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| Leonie2 |
Peppermint foot creamJesseSite Admin Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 2188 Location: West Sussex Posted: 23 Mar 2006 04:55 pm Post subject: Peppermint foot cream -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I made peppermint foot cream today following the recipe at the soap kitchen http://www.cosmeticsathome.co.uk/peppermint_foot_cream.htm It was really easy to make and smells lovely, like mint icecream. Put all the ingredients in a pan and heat gently to about 65C 
As the oils and wax start to melt begin beating with a whisk. Keep beating until all the ingredients have melted and mixed evenly together. It will look like runny cream. 
Allow to cool, beating occasionally to keep the ingredients evenly mixed. I found placing the pan in a pot of cold water speeded up the cooling process. Once thickened, pour into small jars and seal. I used 60ml jars and it filled 5. Using a milk pan made pouring into the jars easy. 
I also made the mango body butter http://www.cosmeticsathome.co.uk/mango_body_butter.htm and have fragranced it with a ferfume oil. The recipe filled 3 x 120ml jars. Pictured here at the bottom. 
Back to top Plocket Evergreen Joined: 16 Feb 2006 Posts: 865 Location: The playroom! Posted: 23 Mar 2006 06:38 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I AM going to get into this, I really am. I was only thinking that I needed more Peppermint Foot Cream from the Bodyshop yesterday, but forgot to look when I was in town today - grrrrr! _________________ A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands www.plocket.co.uk Back to top Becki Moderator Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 1106 Location: Over here and not there. Posted: 23 Mar 2006 07:38 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OOh interesting. I might venture into having a go _________________ www.thecardbee.com Back to top Kathy Moderator Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 1008 Posted: 23 Mar 2006 09:47 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looks wonderful Jesse, bet it feels nice too. _________________ Take care Kathy Back to top Jesse Site Admin Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 2188 Location: West Sussex Posted: 23 Mar 2006 11:28 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is nice, but just remember when you step into the bath your feet go all slippery so be careful Back to top Leanne Perennial Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Posts: 342 Location: herts Posted: 24 Mar 2006 08:24 am Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- it sounds lovely but i would like to know exactly what stearic acid, Emulsifying wax (steareth-20) and Cetearyl alcohol are and whether they are 'good' ingredients or 'bad' ingredients. like Kathy itry to use only organic products-maybe Greenlady would know? _________________ Leanne Back to top Lottie Evergreen Joined: 16 Feb 2006 Posts: 740 Posted: 24 Mar 2006 09:08 am Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes me too. They use some of those in their body and face cream recipes, and I was going to order them to make both, then I thought - ooops, sounds scientific rather than eau naturalle - so stopped in my tracks I am still in love with the cream I am using. My eczeama has almost gone on my leg - not that is will not return and I am definitely not suggesting for one minute that the recipe I made is a cure - don't want to be sued - but just making an observation. My hands truly have never ever been soft - more like builders hand from all the manual work I have done over the years in gardens - like putting up fences, smashing up concrete paths, laying concrete paths and drives, helping to repair cars, that sort of thing - all in my young fit days- so to have soft hands like this is quite a novelty. My face is as though I have just had a couple of hours pampering at a beautry therapist. As soft as a babies ***. The only thing I need to tweak with the cream is the consistency. I have to keep it in the airing cupboard so that it is soft. It soon becomes mallable (sp) and soft at room temperature - just have to work it a bit on your warm hand. And a few minutes on the radiator does the trick! But that is a small incovenience for its results. Am going to try another batch next week and look up more soft ingredients. A bit less Shea butter and a bit more cocoa buttter perhaps. I put a tub in the fridge as it does not have any preservatives they suggest you use it withing 4 months. Silly me did not label it and I just caught OH about to spread it on my toast. It looks just like the tub of butter! It wouldn't have done me any harm as it is natural butters, with some pure oils, but I am not sure what it would have tasted like! _________________ I am at that purple age! Back to top Jesse Site Admin Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 2188 Location: West Sussex Posted: 24 Mar 2006 10:03 am Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I read about them, if you look at their website and also do a google you'll see that they're extracted from plants, mostly plam and coconut. Here's a direct copy of the website: Steareth-20. This is a Polyethoxylated Alcohol, which is a fatty alcohol derived