Customised Hair Products Information Leaflet
MIX UP & BLEND!
DIY Holistic, Beauty & Hair Care Products
the gifts of Mother Earth - and which some may argue, have much greater therapeutic and skin/hair care properties than synthetic ingredients. In contrast, many manufactured products have a high content of man made chemicals, which are not always necessary nor appealing for those who have more natural lifestyle preferences.
In addition to the greater ingredient choice that creating your own products allows, it is a fun, creative, relaxing and rewarding pastime. One which brings a sense of pride and nurturing both to yourself and loved ones when making products as gifts.
Please note that if you wish to sell your finished products to the general public, they legally require an external safety assessment for each product under the European Union Cosmetics Regulations. For further information, contact your local Trading Standards or Department for Trade and Industry.
Before starting your creation, please ensure that you follow the health and safety guidelines for production and also check that the intended ingredients & finished product will be safe for your intended user. I have a number of Guides available for purchase, which provide essential Practical Information and Recipes.
To give you an idea of what types of products can be made, here is a list of ones which I have made myself, the ingredients you need and a couple of recipes to whet your creative appetite!
Bath melts, body exfoliator (with sugar or salt), mini foot exfoliators, lip balms, moisturisers and face balms, serums, eye gels, cleansers, toners, body & hair spritzes, foot refreshers, facial oils, body massage oils, body lotions, creams and butters, bubble baths, shower gels, room refreshers, body and face masks, hair oils and masks, leave in and wash out conditoners, shampoos, daily hair moisturisers, curl creams ....
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BATH SALTS/BODY EXFOLIATORS: |
CLEANSERS/LOTIONS/CREAMS/BODY BUTTERS/HAIR PRODUCTS: |
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Sea Salt or Sugar Carrier oil Soft butter e,g shea or semi solid carrier oil e,g Babassu, Coconut Dried flowers/herbs Clays, Dried Milk Essential oils or fragrance oils Preservative (for the exofliator) Tub or jar for storage |
Base product with essential oils or fragrance oils or to make from scratch: Cetyl alcohol (natural, vegetable derived thickening ingredient) Emulsifying wax (vegetable derived - to bind the oils and water), Carrier oil Hydrolat or distilled water Butters and/or semi solid oils e,g Babassu, Coconut Essential oils or fragrance oils Preservative, Bottle, tub or jar |
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FACE, HAIR & BODY MASKS: |
TONERS/BODY & FOOT SPRITZES, HAIR SPRITZES |
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Aloe or vitamin E gel for Gel masks (not for Hair) Kaolin, Rhassoul or Fullers Earth for clay masks Hydrolat or distilled water Essential oils, Preservative, Glycerin and/or carrier oil for additional moisture |
Hydrolat/floral water or Distilled Water Essential or Fragrance oils Solubiliser Mist spray or ordinary bottle. Optional: Glycerine |
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HAIR, BODY and FACIAL OILS: |
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Carrier oil, essential oils, dried herbs or flowers for infusions, bottle for storage |
Please note: preservative is only required for products made from scratch which either contain water or will come into regular contact with water e,g exfoliators which tend to be used with wet fingers in the bath/shower. The preservative prevents the growth of bacteria, which would cause serious skin infections and also extends the shelf life of your product from about 2 wks to 12-24 months.
Moulds for soaps, bath melts, body massage bars etc. I currently use shaped and regular ice cube trays, used and clean chocolate box inserts, small tupperware boxes and any other item which is useful to be a mould. Make sure it is strong enough to hold the product, yet flexible to release when set. Also take care pouring hot fluids into plastic containers, they may melt. Allow to cool a little before pouring!
RECIPES
Facial or Body Massage Oil
1)Select your preferred carrier oil(s) e,g grapeseed, sweet almond, macadamia, castor
2)Add up to 5% wheatgerm oil - this helps to extend the shelf life of your other carrier oils and stops them from turning rancid too quickly
3)Add a blend of up to 3 essential oils (use correct dilution) suitable for skintype, skin condition e,g eczema or fragrance preference
4)Stir well with a spoon, decant to your bottle
Phase A Phase B Phase C Heat phase A ingredients for 15-20 mins
Face or Body Cream
Heat phase B ingredients for 5-10 mins in another double burner
Place bowl of oils and butters into another bowl/pan of iced cold water to prevent bittiness once set
Slowly add the Phase B ingredients a little at a time and whisk (hand or electric) until you reach your desired texture and consistency.
Add phase C ingredients. Decant into your jar or tub. Leave overnight before use.
NB Butters = shea butter, cocoa butter etc not dairy butter!
Lip Balm (can also be used as body or facial balm, just increase the quantities)
1 teaspoon bees wax 1 tsp shea butter
1 tsp cocoa butter 2 tsp sweet almond oil
Melt all the ingredients together in a double burner and place in another bowl of iced water. Add fragrance oil e.g. chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, peppermint in 1.25% dilution once cooled but before setting. You can also use real chocolate! Give it a good stir with a spoon. Pour into jars and apply!
If along the way, you make a few mistakes which end up in the bin, please don't worry! Its a bit like cooking or starting any new activity, it takes some time to build up your skills....remember the old adage Practice makes Perfect! Enjoy!
