The 5 Best Lotion Ingredients

If you suffer from dry, flaky skin, the moisturizer aisle can feel like a minefield. You don’t want to waste money on ineffective products or those that make unrealistic claims — or to buy a lotion that might even make your condition worse. Before you pick up another tube or bottle, read our glossary of the best moisturizing ingredients to find the antidote for your dry skin.

Ceramides

Ceramides are lipid molecules found in the membrane of skin cells that are credited with helping to prevent moisture loss. “Natural or synthetic ceramides will help maintain and restore skin barrier function, so that moisture is sealed in,” explains Ava Shamban, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at UCLA. Studies have shown that people who have eczema and psoriasis have significantly fewer ceramides than people with normal skin. By using products that contain, you shore up the skin’s own moisturization defenses.

Essential fatty acids

Also known as healthy fats, essential fatty acids are the fuel that cells require to undergo biological processes, like moisturization, that keep skin healthy and glowing. The body doesn’t produce essential fatty acids on its own, so the nutrients must be absorbed from a person’s diet or from skin creams. “Olive oil, avocado, almond oil, and shea butter are all essential fatty acids that will help lock in moisture,” says David Bank, MD, president of the New York State Society for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. Omega-3 fatty acids are present in such foods as salmon, mackerel, walnuts, soy, flaxseed, and safflower oil.

Glycerin, glycols, and polyols

These three ingredients are members of the humectant family — they “cause skin to draw in and bind extra moisture,” says cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer. For example, if you left glycerin out in the open, it would slowly but steadily absorb water from the air until it became about 20 percent water and 80 percent glycerin. That potent ability to pull in and retain water makes it a common ingredient in hydrating soaps and cleansers that are formulated to gently cleanse skin without stripping it of moisture. These humectants can appear in numerous variations on ingredient lists; two of the most widely usedr versions are propylene glycol and butylene glycol.

Hyaluronic acid

This is perhaps the most impressive of all moisturizing ingredients. “The hyaluronic acid molecule absorbs about 1,000 times its own weight in water,” Dr. Shamban says. That quick and effective hydrating action keeps collagen and elastin moist and functioning, and therefore helps skin look supple and youthful. And for oily skin that easily breaks out from the use of heavy humectants, hyaluronic acid is a lightweight, nonoily ingredient that is “safe” for even the most acne-prone complexions.

Sodium PCA

Sodium PCA, another type of humectant, is found naturally in the proteins of human skin and binds water to cells. “Sodium PCA has excellent water-absorbing properties,” says Hammer. While water weight may otherwise be the last thing we want to hold onto, it’s exactly what you want in a moisturizer to guarantee the longest-lasting hydration. Sodium PCA is commonly found in moisturizers for the skin, though it’s also an excellent ingredient to look for in hair care products if you suffer from static — the hydrating molecule soothes hair and prevents flyaways.

7 Ingredients That Make Your Body Lotion a Moisturizing Machine – SheKnows

We always hear about the toxic ingredients that should never ever be in our beauty products, but what about the ones that should be there? Check your lotion bottle for these six ingredients that make lotions and moisturizers better at their job.

Related story

Hurry, Ulta Beauty’s Major Spring Haul Event Ends Tomorrow & Features Up to 50% Off Cult-Favorite Products

1. Peptides

Peptides are amino acids that help your skin produce collagen and tell it how to function properly. Applying them topically via creams and lotions can decrease the appearance of wrinkles over time. One study even found that peptides can help minimize the symptoms of skin conditions such as rosacea, psoriasis and dermatitis, which makes it an ideal ingredient for your facial moisturizer and your body lotion. Win-win.

More: Summer skin safety for the whole family

2. Ceramides

These little guys are lipid molecules that lock in moisture and protect your skin, so if you have dry skin, it typically means you’re lacking ceramides. Your body produces them naturally, but they tend to diminish as you age. Luckily, you can restore lost lipids and restore moisture to your skin’s barrier by using a lotion that contains ceramides. Because they’re so absorbent, they help lock in water and give your skin its groove back.

3. Sodium PCA (sodium pyroglutamic acid)

Sodium PCA is one of many effective humectants used in personal care products. That just means it can absorb lots ‘n’ lots of water, which helps bind moisture to your skin cells and prevent dry skin. Sodium PCA also happens to have anti-aging benefits and can reduce inflammation. Even cooler, it actually attracts moisture from the air to your skin to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

More: No-fail summer skin care strategies

4. Essential fatty acids

Eat avocados, they say. Cook with olive oil instead of butter, they say. Well, just as these omega 3- and omega 6-heavy foods are good for your diet, they’re also good for your skin. A severe lack of essential fatty acids (omegas) can lead to skin abnormalities and dermatitis. But your lotion probably isn’t going to list “avocado” on the ingredient list. Instead, look for avocado oil, flaxseed oil, cottonseed oil or safflower oil, just to name a few. Borage seed oil and primrose oil are two others.

5. Glycerin

Glycerin is another humectant that helps attract and retain skin’s moisture. The International Journal of Cosmetic Science found that using a lotion with 20 percent glycerin increased hydration more than lotions without glycerin.

More: 5 Ways to snag high-end skin care products for next to nothing

6. Vitamin E

You’ll often see this on a label as tocopherol. It’s been shown to hydrate skin, promote healthy elasticity, and even defend against free radicals, all of which make it a great anti-aging ingredient as well as a moisturizing one. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a lotion that doesn’t have vitamin E these days.

7. Various antioxidants

We could spend days going into the many types of antioxidants that are good for your skin. They fight free radicals, cell damage and wrinkles. Some examples to look for include green tea, vitamin C, lycopene and grape seed. While not all of these moisturize your skin directly, they keep skin healthy, which also influences its ability retain moisture and function properly.

This post was sponsored by Curél.

Affiliate Disclosure | Wellness Mama

Please see also the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Full Disclaimer which govern the use of this website. This affiliate disclosure details affiliate relationships that WellnessMama.com has with other companies and products.

Affiliate Disclosure

In compliance with the FTC guidelines, please assume the following about all links, posts, photos and other material on this website:

Any/all of the links on this website are affiliate links of which Wellness Mama® receives a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you.

Katie Wells/WellnessMama.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or endless.com, MYHABIT.com, SmallParts.com, or AmazonWireless.com. Pages on this site may include affiliate links to Amazon and its affiliate sites on which the owner of this website will make a referral commission.

What is an Affiliate Link?

Many (but not all) of the links on WellnessMama.com are affiliate links. This means that a special tracking code is used and that I may make a small commission on the sale of an item if you purchase through one of these links. The price of the item is the same for you whether it is an affiliate link or not, and using affiliate links helps me to maintain this website and support my family.

In some cases, I may also use a link and provide a discount code for an item. In these cases, I may still earn an affiliate commission and the price may actually be LESS for you by using this link or tracking code.

For instance, if you click on a link on this website for an Instant Pot, vegetable peeler, shiatsu massage pillow, peanut ball, or any other item that I link to from Amazon, I will receive a small commission (the average is around $1.00 to $1.42 per item).

Links to other companies like Radiant Life Catalog, or Activation Products are also affiliate company links.

Again, for simplicity, assume that any link on WellnessMama.com is an affiliate link and that I may/will make a commission if you purchase through these links (though the price remains the same for you).

If you are going to purchase a product and would like to help support the Wellness Mama® mission (which I would be very grateful for!), links to many of the products I recommend can be found on the resources page.

When Do I Use Affiliate Links?

If I post an affiliate link to a product, it is something that I personally use, support and would recommend without an affiliate link. Unless noted otherwise, any product I link to is one I have purchased myself and use for myself or my family. I do not accept free products for review and also disclose if I am affiliated with a company in any other way that benefits me financially. (Please read my Full Disclaimer for information on non-affiliate relationships that I may benefit from financially.)

I know that many bloggers accept free products for review or write sponsored posts and while I personally don’t find anything wrong with this (as long as the nature of the relationship is disclosed properly), it is my personal policy to purchase products and use them myself before promoting or linking to them. In many cases, I am offered free products for review and refuse them.

My first priority is always providing resources to help you create positive changes in your life, and I will only ever link to products or resources (affiliate or otherwise) that fit within this purpose.

Nature of Affiliate Relationships

Please note that while I personally purchase, review and use every product I link to, these products are purchased from third party companies and I do not control these companies or have a financial interest other than an affiliate relationship unless otherwise disclosed (although if Jeff Bezos ever wants a break from running the world… I mean Amazon… I might apply for that job!).

For this reason, I cannot ensure that any item purchased through a link on WellnessMama.com is shipped on time, packaged properly, or that you will like it. Any problems or concerns with a specific product purchased through a link on this website should be directed to the company the item was purchased from.

Copyright and Rights Reserved

All of the information on this website, including images, text, audio, video, and other forms of content (including the information in this affiliate disclosure) is Copyright © WellnessMama.com 2006-2018 and may not be downloaded, reproduced, republished or otherwise copied without express written permission of the author and of WellnessMama.com.

