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You can now prepare a gentle shower gel with magnolia fragrance to brighten your skin in the comfort of your own home. Tiny strawberry seeds will take care of the gentle removal of dead skin cells, and at the same time these exfoliating particles are biodegradable. Try the exfoliating shower gel according to our instructions or adapt it to your liking using the information in the section meaning of raw materials and their variations.
Below you will find a list of raw materials for the production of the shower gel. As usual, for foaming preparations the use of surfactants is necessary and, since the product also contains water, it is essential to preserve it. Of course, to make showering more pleasant, exfoliating particles, a gentle magnolia fragrance and coloured mica powder are added.
When making the exfoliating shower gel, it is useful to have a milk frother at hand, or a stick blender when preparing larger volumes, as this will speed up and facilitate the formation of a gel-like consistency. Sucraclear is responsible for gel formation; at the same time this substance allows the exfoliating particles to remain suspended. In our tests, we observed that the viscosity of the product slightly decreases on the second day, and therefore a slightly higher dose of Sucraclear was used. On the other hand, heating the gel to 70 °C (as recommended by the manufacturer) did stabilise the gel more, i.e. there was no more pronounced decrease in viscosity, but on the other hand the gel was not able to keep the heavier exfoliating particles dispersed and the strawberry seeds sank to the bottom, only the mica powder remained evenly dispersed.When incorporating the surfactants, in addition to stirring with a spoon or stick, you can also use a milk frother, especially if you feel that the gel is not combining with the surfactants. However, stir carefully, as the product will foam during intense stirring.The amount of lactic acid used is only indicative. Always remember to check the pH of the product before adding sensitive raw materials, such as preservatives. Decyl glucoside and caprylyl/capryl glucoside have an alkaline pH, which would not be suitable for the skin, so pH adjustment is necessary. Add lactic acid drop by drop, mix the mixture well after each addition and test the pH until you reach values in the range of 4.5 to 5.5.
Do you like exfoliating shower gels but want to give these products a touch of originality? Below you will find advice and tips that will help you adapt the shower gel to your own preferences. At the same time, you will learn more about the meaning of each raw material and the reason why they were used in the production of the exfoliating shower gel.
The basis for producing shower gels are surfactants. These are foam-forming, cleansing and degreasing substances that combine well with water and other water-soluble raw materials. In the production of our product, glucosides were used, which are characterised by an alkaline pH. This is also why it was necessary to adjust their pH by adding lactic acid.If you want to replace a surfactant in the product, be aware that there will be a significant change in the properties of the product. Not only do surfactants have different pH values, and so the amount of lactic acid required will change, but they also differ in foaming capacity, compatibility and concentration (surfactants are not 100% substances, but are sold as diluted solutions, so always check the ASM value of the surfactant so that your product is not too concentrated and thus irritating to the skin).
The second major item among the raw materials of the exfoliating shower gel is distilled or demineralised water. Of course, you can replace distilled water with hydrolats of your choice. However, keep in mind that hydrolats have different pH values, and thus the amount of lactic acid needed to achieve the physiological pH of the skin (4.5 to 5.5) will also change.
The thickener and gel-forming agent in the exfoliating shower gel is Sucraclear. It is a fine white powder of plant origin that thickens various products and forms water-based gels. Its advantage is that it helps to keep exfoliating particles or mica powders evenly dispersed in the product.
If you want to replace Sucraclear, try for example xanthan gum. However, be aware that xanthan gum has difficulty dispersing heavier particles such as strawberry seeds evenly.
The moisturising and humectant raw material in the exfoliating shower gel is glycerin. It is a type of alcohol that is commonly found in cosmetics and is well soluble in water. At the same time, it helps to hydrate powdered raw materials, such as plant gums, Sucraclear or hyaluronic acid, thereby shortening the time needed for lumps to disappear and for homogeneous gels to form.If you omit glycerin from the product, be aware that more lumps of Sucraclear will form in the shower gel and it will take a longer time for them all to disappear.
Strawberry seeds are an unconventional way to make your shower gel more special. However, they are not the only available exfoliating particles. You can choose ground pumice powder or various ground nut or almond shells. Choose exfoliating particles that are not soluble in water (therefore salt and sugar are not suitable). Alternatively, you can omit exfoliating particles entirely.
The acid chosen to adjust the pH was lactic acid. Its advantage is that it is fairly concentrated and is sold as a solution, so you do not have to prepare your own solution or wait for it to dissolve. An alternative to lactic acid are other organic acids, for example citric acid. Its disadvantage is the fact that it is a solid substance, and so you must prepare a solution in advance with which you will adjust the pH.
Universal colourants in cosmetics are mica powders, thanks to which your products can acquire a variety of shades. Mica powders require the addition of a suitable thickener or other agent to prevent them from settling to the bottom – in this case, Sucraclear was chosen. You can omit mica powders from the product entirely, or choose any shade you like.
The gentle magnolia scent of the product was provided by the fragrance oil. This is a synthetically prepared compound, because not all plants provide fragrant essential oils in sufficient quantity. Of course, instead of fragrance oils you can use essential oils, or you can omit fragrance altogether and replace the amount of fragrance oil used with water.
Last but not least, a preservative is necessary for the shelf life and safety of the product. Since the product contains water, which microorganisms need for life, it is necessary to add preservatives, otherwise your product will quickly undergo microbial spoilage. As a preservative, Cosgard was chosen; it is an Ecocert and COSMOS approved preservative, which is most effective at an acidic pH, ideally below 5.5. You can replace Cosgard with another broad-spectrum preservative that will be effective at the acidic pH of the product.
As mentioned, you can experiment with homemade recipes to achieve the desired properties. However, the final result can be influenced by many factors, such as humidity, temperature, quality of raw materials or their storage. Before you use any raw material to produce a cosmetic product, familiarise yourself with its properties, recommended dosage, storage conditions and safe handling. Every raw material can have the potential to trigger an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, so before using the product we recommend determining whether you are allergic to any of the raw materials or the overall product, for example by means of a skin test. If you have very sensitive or very acne-prone skin, or if you have other skin and health problems, we recommend that you consult a medical professional before applying a new product to your skin, whether it is a homemade cosmetic product, a pure raw material or a commercially available product.
Do you like exfoliating shower gels or do you prefer the ordinary ones? Let us know how you did when creating the exfoliating shower gel. We will also be pleased to receive your observations and recommendations.In case of any questions or uncertainties, feel free to write to us at marketing@handymade.skUntil lathering up, friends.
