Body Cream Formulation for Dry Skin Review
Question
I want to make a body cream for personal use with simple ingredients. My skin is dry, and I normally use a lot of body cream or body butter. I want to make it myself. Could you please review this formula and procedure to see if it's feasible?
Water Phase
- Water 70%
- Phenoxyethanol SA 1%
Oil Phase
- Milk Lotion Maker 4%
- shea butter 10%
- Grape Seed Oil 12%
- Essential Oil Lavender 3%
Procedure:
A: Mix all oil phase ingredients (3+4+5) and heat to 70°C until melted into a homogeneous liquid.
B: Heat the water phase (1+2) to approximately 70°C, similar to the oil phase temperature.
C: While mixing the water phase at high speed, slowly add the oil phase. Continue mixing as it cools down, but without high speed. Add the Essential Oil when it has cooled down and mix.
Thank you very much.
Answer
Subject: Re: Inquiry about formulation ingredients
Thank you for sharing your body cream formulation for dry skin. It's great that you're making your own products!
Let's review your formula and process:
Formula Review:
- The ingredients you've chosen (Shea Butter, Grape Seed Oil) are excellent for moisturizing dry skin.
- Milk Lotion Maker is a suitable emulsifier for creating a cream texture.
- Phenoxyethanol SA (Optiphen Plus) is a standard broad-spectrum preservative, and 1% is a typical usage rate.
- The percentages add up correctly to 100%.
Process Review:
- The steps you've outlined for heating the water and oil phases separately to around 70°C and then combining them while mixing are standard procedures for making an emulsion.
- Adding the oil phase to the water phase while high-speed mixing is appropriate for creating a stable O/W emulsion.
- Continuing to mix while cooling and adding the essential oil at a lower temperature are also correct steps.
Important Consideration:
- Essential Oil Percentage: While Lavender Essential Oil is popular, a concentration of 3% in a leave-on product like body cream is quite high. High concentrations of essential oils can potentially cause skin irritation or sensitization, especially with repeated use. It is generally recommended to use essential oils at much lower concentrations in body lotions, typically between 0.5% and 1%. You might consider reducing the amount of Lavender Essential Oil in your formula to minimize this risk.
Overall:
Your formula and process are generally sound for creating a body cream for dry skin. The main point to consider is the high concentration of the essential oil. Reducing it would make the product potentially gentler on the skin.
Remember to maintain good hygiene throughout the making process to ensure the product remains stable and safe to use.
We hope this feedback is helpful!
Related Products Mentioned
Shea Butter (Refined , Deodorised)
Phenoxyethanol SA (eq. Optiphen Plus)
