With the weather staying mild so late this year, Christmas has snuck up on me before I am ready for it and I realise now, with just three weeks to go, that it’s time to get into action.
Since beginning this blog, the topic I have been questioned about more than any other is how to make creams. Unlike simple salves and balms cream making can be notoriously tricky as it requires mixing together oils and waters which naturally want to separate. There are a number of ways to achieve a nice cream with a good consistency and, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting the main recipes I have used, hopefully in time for you to make some for your own Christmas presents too.
In this post I want to introduce some of the ingredients which can be used in cream making to enable you to adapt the recipes more to your own specifications. There are so many different base oils, herbs, essential oils etc. that its impossible to cover them all here, but I’ll include the main ones I have found useful after much experimentation. If you have any questions or want anything clarifying then do ask in the comments section and I will try to answer if I am able.
The three recipes I will post are:
A simple cream involving no emulsifier – my own variation on Rosemary Gladstar’s classic.
A cream using emulsifying wax – as seems to be most popular in herbal recipe books.
A cream with VE and MF emulsifiers – as used by many UK herbalists and popularised by Aromatic in their courses.
In my experience, different recipes work better for different people. I’m a firm fan of the first but others I have met prefer to use emulsifying wax. It’s all down to personal preference as some like a richer cream whilst others like something lighter with a higher water content. If your cream is for therapeutic use then you need to consider whether the condition you are treating is dry, flaky and in need of protection, in which case a richer cream with a higher oil content is preferable, or whether it is red, itchy, weeping and hot, in which case a lighter cream with a higher water content and cooling, astringent oils will have better results.
Ingredients used in Creams include the following:
Base oils and herbal infused oils – Base oils are usually vegetable oils, pressed from nuts, seeds, kernels and other fatty parts of fruits and vegetables. Things to be aware of when choosing base oils include the consistency and smell. Some oils are rich and moisturising and good for drier skins like avocado, hemp, macadamia, argan and rosehip. Often you would only use these in a smaller percentage along with a lighter oil like almond or apricot. Oils like rosehip, hemp and macadamia can have quite a strong aroma, especially if they’re high quality and unrefined so factor this into your recipe and don’t use too much. Lighter oils that are good for oiler skins include hazelnut, grapeseed and jojoba. Sensitive skins respond well to apricot oil. As this topic is something of a vast one, I will dedicate a post to exploring some different base oils in further detail soon. Be aware that some wonderfully nutritious skin oils like borage and evening primrose have a very short shelf life, around 6 months, so ensure you get them from a good supplier and store them in the fridge. Never buy oils that smell rancid and be aware of using nut oils on those with allergies. Herbal infused oils are simply vegetable oils infused with herbs. You can read my post on how to make them here.
Solid oils and butters – These include cacao butter, coconut oil, avocado butter, mango butter and shea butter and they are rich and moisturising as well as adding body to a cream. For a lighter effect which sinks in to the skin easily use coconut, or for a rich, nourishing hand cream opt for shea. Cacao is nice in both body and face creams and, if you get it food grade, it lends a delicious chocolatey aroma to your finished product. Somewhere between a liquid oil and beeswax or plant waxes in consistency, fats will partly absorb into the skin but will leave something of a protective film behind.
Beeswax and plant waxes – These thicken and add body to creams and also help a little with emulsification. They are not well absorbed into the skin creating a protective barrier that helps it maintain its own moisture and keeps it hydrated, especially during these wintery months with their high winds.
Waters – These include spring water, floral waters, herbal teas and aloe vera. You can vary them endlessly to suit your purpose. If you are making a plain base cream try using just spring water or if it’s a luxury face cream then use rose floral water. If you want a soothing cream with anti-inflammatory properties then try a strong tea of chamomile and calendula.
Vegetable Glycerine – Glycerine is a sweet, syrupy, clear liquid that helps draw moisture to the surface of the skin. In very dry climates it can apparently take the moisture from deeper layers of skin so best to avoid using it, but if you live in the damp UK, it can be a nice addition and improve the consistency of your creams.
Tinctures – A small proportion of a suitable herbal tincture will add therapeutic value as well as helping to preserve your cream. Try calendula in a soothing cream, comfrey in a bruise healing cream or yarrow in an anti-inflammatory cream. Do beware though that alcohol can irritate sensitive skins.
