade facial scrub and mask recipes that are sure to wake-up and rejuvenate your tired skin.
Oatmeal Mask
Make a paste from a little oatmeal and water. Apply to face and let dry. Gently wipe off with a damp washcloth.
Honey-Banana Madness
Mash 1/2 banana and add 1-tablespoon honey and 2 tablespoons sour cream. Apply to face and let set for about 10 minutes. Gently wipe off with a damp washcloth.
Blackhead Solution
To loosen blackheads, combine equal parts baking soda and water in your hand and rub gently on your skin for 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse with warm water.
Refreshing Avocado Mask
Mash half of an avocado and apply to entire face. Let set for about 20 minutes and then gently wipe off with a damp washcloth.
Basic recipes taken from: Rachel Paxton http://www.creativehomemaking.com
Homemade Brown Sugar Scrub Recipe
I love to use this scrub to get rid of all the dead skin. Works wonderful to shave your legs with too!!
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of jojoba oil
1/4 cup of liquid soap
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract (optional but I always add it)
Mix it all together and it is ready to go. This is definitely a beauty recipe you will want to share with your friends.
After you treat yourself to a refreshing facial you can pamper yourself in nice warm bath and use some of these fabulous products to indulge.
Some fun recipes that can be used for pampering purposes are:
Secret Garden Bath Teas
Makes one tea bag.
1 tsp lavender flowers (dried)
1 tsp rose petals (dried)
1/2 tsp lemon balm (dried)
1/4 tsp rosemary (dried)
1/8 tsp spearmint (dried) (just to give it a bit of a snap)
4 drops lavender (essential oil)
2 drops rose (essential oil)
1 drop patchouli (essential oil)
Mix well, put into heat seal able teabag
�· Give this gift in a sheer bag or a cute spring themed gift bag; include several tea bags and a card with directions.
Old Fashioned Beauty Bath
Makes an invigorating bath!
One-pound barley
One-pound bran
One-pound oatmeal
One-pound brown rice
One-half pound bay leaves
One-half pound dried lavender flowers
Boil all of the ingredients in four quarts of rainwater for sixty minutes, and then strain the mixture. Use 2 quarts of the liquid for each tub of bathwater. An extra rinse after this herbal bath is unnecessary and would deprive you of some of its benefits. Follow it with a vigorous towel drying.
�· Packaging suggestion: Purchase a gallon container (to hold 4 quarts). Decorate it with a big bow or multicolored raffia; be sure to attach a personalized card with usage instructions.
Cleopatra’s Milk Bath
Pamper yourself with this luxurious bath!
2 cups powdered milk (dry)
1 Tbsp. dried orange peel
2 tsp. dried lavender flowers
2 tsp. dried rosemary
Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a clear glass bottle. Use 1/2 cup of the mixture per bath – soak for 20 minutes.
�· Packaging Suggestion: Tie a ribbon and a sprig of dried flowers to the jar for a ready gift! You can also make a cloth or lace jar cover to add elegance to your gift.
All recipes can be customized for individual needs.
These recipe ideas were taken from http://www.teachsoap.com/recipes.html
Creating a unique, inexpensive beauty routine can be easy if you follow the above recipes and instructions. You can mix up a beauty treatment for yourself or give them as gifts. The possibilities are endless!
