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Ceramide cream has been on my recipe list for a long time. Ceramide is used especially for the treatment of dry and damaged skin. Basic creams sold at the pharmacy quite often also contain ceramide. I decided to prepare a protective and caring cream containing ceramide for autumn. In spring and winter, the indoor air starts to be quite dry due to the heating. Then it is good to use the best possible ingredients against skin dryness. The moisturizing ceramide cream is the homemade cosmetics equivalent of the basic cream from the pharmacy. You’ll soon find out that you can’t live without this cream, it’s such an effective moisturizer.

kosteuttava-keramidivoide
Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Should I do a ceramide-rich salve or an emulsion?

The difference between a salve and an emulsion is clear; Salve is a water-free product, only oils and beeswax are used to make it or, alternatively, some other wax is used to solidify the oil. In the preparation of an emulsion, both water and oil are needed, as well as an emulsifier to connect these two ingredients together.

I decided to choose an emulsion-type cream for this product. Moisturizing the skin is not possible without liquid. Of course, you can moisturize the skin in advance, before applying the cream, and then add the anhydrous salve to the skin. The emulsion is just so convenient to use. With one treatment, the skin gets both hydration and protection. Making an emulsion cream is not difficult at all. If you have never made an emulsion cream before, you can find the basic instructions for making an emulsion cream on my website; This is how a homemade emulsion cream is created.

You can read more about ceramides here; Ceramides; dry skin rescue. Cholesterol should also be used in creams together with ceramides, as it supports the effect of ceramides. However, cholesterol is a very difficult ingredient to process. I haven’t worked with the cholesterol myself precisely because of its challenging nature.

Moisturizing ingredients for ceramide cream

The purpose of this cream is to moisturize the skin and protect the skin from drying out. The purpose of ceramides is specifically to protect the skin. In order for the cream to work by moisturizing dry skin, moisturizing factors must be added separately to the cream.

This cream contains three moisturizing ingredients that work in different ways. Of course, you can leave out some of the moisturizing factors if you don’t have them available. However, it would be important to use at least one of the following ingredients.

Marshmallow root

Marshmallow root is very moisturizing. It is usually used in hair care because it leaves a nice texture in the hair and adds volume. The herbal marshmallow root is also suitable for skin care. It’s a mallow plant. If you have mallows in your yard, you can also use their roots. The roots of mallows are very much more delicate than the roots of the marshmallow’s root. That’s why only the leaves and cores are often used. The roots and leaves of burr are also suitable for this purpose.

Marshmallow contains a lot of skin and hair moisturizing mucilage. There are a lot of mucilage substances in the whole plant, but most in the roots. The herbal marshmallow root is sold in herbal shops in small light cubes. The cubes are boiled in water and the broth is used for making cosmetics. Marshmallow roots are completely non-toxic. The first marshmallow candy was a vegan delicacy. They were made from marshmallow roots (marshmallow) and sugar.

Allantoin

One of the most moisturizing ingredients is allantoin. It is a white powder that dissolves very easily in water up to 0.5%. Allantoin is therefore dosed very moderately. If you don’t have a scale accurate enough, dose allantoin like adding carefully just a little more salt on food.

Allantoin exists in both plant and animal sources. Allantoin is a salt of uric acid that is secreted by mammals. It is also obtained from plants like horse chestnuts and wheat germ. Many wild plants such as buttercups also contain allantoin. However, buttercups are slightly toxic, so they should not be used in cosmetics.

Since allantoin is a quite natural product, the skin tolerates it well. Allantoin has many good properties, so it should be included in the cream formula.

Glycerol or glycerine

Glycerine is an old, familiar friend to the readers of this blog. Lipids, like oils, consist of fatty acids and glycerine. Glycerine is isolated from vegetable oils. Glycerine is a colourless and odourless liquid. The taste of glycerine is very sweet. Glycerine is a completely non-toxic substance that is also used in the food industry as an additive. It mixes well with water and oil.

Glycerine is used in cosmetics mainly because of its moisturizing properties. Glycerine binds a lot of water. Glycerin takes water from its surroundings like from the skin.  Glycerine helps the moisture to stay in the skin. If there is no moisture in the skin, glycerine will only harm the skin. That’s why glycerine is used in water-based products like emulsions.

You shouldn’t use too much glycerine in the product because it easily makes the skin sticky. It’s a sugar alcohol. Glycerine also requires plenty of water around it. A suitable dosage for glycerine in cream is about 2-5% of the total weight of the product.