The Website and all of its Content and the selection and arrangement thereof, is protected as a compilation owned by Wellness Mama® and WellnessMama.com under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. Wellness Mama® may change the Website or delete any content, features, or services at any time, in any way, for any or no reason. Wellness Mama® reserves all rights not expressly granted in and to the Website and the Content.

Harmful Ingredients In Body Lotion

Jo Millington/Shutterstock

Before you reach for that pretty bottle lotion on your bathroom shelf, know that what’s inside may not be as innocent as it looks. There are dozens of ingredients currently being used in top-brand body lotions that range from questionable to potentially hazardous. Watch out for these 6 toxic ingredients when scanning body lotion labels. 

1. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
BHA is a food preservative and stabilizer that routinely shows up in body lotions, as well as everything from lipstick to yeast infection treatments. But beware—it’s an endocrine disruptor and “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,” according to the National Toxicology Program.

MORE: Homemade Shampoo

2. DMDM Hydantoin
This mysterious-sounding ingredient is a type of formaldehyde-releasing preservative used in a host of personal care items, including body lotion. (Formaldehyde releasers are used in 20% of all cosmetics and personal care products, according to the Environmental Working Group). It’s an irritant for eyes and skin, and while there’s no evidence that DMDM hydantoin itself is a carcinogen, formaldehyde definitely is. And if there’s an impurity in the DMDM Hydantoin used in your moisturizer, there’s a chance that formaldehyde is present.

MORE: Beware Of These Toxins In Self-Tanners

3. Fragrance + Parfum
You may think it’s nice that your lotion smells like strawberries and cream, but there’s no way that scent is natural. When you see “fragrance” or “parfum” on a label, read “a toxic mix of chemicals the manufacturer doesn’t want to tell you about.” Most notably, this includes diethyl phthalate, according to the Environmental Working Group. You may have already heard of phthalates since they’re used in just about everything from cosmetics to insecticides to wood finishes—and they’re known to be endocrine disruptors and toxic to organ systems. Synthetic fragrances like the ones used in lotions also emit harmful VOCs, which pollute indoor air quality and cause reparatory allergies and asthma.

4. Parabens
You’ll find parabens in practically all popular commercial body lotions (just look for butylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, or ethylparaben on the label). They prevent bacteria and fungus from growing in your favorite bottle of moisturizer, which would be great if they weren’t linked to hormone disruption and breast cancer. Luckily, manufacturers of organic lotions have found safer ways to keep their products fungus-free, like using vitamin E and citric acid, though these products tend to have a shorter shelf life than those that contain parabens. A safe one to try: Wildcraft Organic Lemongrass Body Cream.

5. Retinyl Palmitate

Paul Bradbury/Getty Images

Retinyl palmitate, the most controversial form of vitamin A, is a vitamin A derivative that you’ll see in some sunscreens, as well as lotions and creams advertised to have anti-aging properties. A study published by the National Toxicology Program found that mice exposed to retinyl palmitate developed a frightening number of tumors after exposure to sunlight. If you’re going to use lotions that contain retinyl palmitate, do so at night.

MORE: The Toxic Stuff In Sunscreen That’s Affecting Your Health

6. Triethanolamine
This mouthful of an ingredient is a highly alkaline substance that’s used to balance the pH in various body lotions and cosmetics (especially mascara). Despite its widespread use, it’s considered moderately dangerous and should never be used long-term, according to the Dermatology Review, since it’s a skin and respiratory irritant and toxicant to the immune system. It’s also been linked to cancer in animal studies. Though triethanolamine is considered biodegradable and nontoxic to animals and organisms, wastewater released from manufacturing plants containing large amounts of triethanolamine can significantly alter the pH of rivers and streams, resulting in toxic shock to marine life.

The article The 6 Most Harmful Ingredients Found In Body Lotion originally ran on RodalesOrganicLife.com.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

How to Create Homemade Lotion Recipes

Making your own handmade lotion for the first time can be intimidating. If you’ve never made lotion before, I would recommend using a tried-and-true recipe to get a feel for the process. You can find a variety of recipes here. Once you have a grasp on the basics, you may be interested in formulating a customized lotion recipe. It can be tricky to know how much water, oils and emulsifiers are needed to create a stable product. The great thing about creating a lotion recipe is that you can customize it to be the texture you love.

The first thing to understand when making your own lotion is the basic ingredients. Lotion is created by combining oils and water with an emulsifier. The texture of your lotion will depend on the proportions of each ingredient and the type of emulsifier and oils. Additional ingredients such as glycerin, thickeners, fragrance and color can also be added. Typically body butters do not contain any water and are made completely out of oils and butters. To see lotion making in action, check out the How to Make Lotion from Scratch video below.

Usually the main ingredient of a lotion recipe is water. Water typically makes up about 70-80% of a lotion recipe. Using more water results in a thinner and lighter lotion. Oils and butters are usually used around 10-25% of the recipe. Using a larger percentage of oils and butters in the recipe will usually result in a thicker heavier lotion. The type of oil and butter used also plays a huge role in the lotion texture. For example, adding a lightweight oil like sweet almond oil gives lotion very different properties than adding cocoa butter. Below are some of my favorite lotion-making oils and butters. Keep in mind you are not limited to this list of oils and butters; these are just some of my favorites. =)

You can make lotion with a wide variety of oils and butters; which one you choose depends on what consistency and benefits you’d like the lotion to have.

Lotion Making Oil and Butters

• Sweet Almond Oil: Lightweight and odorless, sweet almond oil is a great option for lightweight lotion recipes. It has a rich concentration of oleic fatty acid and linoleic essential fatty acids, making it a skin-loving addition to any recipe. In lotion, it leaves skin feeling hydrated and non-greasy. A great alternative to sweet almond oil is apricot kernel oil. Find sweet almond oil in this recipe.
• Avocado Oil: A mediumweight oil, avocado oil is nearly odorless and colorless. It is easily absorbed in the skin, making it a popular choice for lotion and creams. It contains a large amount of oleic acid which contributes to its conditioning properties. Find avocado oil in this recipe.
• Shea Butter: Soft and moisturizing, shea butter gives lotion a slightly thicker consistency. As a heavier butter, it leaves skin feeling somewhat greasy but it is quick to absorb into the skin. Find shea butter in this recipe.
• Sunflower Oil: High in vitamin E and oleic fatty acid, sunflower oil is both lightweight and moisturizing. It does tend to leave a slightly more greasy feeling in lotions than other lightweight oil options, like sweet almond or avocado. Find sunflower oil in this recipe.

Emulsifiers are typically used around 10% or less in a lotion recipe. An emulsifier is key to creating a successful lotion. The emulsifier binds the water and oil together. The last thing you want is for the oils and water in your lotion recipe to separate. Various emulsifiers have different binding strengths and properties, so it’s important to consider which emulsifier is best for your recipe.

In addition to emulsifiers, there is another category of products referred to as co-emulsifiers. These ingredients are not meant to emulsify oils and water on their own, but will help to stabilize an existing emulsion. Co-emulsifiers often help to thicken products as well. A recipe does not require a co-emulsifier, but they often create a more stable and creamy product. Below are popular lotion emuslifiers, co-emulsifiers and their properties.

Emulsifiers and co-emulsifiers bind together water and oil to create lotion that will not separate.

Popular Lotion Emulsifiers

• Polawax Emulsifying Wax: This waxy material is usually used between 3-6% of the total weight of your recipe. Manufactured by Croda (Polawax), this wax comes in the form of white pastilles. This product is a proprietary blend of ingredients.
• Emulsifying Wax: Emulsifying wax is a generic version of the popular Polawax Emulsifying Wax. It is made of Cetylstearyl Alcohol and Polysorbate 60. This wax comes in a mixture of pastilles and irregular waxy flakes. This is a great choice if you like your product to have a nice “slip.”
• Bio-Mulsion Wax: This wax derived from olive oil is a great natural alternative for Polawax. Normal usage rates are between 2-8% of the total weight of your recipe. This emulsifier comes in the form of medium off-white flakes.
• BTMS-50: This emulsifier is vegetable based, and is recommended to be used at 1-15% of the total weight of your recipe. BTMS-50 contains a large percentage of conditioning agents (Behentrimonium Methosulfate), which makes it a good choice for hair care in addition to skincare.  It comes in the form of white pastilles. BTMS-50 is also capable of emulsifying silicone. BTMS-50 tends to add a less greasy feel to lotions than other emulsifiers.
  Note: Polysorbate 80 and polysorbate 20 are popular emulsifiers as well, but we do not recommend using them as the primary emulsifiers in your lotion recipes. Instead, polysorbates are commonly used as fragrance and essential oil solubilizers. 

