Water group:
8 oz. distilled rose water (can use 3/4 cup aloe vera gel)
1 tsp. vitamin E oil
several drops essential oils - these oils are added to the water group because of their beneficial properties are destroyed by heat and the oil group is heated.
Oil group:
6 oz. expeller pressed canola oil, grapeseed or apricot kernel oil (can add 1 t. lanolin) - these oils are the liquid oil portion the following oils are the solid oil portion:
2 1/2 oz. mixture of coconut oil and cocoa butter (2/3 coconut, 1/3 or less cocoa butter) just eyeball the mixture but measure out the combined to 21/2 oz. 1/2 oz. grated beeswax if you prefer lotion or 3/4 oz. if you prefer cream.
Instructions:
Pour the oil group into a small enamel saucepan. Heat slowly over low heat until the beeswax melts. This does not take long. You want to remove this mixture from the heat as soon as possible and pour into a measuring cup to let cool to room temperature. This takes a few hours, but you can speed up the cooling time by placing it in the refrigerator for awhile. Or, if you prefer, you can do this step the night before and in the morning you'll be able to proceed with the blending.
*The water group needs to be at room temperature* If you had your bottle of rose water or distilled water sitting on the counter in the kitchen for a while, it will be room temperature. Take the temperature of water and
note it. Pour the water into your blender. Pour 1 t. vitamin E oil into the water and add your essential oils, 10-40 drops. Be conservative, a little goes a long way - let your nose guide you.
When the oil group is the same temperature as your water group (the MOST IMPORTANT detail to making the cream successfully is making certain that both groups - the water and oils - are the exact same temperature before blending) turn your blender on its highest speed and slowly pour in the oils blending it for few seconds until all the oils are added. Turn off the blender and give the mixture a few good stirs with a narrow spatula, turn the blender on again for a few seconds. Repeat this step if necessary. The batch is done when the two groups are incorporated and look wonderfully creamy. Spoon the mixture into clean jars, label and date them. Smaller jars work better unless you are going to keep your cream in the refrigerator. The cream contains no preservatives. One batch is approximately
Ways to play with the recipe:
Water group:
You may use distilled water instead of rose water. You can use 2 1/2 oz of aloe vera gel in the water (decrease water by the amount used) or you may use orange flower water (particularly good for dry skin). You may add 1/2
teaspoon neo heliopan to the water group. This is a natural sunscreen. You also may add a couple droppersful of benzoin oil. It is wonderful for chapped skin and is a natural preservative. You could also add a little
borage oil (approx. 1 teaspoon) or carrot seed oil (several drops) if you wish.
Oil group:
You may use any good quality oil for your cream. Olive oil may be too heavy. Apricot kernel, grapeseed, sweet almond or expeller canola for the major portion of the liquid oils is recommended. You can use small
amounts of the super rich oils to replace some of your base liquid oils.
Examples:
avocado oil or jojoba oil. tablespoon or two of these richer oils is suggested. If you choose to add these wonderful oils, it is suggested that you melt your base oils and the beeswax before adding them. After melting,
add the rich oils. You may have to very gently re-heat again because the bees wax may solidify somewhat with the added cooler oils. These richer oils are fragile and their beneficial properties can be destroyed by heat.
Essential oils:
Dry skin - rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang, chamomile, lavender.
Oily - geranium, lavender, lemon, patchouli, rosemary, tea tree, bergamot.
Combination - geranium, neroli, lavender, rose.
Mature- wrinkled - carrot seed oil, borage, frankincense, rose.
Chapped - benzoin.
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