There are a few things to remember when making this homemade cream:
Use clean fingers, or better yet a sterile spoon, to scoop out your finished cream, avoiding any “double dipping.”
If you don’t add a preservative, it will be quite perishable and have a short shelf life of around 1 week, when stored in the refrigerator between uses.
This cream is thick and rich and is best suited for those with dry or mature skin. If you have oily skin, you may be happier with a lighter cream such as Basil Anti-Aging Face Cream.
It may take a few times to get the hang of making creams with beeswax. Don’t get discouraged if the first batch doesn’t turn out quite right. Make sure to follow the directions and beat for a full 10 to 15 minutes. The cream will thicken up more once it settles into the jar.
DIY Natural Rose Face & Body Cream
- handful of organic fresh (or dried) rose petals
- at least 5 ounces of distilled water
- 2.5 ounces sweet almond oil
- 0.5 ounce rosehip seed oil
- 1.5 ounces mango butter
- 0.5 ounce beeswax pastilles
- 2 tablespoons stearic acid (a natural thickener)
- a few drops of geranium or rose essential oil
- alkanet root powder (optional, for pink coloring)
- preservative
You can buy all of these ingredients at Mountain Rose Herbs, or you may be able to source them locally.
Step 1:
Place a generous handful of rose petals into a small heat proof jar. Pour simmering hot water over them, cover with a saucer and let this steep while you gather your ingredients together.
Step 2:
Weigh out 2.5 ounces of sweet almond oil into a heat proof measuring cup. I infused mine with dried rose petals several weeks ago in anticipation of this recipe, but you can skip that part if you’re crunched on time.
Add the mango butter, beeswax pastilles and stearic acid. Set the cup into a saucepan filled with a few inches of water and heat on medium-low heat until everything is melted.
Step 3:
Remove the cup from the pan, let the hot mixture cool a bit, then add the 0.5 ounce of rosehip seed oil. Pour into a mixing bowl, then let it cool further until around body temperature.
Strain the rose petals from the water and measure out four ounces of liquid. (Any leftover rosewater makes a nice hair or face rinse or addition to your bathwater.) Make sure it’s roughly within 5 degrees of the oil mixture.
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