Co-Emulsifiers

• Cetearyl Alcohol: Cetearyl alcohol helps to thicken and stabilize emulsions. It is a mixture of fatty alcohols consisting mostly of cetyl and stearyl alcohols. It is oil soluble and should be added to the oils in your formulation. For creams and lotions, it can be used anywhere from 2-30%. In some liquid soap formulations, cetearyl alcohol can also be used as a surfactant booster.
• Stearic Acid: This cost effective co-emulsifier is often used to thicken lotion and other emulsified products. Stearic acid is derived from vegetables, and can also be used to harden soaps at a rate of .5% of your oils. For lotions and creams, it’s recommended to be used around 2-5%. The more you use, the thicker your product will become.
• Cetyl Alcohol: This co-emulsifier can be used to create a thicker texture in lotions and emulsified products. Normal usage rates are between 3-5% of the total weight of your recipe. Similar to stearic acid, many believe it imparts a slightly more emollient feel to formulas.

Water & Alternative Liquids
In addition to choosing the oils, butters, emulsifiers and co-emulsifiers, you also have the option of alternative liquids and special additives. Typically, lotion is made using distilled water. Water can be swapped with other water based liquids like aloe vera liquid or rose water. One liquid I do not recommend using in lotion is milk. Using milk in lotion is very similar to placing milk out on the counter. If you were to leave a carton of milk on the counter, it will go bad eventually. The same will happen to the milk in your lotion. If you do choose to use milk in your lotion, I would recommend storing it in the fridge and expect a shelf life of about 4-8 weeks, even with a preservative. While a preservative in your lotion will prevent mold and bacteria from growing, preservatives do not protect against rancidity, such as spoiled milk.

Colors & Additives
Special additives in your lotion recipe include ingredients such as extracts, additional humectants (ex: glycerin), colors and fragrance. To read more about extracts, click here. All extracts found at Bramble Berry are oil soluble, so we recommend adding them to the oil phase of your lotion. The suggested usage rate is about 3-5% of the total weight of your lotion recipe. Keep in mind that adding extracts does add a small amount of extra oil to your lotion recipe.

LabColors are great for adding color to your lotion recipes. In the Rose & Aloe In-Shower Lotion, Fuchsia LabColor gives the lotion a light pink hue.

To give your lotion a hint of color, we recommend using water-soluble LabColors. They are easy to mix into lotions and creams, and do not leave streaks on the skin. If you haven’t used LabColors before, check out this post to find out how to dilute and use them. Skin safe micas, oxides and pigments can also be used, but don’t work great as they are oil-soluble and can leave skin streaky with color. This can be used to your advantage if you are trying to add a hint of color to your skin, as shown in the Bronzing Lotion Recipe.

Preservatives
Don’t forget to add a preservative to your lotion! This step is important. Because lotion contains water (and usually a very high percentage!) it’s likely to grow mold and bacteria. A preservative is an anti-microbial solution that helps to prevent mold from growing in your products. While it’s possible to make lotion without a preservative, it won’t last very long. Within weeks, you will find mold and bacteria growing in your product. If you prefer to stay away from preservatives, I would recommend creating a oil based balm (like this one) that does not contain water, and thus does not require a preservative. Click here to learn more about using preservatives in your products. In addition, this blog post by Susan Barclay-Nichols of Point of Interest! is full of information.

Ready to get started making your own lotion recipe? Below is a general recipe guideline that’s ready for you to customize! This general formula creates lotion with an average weight and texture. But remember: the kind of oils, butters and other additives you use will play a huge role in how your lotion will feel.

Lotion Recipe General Recipe Guideline:
70 – 80% – Distilled Water
3 – 5% – Stearic Acid (or other co-emulsifier)
3  – 6% – Emulsifying Wax (or other emulsifier)
Add the rest in of your choice of oils and butters

To this add:
.5 – 1% – Preservative (Click here to learn about preservatives)
.5% – Fragrance

Remember, just like any bath and beauty project, making your own lotion all depends on personal preference. The recipe above is a great place to start, but it’s just screaming to be tweaked with your favorite ingredients. It can sometimes take a little trial and error to find the perfect formula for your skin type, but that’s half the fun.

What are your favorite ingredients to use in your handmade lotion? 

The Most Effective Moisturizer Ingredients for Your Skin

• One of the most effective moisturizing ingredients is glycerin, which keeps the skin hydrated by drawing moisture from the air into the top layer of skin.
• Shea butter is another great ingredient and works best when combined with another ingredient like glycerin. 
• You should also look for moisturizers with petrolatum, which creates a protective coating over your skin that keeps water from evaporating. 
• This article was medically reviewed by Debra Jaliman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist with a private practice in New York City.
• Visit Insider’s Health Reference library for more advice.

Choosing the right moisturizer can feel overwhelming when there are so many different options out there. If you find yourself stuck in the skincare aisle, the best way to decide on a moisturizer is to read the ingredients. Here is a guide to what you should look for when choosing a moisturizer.

Why you need a moisturizer

Everyone can benefit from using moisturizer, whether you have dry or oily skin. 

For people with dry skin, a good moisturizer can help you get rid of cracks and flakes. 

And though people with oily skin may tend to avoid moisturizers, this can actually backfire. Because if you don’t use a moisturizer, your skin will try to overcompensate for missing moisture by producing even more oil.

“Throughout the day, our skin loses moisture,” says Melissa Doft, MD, a plastic surgeon who specializes in skincare and a professor at Weil Cornell Medical College. Moisturizer, as its name implies, will help replenish this moisture and keep your skin hydrated. 

“Furthermore, as we age, we lose oil-producing glands in the skin,” Doft says. This can leave skin dried out and more prone to damage. Moisturizers help reverse this process by locking in water and replenishing your skin’s protective barrier.

How to choose the right moisturizer

Most moisturizers contain three types of ingredients, each with a different function. They are: 

• Humectants draw water into the top layer of your skin, called the epidermis, from the air and from deeper layers of your skin. Common humectants include glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and propylene glycol.
• Emollients, such as shea butter, cocoa butter, and octyldodecanol, help fill any cracks in the epidermis and seal in moisture.
• Occlusives including petrolatum, cetyl alcohol, and lanolin, form a protective barrier over your skin to stop it from losing moisture.

Many moisturizers contain all three types of ingredients, with the exception of certain facial moisturizers. Many  facial moisturizers may have fewer heavy occlusive ingredients that can clog pores, compared with lotions meant for the thick skin on elbows or feet.

Here are some of the best moisturizing ingredients to look for:

Glycerin

Glycerin is the third most common ingredient in moisturizers, coming in just behind water and fragrance. Glycerin is a humectant, meaning that it keeps your skin hydrated by drawing in water from the air and lower layers of skin. This helps to keep the top layer of your skin from getting dry, as dryness can damage your skin’s barrier against bacteria and irritants. 

According to a 2016 review of moisturizer ingredients, glycerin is considered to be the most effective humectant. However, in dry environments, humectants like glycerin won’t be able to draw moisture from the air and may take a lot of moisture from the lower layers of your skin, resulting in more dryness. For this reason, it’s important to combine glycerin with an emollient ingredient like shea butter to make sure your skin doesn’t dry out.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is another humectant ingredient found in many moisturizers, but is also naturally produced by your skin to help retain water. However, as you age, you start to lose the hyaluronic acid in your skin, making skin more likely to dry out. This means that older people may want to look for moisturizers with hyaluronic acid as a main ingredient. 

Hyaluronic also decreases when your skin is exposed to the UV radiation in sunlight over long periods of time. So if you spend a lot of time outdoors, applying moisturizers with hyaluronic acid is particularly important. 

It is an important ingredient in any moisturizer, as it can help restore your skin’s natural ability to hold moisture and appear soft, even as you age.

Shea butter

Shea butter is another natural ingredient that comes from the seeds of shea trees. It’s an emollient and works to smooth out your skin and keep moisture contained. By filling in cracks in your skin, emollients like shea butter can help heal a damaged skin barrier and hide imperfections to make your skin look younger. 

Shea butter also helps soothe inflammatory symptoms like redness or swelling by slowing down the production of inflammatory cells. However, if you are struggling with acne, you may want to avoid using shea butter on your face, as it can clog pores.

Petrolatum

Petrolatum is an occlusive ingredient that works by creating a protective coating over your skin that prevents water from evaporating. Doft says that petrolatum is the most effective occlusive at sealing in moisture. 

Using a moisturizer with both humectants like glycerin and petrolatum can help draw water in and then seal it into your upper and lower skin layers. Alternatively, you can apply a pure petrolatum ointment like Vaseline immediately after taking a shower, to lock in the extra moisture. Petrolatum can also be found in smaller amounts in many moisturizing lotions, which can help to avoid the heavy ointment feeling.

The bottom line

Doft recommends a couple of over-the-counter moisturizers that contain some of the most effective ingredients. “From the drug store, I love Cerave,” Doft says, adding that it combines both glycerin and hyaluronic acid, as well as petrolatum. “I also like Neutrogena hydroboost which is packed with hyaluronic acid,” Doft says.