You can read my article about glycerine here; This is how miracle-making glycerol helps in the treatment of dry winter skin.

Excipients for ceramide cream

In this cream, I also used the familiar Olivem 1000 emulsifier derived from olive oil and the Geogard 221 preservative, which is ECOCERT approved. You can also use familiar Eco preservative, which is a very safe and versatile preservative system. It is absolutely necessary to use a preservative for products containing water. Otherwise, your wonderful cream will be spoiled in a few days.

Skin softening oils

I have chosen a light base oil for this product, which is easily absorbed by the skin. The protection of the cream is achieved with ceramides, which means that the oil can be very light and easily absorbed. That’s why I used safflower oil for the cream this time. Grapeseed oil is also light enough for this cream.

To complete the oleic acid profile of safflower oil, I chose nourishing blackcurrant seed oil. Blackcurrant seed oil contains a lot of gamma-linolenic acid, which is not found in base oils. Blackcurrant seed oil is a special oil that only a very small amount is needed in the product.

Prescription; moisturizing Ceramide Cream

You can use the moisturizing ceramide cream perfectly on your entire body. I personally use this after a sauna or a shower on the whole body. The cream is also suitable for children and especially for elderly people.

This dose may be too small if you want to use the cream all over your body. If you like cream, double or even quadruple the dose like I did.

This emulsion cream becomes very thin, milky and light. I think the cream moisturizes better if there is plenty of liquid in it. If you want a firmer, thicker cream, reduce the amount of liquid but keep the ratio of oil and emulsifier the same.

Formulating cosmetics is fun but challenging. If you want to test the structure of the cream, don’t use expensive ceramide and your finest oils. Make your training version with just water, cheap cooking oil and an emulsifier.

You need these:

Ingredients

First, you need to prepare the marshmallow root decoction.

Marshmallow root decoction;

Boil the marshmallow root slowly in water for about 15 minutes. Filter the decoction and use it in the water phase of the cream or as a hair conditioner.

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This is how you use a moisturizing ceramides cream

kosteuttava-keramidivoide
Photo Jukka Niittymaa Pixabaystä

Apply the cream on moist skin. Best timing is at the end of a shower or sauna. Apply the cream to the skin by massaging lightly. You can use ceramide-rich emulsion cream for both your face and body.

Let the cream soak in for a few minutes so that the moisture in the cream can be properly absorbed into the skin. After a while, the skin feels very soft and moisturized, but not greasy at all. Ceramides do not remain on the surface of the skin but are absorbed deep into the skin, creating a natural moisturized feeling. A pleasant feeling remains on the surface of the skin.

The gentle, moisturizing ceramide cream is suitable for the whole family.

Let me know what you think about this cream!

From time to time, I have to answer to the question why do I bother to make cosmetics by myself. Making cosmetics is already so self-clear to me that I haven’t thought about it much anymore. Long time ago I decided to use the purest, cleanest possible cosmetics without any additives. Years ago, it was almost impossible to find such a product in stores. Last week, while visiting the local Market, I decided to take a look at their cosmetics shelf. There were some products that I am analysing deeper in this story. The purpose is to tell you about the differences between the ingredients of homemade cosmetics, natural cosmetics and conventional cosmetics.

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Photo by Nataliya Melnychuk on Unsplash

There is a huge variety of cosmetic products available today

It’s been quite a long time since I last took a look at the supermarket cosmetics selection. I usually visit stores specialising in natural cosmetics. The selection of our own local market surprised me positively, even though the whole store is undergoing a massive renovation. Certified natural cosmetics were also found on the shelf. This is a very good thing. Natural cosmetics are starting to be mainstream these days. A good thing!

Do you know what your cosmetics contain?

According to EU legislation, cosmetic packaging must have a clear list of ingredients, i.e., INCI, visible on the label. Many certainly know this, but INCI is rarely seen. The INCI vocabulary is mainly in English. Many of the ingredients are chemical compounds with challenging spellings. The names of herbs and plant parts are in INCI in Latin language. Many manufacturers have made it easier for the consumer by translating Latin plant names into English as well.

Three different day face creams and their INCI lists

I will open you INCI lists of three different day face creams. I will not mention product names or manufacturers as I do not want negative publicity for anyone. I think it is great that there are companies and entrepreneurs. Otherwise, we should prepare everything by ourselves. I myself buy commercial cosmetics from time to time.

