Before you start making your own hand creams and lotions, there are a few basics that you need to understand. These basics will help you with whichever project you are working on.
Keep Everything Clean
Modern lotions can last months because they pump the lotion or cream full of preservatives. While that's great so that the lotion can sit on the store shelves for months before you buy them - it's not good at all for your body. On the other hand, if your mixture has no preservatives, and you get some bacteria in there, it'll grow and turn your lotion green. So make sure you wash your hands, have clean bowls and mixing utensils.
Modern lotions can last months because they pump the lotion or cream full of preservatives. While that's great so that the lotion can sit on the store shelves for months before you buy them - it's not good at all for your body. On the other hand, if your mixture has no preservatives, and you get some bacteria in there, it'll grow and turn your lotion green. So make sure you wash your hands, have clean bowls and mixing utensils.
Store Your Lotion Well
For the same reason, you want to store your lotion in a way that it can last until you're done using it. Keep it somewhere dark and cool. The fridge will help it last up to a month usually, but if it's a pain for you to keep it in the fridge (or you don't like cold lotion!) then anywhere cool and dark will work out.
For the same reason, you want to store your lotion in a way that it can last until you're done using it. Keep it somewhere dark and cool. The fridge will help it last up to a month usually, but if it's a pain for you to keep it in the fridge (or you don't like cold lotion!) then anywhere cool and dark will work out.
Pay Attention To Ingredients
Not all ingredients are the same. Sure, distilled water is probably distilled water anywhere you get it. On the other hand, some fragrances are much higher quality than others. If you're going to be smelling this stuff all day long because it's stuck to your skin, it's worth it to go with a fragrance that smells nice rather than a cheap one that is sickly sweet and chemically. Often it's just a few cents difference, too. Do research and give various options a try.
Not all ingredients are the same. Sure, distilled water is probably distilled water anywhere you get it. On the other hand, some fragrances are much higher quality than others. If you're going to be smelling this stuff all day long because it's stuck to your skin, it's worth it to go with a fragrance that smells nice rather than a cheap one that is sickly sweet and chemically. Often it's just a few cents difference, too. Do research and give various options a try.
Follow the Recipe
It might be tempting to cut the recipe in a quarter to test it out. However, a lot of times - especially with blending and heating - you need the larger quantity so that the blades of the blender can actually grab onto and move the liquid, or there is enough liquid to heat up and blend properly. Go with the proper quantity first. If you get it to work well, you can experiment with reducing it for future runs. Usually the ingredients are inexpensive enough that it won't be a big waste - and you can always give excess to friends and family as a gift.
It might be tempting to cut the recipe in a quarter to test it out. However, a lot of times - especially with blending and heating - you need the larger quantity so that the blades of the blender can actually grab onto and move the liquid, or there is enough liquid to heat up and blend properly. Go with the proper quantity first. If you get it to work well, you can experiment with reducing it for future runs. Usually the ingredients are inexpensive enough that it won't be a big waste - and you can always give excess to friends and family as a gift.
Here are some creams that I made for spring for 2 special women from my life:
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