Chili for Skincare

Handcrafted chili oil has been useful in several products I have made over the past winter season. (think soothing muscle rub, spicy lip balm or warming foot rub).

Generally, oils for infusion should have a long shelf life, although there can be benefits from using a specific oil with a specific ingredient for infusion and then using the entire batch within a short time of making it.

If you’re interested in giving this a try, there’s a chili-oil how to right here on the main blog. Depending on the strength you are looking for, vary the type and amount of chilis you work with. There is tangible difference in heat and effect depending on which ingredients you choose.

Summer Strawberries For the Nose

In the dead of winter it is often a real mood lifter to recreate a bit of summer in the lab. Right now I’m working on a few infusions and this one popped right up on my to do list when I came across organic slow-dried strawberries.

To make it a real challenge, these were popped into a jar of vinegar. Stay tuned to the main blog (LisaLiseBlog.com) to see the outcome.

A Rosa Damascena by Any Other Name

I wax poetic every time I work with this wonderful ingredient, and I work with it a lot.

Rose has so much to offer skincare and general wellbeing that I cannot even begin to imagine being without it. Rose is a constant in my stockroom and personal formulas – as hydrosol, powder, oil, infusion, tincture, wax, or in any other form.

It’s impossible to not love.

So I love.

Which ingredients are your absolute favorites?

Deodorant for Purists

This is a shot of product development that took place much of last year while working on the book of Preservative Free Cosmetics.

Creating a 100% botanical deodorant that both worked all day and had a long shelf life and no preservatives was a pretty tall order, but one of the most interesting challenges I have ever set myself.

I’m happy to say i succeeded. There are 3 formulas for this deodorant for purists in the book.

Click the picture below to read more.

A Quiet Cleanser

If you have been following me and my work for a while, you are probably already aware of my love of minimalism. My approach to almost every formula is to pare back as far as possible without sacrificing function.

Sometimes it takes more effort than one might imagine to create the perfect ‘less-is-more’ formula, but that’s what makes it such interesting work.

Above is an example of a very ‘quiet’ and simple cleanser that does an effective job without causing a fuss. Developed for sensitive skin, tested, and approved.

Afterburn Lip Balm

When I tested this lip balm with my own handcrafted chili-infused oil for the first time, I expected to feel like my lips were on fire, but there was no immediate heat.

Instead, it crept up quite slowly and increased in strength until there was no question in my mind: this lip balm was destined to be named Afterburn.

This lip balm is 100% plant-based - even the color - which is the result of a combination of oils infused with Turkish Paprika and Chili Peppers.

Are you signed up for my newsletter? Cool, cuz then you can look forward to an adaptable balm formula with chili-infused oil. Want to sign up? Excellent! Visit this page to join the upcoming chili-balm fun!