Thanks to the winter skin cream, your face will no longer suffer in the freezing cold weather. Make it with us

Want to take care of your skin during the winter months? Thicker creams with a higher proportion of oils are suitable for the cold and frosty season and will protect your skin from the negative effects of the weather. Try making a winter face cream following our instructions with Vegeline vegetable petroleum jelly for long-lasting skin hydration.

WINTER SKIN CREAM - INGREDIENTS

As with other emulsions, skin creams consist of water and oil-based ingredients. An emulsifier is used to combine these two otherwise immiscible ingredients, so the preparation of such a product will require heating. However, you can find out more in our tutorial!

INGREDIATION phase %

A demineralised water 62,83
A Hamamel hydrate 20,00
A hyaluronic acid HMW 0,20
A Glycerine 5,00
A Allantoin 0,20
A sodium lactate 60 % 1,00
B vegeline 70 4,00
B beautyderm K10 5,50
C Lactic acid 0,27
C cosgard preservative 1,00
glass crucible ---

WINTER SKIN CREAM - PROCEDURE

1. disinfect all utensils, containers and packaging that you will use in making the lotion, for example with ethanol from a spray bottle.
2. weigh the glycerine, allantoin and hyaluronic acid into a heat-resistant container , mix well
until a thick slurry forms.
3.then add the remaining Phase A ingredients (demineralised water, sodium lactate and hydrate), mix well and place the container covered with foil on the water bath.
4. weigh the phase B materials into a second heat-resistant container. Cover again with foil and, as for phase A, start heating the mixture on the water bath.
5. heat until phase B is completely melted and both mixtures are at approximately the same temperature (around 70 °C). At this point, while still on the water bath , pour the aqueous phase A into the oil phase B
and start mixing immediately with a stick immersion blender.
6. stir for a few minutes and then remove the mixture from the water bath while stirring. Do not stop stirring for at least 5 minutes to thoroughly combine the two phases. The mixture will gradually begin to thicken as the temperature drops, so be sure to stir the mixture periodically with the mixer every few minutes during cooling.
7.after cooling, check the pH of the cream and reduce it with lactic acid to 4,5-5,5 if necessary. However, the amount of lactic acid is only a guide! Always check the pH of each product and add lactic acid drop by drop, see Tips and Tricks.
8.once the pH has been adjusted , add the preservative and mix thoroughly. Then fill the previously disinfected containers with the cream.

WINTER SKIN CREAM - TIPS AND TRICKS

Preparing emulsions can sometimes be challenging, so we've put together some tips and tricks to make it easier for you to make your winter face cream.


It's a good idea to mix the powdered ingredients, i.e. hyaluronic acid and allantoin, with glycerin to make them easier to dissolve and moisturise. Otherwise, it will take a long time to get a beautiful clear gel of hyaluronic acid and the resulting cream maythere may still be lumps of unhydrated hyaluronic acid in the cream for several hours after preparation, but these will gradually disappear.


Be sure to cover the containers with phase A and B with foil before heating in the water bath to prevent water evaporation or ingress into the containers. If you want to work with extra precision, weigh your Phase A container before heating and record the weight. After heating, weigh the container again and refill with evaporated water. Be sure to place a plate or other support under the hot container; hot objects will adversely affect the accuracy and functionality of the balance.


When combining phases A and B, ensure that both mixtures are approximately the same temperature. Otherwise,
the emulsifier will solidify and cause the emulsion and lumps in the mixture to not bond. Also, use a stick blender to ensure that the two phases are well combined . Reach for milk frothers if they have good performance, in some cases it happens that the two phases are not well connected.


If you want to use the Cosgard preservative in the product, it is necessary to lower the pH by adding lactic acid. Always add the lactic acid drop by drop, mix thoroughly and check the pH. Only then proceed
with the next addition until you reach a pH value between 4,5 and 5,5. Note that the amount of lactic acid is only a guide and the pH of the product will depend on the accuracy of weighing, the quality of the ingredients or on substitutions of ingredients or changes in dosage.

WINTER SKIN CREAM - INGREDIENTS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE

Below we will introduce you to the different raw materials used in the production of Winter Lotion.
You will also learn more about possible substitutions or changes in the dosage of the individual ingredients.

DEMINERALISED WATER

The basis for the production of most cosmetics is demineralised water. In this case, it is supplemented with a hydrate, which can be used to replace part or all of the demineralised water dose. Do not use normal water
tap water, as it contains minerals that can undermine the stability of the product and the whole emulsion.


You can increase the proportion of water in the recipe at the expense of Vegeline if you find the product too oily and thick. However, try this strategy only after replacing Vegeline with vegetable oils, as the viscosity of the product will certainly change. However, any changes will most certainly also result in a change in the pH value of the product.

HAMAMEL HYDROLATE

Hamamelis is a great medicinal plant that helps soothe irritated and reddened skin with its extracts in the hydrolat. This is especially appreciated during the winter months when the skin is intensively exposed to frost or wind.


