For those with dry or aging skin, a homemade facial cleansing cream can remove dirt and oil without removing necessary moisture. Learn how to make your own with these recipes, instructions and natural ingredients.
Why Use Cleansing Cream?
Basic Ingredients
Cleansing cream is essentially a lotion that is removed from the skin after application. Thus, this recipe can double as a facial lotion and cleanser depending on your needs. In order to make it, you will need vegetable oil, distilled water, and baking soda, all of which are available at the local grocery store.Popular oil choices for the face are olive oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, and mineral oil, but and thin oil will work. Two ingredients you may have trouble finding are glycerine, a byproduct of soap-making, and powdered stearic acid. The former is sometimes available in the cooking aisle, but you can also find both items at craft stores. Glycerine gives cleansing cream extra moisturizing properties, while stearic acid is a thickening agent. Once you have assembled all the ingredients, you can prepare to make your cleansing cream.
Recipe
Begin by sterilizing the container in which your cream will be stored. This can be done by submerging it in boiling water and then drying thoroughly. make sure that your container has a tightly fitting lid and can hold a little over one cup, since the recipe makes approximately that much cleanser. Next, pour a tablespoon of glycerine, an eighth of a cup of baking soda, and a half of a cup of water in a microwave safe glass measuring cup. In another such cup, blend and eighth cup each of your chosen vegetable oil and powdered stearic acid. Microwave this mixture, stirring it at ten-second intervals until the powder has dissolved. Now, microwave the other container until its contents begin to boil. Pour them into the oil and stearic acid mixture and whip them until you achieve a fluffy texture. Transfer the cream into your container and place it in the refrigerator to cool, capping it afterwards.
Alterations
The first recommendation I would like to offer is for those with sensitive skin. With dry skin often comes susceptibility to irritation. If this is the case for you, consider substituting the above-mentioned vegetable oils for grape seed oil. Unlike most vegetable oils, this oil is not known to irritate any skin type and thus can be used safely by anyone. A useful alteration for skin that is inflamed or painfully red from dryness is the addition of aloe vera gel. This plant derivative, which can be found near lotions and sunscreens, is highly reputed for its soothing and healing powers. To include it in your cleansing cream, simply cut the water in the recipe by half and replace it with an equal quantity of aloe vera gel.
Usage Guidelines
Once you have created your first jar of cleansing cream, you will need to know how to use it. Begin by washing and drying your hands thoroughly so that no dirt or bacteria are transmitted from them to your skin. Next, scoop approximately a tablespoon of cleanser from the jar and apply it liberally over the entire face. Rub it in for about a minute, both to loosen dirt and to help the moisture penetrate your skin. Finally, use a tissue or a soft washcloth to remove any extra cleanser from the face. You will be amazed to see just how dirty your face was. Better yet, you will be thrilled by how smooth and moist your skin looks and feels after a thorough cleansing.
If you have dry skin, you will be thrilled at the benefits a cleansing cream can offer your. No longer will you dread cleaning your face and the painful parched skin that precedes it. Instead, you will look forward to pampering your thirsty face with deep-penetrating moisture as you wipe away dirt and oil. By using your handmade cleansing cream, you can fight dry skin, slow the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and achieve a beautifully clear and moist complexion.
