Cocoa Powder for Skincare

If you’re a fan of cocoa (well, who isn’t?), then you might be pleased to know this ingredient is both useful and beneficial with topical use.

I have used cocoa powder in many rinse off products over the years, and there’s no denying the lovely chocolate-y scent that comes alive when a mask or cleanser containing cocoa powder is applied. My most recent fave is the decadently chocolate clay cleanser with honey (featured in the Ebook below).

Cocoa Powder Tip

Have you ever noticed how sometimes cocoa powder can lump up in the package - even if when it has been stored correctly? It’s easy to get rid of any lumps by simply passing the powder through a sieve before adding it to the other ingredients in your product. I usually use the back of a spoon to gently press any stubborn lumps through.

Enjoy!

Working with Menthol Crystals

A lot of folks are hesitant about using menthol crystals in their cosmetics products and it’s understandable. Menthol packs a powerful pepperminty-punch that can be quite a strain on the eyes (and nose) when the crystals are heated.

As it is common to add ‘things that need to be melted’ during the heated phase and menthol crystals need to be melted before they can become part of a balm, lotion, salve or cream, it can seem like a bit of a conundrum.

Balms, lotions, creams and salves all (generally) require a heated phase where the respective waxes, butters, oils, and additional oil-soluble ingredients are melted together. Many waxes have a fairly high melt point - enough to cause irritation if menthol crystals are included in the mix.

How to melt menthol crystals without heat?

Enter essential oils – capable of dissolving menthol crystals without heat. All essential oils need to be able to dissolve menthol crystals is a bit of time and a bit of agitation.

Pictured: an essential oil blend in the process of dissolving the menthol crystals for the soothing balm they are about to be added to. Total time to dissolve: 15 minutes.

Do you work with essential oils and want to create your own bath products? This book might be just what you’re looking for.

Capturing Summer Fragrance in Winter

I find the dreary winter months can be made more bearable by capturing a bit of summer fragrance to enjoy. A glycerite can be an easy way to capture and retain summer freshness in a bottle. Infusing summer berries such as raspberries, strawberries or blueberries make wonderfully bright-colored and beautifully fragrant glycerites.

Now you may be wondering if I have lost the plot slightly. How can one get hold of fresh fabulous summer berries in the winter? One visits a well assorted supermarket and purchased frozen berries. Check that there are no additives - just frozen berries - and you have the perfect raw material to make your own beautiful glycerine extraction.

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Sustainable Shower Shaker

This is a little side project that popped up all by itself among my numerous formulation projects this year. The ‘Shower Shaker’ consists of a dry scrub (made for use in the shower) and can be customized and put together any way you please. Part of the formula is finding/making a suitable container.

Not only is this a sustainable product (that even helps you to save water), but it’s quite effective and fun to use.

Check the main blog for a complete description and how to.

Cleansing Without Soap

Since I started writing about my cleansing bars in 2012, the concept of these easy to make skin-friendly cleansers seems to have really taken hold and spread around the globe. I still get emails and messages from people who tell me they are ‘just what their sensitive skin needed’ and truly appreciate every single story people are willing to share.

As a bonafide member of the sensitive skin club, the biggest pleasure is experiencing how many people have benefited from making and using such a relatively simple and easy to make DIY skincare product.

The main blog has numerous free cleansing bars how-to’s (check the How To page for a complete list), and the e-book below contains (among many other products) a formula for no-soap cleansing nuggets. The concept has its roots in the original cleansing bars but is updated and refined for ease of use.

Tip: A no soap cleanser is best removed with damp cotton rounds to avoid build-up in pipes and clogged sinks. Enjoy!

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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.