Picking out the best moisturizer for your skin may require some trial and error, but looking for moisturizers with highly effective humectant, emollient, and occlusive ingredients can help guide you.

Related articles from our Health Reference library:

Cosmetic Formulation Basics – Skin Lotion

Click here for a complete list of the the Cosmetic Formulation Basics series.

Since skin care represents the largest market in cosmetics and oil soluble ingredients are often the best performing skin materials, it’s helpful to learn to make emulsions.  We can’t teach you that in this short post, but we can give you the basics behind skin lotions.

How a skin lotions work

A skin lotion is a pseudo-stable mixture of oils and water.  The oils are used to provide moisturization to skin.  This can happen in a variety of ways including changing the feel, attracting water to the skin, and blocking water from escaping the skin.  When put on the skin, lotions interact with skin proteins and immediately soothe dry feeling hands.  Over time, the occlusive agents in the lotion prevent water from leaving the skin which helps build moisture in the surface.  This additional moisture ultimately mitigates the problems associated with dry skin.

Skin lotion ingredients

The primary ingredient that make lotion include both water soluble ingredients and oil soluble ingredients.  To hold them together requires an emulsification system.

Moisturizing ingredients

The most common moisturizing ingredients are occlusive agents which create a barrier that blocks water from escaping the skin.  Ingredients like Petrolatum, Mineral Oil and Dimethicone can all be used as occlusive agents.  Humectants, which are ingredients that attract water, are also added to lotions.  Glycerin is the most commonly used humectant.  Finally, emollients are added to improve the feel of the lotion on the skin.  They can reduce the tackiness and greasiness caused by the other moisturizing ingredients.  Common emollients include coconut oil, cetyl esters, and certain silicones.

Other ingredients

In addition to the moisturizers, skin lotions must also contain emulsifiers that can help combine the oil materials with the water.  Glyceryl Stearate and Stearic Acid are commonly used.  Other ingredients such as thickeners help keep the formula stable and make it more appealing to use.  Raw materials such as fragrance, preservative, and colorants are also included to make a well-rounded formulation.

Here is a typical lotion formula.

Click on image to enlarge it.

DIY Lotion Recipes | Organic Beauty Recipes

Lotion Recipes are great DIY beauty entertainment. These lotion recipes I created help moisturize, nourish and protect your skin.
Up to 60% of what you put on your skin goes into the bloodstream. It is important to protect yourself from harmful chemicals such as fragrances, parabens and flates, which are often found in conventional cosmetic products.

Lotions are best applied after showering when their moisturizing effect helps to retain moisture.

My favorite ingredients for home recipes are organic, nutrient-rich ingredients with health benefits. These include mango butter, wax, unrefined coconut oil, shea butter, and chocolate butter.

Making your own lotion also gives you the opportunity to create your own scent!
Top 3 Lotion Recipes
My Favorite Recipes How to Make Shea Butter Lotion With Just 2 Ingredients, Cocoa Butter Lotion Recipe Shea Butter Lotion Recipe for Dry Skin.

These recipes will help keep your skin hydrated, nourished and protected. Hope you enjoy them!

If you are struggling with the damage that winter has done to your skin, which is further exacerbated by frequent washing, your hands are dry and sensitive, then I have the perfect beauty product I can make with my own hands: my homemade hand lotion. You can learn how to make a moisturizer for your hands and easily make a homemade hand lotion made from just 4 ingredients: beeswax, almond oil, rose water, and shea butter.Main Ingredients of Homemade Hand Lotion Almond Oil Made from bitter almonds, almond oil is one of nature’s many gifts. It is not only beneficial for health (helps …

Viewing a message
Learn how to make DIY natural beauty products such as Body Creams & Lotions, Face Creams, Lip Balms, Scrubs, Shampoos and more.

Diy anti-wrinkle face serum recipe

If you are looking for an easy and natural way to treat your face while preventing fine lines from forming, then you should prepare this simple DIY facial serum recipe.It’s as easy as mixing organic rosehip oil and essential oils together!
GET A RECIPE

How to make your lipstick professionally!

I wanted to make a homemade lipstick similar to the one sold in stores. It turns out that making your lipstick professionally isn’t as difficult as you might imagine. packaging so a high quality lipstick tube and a few tools can make a huge difference sometimes!

GET RECIPE

Top 3 Goat Milk Soap Recipes

Goat milk contains natural emollients, vitamins and triglycerides, as well as capric-caprylic triglyceride, which soothes, moisturizes and rejuvenates sensitive, dry and combination skin.Make your own goat milk soap; Below you will find 3 of my best goat milk soap recipes, I hope you enjoy them!

GET RECIPE

Where to buy organic ingredients for DIY cosmetics

To start your journey towards a healthier lifestyle and create your own body care products, you will need to purchase organic ingredients in bulk for DIY beauty products such as body oils, carrier oils, and beeswax.
CHECK TOTALS

How To Find The Best Home Beauty Containers

Find out where to get the cheapest and best containers for home beauty products like lip balm containers, plastic or glass jars, amber glass bottles with a glass pipette, or even aluminum jars.
LEARN MORE

If you live a minimalist lifestyle, this Shea Butter Body Lotion recipe is for you.You will learn how to make Shea Butter Lotion using just 2 main ingredients, Organic Shea Butter and Organic Safflower Butter, and you can whisk it in just 5 minutes. You don’t even need to heat it up or use a steamer to do this. Yes, it’s that simple! In fact, it is faster to make this shea butter lotion recipe at home than to go shopping to buy it in the store. Benefits of Shea Butter Body Lotion You are busy and you have …

Viewing a message

This homemade lotion is very silky and oily.The texture is lightweight, smooth and luxurious massage on the skin. I will teach you how to make lotion bars without beeswax. It is a vegan product and is also great for treating stretch marks. This DIY lotion recipe melts into your skin while moisturizing it at the same time. If you’re looking for a beeswax-free bar recipe, you’ve come to the right place! You may ask, “What is a lotion bar?” Lotion is a tough bar that melts on contact with your skin and contains …

Viewing a message

This shea butter lotion recipe is very sinful and great for changing seasons and protecting your face from cold and dry weather.Shea butter is rich in vitamins A, E, F, and K. Always look for Grade A organic raw shea butter. Sometimes I also like to use organic refined shea butter as it does not have a strong nutty smell. Just keep in mind that refined shea butter is not as rich in vitamins as raw organic shea butter. Now you have to ask yourself what is more important to you? Smell, texture and comfort or the best available product …

Viewing a message
90,000 what is it? Homemade lotion recipes

A water-based cosmetic product containing an alcohol solution to remove impurities from the skin is called a lotion.The cleansing liquid contains vitamins, active amino acids, extracts and extracts of medicinal herbs, which not only nourish the skin, but also moisturize it.

Creams and cosmetics of a gel-like structure, in comparison with lotions, have a more viscous consistency, they cannot always be used on some parts of the body, for example, on the head. Lotion, by contrast, is found in many hair care products. Semi-alcohol cosmetic solution can treat large areas of the body, used in the form of aerosols and nebulizers.

In medicine, the lotion is used as a base for applying antibacterial drugs, antiseptic, antifungal and hormonal agents to the skin. The cosmetic product is widely used for joint protection against ultraviolet radiation. Inpatient work involves frequent hand washing. In order for the skin of the hands to become dry, doctors treat their hands with a lotion with a moisturizing effect.

Differences between lotion and tonic

Modern women confuse the definitions of “tonic” and “lotion”.Both cosmetic products belong to the same skin care line. What’s the difference?

1. Lotion is used at the second stage of cleansing the skin; tonic – used at the end of the procedure as a tonic.
2. The lotion contains alcohol-containing products; there is no alcohol in the tonic.
3. Lotion may cause an allergic reaction in the form of redness on dry skin of the face; tonic – mild hypoallergenic remedy, suitable for all skin types.

Cosmetic alcoholic liquid cleans pores from sebaceous secretions, dust particles, dries the skin. With increased secretion of sebaceous glands, acne, blackheads, acne appear on the skin. The lotion has an antibacterial effect, fights sebaceous excess, eliminates signs of inflammation. With regular use, it removes pigmentation on aging skin, blackheads on a youthful face, redness and irritation.

Toner gently affects cleansed skin. The moisturizing structure of the product helps to narrow pores, strengthen blood vessels.The skin regains a healthy complexion and a fresh look. Many believe that skin can be cleansed with a single toner. This statement is incorrect. The liquid substance washes away dirt only from the upper layers of skin cells. It is not recommended to buy lotion and tonic in the same package.

Positive qualities of the lotion

Basic facial skin care is carried out due to the hygienic effect of the lotion on the epidermis. What functions are predominant in a cosmetic product?

• Eliminates tissue swelling;
• Removes blue circles under the eyes;
• Relieves irritation of oily skin;
• Deeply cleanses pores;
• Eliminates dead corneous scales of the epidermis;
• Slows down the production of sebaceous glands;
• Removes oily shine, mattifies the skin;
• Influences the process of tissue regeneration after acne, acne, microtraumas;
• Crosses the spread of pathogenic microbes that cause skin diseases;
• Removes makeup;
• Improves oxygen exchange between epidermal cells.