Essential Oils – The volatile oil content of the plant is distilled, pressed or extracted with solvents leaving a highly concentrated and powerfully aromatic liquid that can be used for strong therapeutic benefits or simply to make the product smell delicious.
Emulsifiers – These help the water and oil parts of a cream to mix and leave a homogenous finish. Common ones include emulsifying wax, vegetal and VE/MF emulsifiers all derived from vegetable sources, albeit after some intense processing! Another commonly used and readily available emulsifier is borax, though I have heard mixed reports of its safety and prefer not to use it myself.
Vitamins and minerals – These can be added to creams and usually come as a powder or in liquid form. Vitamins A, C and E are the ones most commonly used as they are good anti-oxidants and can help prevent oils going rancid. Sometimes minerals like zinc are added to sun creams to create a barrier against the suns rays.
Natural preservatives – These include rosemary extract and grapeseed extract. Both are powerful anti-oxidants that can increase the shelf life of creams. They have some anti-bacterial action but most agree it is not powerful enough for products sold commercially. Grapefruit seed extract is more powerfully anti-microbial but there is much evidence out there that suggests it is harmful so I suggest reading the research yourself before using it.
Synthetic preservatives – Creams are much like food. If you plan to use them quickly (how quickly will depend on the recipe) and keep them cool then you have no need to go down this route but if you are planning to keep them for longer than a few weeks or if you wish to sell them you will need to add a synthetic preservative which will protect against moulds, yeasts, bacteria etc. Though there is conflicting evidence as to whether all types of parabens are carcinogenic, I personally avoid them altogether. Some of the safest ones seem to be Preservative 12 and Preservative Eco, both sold by Aromantic. I often avoid using these where possible but for creams with a high water content they are always necessary.
I will post the first recipe in the next couple of days so check back soon.
You have inspired me to make some creams with all those oils from the summer sitting neglected on the shelf. I had forgotten all about them and was sitting here just now thinking, what shall I make for Christmas presents this year? Cream of course! What a lovely and informative article, something to learn for the beginner all the way up to a cream making veteran 🙂
XOXO
D
LikeLike
Oo lovely, which oils have you got? I hope the recipes will be useful to you and that all your friends and family will have soft, glowing skin as a result. 🙂
xxx
LikeLike
Am really looking forward to the recipes. Thank you Lucinda. x
LikeLike
Thanks Jodi, Should get the first one up tomorrow time permitting! xxx
LikeLike
Please may i know where to buy the ingredients in making creams?
LikeLike
There are some ideas here for places to buy in the UK. You can probably search for suppliers in your own country if you live elsewhere:
LikeLike
Looking forward to making some creams for X-mas! Here’s some inspiration to get those recipes to us 🙂
LikeLike
I’m on it! 😉
LikeLike
I’m new to making natural skincare products and am looking forward to what you teach me!
LikeLike
Great.. let me know if you have any questions.
LikeLike
Great! This is something I want to experiment more with so its very timely. Right now I’m very into making herbal honeys, but next when the weather gets colder (any week now, right?) I want to take time to start working more on making creams (as well as working more salves and balms, which I’ve always been more leery of.)
LikeLike
Ummm honeys….
Salves and balms are fairly straightforward, the only thing I have found that can go awry is that they can come out a little grainy. Just stir them well then let them cool a little before putting them in the fridge to set.
Hopefully you’ll find the creams easy too. Let me know how you get on.
LikeLike
I am like Danielle and thinking this will be a good time to get out of some of the oils I made this year! Thanks Lucinda and look forward to the next posting:) big hugs!! xx
LikeLike
It’s the perfect way to use them up, whether they are more aromatic or purely medicinal. Hope you like the recipes. 🙂 xxx
LikeLike
Wow – thank you for this!
LikeLike
Thank you for this lovely post!
Could you please clarify for me…You stated to use grape seed extract as a preservative and I thought it was grapefruit seed extract that was used as a preservative in lotions/creams. Thanks!
