Wake up your body with a refreshing shower gel and get ready for a new day

Introducing the men's refreshing shower gel, which with its fresh grapefruit scent can also enchant the ladies. This shower gel evokes a feeling of cleanliness and freshness and is great not only for everyday use, but also after a sports performance. Thanks to its pleasant orange colour, this product will remind you of grapefruit not only with its scent, but also with its appearance.

REFRESHING SHOWER GEL - INGREDIENTS

For the production of the refreshing shower gel we need a base made up of tensides. In this case, two tensides have been chosen , the classic glucoside in combination with cocamidopropyl betaine. It is thanks to the tensides that the shower gel produces a foam and has a cleansing effect, in addition to which these substances allow dissolve essential and vegetable oils and menthol, as the other ingredients of the product are water-based.

INGREDIENCE PHASE%

A Glycerin vegetable 5,00
A Mica powder Golden pumpkin 0,03
A Mica powder Coppery blush 0,01
A Xanthan gum 1,00
B Demineralised water 64,39
B Decyl glucoside 10,00
B cocamidopropryl betaine 15,00
C Fractionated coconut oil 1,80
C Menthol 0,20
D grapefruit essential oil 0,60
D Lime essential oil 0,40
D Patchouli essential oil 0,20
D lactic acid 80% 0,37
D cosgard preservative 1,00
bottle disc top ---

REFRESHING SHOWER GEL - PROCEDURE

1.thoroughly disinfect all utensils, containers and packaging that come into contact with the product or raw materials, for example with ethanol.
2. weigh the phase A raw materials (glycerine, mica powders and xanthan gum) into the container. Mix well until a thick slurry is formed.
3.in a second container, mix the phase B raw materials. It is ideal to weigh the tensides first - decyl glucoside
and cocamidopropyl betaine before adding the water. Then mix all three substances well, but at the same time gently, so as not to create too much foam.
4.add the Phase B raw material mixture to the Phase A raw materials. Mix gently.
5. weigh the phase C ingredients (coconut oil and menthol) into a heatproof container. Start heating gently on a water bath until the menthol is completely dissolved. Then stir the mixture into the rest of the ingredients, or the mixture of Phase A and B.
6.allow the mixture to cool to room temperature (but at least below 40 °C) and add the individual essential oils. Mix well again to combine the ingredients.
7. check thepH using pH papers and lower the pH by adding lactic acid drop by drop. Be sure to keep checking the pH value until you are within the range 5,5 to 4,5.
8.once the pH has been adjusted , add Cosgard preservative. Mix it well into the product and fill the shower gel into the selected sanitized bottle.

REFRESHING SHOWER GEL - TIPS AND TRICKS

If you run into problems when making your refreshing shower gel, we have prepared tips and tricks to help you avoid them and make the overall production easier.


Always try to mix powdered ingredients, in this case xanthan gum and mica powders, with glycerin. This will give you a gel-like consistency of the product more quickly without lumps. It is ideal to let the finished mixture sit overnight so you can see the final gel-like consistency and viscosity in the morning, as it takes a while for the mixture to thicken once the ingredients are mixed together.


To dissolve the menthol it is necessary to heat the oil. Do not try to dissolve menthol in water, this substance only dissolves in oils. A short gentle heating is sufficient unless you are making large quantities of shower gel. Once the menthol crystals have disappeared, you can remove the mixture from the water bath.


Do not add preservative, essential oils or perform pH adjustment in hot mixtures (above 40°C) as these ingredients will decompose and lose their effectiveness.


Do not forget to adjust the pH of the product. Decyl glucoside is strongly alkaline and therefore the product would not be good for your skin and could irritate it. However, the amount of lactic acid given is only a guide! It depends on the accuracy of the dosage, the quality of the ingredients, but also on the changes you make in the recipe. Therefore, add the lactic acid drop by drop and keep checking the pH until you reach the desired range of 4.5 to 5.5.

REFRESHING SHOWER GEL - INGREDIENTS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE

If you want to customise a refreshing shower gel to your liking, you've come to the right place.
Below you will find out more about the meaning of the individual ingredients in the recipe as well as their possible confusions.

GLYCERINE

A great moisturizing ingredient that is a staple in many recipes is glycerin. This alcohol is very soluble in water and is a clear, syrupy liquid. Thanks to its moisturizing abilities, it hydrates not only the skin, but also powdered raw materials, especially thickeners like xanthan gum.


If possible, do not omit glycerine from the recipe, otherwise it will increase the time to form a uniform gel-like consistency. If you wish to increase the moisturizing effects of the product, add 1% sodium PCA.

MICA WIPES

Mica powders, otherwise known as ground mica, have been chosen to colour the product. These powders are available
in many colours, so feel free to use one or combine your favourites. Feel free to increase the proportion of these substances in the product by a few tenths of a percent.


Another advantage of using tensides is that the mica powders will not sink to the bottom in the finished product. However, if you want a colourless product, there is nothing easier than to leave the mica powders out of the product and replace them with water or glycerine. If you want to change the product to a feminine one, you can also add glitters and replace the essential oils used.

XANTHANE RUBBER

If we want to make a shower gel, it is necessary to thicken the tensides used. Powdered thickeners such as xanthan gum are often used for this purpose. This gum has the advantage of being stable over a wide pH range
and provides viscous and stable gels. If you want a more fluid product, reduce the proportion of xanthan gum
by 0,1 to 0,2 %. Otherwise, increase the xanthan gum content by the same amount. Xanthan gum thickens intensely, so use caution when adding or removing it. Even a small change in dose will affect the overall consistency of the product.

