I’m not fond of my face cream, so I wanted to try to make one and see if I liked it better. Plus, I wanted to make some to give to Camila’s teacher – whom I adore – for mother’s day. She’s truly like a second mom to my children. After looking and looking and looking for recipes, I settled on this one because I had all the ingredients, including home made rose water. The recipe also looked more complex than other ones.
I followed the recipe quite closely. I think it may have been a mistake to make all the substitutions mentioned in the recipe, however. I substituted part of the water with aloe vera gel and part of the oil with jojoba and avocado oils. I also added phenonip, a preservative, so that it wouldn’t need to be refrigerated/used immediately.
The cream emulsified very nicely, had a lovely pastel pink color and a nice, light consistency. At first I thought I’d wanted it thicker, but then I think it would have been too difficult to apply.
I was quite unhappy with the cream at first because when I applied it to my face and arms, it was not just super oily, but super sticky – so much so that it made my skin feel very tight. I had to wash it off.
Later, I tried applying just a tiny bit of the cream to my face (rather than the lot I’d originally applied), and while it was still oily, the sticky sensation wasn’t there. I was still unhappy with the oily sensation – but then I compared it to my usual face creams and realized that they were just as oily. I guess that while a body lotion is supposed to be absorbed quickly, a face cream should take longer to absorb so that it provides you with longer protection.
I’ve decided that I’m going to use it as a night cream, after I run out of my usual one. With so many different oils and ingredients, I think it will be very nourishing. At night, it won’t matter much that it’s greasy, and, as it doesn’t have any UV protection, I shouldn’t use it during the day anyway. I gave it a test drive last night and my face is moist and soft this morning, not at all oily.
Now, for the recipe. I wasn’t sure if the measurements were on fluid ounces, or regular ounces. I decided to weigh all the ingredients, except for those given in teaspoons. I also halved the recipe from the original, as I didn’t need so much of it. That meant I had to modify some quantities a little bit. I’m giving the quantities in grams, as, given the light measurements, it’s easier.
Spring Rose Night Facial Cream
- 42g grapeseed oil
- 42g apricot kernel oil
- 25g coconut oil
- 10g cocoa butter
- 1/2 tsp. lanolin
- 10 g beeswax pearls
- 7g jojoba oil
- 7 g avocado oil
- 3 fl oz rose water
- 1 fl oz aloe vera gel
- 1/2 tsp. vitamin E oil
- 10-40 drops rose essential/fragrance oil
- 2 g phenonip
Gently heat the grape seed oil, the apricot kernel oil, the coconut oil, the cocoa butter and the lanolin with the beeswax, just until the beeswax melts. Let cool down a little and add the jojoba and avocado oils. Mix and let stand on the counter or the fridge until the oils come to room temperature (they will solidify).
Meanwhile, bring your rose water to room temperature if necessary. Pour the water into the bowl of a blender and add the aloe vera and vitamin E. Add the essential oil.
Once the water and oils are at the same temperature, add a little bit of oil to the water and blend on high until incorporated. Gradually add the rest of the oil, making sure to incorporate it before adding more. Then blend until the mixture acquires a creamy texture – use a spatula to stir from time to time if needed. Add the phenonip and blend one last time. Pour into clean containers.
From Women’s Menopause Health Center
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