Criteria for choosing an industrial lotion

The wrong choice of cosmetic product can adversely affect the condition of the skin. How to choose the right lotion?

• Before buying, you need to pay attention to the shelf life of the cosmetic product. It is not recommended to use an expired product.
• The lotion should be selected based on the original skin type.
• The lotion should not contain preservatives, parabens, sulfate components.
• For problem skin with severe allergic reactions, it is recommended to choose a cosmetic product that contains jojoba oil.
• When the work of the sebaceous glands decreases, the lotion should contain almond oil and shea butter.
• Aloe Vera lotion is useful for aging skin.
• Cocoa butter helps to get rid of stretch marks.

How to cleanse your face with lotion

1. Cleanse your face with peeling, serum or gel for washing.
2. Moisten a cotton pad with lotion.
3. Apply the cosmetic starting from the central point of the forehead, moving to the temporal areas.
4. Change cotton pad, moisten in lotion again. Treat the bridge of the nose, the wings of the nose.
5. Apply lotion to the cheeks along the massage lines, moving from the center to the periphery.
6. Treat the chin, neck, décolleté area.

Attention: do not use alcohol-based products on the skin of the upper and lower eyelids.

Before applying the lotion to the body, it is recommended to take a hot bath for 15 minutes, let the skin dry naturally. Then blot a piece of gauze in lotion, massage the product into the skin with massage movements.

Peculiarities of using the lotion at home

Cosmetics for the skin of the face, prepared independently, do not contain chemical dyes, preservatives and other harmful substances.

For the preparation and use of homemade lotion, it is recommended to follow certain rules:

• It is recommended to use plant extracts, extracts of medicinal herbs, decoctions, infusions as the basis of the lotion.In order for the cosmetic preparation to have an antiseptic effect, the water base must be diluted with alcohol (moonshine, vodka) in a ratio of 1: 3.
• Do not use spoiled food for cooking.
• Before use, it is recommended to test for the presence of an allergic reaction to the ingredients. To do this, apply a small amount of the product to the inner surface of the forearm. After five minutes, evaluate the result: if there is no redness, peeling, itching, the lotion can be used.
• The lotion is recommended to be applied 2 times a day after face and body hygiene procedures.
• If the skin is exposed to frequent contamination during the day, the lotion can be used up to three times a day.
• With mixed skin, alcohol lotion should be applied only to those places where the greatest amount of sebaceous secretion accumulates.
• Cosmetic solution with a small amount of alcohol is stored for no more than three days. A lotion in which the ratio of water to alcohol is 1: 3 can be stored for up to fourteen days.
• Colored plastic containers are not recommended for storing the lotion. For these purposes, glassware is suitable, which is tightly closed with a lid.
• The prepared mortar should not be exposed to direct sunlight. A cool, dark place is the best “hideaway” for lotion.
• Apply lotion at room temperature to the face.

Making homemade lotions by skin type: recipes

When making homemade recipes, you need to take into account the type of skin, the presence of visual defects (pimples, flushing, acne, acne, age spots).Skin with reduced sebaceous glands should be treated with lotion with the least amount of alcohol in the solution. Some cosmetics can be prepared without an alcohol base. The effect of the lotion will not be affected.

Skin with reduced sebum production

Rose petal lotion

• Jasmine (inflorescence) – 30 g
• Rose red (petals) – 30 g
• Vitamin B1 – 2 ml
• Cologne – 20 ml
• Hot water – 50 ml

1. Mix the first two ingredients, finely chop.
2. Pour hot water over the flowers.
3. After seven hours, strain the mixture through cheesecloth.
4. Add the last ingredients to the solution.
5. Pour the mixture into a bottle, close the lid and shake.

Recommended for use in the morning and evening.

Milk lotion for sensitive dry skin

• Cabbage leaves – 100 g
• Milk – 1 cup

1. Pass the cabbage through a blender.
2. Boil milk.
3. Stir the cabbage gruel in the milk.
4. Close the container with a lid and wrap with a terry towel. After an hour, the lotion can be used.

Moisturizing Lotion

• Banana – 30 g
• Powdered sugar – 20 g
• Milk – 1 cup
• Fresh lemon juice – 10 drops

1. Place banana in blender, make banana gruel.
2. Mix banana puree with sugar.
3. Heat milk; dissolve sweet banana puree in milk.
4. After the pot has been removed from the heat, add the lemon juice.

It is recommended to use the lotion in the morning, every day, up to 14 procedures.

Skin with increased sebum secretion

Citrus Cleansing Lotion

• Grapefruit – 2 pieces
• Lemon – 1 piece
• Vodka – 30 ml

1. Place the fruit in the juicer.
2. Add vodka to citrus juice.
3. Stir the ingredients.
4. Pour the lotion into a glass bottle with a dark glass.

It is recommended to wipe the skin with lotion twice a day.

Berry Lotion

• Strawberries – 200 g
• Vodka – 100 ml

1. Juice the strawberries.
2. Mix freshly squeezed juice with an alcohol-based ingredient.
3. Insist one month in a dark cool place.

After thirty days, the tincture can be applied to oily skin.The remedy helps with red acne.

Matting lotion with apple cider vinegar

• Cucumber – 100 g
• Apple cider vinegar – 80 ml

1. Place the cucumber in the blender; make cucumber gruel along with seeds.
2. Pour vinegar over the mixture.
3. Insist the solution for seven days in a cool dark place.

The mixture can be used three times a day if the skin is heavily greasy.

Flower lotion

• White lily flowers – 5 flowers
• Moonshine
• Water

1. Grind the lily petals (preferably garden) with a blender.
2. Place flower petals in a wide-necked bottle, pour over with moonshine. The lily petals should be completely hidden by the alcohol-containing ingredient.
3. Insist in the cold for a month and a half. Strain the lotion through cheesecloth.
4. Dilute the composition with water: one part of lotion and three parts of water.

Cosmetic for oily skin on grapes

• Grape bunch – 1 branch
• Honey – 30 g
• Vodka – 50 ml
• Salt – 5 g

1. Rinse the grape branch, dry, remove from her berries.Pass the berries through a meat grinder.
2. After 120 minutes add honey to the grape gruel.
3. Place the solution in a glass container with a wide mouth.
4. Add vodka; stir the composition with a wooden stick.
5. Pour salt into the mixture. Mix.

After 5 hours the cosmetic is ready for use. It is not recommended to use lotion for sensitive skin.

Mixed leather

Creamy lotion

• Sour cream – 100 g
• Lemon juice – 30 ml
• Vodka – 30 ml
• Chicken yolk – 1 piece

1. Place the lemon in the juicer.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients to the resulting juice.
3. Stir the solution until smooth.
4. Pour the mixture into a glass container.

Lubricate the face with lotion once (in the evening).

Cosmetic with vinegar and parsley

• Parsley – 50 g
• Lemon juice – 15 ml
• Water – 1 glass

1. Chop the parsley in a blender.
2. Add a glass of boiling water to the gruel.
3. Simmer the solution over low heat for half an hour.
4. Strain the solution.
5. Add lemon juice.
6. Pour the infusion into a container with a screw cap.

It is recommended to wipe the face with the mixture three times a day.

Homemade lotions for skin problems

Coniferous concentrate

To prepare the lotion, you need fresh pine needles. Do not collect needles from fallen pine branches with signs of rot. It is not recommended to use a pharmacy composition for a cosmetic product.

• Needles – 100 g
• Plantain – 100 g
• Chamomile inflorescences – 50 g
• Calendula – 30g
• Vodka – 0.5L

1. Wash plantain leaves, put on cheesecloth.
2. Mix the inflorescences, needles and leaves.
3. Place the vegetable mixture in a dark glass jar.
4. Fill the composition with an alcohol-containing preparation.

Put the lotion in the refrigerator on the lower shelf. You can use the product after seven days.The lotion deeply cleanses pores, soothes inflamed skin, fights blackheads. It is recommended to use it twice a day.

Oriental Body Lotion

• Orange Juice – 50 ml
• Flower Honey – 50 g
• Bitter Almond Oil – 30 ml
• Grapefruit Juice – 100 ml
• Lemon Juice – 50 ml

1. Fruit put in the juicer separately. Squeeze the juice into different containers.
2. Mix juices, taking into account proportions.Add honey.
3. Put the mixture in a water bath. During heating, it is recommended to stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spatula.
4. After 15 minutes, remove the mixture from the heat and cool.

Body lotion is recommended for daily use after hygiene procedures. The shelf life of the mixture is 3 days.

Recipes for lotions and balms

Here you can find all kinds of recipes for lotions, tonics and balms.

Refreshing face lotions tone and cleanse the skin of the face. Their composition can be different, alcoholic and without or, for example, based on a decoction, acidic and alkaline.