Two of the day face creams were found in the Market and I made one day face cream myself at home. All day face creams are emulsions, meaning they contain mostly water. Of course, the caring element in the emulsions is oils and solid fats. In addition, all products contain active ingredients as well as excipients such as emulsifiers, thickeners and preservatives.

Moisturizing day face cream found in the market

This day face cream is a domestic product. The packaging reminds me of a very light and reduced cream. Let’s see what the product contains.

A natural cosmetic day face cream found in the market

This day face cream is a natural cosmetic product. The product is an emulsion, meaning it contains a lot of water and some vegetable oils. The product is ECOCERT certified. Some of the ingredients also have an organic label. The product is rich in plant-based active ingredients.

Homemade day face cream

Homemade day face cream is ready in about 30 minutes. This cream contains calendula as an active ingredient. I chose cold-pressed sunflower oil, which is rich in natural vitamin E. Sunflower oil is rich in well absorbed linoleic acid.

Why do I want to make my own day face cream?

From the INCI lists above you can see the number of ingredients used in the products. There is a crucial difference between raw materials and the amount of ingredients. An industrial product must last up to a year in perfect condition. Therefore, a huge number of different emulsifiers, thickeners, stabilizers and preservatives are needed.

The day face cream found in the market contains a huge number of different chemicals.

This example product also includes a few synthetic polymers. Synthetic polymers are popularly plastic. In this product, the plastic is liquid (siloxanes). The actual plastic word is usually used only for cured synthetic polymers. Liquid plastics are also harmful to the environment.

In the example product, no single ingredient sounds very harmful. In fact, market cosmetics have improved a lot in recent years. The most harmful chemicals have been left out, even if they have been allowed. However, the cream is made up of a great many different ingredients. There is a good chance that the whole will eventually start to irritate the skin.

The list of endless excipients is not in the product to benefit your skin. Excipients are present in the product to keep the structure of the product together and to prevent microbial growth and rancidity. And you do apply these excipients to your skin on a daily basis.

Natural cosmetics -quality day cream has ingredients thoughtfully

Many ingredients come directly from nature. The product contains vegetable oils, plant extracts and excipients made from plants. In natural cosmetics, preservatives and emulsifiers are the safest on the market.

The product contains quite a lot of excipients. Excipients are essential in commercial products. The excipients ensure that the product remains in good condition for a long time on the store shelf and for a long time at home. Commercial cream cannot be prepared without excipients. Anhydrous creams are a different matter. Many different manufacturers make them without additives.

A homemade day face cream contains only a few ingredients.

I carefully selected the ingredients for my cream that suit best my own skin. I can choose the most suitable oils myself. Sunflower oil is rich in linoleic acid, which is gentle on the skin. Linoleic acid is highly perishable and is therefore hardly used in commercial cosmetics.

When I prepare the cream myself, I can also be sure to the quality and freshness of the oil. We cannot know the age of commercial cosmetic oils. No cold pressed oils was used in commercial products.

Creams contain mostly water. What is the quality of the water used in the product? Generally, the cosmetics industry uses distilled water. For my own product, I can choose genuine spring water or purify tap water with an activated carbon filter.

A homemade day face cream has just 2 excipients

emulsiovoide-vertailu
Photo by Jocelyn Morales on Unsplash

The ingredients of the product and their quality are of course important. What is not in the product is also important. I can leave out everything unnecessary and harmful to the skin from a home-made day cream. In addition to the natural ingredients, only an emulsifier and a preservative are required. Fragrances, thickeners and synthetic, structure-enhancing chemicals do not treat the skin. The chemicals in cosmetics are often very allergenic. Many chemicals and excipients are certainly not good for the skin. So why would I add them to the cream?

Do you make cosmetics by yourself?

Rose oil is very popular in skin care as such. However, rose oil can be used as an ingredient in home cosmetics. This time I made a cream using rose oil. This cream can be applied to the whole body. It’s neither too oily nor too heavy so it’s perfect for summer.

moisturizing-rose-oil-cream

I’ve often wondered how I could prepare an ointment that does not make my skin feel unpleasantly oily. Of course, we can avoid the problem by choosing the best absorbent skin oil. However, we have to wait some time before the skin has absorbed enough oil. Rose oil-based cream does not have this problem. It is instantly absorbed and leaves the surface of the skin soft and dry, like velvet.

