Ingredients which I bought as a Beginner...

 

If you want to make Skin Care Products at Home and wondered what ingredients would be sufficient to start or as a Beginner, here is my personal experience and suggestions.

I initially wanted to make balms, foot cream and lipstick. I was searching for different ingredients and recipes. I bought different carrier oils from the local organic store, all types of butters (Cocoa, Mango and Shea), also bought many essential oils. Do you want to know how many E.O's I bought? I got Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Teatree, Basil, Eucalyptus, Rose Geranium, Cedarwood, Clarysage, Frankinsense and Onion (Ughh! Onion E.O makes entire house smell like onions and tears dropping from eyes even when used in less quantity). Quite big list of E.O's :D In all these E.O's, I personally love Rose Geranium, Peppermint and Lemongrass E.O. Rest are still more than half and I couldn't use much. Now, these are nearing to expiry date. I don't want you to buy all the ingredients without knowing where and how much you would use. 10ml-30ml E.O goes a long way unless you are making big batches. It is better and safe to buy ingredients in small quantities.

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Here are the ingredients required to make some products and ingredients which I got initially.

To make Balms, Salves, Lip products, Butters and Deodorants,

• Butter: any one or two (Cocoa butter, Shea butter,  Mango Butter)
• Wax: any one  or two (Beeswax, Carnauba, Candelilla)
• Oils: Light weight: Wheatgerm, Argan, Jojoba, CCTG etc
• Heavy: Castor oil, Organic coconut oil, Neem oil etc
• E.O's: depending on fragrance and availability
• Herbs: Calendula, Roses, Chamomile, Lemon Grass, Hibiscus, Comfrey etc. to infuse in oils.
• Aroow Root Powder, Corn starch to remove greasiness
• Lanolin, if you want to treat cracked feet or hands
• Vitamin E (to prevent oils go rancid)

To make lotions and creams,

• Emulsifier is needed like Emulsifying Wax NF, Olivem 1000 (Beeswax is not Emulsifier) There are different types of Emulsifiers like Synthetic, Organic, Water in Oil and Oil in Water
• Preservative: Geogard ECT, Geogard Ultra, Optiphen, Liquid Germall Plus, Verstatil. Preservatives are also classified as natural and non-natural. Few are soluble in water and few are not completely soluble. Few preservatives should not be used in lip products and few should not be used for kids. Consider these before buying a preservative.
• Co-Emulsifier and Gums: Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Xantham Gum
• Sometimes, co-emulsifier or gum is needed to stabilize emulsion.
• Humectant: Glycerin, Sodium Lactate
• Allantoin (For moisturizing)
• DM Water 
• Wax, Butter and Oils are common

To make Scrubs, Foat Soak Salts and Bath Bombs,

• Salt: Epsom Salt, Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt
• Citric Acid
• Baking Soda
• Corn starch
• Gentle scrubbing ingredients: Jojoba beads, walnut powder, oats powder, sugar

To make Lip products,

• Butters, Oil and Wax are common. Butters like Shea butter are good for moisturizing properties. Oils like Castor oil for shine. Carnauba wax and Beeswax for good spread.
• Lip Colorants: Lipsafe mica, iron oxides
• Natural colors:: Alkanet Root powder, Annatto Seed powder
• Lip Flavor oils: Banana, Strawberry, Mango
• Peppermint E.O can be used but in a less percentage (Check with Supplier)

To make Toner or Face-mist,

• Hydrosols can be used to give some nice scent and properties of herbs/ flowers. I have Rose Geranium and Rosemary Hydrosol.
• Witch Hazel (non-alcoholic): astringent 
• Glycerin or Glycerites
• Preservative (water-soluble)
• Solubilizer like Polysorbate 80 (if you want to add little amount of oils)

To make Face mask,

• Herbs: Ashwagandha, Licorice, Avarampoo, Wild Turmeric
• Clays: Bentonite, Pink Clay. Rhassoul
• Binding ingredient for herbs: Arrow root powder

To make Hair Conditioner,

• One or two oils, butters and waxes (depending on hair type)
• Cationic Emulsifier: BTMS 50, Behentrimonium Chloride, Armocare VGH 70 (Bio-degradable)
• Hydrolyzed proteins: Oats, Wheat, Silk Protein
• Humectants: Glycerin, Sodium Lactate
• Quats: Polyquat 7, Polyquat 10
• Silicones: Dimethicone (Natural silicones are also available these days)
• DM water, F.O's or E.O's, colorants like mica (if you want to color the conditioner)

To make M&P Soaps,

• Soap Base like Shea Butter Soap Base, Goat Milk Soap Base
• Colorants: Mica's or liquid colorants
• Natural colors like Charcoal, Clays, Indigo, Matcha, Spirulina
• Herbs like Chia seeds,  Dried Calendula or Rose Petals, Loofah

To make Face and Hair Serums:

• Oils: Light weight: Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Squalane(veg), Wheat Germ, Rosehip
• Heavy: Coconut, Castor
• E.O's
• Infused oils
• Vitamin E (to prevent oils go rancid)
• Oil soluble silicone's

Container and Equipment which are required:

• Glass Beakers: 100ml, 250ml
• Glass Bowls and Plastic Beakers
• Glass Stirring Rods and Steel Lab Spatula (tiny spoon)
• Measuring spoons and Measuring scale (weighing machine which weighs up to 0.01 g)
• Spatula (thin or thick)
• Soap mold, Lipstick mold
• Glass or Plastic Droppers
• Immersion Blender (for emulsions like lotions, creams, conditioners and soaps)
• Digital Thermometer
• PH strips or PH meter (for accurate measurements)

Containers:

• Glass/ PET/ SAN Jars (50ml, 100ml or as per your product size)
• Lipbalm/ Lipstick tubes or aluminium containers
• Tottle bottles, Flipflop bottles
• Lotion pump and spray pump bottle
• PET or Glass Bottles
• Dropper Bottles
• Deodorant Stick

These are not mandatory. These are just suggestions from my previous experience and knowledge. As you start making new products, you will know how to incorporate new ingredients.

Do you want to watch this on YouTube?

Click the link for - Where to Buy Ingredients and Containers?

Other DIY Blogs:

How to make Hibiscus and Rose Hand Cream?

How to Make Black and White Melt N Pour Soap?

How to Make Herbal Face Mask?

How to Make Tinted Lip Balm?

How to Make Foot Soak Salts?

How to Make Foot Cream?

Disclaimer: 

Selling products would need approval from local drug authorities and these should go through stability, preservation and other tests. Different states and countries have different regulations. Check with your local drug authorities for more information.

I am not a cosmetic chemist, I like doing DIY and making products for my family. I am sharing the same in this site. DIY's published in my Blog or Youtube are only for information and Educational purposes and not intended to cure or treat any diseases.

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