In addition, depending on the ingredients, face lotions soften, disinfect and soothe the skin. The simplest tonic lotion is natural mineral water. The use of baby lotions is recommended. They undergo more careful control, mainly consist of natural gentle components and therefore the quality of baby lotions is slightly higher than that of conventional “adult” products.

What are lotions?
Lotions are alkaline and acidic, alcoholic and aqueous. His choice depends on the type of skin. For oily skin, you need an alcoholic or alkaline lotion, where the alcohol content should not exceed forty percent, for normal and mixed – thirty percent, and dry skin – twenty percent alcohol. For dry skin, choose acidic or water-based lotions. How to prepare lotion. Before making a homemade lotion, determine what type of skin you are. In addition, lotion can be prepared to get rid of facial imperfections – flaking, redness, rough, chapped skin.

First of all, for the preparation of the lotion, the components specified in the recipe and the water base are required: mineral or distilled water, infusion, alcohol-containing liquid (wine, vodka, alcohol of various percentages). Pick up an opaque glass, resealable container, scald it with boiling water, and fill it with homemade lotion.

It is recommended to store lotions from 6 to 10 days, some – up to a month. Wipe your face with a cotton ball soaked in lotion several times a day.You do not need to wash your skin after applying the lotion.

What is a face toner?
Tonic is a water-alcohol solution obtained by dissolving biologically active substances in water. You can make your own facial toner at home. You will need: alcohol-containing ingredients (vodka, diluted alcohol, wine) or still mineral water, as well as mineral ingredients, for example: rose, cucumber, lemon, plant extracts, decoction or vegetable acids. Natural ingredients are poured and allowed to brew.It is better to cook the tonic in small quantities (about five to six times). Store it in a dark, glass container pre-scalded with boiling water for seven days, in a dark, cool place. If it does not contain alcohol, then it cannot be stored for more than four to five days. The prepared face toner can be used immediately.
How does a lotion differ from a tonic?
Do not confuse tonic with lotion. The lotion cleanses the skin of the face, but the tonic is aimed at a completely different effect. It tones, refreshes, nourishes and moisturizes the skin.They wipe their face before applying the cream in the morning and evening after thoroughly cleansing the skin.

How to use lotion and toner?
Beauty for a woman is, first of all, healthy and beautiful facial skin. Therefore, you need to properly care for her. The first step of care is to cleanse it. The cleansing method depends on its type and age. Do not forget that skin becomes drier with age. For girls with oily and combination skin, it is recommended to wash with a special gel or foam for the face with water at room temperature, without affecting the area of ​​the eyes and lips.

It is possible to wash your face with soap, knowing that you are not prone to allergic reactions, and not every day. Washing with soap is generally not recommended due to its strong dehydrating effect, leading to dry skin. If the skin is dry, it is better to wash your face with water alone, without foam or gel. Do not use when washing with very cold or very hot water. When you wash your face with very cold water, the skin begins to dry and peel off strongly, and hot water dilates the blood vessels, the skin becomes lethargic and does not tolerate cold well.Ladies of elegant age and ladies with dry skin are advised to first use cosmetic cream or milk. This skin is very sensitive to external influences, therefore it requires gentle and nourishing cleansing.

Then wash your face without soap with warm water. When the first stage of cleansing is completed, move on to the second. Having cleared the skin of cosmetics and impurities, you need to use a lotion. It will remove any remaining milk, cosmetic cream, excess grease and other impurities.Cleans the skin more thoroughly. Penetrating through the pores, it affects the skin in a certain way. Finish the cleansing process with a tonic. With the help of it we restore the acid-base balance of the skin, close the pores, soothe, nourish and refresh the skin. You need to wash your face no more than three times a day.

What ingredients can you add to your homemade body lotion?

The lotion is an ideal cosmetic product. Unlike others, it takes minimal time to leave. Modern directions of cosmetology have developed many innovative options.The principles of making lotions are relatively straightforward. You can try experimenting at home.

Lotions with the use of active substances are widely used. Their action is based on improving blood circulation. This makes it easier for the active substances to penetrate the skin. Moreover, the impact is not only local. Due to the small circle of blood circulation, substances are carried throughout the body.

If the skin temporarily reddens after using the lotion, this indicates its poor quality.

The main ingredients are herbal infusions and glycerin, which softens the skin.

It is more effective to use essential oils instead of infusions. As a result, the skin becomes smooth and soft. The use of lotions tones and refreshes the skin. For cosmetic purposes, the plants are harvested early in the morning or in the evening after sunset. You can use ready-made essential oils prepared by pharmacologists. A large number of offers are now available in the pharmacy network.

The most potent to use is rose oil. Nevertheless, it is advisable to use other plant properties for targeted action.

Aloe oil has an excellent soothing effect. It is used for post-epilation lotions.

Cucumber lotion is a classic in perfumery.

Almond oil has excellent cleansing and softening properties. Mango, cocoa and shea butter perfectly tones the skin.

Lemon, bergamot, ylang-ylang, lavender oil is an excellent remedy for fighting cellulite.

Grapefruit oil contains a large amount of vitamins. Lotion based on it has a good healing effect.

In addition to oil, cosmetic petroleum jelly can be added to the lotion. The high specific gravity of oils and fats such as petroleum jelly should not be confusing. In perfumery, a diffuse method of preparation is practiced. It’s okay if the additives in the lotion are clearly visible during storage.Just shake it before use.

In this way it is possible to enhance the softening and nourishing qualities. With normal skin, after using the lotion, you can skip the cream. This is also true for oily skin. But here it is better to use a lotion of a uniform consistency. By following these simple rules, you will get beautiful skin.

90,000 Facial lotion – easy to make on your own

In cosmetology, a facial lotion can do many things.Herbs, oils, vegetables, fruits are an excellent base for making a home remedy.

Benefits of skin lotion

Facial care using various lotions allows:

• Gently cleanse the epidermis;
• Remove stratum corneum;
• Treat purulent inflammation;
• Narrow pores;
• Accelerate blood circulation;
• Strengthen the facial vessels;
• Moisturize and smooth wrinkles.

The composition may include herbal preparations, fatty and essential oils, dairy products, alcoholic tinctures. A variety of components allows you to saturate skin cells, complexes of vitamins, minerals, poly and monounsaturated acids.

Application of face lotion

By adhering to certain rules for the preparation and use of natural lotions, all aesthetic and dermatological problems can be solved:

1. Before use, it is necessary to test the product so as not to harm allergenic components;
2. Alcohol-based lotions are stored longer, with decoctions and infusions – no more than ten days in the refrigerator;
3. Wipe your face in the morning and evening, after removing make-up, depending on the task, moisturizing, cleansing, toning – as needed;
4. For lotions, prepare dark glass vessels with a tight-fitting lid;
5. Recommended application temperature from 10 ^◦ to 40 ^◦ .

Lotions containing alcohol are recommended for oily face, locally on acne, otherwise the epidermis will become dry and peeling will occur. Indication – in a complex of basic care for all skin types. Contraindications – individual sensitivity to the constituents of the lotion.

The best homemade face lotion recipes

Moisturizing lotion

Result: restores cell membranes, promotes the saturation of organic acids with homemade face lotion.

Ingredients:

• 50 ml linden decoction;
• 1 ampoule of retinol;
• 1 ampoule of tocopherol;
• 6 drops of elemi oil (if available).

Preparation and method of application: prepare a decoction from linden flowers, strain, add liquid vitamins of youth and ether. Store in refrigerator, shake well before use. Use after cleansing the skin in the morning and evening.

Cucumber lotion

Result: to moisturize the skin, smooth out wrinkles, use a natural anti-aging lotion.

Ingredients:

Preparation and method of application: to make a homemade lotion, you need to peel fresh vegetables (without yellowness) from the skin, turn into puree with a hand blender. Pour the mass with carbonated water, add moisturizing oil. No need to filter the cucumber lotion, the pulp will settle to the bottom. It is convenient to use home remedies when traveling instead of cleansing and moisturizing cosmetics.

Sunscreen lotion

Result: skin care recipes protect from ultraviolet radiation, uneven melanin distribution.Making a lotion at home is easy for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

Ingredients:

• 30 ml olive oil;
• 10 ml peach oil;
• 20 gr. coffee grounds.

Preparation and application: Place the coffee in a dark container and add nutritious oils. Insist in a warm place for about a week, shaking occasionally. Then strain and pour into a spray jar. Apply and distribute before going out into the sun, this skin lotion is also recommended for children.

Cleansing lotion

Result: gently removes impurities and decorative cosmetics without causing peeling, lotion for cleansing the face.

Ingredients:

Preparation and method of application: boil herbal decoction (100 ml of liquid per 15 grams of leaves), leave for two hours, then strain. Add glycerin and wine, shake well. Store no more than 12 days, cleanse the skin with cotton pads.

