Many people enjoy making their own bath and body products.   There are several reasons for this.  One is that they are sure of the ingredients and quality.  The second is they can select their own fragrances.  The third is that it can be less expensive.  And the fourth reason is the sense of satisfaction they derive from making their own creams, lotions, and soaps. 

Face cream is particularly popular because so many of the creams on the market are over-priced and of dubious quality, despite outrageous claims.  Since facial skin is so important to us, many of us like a little more control over what we use on it.  Tips to prepare your own face cream is surprisingly easy to do at home.

You will need:

1 cup Grape Seed Oil , ¼ cup Virgin Coconut Oil, 1 tsp Lanolin, ½ oz. grated Beeswax, 2/3 cup Distilled Water, ½ cup Aloe Vera Gel or Juice,  Vitamin E (10,000 IU), Vitamin A (150,000 IU), several drops of essential oil and jars for storage.   You will also need a double boiler for melting the ingredients.  Most organic ingredients can be purchased at a grocery store or health food store.

If you can’t find them there, they are certainly available online.  Make sure that you get essential oil, rather than fragrance oil.  It’s very pure and held to strict standards, so it’s safe for cosmetic use.  Enjoy picking one out that you love!  You can make soap, creams, lotions, and bath gel to match. The vitamins can be broken capsules, which is often a less expensive alternative.  Jars are available at craft stores or drug stores.

Making Your Cream

Before you start, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.  To begin, mix the Grape Seed Oil, the Coconut Oil, the Lanolin and the Beeswax in the top portion of the double boiler.  Melt over low heat.  Transfer it to a glass measuring cup once it has melted and cool to room temperature.

Add Distilled Water, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, Vitamin A and the Essential Oil to a mixing bowl and beat at the highest speed.  While mixing, drip the melted oil/wax mix into the bowl.

Slow your blenders as the mixture thickens, and stop blending when it reaches the “creamy” consistency you prefer.    Pour the cream into jars and store in a cool place.   If you are giving the cream as a gift, or won’t be using for several weeks, you can store the jar in the refrigerator.  Just bring it back to room temperature before using.