In case you didn't know: Your body produces an oily substance called sebum, (which
sounds gross but isn't) and protects your skin by forming a thin barrier
preserving moisture, promoting elasticity. But, since nature is imperfect, many of us produce too much or too
little sebum.
Our natural moisture is striped by climate, soap, hard
water, or any manner of things.
We are left having to replenish
not only our moisture, but a barrier to keep it from evaporating or
washing away.
So there are two parts to staying moisturized- moisture, and oil to keep it in place. A lot of people (particularly those who live in moist climates and don’t tend to
have dry skin) are able to simply “lock in” the moisture
they already have with an oil, like my personal favorite,
cocoa butter.
(I use the steam deodorized when I want to smell like something other
than dessert).
Many people use cocoa butter as a base for solid lotion bars and lip balms, since it is a fat that's solid at room temperature and melts at human body temperature. (Fun fact: that's why chocolate melts in your mouth!)
Cocoa butter can also easily be melted with other oils, including
essential oils for scent, to make a solid, semi-solid or totally liquid
moisturizing oil.
Getting the texture you want simply depends on your
proportions and mixing techniques.
A lot of people get the consistency
they want using hand mixers to ensure a uniform blend before the cocoa
butter returns to room temperature and regains some measure of solidity.
One of the most effective times to apply it is straight out of the
bath, when your skin has been saturated with water. Some people even mist
themselves with water from a spray bottle and then apply an oil barrier
to keep it in (I love using rosewater, then coating with deodorized
cocoa butter).
Contrary to popular belief, the “oily” residue from barrier oils should
absorb quickly if you use sparingly. If they don’t, it’s probably because
you’ve either used too much, or you don’t have enough moisture in your
skin in the first place, and simply layering oil on dry skin does
nothing for its health or looks.
For example, I used to live in a place
with extremely hard water, meaning there were incredibly small mineral
particles in my bathwater. After I dried off from a shower, it felt like I
was covered in powder. The minerals would work much the way a
shine-control facial powder would- they’d absorb the moisture. As a
result, barrier oils did nothing for my dry skin, and simply felt oily.
This is when an emulsion becomes necessary. An emulsion is a mixture
of oil and water, and it’s what most people think of when they think of
lotion. This way, there’s only one step, and you don’t have to worry
about having moisture already on your skin before applying a barrier. You might proclaim:
“But oil and water don’t mix!”
You’re half right. Oil and water don’t mix on
their own- they require an emulsifier- an agent that bonds oil and
water. There are lots of different emulsifiers, but if you’re looking to
keep it natural, stick to lecithins.
Lecithins are used in food and beauty produce to bond oil and water,
and are simply extracted portions of plants with a fatty element- soy
and sunflower seed lecithin are the most common, and the best soy
lecithin is entirely mechanically extracted (some are extracted using
chemical solvents.)
The process is just as simple as barrier oils- low heat and mix. You
just blend in an emulsifier. Without all the chemical preservatives,
your lotion has a shorter shelf-life than most store-bought lotions. Which is good, since most of those preservatives are not good for your health and are very drying to your skin.
Many lotion makers
either stick to small batches they intend to use quickly, or prolong
their shelf-life with natural preservatives. The proportions are usually
about 1 part emulsifier, 3 parts butter or oil, and 6 parts water, but
you can experiment until get a texture you like.
So there you have it, you know how to make moisturizers! Go experiment and make your own.
