Follow the discounted products!
Nakúp ešte za 23,50€a dopravu máš zadarmo
Would you like to create account?
Do you want to take care of your skin during the winter months as well? For the period of cold and frost, richer creams with a higher proportion of oils are suitable; they protect your skin against the negative effects of the weather. Try making a winter face cream according to our guide, with mango butter for long-lasting hydration of the skin.
Similar to other emulsions, face creams also consist of aqueous and oily raw materials. To unite these two otherwise immiscible components, an emulsifier is used, so preparing such a product will require heating. You will learn more in our instructions!
Preparing emulsions can sometimes be demanding, so we have prepared tips and tricks for you that will make it easier to make your winter face cream. It is a good idea to mix the powdered raw materials, that is, hyaluronic acid and allantoin, with glycerin to facilitate their solubility and hydration. Otherwise it will take longer to obtain a nice clear gel of hyaluronic acid, and in the finished cream there may still be lumps of non-hydrated hyaluronic acid several hours after preparation, which will, however, gradually disappear. Do not forget to cover the containers with phases A and B with aluminium foil before heating them in the water bath, to prevent water from evaporating or entering the containers. If you want to work with extra accuracy, weigh the container with phase A before heating and note the mass. After heating, weigh the container again and top up the evaporated water. Do not forget to place a small plate or other support under the hot container, as hot objects negatively affect the accuracy and functionality of the scales.When combining phases A and B, make sure that both mixtures have approximately the same temperature. Otherwise, the emulsifier may solidify and cause failure of the emulsion to form and lumps in the mixture. For good unification of the two phases, also use a stick blender. Use milk frothers only if they have good power; in some cases, they do not ensure proper unification of the two phases.If you want to use the preservative Cosgard in the product, it is necessary to lower the pH by adding lactic acid. Always add lactic acid dropwise, stir thoroughly and check the pH. Only then continue with another addition until you reach a pH value in the range 4.5 to 5.5. Keep in mind that the stated amount of lactic acid is only indicative and the pH of the product will depend on the accuracy of weighing, the quality of the raw materials or on substitutions of raw materials and changes in dosage.
Below we will introduce the individual raw materials used in the production of the winter face cream.You will also learn more about possible substitutions or changes in the dosage of the individual raw materials.
The base for the production of most cosmetics is demineralised water. In this case, it is supplemented with a hydrosol, which you can use to replace part or all of the demineralised water. Do not use ordinary tap water, as it contains minerals that can disrupt the stability of the product and the entire emulsion. You can increase the proportion of water in the formula at the expense of Vegeline if you feel that the product is too greasy and thick. However, try this strategy only after replacing Vegeline with vegetable oils, as there will certainly be a change in the viscosity of the product. All changes will also undoubtedly result in a change in the pH value of the product.
Witch hazel is a great medicinal plant whose extracts in the hydrosol help to soothe irritated and reddened skin. You will appreciate this especially in the winter months, when the skin is intensively exposed to frost or wind. As mentioned, you can increase the proportion of hydrosol in the formula at the expense of distilled water, or you can choose another hydrosol according to your preferences. In any case, however, expect a change in the pH of the final product, and thus also a different amount of lactic acid needed for pH adjustment.
High-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid is a great addition to winter cosmetics due to its hydrating and softening properties. Instead of serums on a purely water base, try adding hyaluronic acid to the aqueous phase of your creams during winter so you can enjoy the benefits of this raw material in combination with vegetable oils and butters. Hyaluronic acid helps to partially thicken the product and to reduce the feeling of greasiness on the skin from the applied product. You can omit it and replace it with water, but the viscosity of the product will change.
The main moisturising agent in the winter face cream is glycerin. It is a clear, viscous liquid that dissolves well in water and helps to hydrate the skin and retain moisture in it. In addition, glycerin serves to accelerate the dissolution of hyaluronic acid in aqueous solutions. Thanks to glycerin, hyaluronic acid needs a shorter time to become fully hydrated and to form a homogeneous gel. Allantoin behaves similarly. For this reason, it is good not to leave glycerin out of the formula. However, if this raw material does not suit you, you can replace it with water.