LikeLike
Hi Shelly,
Grape seed is more just an antioxidant really rather than an antimicrobial preservative. Grapefruit seed extract has more antimicrobial properties but I have read some research saying that it is often adulterated and not suitable for use. I don’t know for sure, do a search on google and have a read of the research.
When I have used grapefruit seed extract I make sure to get it from a reputable supplier like Higher Nature but personally I use the rosemary extract in my creams as it works well and I have never heard of any problems associated with it. Again it’s more of an antioxidant though.
Hope that is helpful!
LikeLike
Hello Lucinda,
I would like to make a cream with acapulco plant’s sap to have a ready medicine for skin disease whoever is in need of it from the family or neighborhood. Especially these days that some of my family members having itchy skin problem…
We have available virgin coconut oil here in the Philippines, particularly Mindanao. How do I go about it? What should be my base… what should be my natural preservative to prevent rancidity… what should I put to have a good smell…?
your advise would be of great help for me to move forward.
luz
LikeLike
Hi Luz,
I would make it according to this recipe here: https://whisperingearth.co.uk/2011/12/07/how-to-make-creams-part-ii-without-emulsifiers/
You could use the acapulco sap instead of the aloe vera.
The smell depends on what you like and what is available. I am sure you have many lovely things there that we don’t grow in Europe! Simple things like lavender and chamomile are great for itchy skin and have a nice smell but perhaps there is someone local who can advise you on what you could use that grows where you live.
The cream should last for a couple pf months without a synthetic preservative so it might be best to make it regularly in small batches.
Good luck!
LikeLike
Hi Lucinda,
I just came across your blog. What a great find! 🙂
I was wondering if honey is a good additive in making your own cream?
LikeLike
Hi Nadia,
Yes you can use honey but don’t add too much or it will be sticky! Try a spoonful and adjust from there. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you:)
LikeLike
Hi,
I love your site, so thank you for all the information on here, and for presenting it so attractively.
I have been given a lot of quince and I understand it was used medicinally for a long time. Do you have any information about quince? I am busy making jam with it for now but I would like to learn about any medicinal properties.
thank you,
Rose
LikeLike
Hi Rose,
Sorry for the delayed reply, I haven’t been online much recently. I don’t use quince much personally but I have a friend who is also a herbalist that has some trees and uses the fruit so I will ask her and get back to you with any tips she has. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank for this!
LikeLike
Hi Lucinda I tried this recipe and it came out beautifully. Then I put my little jar in the refrigerator and when I came back to it two or three hours later, it was quite cold and the mixture had separated into solid and water. Could it be because bees wax should not be refrigerated after it has been blended into a cream?
LikeLike
Nice article. please share the suitable emusifiers for Moisturising cream(not absorbs the skin) and lighter creams(absorbs the skin)…
LikeLike
Dear Lucinda!
I hv been searching high and low for a certain formula for the past several months but to no avail until i found your site, a truly godsend site!
Dear Lucinda, any possibility you could let me know exactly what are the ingredients involved to get a rather thin base cream/lotion suitable for very greasy and acne prone skin for our tropical climate.
I know you won’t turn me down. Thanks a heap in advance.
God bless you.
Faithfully yours,
Angelababy
LikeLike
Hi there,
I actually think an oil is best for acne prone skin even though it sounds counter intuitive. Just a small amount of a very light oil like hazelnut applied onto damp skin. I would usually add about 0.5% of a suitable essential oil for your skin type.
If it is definitely a lotion you want you could try this recipe here.
LikeLike
Thank you so much Lucinda. I’ll try putting my hands on it and see how it reacts on my skin.
LikeLike
I am preparing cream from cow ghee by washing ghee 100 times with water? Which preservative shall i prefer and which cream base i should add to reduce its cost in how much %.
LikeLike
Hi Mali,
I have never made creams with Ghee so I can’t offer you much advice about using it. Sorry to not be able to help you!
LikeLike
Hi lucinda,cud you give me a recipy for whitening face cream that targets acne and spots? Thanks in anticipation.want to try on my self
LikeLike
Lucinda, I made this lotion last night and it turned out beautifully! It was my first time making lotion and loved it. The ratio must be perfect; no separation, just combined so well. I will definitely make this lotion again.
I am looking forward to more of your recipes! Thank you!
Eriko
LikeLike