Whitening lotion

Result: restore an even, matte color, reduce manifestations of rosacea effective recipes

Ingredients:

• 20 ml of milk;
• 20 ml distilled water;
• aspirin tablet;
• 19 drops of jojoba oil.

Preparation and method of application: crush acetylsalicylic acid, dilute in water, add cooled boiled milk and butter. Use after a whitening mask for maximum effect.

Lotion for narrowing pores

Result: after deep cleansing of the skin, the natural lotion will soothe and restore the pH balance.

Ingredients:

• 30 ml green tea;
• 8 ml grapefruit juice;
• 7 drops of mandarin ether.

Preparation and method of application: combine freshly brewed, cooled drink with citrus juice and ether. After steaming the skin, cleansing, healing masks, washing, apply the lotion composition with a thin sponge.

Lotion for dry skin

Result: nourish and saturate natural homemade lotions with vitamins, organic acids.

Ingredients:

• 50 gr. melon pulp;
• 120 ml of rosehip broth;
• 7 ml macadamia oil.

Preparation and method of application: pour the aromatic pulp chopped on a grater with hot broth, leave for half an hour, add rejuvenating oil. Wipe your face after or instead of cleansing twice a day.

Lotion for oily skin

Result: for deep cleansing and toning of the epidermis, prevention and treatment of acne on the face, it is necessary to prepare a home remedy.

Ingredients:

• 50 ml broth of sage and plantain collection;
• 15 drops of bergamot oil.

Preparation and method of application: prepare a concentrated medicinal decoction, after straining and cooling, add bergamot ether. Apply with a sponge or cotton wool on the face 3-4 times a day, then use a moisturizing gel.

Lotion for acne

Result: an effective salicylic lotion for problem skin, against acne and acne. Soothes inflammation, cleanses and tones the dermis, has an antimicrobial effect.

Ingredients:

• 40 ml of calendula infusion;
• 5 ml of salicylic acid;
• 5 drops of chamomile ether.

Preparation and method of application: prepare a decoction from freshly picked marigolds, then leave for about an hour. Add acid and chamomile oil to the filtered and cooled liquid. Store in a bottle in a cool place, no more than ten days. Wipe your face with profuse rashes – five times a day, for prevention – in the morning and before bedtime.

Anti-wrinkle lotion

Result: Improves lymph flow and intracellular metabolism. DIY prepared face lotion for aging skin.Recommended for use in combination with lifting masks.

Ingredients:

• 30 gr. laminar powder;
• 15 ml cucumber juice;
• 16 drops of almond oil.

Preparation and method of application: pour algae powder with warm water (50 ml), after 3 hours strain from solid particles. Combine laminar fluid with cucumber juice and anti-aging oil. Wipe your face in the evening half an hour before applying the cream, or after using an anti-aging mask.Store no more than three days.

Chamomile lotion

Result: natural composition for combination skin reduces glandular secretion, tightens pores, improves complexion.

Ingredients:

• 40 ml of chamomile infusion;
• 17 drops of pomegranate oil;
• 5 drops of peppermint ether.

Preparation and method of application: pour chamomile (15 gr.) With boiling water (more than 90 ^◦ ), leave for no more than forty minutes. Strain from the flowers, add nutritious oil and mint.Use before applying makeup or instead of cleansing milk.

Parsley lotion

Result: rejuvenating lotions at home are recommended to be used after 30 years. Refresh the skin, eliminate age spots and expression lines.

Ingredients:

• 10 sprigs of parsley;
• 20 gr. sour cream;
• 3 drops of nutmeg oil.

Preparation and method of application: squeeze the juice from the herbs using a press, add fresh sour cream and healing oil, mix well with a cosmetic spoon.Apply the cream lotion with a sponge along the massage lines, after cleansing the skin.

Aloe lotion

Result: homemade lotion has a pronounced rejuvenating and moisturizing effect.

Ingredients:

• 2 aloe leaves;
• 16 drops of grape oil.

Preparation and method of application: cut off aloe sprigs, wrap in parchment, put in the refrigerator for ten days. Then squeeze out the juice and combine with cosmetic oil.Apply lotion instead of moisturizer twice a day.

Video recipe: Lotion for freckles and age spots at home

Reviews on the use of lotions

Yana, 27 years old

It’s hard to find quality cosmetics with my sensitive skin. Found a recipe for cucumber lotion that refreshes and moisturizes well, especially after the beach.

Kira, 31 years old

After incorrect removal of acne, scars remain.I wipe my face with aloe juice lotion, the skin became smoother and softer.

Alena, 19 years old

Instead of tonic, I use salicylic lotion. Acne hardly appears and the pores are narrowed.

Production of Creams, Oils, Lotions as a business: equipment, manufacturing technology

Creams, lotions, body oils and moisturizers are produced in the same way using almost the same ingredients. They are all emulsions, but lotions and moisturizers tend to be thinner than body creams or oils, so they may contain less oil, emulsifier, and thickener.Moisturizers and creams are commonly used for the face, and they often contain special ingredients called active ingredients. Less “heavy” oils are also used.

Why create an emulsion?

The most common complaint about non-water products, such as body oils and balms, is that the products are too greasy, heavy and may be grainy. These problems can be eliminated by creating an emulsion. Emulsions allow the oils to be applied to the skin in an aesthetically pleasing manner, and also give creamers more freedom in formulation and easy changes in characteristics such as viscosity, texture and appearance.Emulsions allow incompatible ingredients such as oils, glycerin and active ingredients to be combined in one product.

Equipment for home creaming

1. Scale . Two types – one for large quantities and one for small quantities.
2. Mercury-free glass laboratory thermometer . Buy 2 just in case one fails.
3. Mixer . Use the white lotion pad for lotions weighing less than 300 g and the metal pad for lotions over 300 g.
4. Water bath . You can do it yourself. To do this, buy two metal coasters with rings (to place the measuring cups on top so that they do not touch the bottom of the pot). The coasters work in any shape – a ring or a cooling rack, or you can use an empty tin can or even metal baking tins. (If you are using an induction hob, please use an aluminum base, otherwise it may heat up to over 100 ° C).To use the water bath to heat the water and fat phases according to the instructions in this manual, fill about a quarter / third of the pot with hot water. Place the beaker on an empty tin can or stand at the bottom of the pot so that the container does not come into direct contact with the pot.
5. Two laboratory beakers made of heat-resistant glass or chemically-resistant polypropylene.
6. Container , for storing the ingredients of the cooled phase.
7. Sanitizer as 70% isopropyl alcohol. 70% is more effective than 100%, since the water in the solution denatures the proteins of the microorganisms.
8. pH Analyzer . pH strips and pH paper are not very accurate, so an electronic pH tester is recommended.

Of course, you will also need jars for filling the ready-made mixture. They are inexpensive and easy to find on the Internet.

Sample price from one of the sellers on the Internet

Ingredients

Water

– What type of water is needed? Use distilled, reverse osmosis, or deionized water.Do not use tap, bottled, or mineral water as it contains chemicals that can shorten the shelf life.

– How to calculate how much water to use? The total must be 100%. If all of your ingredients except water are 40%, then your% water will be 60%. If all of your ingredients except water are 20%, then your% water will be 80%.

– What about evaporation water loss due to heating of the emulsion? When you heat water, some of it evaporates.We will heat and hold the aqueous phase for 20 minutes. This will kill some non-endospore-forming bacteria. Usually at least 10% of the water evaporates. It is necessary to replenish the volume of evaporated water, otherwise your percentage of ingredients will be inaccurate, for example, a preservative that must be added at 0.5% will end up being 0.8%. You can fix this by adding an additional 10% water at the beginning of the lotion preparation, and then at the end (evaporation occurs during cooling), weigh the lotion to see how much more than 10% water has evaporated, and add the required amount.Each time a lotion is produced, a different amount of water evaporates.

Preservatives

The phrase “no preservatives” on the packaging is a myth! Creams that say that they do not contain preservatives, or do not store properly, or do not contain a list of preservatives on the label, or since the preservatives used have a dual purpose, the seller uses them as another function. Vitamin E, benzoin, rosemary extract, grapefruit extract are antioxidants, not preservatives – they only help in the oxidation of oils and do nothing to prevent the growth of gram-positive and harmful bacteria and fungi that grow in everything that contains water.If your lotion contains no preservatives, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. We cannot rely on our eyesight to check if our lotion has deteriorated because bacteria and spores are microscopic and cannot be seen by the human eye. Home test kits are very unreliable. The ideal preservative has a broad spectrum of action, which means protection against bacteria – both gram-negative and gram-positive, as well as fungi. For a selection of preservatives and more information, click here.

IMPORTANT! When using tea, goat milk, honey, hydrosols, flower water, aloe vera, extracts, protein, powders, starches, and the like, your formula requires the addition of a preservative! Otherwise, it is fraught with a reduction in the shelf life and the development of bacteria, incl. life-threatening!

Emulsifiers

Remember to add two stabilizers to keep your lotion emulsified! It is important to note that cetyl / cetearyl alcohol and beeswax are not emulsifiers, and some emulsifying waxes are not emulsifiable!