What are the ingredients of the whole-body Rose Oil cream?

Xanthan gum

The secret of my rose oil-based cream lies in the xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is a safe cosmetic ingredient. If you’ve ever read any negative stuff about xanthan gum, it is always related to food. Xanthan gum is used as a food additive in candy, confectionery, salad dressings and in many other foodstuffs.

What is xanthan gum?

Xanthan gum (E415), the INCI name for XANTHAN GUM, is made from sugar by bacteria. The product is dried and ground to a white powder. I don’t know the manufacturing process exactly, but it doesn’t sound a very dangerous ingredient in cosmetics. Xanthan gum gives the cream an extra texture and viscosity. Xanthan gum is used as a thickener along with an emulsifier.

What does xanthan gum do in the product?

Xanthan gum is not only a thickener but also a moisturizer. Because xanthan gum’s molecule size is big, it stays as a protective layer on the skin. Such a protective layer retains moisture in the skin. That’s why xanthan gum is an absolutely essential ingredient in this cream.

Xanthan gum also absorbs moisture itself. This is why the surface of the skin feels wonderfully peachy. Xanthan gum provides a good foundation for makeup. It gives the skin a matte finish on which is easy to apply directly makeup or even powder.

Xanthan gum gives the cream a gel-like structure.

Sorbitol

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol such as glycerol. The purpose of Sorbitol in this product is to provide additional moisturizing features. Sorbitol also thickens creams.

Rose oil

roses

Rose oil is a semi-finished product for cosmetics. I have prepared it using how-to make herbal oil instructions. I used rice bran oil and dried rose buds for extraction. The extraction was completed in about 4 weeks. If you don’t have rose oil right now, you can use some other herbal oil you’ve extracted.

You can read more about roses as cosmetic ingredients here.

Prickly pear oil

Opuntia oil is not necessary. Opuntia oil, or prickly pear oil, is pure luxury. I added this special oil to bring more skin caring fatty acids and antioxidants into the product. Opuntia oil is a very moisturizing oil that is said to be even more effective than argan oil on the skin.

I wanted to get a product that I could also use on my face. Opuntia oil gives this cream an extra absorbency and healing features.

Rose water

Rose water, aka hydrolate is a product produced by steam distillation. Hydrolates are floral waters that are formed as a by-product of the distillation of essential oils. Essential oils are fat soluble parts of the plant and hydrolates are water soluble parts.

Rose hydrolate should be purchased from a reputable retailer. A cheap product sold under the name Rose Water in Ethnic Stores is not genuine rose hydrolate but synthetically produced fake.

Rose hydrolate not only gives the cream a longer shelf life but also adds a lovely rose scent.

Water

I have used plain boiled tap water in this cream. You can choose between distilled or otherwise filtered water.

However, do not use tap water as such. I recommend you boil the water first as this will improve the shelf life of the cream.

emulsifier

I chose the Olivem 100 emulsifier for this product. It is a very stable and easy to use emulsifier. It is also an ECOCERT certified product. So, your cream will be on the same level than natural cosmetics.

Preservative

I only made this product for a week’s use and I stored it in a sterilized glass jar in the refrigerator. Therefore, I did not need any preservative. In case you want to use a preservative, I recommend Geograd 221 preservative. It is an ECOCERT and COSMOS certified preservative. Recommended dosage is 0.2-1% by volume of the product. If you make 100ml lotion you only need 0.2-1 ml of Geogard 221 preservative. For such a small amount, I recommend you to get a small douche. It has a scale for such a small amount of liquids.

Spruce sprout glycerite

I have made glycerite from spruce sprout. It became quite strong so this time I used only ½ teaspoon. It was the first time ever I made it.  It smells wonderfully pitchy and spring forest. I recommend you to try it. I’ve told about Spruce sprout here.

 We can make the cream also without glycerite. You can also use glycerol alone. It is also a sugar alcohol and a very moisturizing ingredient.

How to prepare a protective cream based on rose oil

rose-oil-creme

You need these tools

You need these ingredients

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I’m really satisfied with this cream. This cream moisturizes effectively the skin dried by summer. It also provides effective skin protection. The skin feels soft and peachy but at the same time moisturized.

I look forward your response, how this cream suits to your skin. I also want to know how did you like the cream’s composition and feel of your skin. Feedback is always welcome and I really look forward to it. So, please add your comments to the comment section. Thank You!

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