A great soothing agent for your skin is allantoin. In combination with witch hazel hydrosol, it helps to reduce redness and relieve irritation of the skin caused by cold or strong wind. Allantoin has the disadvantage that its larger amounts are difficult to dissolve in water and heating is necessary. However, even then it can happen that after cooling the solution, allantoin precipitates again and forms sediment on the bottom. In this case, less is more; do not unnecessarily increase the dose of allantoin, as this substance is effective even in small amounts. In this way you will avoid stability problems with the product.
Another substance with properties similar to glycerin is Sodium Lactate. It is the sodium salt of lactic acid, and you will find this compound in the form of a colourless solution that dissolves well in water. Sodium Lactate is a great supplement to other moisturising raw materials such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid. Sodium Lactate will help you reduce transepidermal water loss from the skin and keep it supple and hydrated even during the winter months. It is an active, so it can again be omitted from the formula and replaced with glycerin or water. Do not unnecessarily increase the content of Sodium Lactate above the level recommended by the manufacturer – it could cause irritation of the skin.
Mango butter in this formula serves as an exceptionally nourishing and protective component. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamins A and E, which help to regenerate the skin and improve its elasticity. Thanks to its light texture, it does not leave a greasy feeling, while creating a gentle barrier against the unfavourable effects of winter weather. It is ideal for dry and sensitive skin, which it hydrates and softens.
Since the cream combines aqueous and oily raw materials, an emulsifier is necessary to unite these two phases. In the case of the winter face cream, Beautyderm K10 was chosen. It is a commonly used emulsifier for the production of face creams, body milks and other emulsions. You should definitely not omit Beautyderm K10 from the product, otherwise water and Vegeline will not unite. By changing the proportion of Beautyderm K10, you can, however, influence the viscosity of the product. If you like more fluid creams, reduce its content by 0.5–1 %, conversely, for a thicker cream you can increase the content by about 1 %. If you do not know which variant you would like best, prepare small test batches of the cream with different proportions of emulsifier. In the winter face cream, this emulsifier can be replaced, for example, by Olivem 1000.
For the final adjustment of the pH of the product, lactic acid was chosen. Its advantage over citric acid is that it is sold already as a solution, so you do not have to prepare a solution at home. However, a 30 or 50 % solution of citric acid can be used to adjust the pH – but bear in mind that you will need a completely different amount than in the case of lactic acid. Omit the addition of lactic acid only if the pH of the product, even without adjustment, lies between 5.5 and 4.5. Otherwise, add lactic acid dropwise and check the pH continuously (e.g. with indicator strips or a pH meter) until you reach the desired range.
A great preservative for natural cosmetics is Cosgard. It is a broad-spectrum preservative that is active only in an acidic pH, ideally below 5.5. For this reason, adjustment of the product pH with lactic acid is necessary; otherwise the preservative will not be active. In this case, the preservative is necessary to add, because the winter face cream also contains water, which, without treatment with a preservative, would already after a few days be an excellent growth medium for bacteria, yeasts or moulds, and your product would become unusable. You can replace Cosgard with another broad-spectrum preservative, but make sure that the given preservative will be effective at the final pH of the product. Otherwise, it is necessary to adjust the pH of the product.
As mentioned, you can experiment with homemade formulas to achieve the desired properties. However, the final result can be influenced by many factors, such as humidity, temperature, quality of the raw materials or their storage.
Before you use any raw material for the production of a cosmetic product, familiarise yourself with its properties, recommended dosage, storage conditions and safe handling. Every raw material may have the potential to trigger an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, so before using the product we recommend checking whether you are allergic to any of the raw materials or to the overall product, for example by a patch test. If you have very sensitive or very acne-prone skin, or if you have other skin and health problems, we recommend consulting a medical professional before applying a new product to the skin, whether it is a homemade cosmetic product, a pure raw material or a commercially available product.
Does your skin need more nutrition and care in the winter period? Try a winter face cream that you make according to our guide.
We thank Ivana Jačalová for the excellent information and the article with the instructions.
Do you have interesting tips and tricks that we could add to this guide? Write to us at marketing@handymade.sk and share new experiences with us.