As mentioned, you can increase the proportion of hydrolates in the recipe at the expense of distilled water, or you can choose a different hydrolates according to your preference. However, in any case, allow for a change in the pH of the final product and thus a different amount of lactic acid needed to adjust the pH.

HYALURONIC ACID HMW

High molecular weight hyaluronic acid is a great addition to winter cosmetics for its moisturizing
and emollient properties. Instead of purely water-based serums, try adding hyaluronic acid to the aqueous phase of your creams during the winter to enjoy the benefits of this ingredient in combination
with vegetable oils and butters.


Hyaluronic acid helps to partially thicken the product and reduce the greasy feeling on the skin
from the applied product. It can be omitted and replaced with water, however, there will be a change in the viscosity of the product.

GLYCERINE

The main moisturizing ingredient in winter skin cream is glycerin. It is a clear, viscous liquid that dissolves well in water and helps to hydrate and retain moisture in the skin.


In addition, glycerin serves to accelerate the dissolution of hyaluronic acid in aqueous solutions. Thanks to glycerin, hyaluronic acid will take less time to fully hydrate and form a uniform gel. Allantoin is similarly affected. This is also why it's a good idea not to leave glycerin out of the recipe. However, if you are not happy with this ingredient, you can substitute it with water.

ALLANTOIN

A great soothing agent for your skin is allantoin. Combined with hamamelis hydrolate, it helps reduce redness and soothes skin irritation caused by cold or harsh winds.


Allantoin has the disadvantage that larger amounts are difficult to dissolve in water and heating is necessary. However, even then, once the solution has cooled, the allantoin may precipitate back out and form deposits at the bottom. In this case, less is more, do not increase the dose of allantoin unnecessarily, this substance is already effective in small quantities. This avoids problems with product stability.


Of course, allantoin can be omitted and replaced with water.

SODIUM LACTATE

Another substance with glycerin-like properties is sodium lactate. This is the sodium salt of lactic acid, you will find this compound in the form of a colorless solution that dissolves well in water.
Sodium lactate is a great complement to other moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid.


Sodium lactate can help reduce water loss from your skin and keep it supple and hydrated during the winter months. It is an active ingredient, so again, it can be omitted from the recipe and replaced with glycerin or water. Do not unnecessarily increase the sodium lactate content above the manufacturer's recommended
level - it could cause skin irritation.

VEGELINE 70

For your plant-based products, petroleum jelly prepared purely from vegetable oils, butters is also available
and waxes. So you no longer have to look for substitutes for conventional petroleum-derived petroleum jelly. Vegeline, due to its denseness, helps to give the necessary viscosity to the winter skin cream, therefore substitution with other vegetable oils and butters is also possible, but it will affect the final consistency and viscosity of the product.


In addition, Vegeline forms a protective film on the skin protecting it from frost, moisture or wind. If you are prone to dry or cracking skin, increase the dose of Vegeline by 1-2%, the cream will also thicken slightly.

BEAUTYDERM 1000

Since the cream combines aqueous and oil ingredients, an emulsifier is needed to combine the two phases. In the case of the winter cream, Beautyderm K10 was chosen. It is a commonly used emulsifier for the production of skin creams, body milks or other emulsions.


Be sure not to leave Beautyderm K10 out of the product, otherwise the water and Vegeline won't come together. However, by changing the representation of Beautyderm K10 you can influence the viscosity of the product. If you like more fluid creams, reduce its content by 0.5-1%, on the contrary, for a thicker cream you can increase the content by about 1%. If you don't know which variant you like best, prepare small test batches of cream with different emulsifier ratios.


This emulsifier can be replaced in a winter cream with, for example, Olive 1000.

LACTIC ACID

Lactic acid has been chosen for the final pH adjustment of the product. Its advantage over citric acid is,
is that it's sold as a solution, so you don't have to prepare the solution at home. However, a 30 or 50% solution of citric acid can be used to adjust the pH - but be aware that you will need a completely different amount than with lactic acid.


Omit the addition of lactic acid only if the pH of the product is already between 5,5 and 4,5 without treatment. Otherwise, add lactic acid drop by drop and check the pH continuously (e.g. with litmus sticks) until you reach the desired range.

COSGARD

A great preservative for natural cosmetics is Cosgard. It is a broad-spectrum preservative, but it is only active in acidic pH, ideally below 5.5. This is why it is necessary to adjust the pH of the product with lactic acid,
otherwise the preservative will not be active.


The preservative must be added in this case, as the winter cream also contains water, which would not be active without the preservative.without the preservative treatment, it would be a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, yeasts or moulds after a few days and your product would be unusable.


You can substitute Cosgard with another broad spectrum preservative, but make sure that the preservative will be effective at the final pH of the product. Otherwise, the pH of the product must be adjusted.

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.

WINTER SKIN CREAM - CONCLUSION

Does your skin need more nourishment and care in winter? Try it with a winter skin cream that you can make according to our instructions.

Thanks to Ivana Jačalová for the great information and the article with instructions.

Do you have any interesting tips and tricks we could add to this tutorial? Email us at marketing@handymade.sk and share your new experiences with us.

Have a wonderful and creative day.

Until the saponification, my friends.