from natural oils and fats and is known by it's INCI name, Steareth-20... This is a simple and effective emulsifyer. It binds oils and water together to form an emulsion and is essential in the manufacture of lotions and creams. It is not a combination of products and does not contain any thickening agent. Used on it's own it will effectively make light lotions and creams, the texture of which will rely on the saturation of the oil/s used. It is one of several ingredients within Emulsifying Wax NF, which is widely quoted as being the most popular emulsifying wax for crafters. The problem with this is that NF means National Formulary and it refers to American standard formula. It is not recognised in Britain or Europe and so has to be imported, which can be expensive and is unnecessary. Cetearyl Alcohol. A fatty alcohol also known as Cetyl/Stearyl Alcohol. This is not an emulsifyer, but a thickener and stabiliser. On it's own it will not bind oils and water at all, but in combination with Steareth-20 (or Ceteareth-20), which are emulsifiers, it will effectively thicken the final product. The thickening action is proportionate to the amount used. Again, it is an ingredient in Emulsifying Wax NF and is also listed on some sites as an emulsifier, which is confusing. and from another website giving definitions of beauty product ingredients: Cetearyl Alcohol Not an "alcohol" such as ethyl or rubbing alcohol. It is an emulsifying wax made by combining fatty alcohols derived from vegetable sources. Used as an emulsifier and emollient, it is not drying to the skin. I too don't like to use nasties on my skin so did some research on the ingredients before I bought them. The one thing I won't make on their recipes page is the recipe that contains Borax, can't remember which one it was now. Also, I checked some of the "green" toiletries in my bathroom and these ingredients are listed on the bottles. I hope that gives you some reassurance. Back to top Jesse Site Admin Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 2188 Location: West Sussex Posted: 24 Mar 2006 10:15 am Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- oops, I forgot to paste the information about Stearic acid Stearic acid is the most common of the long-chain fatty acids. It is found in many foods, such as beef fat, and cocoa butter. It is widely used as a lubricant, in soaps, cosmetics, food packaging, deodorant sticks, toothpastes, and as a softener in rubber. Back to top n Moderator Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 334 Posted: 24 Mar 2006 08:28 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am sure you can buy emulsifying wax BP (British Pharmacopea). Aqueous cream BP has 9% emulsifying wax BP in it, and emulsifying ointment BP has 30%. If you didn't want to go back to first principles, adding essences to readymade emulsifying ointment might be an easy way to start. NHS cost of emulsifying ointment BP 500g (big tub) is less than a pound, although a pharmacy would charge a bit more. Ingredients are 30% emulsifying wax, White soft paraffin (which is like vaseline) 50% Liquid paraffin 20% and that's it. I may experiment with melting a bit at home and adding flavourings. n Back to top n Moderator Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 334 Posted: 24 Mar 2006 11:13 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well it was dead easy, probably could be regarded as the moisturising equivalent of melt and pour soap. I put a small quantity of emulsifying ointment in the slow oven in the Aga, and when it was almost melted, took it out and stirred it until it was properly liquid. Then I added some fragrance oil from the soapmaking place, (I used an eau d'Issey copy, because it's my favourite) about 15 drops, not anything like as much as you need for soap. Stirred it in and poured it into an old face cream pot. It's now "setting" in the jar. Took ten minutes, if that. Emulsifying ointment BP in its unperfumed state ie. how you buy it from the chemist, is what babies are prescribed as moisuriser for dry skin/ excema so it is a very "simple" cream. This might also work for Aqueous cream, another BP product with less wax and more water which makes for a softer more face-cream-like product. I'll need to wait until I get another pot to put it in before I try it out. It may be that adding an oil with aromatherapy properties would preserve these more than they are preserved in a soap, because of the lack of a caustic effect and because the heating is as at a much lower temperature. Not sure if this would be the case but logic would suggest that it might be. I plan to use it on my elbows which resemble those of a crocodile at the moment! n Back to top Lottie Evergreen Joined: 16 Feb 2006 Posts: 740 Posted: 24 Mar 2006 11:36 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nice one n experimenting like that. Can't wait to hear how you get on with the other one. _________________ I am at that purple age! Back to top Leanne Perennial Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Posts: 342 Location: herts Posted: 25 Mar 2006 08:33 am Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- thanks for the information jesse thats interesting n!! might look into that when i get a spare few minutes! _________________ Leanne Back to top |