Herbal Creams and Lotions

Herbal Creams and Lotions are a luxury you can't pass up if you love herbs. Not only do you get the wonderful properties of herbs, but you also get the benefit of the fixed oils you choose as well. In my opinion commercial products just don't measure up, and never will.

There are five things to consider when making homemade creams and lotions; 1) the water you use, 2) what fixed oils to choose, 3) what herbs will you blend in, 4) the emulsifying wax, and 5) will you add preservatives.

The Water: Sure, you can use tap water however your water will affect your creams and lotions. I recommend getting a Brita Water Pitcher and - depending upon where you live - using rain water that's been filtered. However, if you live in a highly industrialized area your rain water might not be the best either. Many kinds of bottled water and tap water have chemicals in them. No matter the water you choose I do recommend using the water filter to get the best water possible (and it might not be a bad idea to use the Brita Water Pitcher for drinking too).

The Fixed Oils: I've created a page sharing fixed oil information for soap makers. However, this fixed oil information can be used for creams and lotions as well. It's best to pick one fixed oil that is solid and one that is liquid at room temperature. What oil you choose depends on what properties you want your creams and lotions to have. I personally like Cocoa Butter and Hemp Seed oil - but I live in a very dry area and need the heavy healing.

The Herbs: Its best to choose only one herb - at the most two. Below I've listed the very basic properties of some of the most used herbs for creams and lotions. However, my list is NOT the only herbs you can use. I admit, the herbal part will take some study on your part - but its all fun.

The Emulsifying Wax: You have to be careful when buying Emulsifying Wax, there are basically 2 kinds. One is a chemical base synthetic wax, the other is a vegetable base wax. If the product doesn't "specifically" say its vegetable based, its the chemical based kind - so read carefully! Both work equally as well to blend the oils and water. You do need an emulsifying wax to blend the oil and water in your creams and lotions.

Preservatives: The oils you use, the herbs you use, the quality of your water, the container you put your end product in, and your LOCATION all play a part in preservative use. Creams and lotions that lasts for months in the desert may only last a few days in a swamp. At the end of the list of fixed oils you'll find information on natural preservatives.

I trust Mountain Rose Herbs,
when making my Creams and Lotions,
for my Fixed Oils, Herbs, and pure Vegetable Based Emulsifying Wax.

Recipes

The first thing to be aware of is that you WILL have to make adjustments to your OWN personal recipe. Every oil, herb, your water, wax and the preservatives will make a slight change in consistency. I highly recommend that you get some 3 x 5 cards and write down exactly what you do, make your changes and write that down - so the moment your creams and lotions are perfect for you - you can make it over and over again.

Preparing Your Herb Water: The night before you plan to make your cream or lotion you'll need to make your Herb Water. This becomes the water you'll use for your product. In a glass jar that seals place equal amounts - by volume - of herb and water (If you are using a 1/2 cup of water, you'll also use a half cup of herb). Seal the jar tightly and let it sit over night. In the morning shake the jar real hard. Then carefully pour the contents into a tight weave strainer - RETAIN THE WATER - and press as much water out of the herb as you can. Its okay to add a little water, if you need to, to equal the amount you need for your recipe. But do try to get it as close as you can. Don't forget to use the water from your Brita Water Pitcher.

Note: If you don't want to add an herb just skip this part and use clean water.

Basic Cream Recipe
* 1 part Liquid Fixed Oil
* 1 part Solid Fixed Oil
* 1 part Emulsifying Wax
* 4 - 6 parts Herb Water (or plain Water)
* Preservatives as Needed
Start by melting, over very low heat, the Solid Fixed Oil, just melt it - don't let it get too hot. Once that's melted add the Emulsifying Wax and let that melt. Yes, stir it as its melting. Take this off the heat as soon as everything is liquid. Add your Liquid Fixed Oil and stir to blend it all in. Then add your water - your mixture will change color and look more like a cream. You need to keep stirring until it cools and thickens. You can speed this process up by placing your pan in a little ice water. After it gets thick take it out of the ice water and walk away from it for about an hour. Stir it after the hour and see if your mixture is the consistency you want. If it isn't you'll need to make adjustments. If it is you can blend in your preservatives (mix it really well) and place it in your container for use.

Basic Lotion Recipe
* 1 part Liquid Fixed Oil
* 1 part Solid Fixed Oil
* 1 part Emulsifying Wax
* 8 - 12 parts Herb Water (or plain Water)
* Preservatives as Needed
Start by melting, over very low heat, the Solid Fixed Oil, just melt it - don't let it get too hot. Once that's melted add the Emulsifying Wax and let that melt. Yes, stir it as its melting. Take this off the heat as soon as everything is liquid. Add your Liquid Fixed Oil and stir to blend it all in. Then add your water - your mixture will change color and look more like a lotion. You need to keep stirring until it cools and thickens. You can speed this process up by placing your pan in a little ice water. After it gets thick take it out of the ice water and walk away from it for about an hour. Stir it after the hour and see if your mixture is the consistency you want. If it isn't you'll need to make adjustments. If it is you can blend in your preservatives (mix it really well) and place it in your container for use.

Herbs
Here is a very basic list of the most used herbs for creams and lotions.