DEMINERALISED WATER

As we produce a water-based product, we cannot do without demineralised water. Do not use ordinary tap water or boiled water, such water is not completely free of minerals which will otherwise impair the stability of the product, the effectiveness of the preservative, etc.


You may substitute part or all of the water in the recipe with floral hydrolates of your choice. However, bear in mind that hydrolates often have a different pH to water and so the amount of lactic acid used to adjust the pH will also change.

DECYL GLUCOSIDE

The first representative of tensides in a refreshing shower gel is decyl glucoside. Glucosides are generally characterized by an alkaline pH, so it is necessary to lower the pH by the addition, ideally, of an organic acid. However, glucosides provide a rich and stable foam and are well compatible with xanthan gum. In addition, they help to dissolve even small amounts of oils in the product.


There are other tensides on the market that you can use for substitution. However, before choosing a tenside, make sure that the tensides used are compatible with each other, i.e. do not use a combination of cationic and anionic tensides - the opposite charge will result in precipitate formation.

COCAMIDOPROPRYL BETAINE

The second tenside in our recipe for a refreshing shower gel is cocamidopropyl betaine. This mild tenside is a great complement to decyl glucoside, as together they help keep the mica powders in the air and provide a smooth and creamy lather.


When replacing this tenside, the same applies as with decyl glucoside. If you find the product too degreasing and irritating, reduce the amount of tenside. Conversely, use caution when increasing
and do not exceed the manufacturer's recommendations.

FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL

Fractionated coconut oil has been selected as the oil component for this product. Unlike traditional coconut oil, this oil is always liquid. It is a colourless, clear oil that is odourless and thus does not affect the colour or smell of the final product.


Fractionated coconut oil has been obtained by selecting only certain fractions of regular coconut oil, which is why it maintains its fluidity even at normal temperatures. This oil can be substituted with any other vegetable oil. However, strongly coloured oils such as raspberry or rosehip may affect the final colour of the product.


Vegetable oil can also be omitted altogether if you do not use menthol in the product (menthol must be dissolved
in the oil), or reduce the dose by tenths of a percent. Use caution when increasing the oil content as tensides are only able to emulsify small proportions of oil (usually up to 5%).

MENTOL

What makes our shower gel refreshing? The key is to use a small amount of menthol. This substance not only gives a fresh scent, but also a cooling sensation on the skin after using the shower gel.


Menthol can be omitted from the product or increased by tenths of a percent if you want a stronger cooling
and refreshing effect. If you do not use it in the recipe, you can omit the warming step.

ESSENTIAL OILS

For a great fresh scent, essential oils have been used in the product. We reached for the excellent grapefruit essential oil, which is the most dominant in the overall scent of the product. Although it is a citrus essential oil, you don't have to worry about photosensitivity unless you have extremely sensitive skin - in fact, the shower gel is a rinse-off product, so minimal to no essential oil will remain on your skin after showering.


The complement to grapefruit is lime. Its fresh scent will give you a great pick-me-up and balance out the stronger woody notes of patchouli, which are used to create the bottom notes of the fragrance.


If you prefer an unscented product, omit the essential oils and replace them with water or vegetable oil. Alternatively, you can reach for synthetic fragrance oils, which offer a wider range of scents than traditional essential oils. Feel free to customise the product to your liking with essential oils. You can easily conjure up either men's or women's shower gels by simply swapping scents.

LACTIC ACID

Lactic acid has been chosen to adjust the pH in this product. Its advantage is that it is found in solution form, and so there is no need to prepare your own solution as in the case of citric acid. At the same time, the lactic acid is relatively concentrated and so you use relatively little of it, it is often a quantity
in drops.


Remember that the quantities of lactic acid are only approximate, for each product you need to measure the pH separately and gradually add lactic acid until you reach a pH in the range of 4.5 to 5.5.

COSGARD PRESERVATIVE

The natural preservative for many products is Cosgard. This broad-spectrum preservative works against yeasts, bacteria and moulds, thus providing comprehensive protection against the overgrowth of micro-organisms in the product.


The only limitation to the use of this preservative is its effectiveness at acidic pH. It is therefore necessary to lower the pH of the product below 5,5 for the preservative to be active.


Be sure not to skip the use of the preservative, the product contains water and so will spoil quickly unless you preserve it. Cosgard can be replaced with another broad spectrum preservative that is also effective
in acidic pH.

NOTICE

As mentioned, you can experiment with homemade recipes to achieve the desired properties. However, many factors such as humidity, temperature, quality of ingredients and storage can affect the final result.


Before using any raw material to make a cosmetic product, familiarize yourself with its properties, recommended dosage, storage conditions or safe handling. Any raw material may have the potential to cause an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, so before using a product, we recommend that you find out if you suffer from an allergy to any of the raw materials or the overall product, e.g. by a skin test.


If you have very sensitive or very acne-prone skin, or other skin and health problems, we recommend that you consult a medical professionalbefore applying a new product to your skin, whether it is a homemade cosmetic product, a pure raw material or a commercially available product.

REFRESHING SHOWER GEL - CONCLUSION

A refreshing shower gel is especially pleasing for men, but it can also be enchanting for women. We recommend that you try its great refreshing effect in the shower shortly after playing sports. If you don't have one at home yet, make one according to our instructions.

Many thanks to Ivana Jačalová for the great instructions in this article.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at marketing@handymade.sk

Do zmydelnenia, at the next tutorial on creating natural cosmetics.