There are 4 main types of emulsifiers:

1. Anionic (O / W), this is where the hydrophilic head groups are negatively charged.Examples: sodium stearate, sodium stearyl glutamate, glyceryl stearate SE. These types of emulsifiers are quite old-fashioned, not as versatile, some of them may need a higher pH, but they tend to be quite cheap.
2. Cationic (O / W) emulsifiers where the polar hydrophilic head groups are positively charged, such as bentrimonium methosulfate. These emulsifiers are typically used in conditioners and give a silky, velvety, powdery or dry appearance.Some types, such as the shorter monoalkyl chain analogs, can be irritating.
3. Nonionic emulsifiers (W / O or O / W) are the most common type of emulsifier. They are compatible with other types of emulsifiers and are more stable to electrolytes.
4. Polymer emulsifiers. Examples: sepigel 305, sepiplus 400, simulgel, cosmedia ACE, viscoptima SE. This kind of emulsifier works differently than others. The lipophilic part of the polymer is adsorbed at the oil-water interface, while the hydrophilic part swells in water, forming a gel network around the oil droplets.They are used alone or in combination with traditional emulsifiers. When used as the only emulsifier without wax ingredients, they create gel creams, serums. They have a number of advantages, they are easy to process and need to be used in a smaller volume than traditional emulsifiers. However, the main disadvantage is that they are usually electrolyte sensitive. However, this category of emulsifiers is becoming more and more popular and can also be used for stabilization and thickening, as well as for emulsification.

How do you know if the emulsion is stable enough?

The emulsion can separate at any time. Symptoms may appear during or after the preparation of the cream. These signs may appear after a few months, for example, when a client took your cream on vacation in a warmer climate:

• Creaming . Occurs during migration of the fat phase with the formation of a layer in the upper part of the emulsion.
• Flocculation . This is when the droplets of the greasy phase come together, but they do not merge into a larger droplet, resembling a cloud.
• Coalescence . The process is similar to flocculation, but the droplets merge with each other to form a larger droplet.
• Phase separation . Is the most obvious sign of emulsion instability in the form of separate fatty and aqueous phases.

It is sometimes unrealistic for a manufacturer to wait 1-2 years to check if his emulsion is stable enough.To speed up this process, a 3-month stability test can be performed. Since any changes in the cream are accelerated at higher temperatures, the samples are placed in a variety of environmental conditions, which include a temperature range of 4 ° C to 40-45 ° C. Typically, samples are checked at intervals of 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. If the cream has changed little in 8 weeks, then it will most likely be stored for a year at room temperature.

Measurements

• Weight : Weight is defined by the gravity or mass of a particular substance and is measured using weights such as grams, ounces (weight), pounds.
• Volume: Volume is the volume of space occupied by the item being measured. This is a common measurement in food recipes and recipes where ratios are more important than precision, such as fluid ounces, teaspoons, drops, cups, ml. It is important to note that some oils are heavier than others, for example, one cup of sunflower oil has a different weight than the same cup of olive oil. Down and cotton candy take up a lot of space (volume), but weigh very little for their size.

Weighing measures are more accurate, which means that the scale will be used to weigh ALL ingredients.However, all recipes will use percentages, so the ratio of ingredients and hence their properties – viscosity, texture and appearance – can be easily determined and adjusted. In addition, the use of percentages means that we can make any batch size we want – from very small to huge.

All% in the table below are% of the total lot size. Thus, if you add 3% glycerin, this is 3% of the total batch size, not 3% of the aqueous phase.If you add 6% emulsifier, this will be 6% of the total batch size.

Shelf Life

The shelf life of your product will ultimately be determined by a stability test. However, to get some idea of ​​the expiration date of all ingredients, check the expiration date of each one, and which ingredient goes bad first will affect the expiration date of the entire lotion.

If you sell your product, a three month stability test is required.Since any changes in the lotion will occur more quickly at higher temperatures, the samples are placed in a variety of environmental conditions, which include a temperature range from room temperature, 4 ° C (typical refrigerator temperature) to 40-45 ° C. Samples are usually checked at intervals of two, four, eight and twelve weeks. If the product has changed little in eight weeks at elevated temperatures, it is likely to last longer, up to a year at room temperature. For a temperature range of 40-45 ° C, you can buy an egg incubator.

Incubator I-36 with the ability to fine-tune the temperature

Formulas (for DIYers)

The table below shows the basic starting formulas for DIYers and chemists, for the production of lotion, moisturizer and body oil for various skin types. Use our recipe calculator to convert the% in the table below to grams or ounces, and the calculator will also automatically complete the formula to 100%. Preservatives are listed in the chilling phase, but must be transferred to another phase if specified in the preservatives article.The Vital Include column indicates whether the ingredient should be included. If a column indicates that an ingredient is vital, but you decide to replace or eliminate it, the quality of your emulsion is likely to be compromised. If an ingredient is added to the formula that is not listed in the table below, it can also compromise the quality of the emulsion. This is especially true if the ingredient is an electrolyte (aloe vera, green tea, magnesium oil) or storage difficulties (aloe vera, milk, protein, clay, honey).

Preparation process

1. Disinfect containers, countertops, equipment. Boil deionized / distilled water in case you need it later to replenish the evaporated water supply (if more than 10% of the water evaporated).

2. Weigh your water phase in the container.

• Heat the water phase using a hotplate or water bath to about 75 ° C and maintain this temperature for about 20 minutes.

Note: When sterilizing a product, you cannot expect to reach 75 ° C for 20 minutes. This will likely reduce microbial levels by killing some of the non-endospore bacteria, but most likely will not kill them all. To enter a discussion between chemist and microbiological experts about why heating and retention is required, after joining our group, click here.

3. While your water phase is heating, weigh the fat phase in another container.

Heat the fat phase to about the same temperature as the water phase using a stove or water bath (see(See Equipment section above). You do NOT need to hold the fatty phase for 20 minutes, but you do need to heat the fatty phase to the same temperature as the aqueous phase when you combine the phases to get the correct emulsion.

4. After the aqueous phase has been at about 75 ° C for 20 minutes and the fatty phase is also heated to this temperature, follow the steps below.

• Slowly pour one phase into the other and mix for 2-5 minutes using a homogenizer or, at home, a hand blender or mini mixer.Do not use milk / coffee frother, whisk or spoon / fork as emulsions require a higher rotation speed.
• Mix until lotion cools. (Chemists will use an overhead stirrer for stirring during the cooling phase, and DIYers will use an intermittent blender.)

5. Weigh the cooled phase ingredients in a separate container. When the lotion has cooled to 45 ° C, add the ingredients of the cooled phase and mix thoroughly.

• You will notice that your lotion will begin to thicken rather quickly as it cools, and it will continue to thicken over the next hour.

6. Allow the lotion to cool to room temperature.

• Weigh the lotion to see if more than 10% of the water has evaporated. If so, add some boiled water to make up the difference and stir well. (Evaporation also occurs during the cooling period and a different amount of water will evaporate each time the lotion is prepared.)

Check pH and change if necessary.

7. Pour the lotion into jars / bottles only after it has cooled to room temperature, otherwise condensation will form inside the container. The condensate will not contain any preservative.

Done!

For a complete study of the cooking processes, use this English-language site of the author of the videos.

Certification

According to the “List of Products Subject to Mandatory Declaration of Conformity”, a declaration of quality is provided for all types of cosmetics, without its confirmation, the distribution of cosmetics in the territory of the Russian Federation and the countries of the customs union is illegal.

In addition to the mandatory declaration, you can undergo voluntary certification for GOSTs. For example, according to GOST 31460-2012 “Cosmetic creams. General technical conditions ”.

Business registration

An individual entrepreneur, LLC is suitable for this business, but in this case it is recommended to use an individual entrepreneur only if you are confident in the quality of your products, because in the event of any force majeure circumstances, as well as violations of technological processes that have caused harm to the health of your customers, you will be liable with your personal property.In the case of an LLC, financial responsibility lies only with the company’s property.

Your main OKVED will be:

• OKVED 20.42 – Production of perfumes and cosmetics.

You have to go through the inspection of the Fire Inspection and Rospotrebnadzor, conclude a garbage collection agreement, etc.

Additionally, from July 1, 2018, all enterprises involved in the circulation of goods of animal origin must use FSIS Mercury.You will need computer hardware to use it. Perhaps, in your case, its use will not be required. Check this point directly in the FSIS.

5 reasons why face lotions

Cosmetologists convince: after washing, you must definitely use a lotion for the face. The purpose of a cleanser is to remove dirt and make-up. To do this, he has to, albeit minimally, violate the hydrolipidic mantle of the skin. And to return everything to normal, adjust the pH of the skin and give it the first portion of the caring components – the task of a tonic or lotion.In addition, it is the tonic that allows the skin to better absorb the ingredients of serums and creams that you apply after. Many girls believe that lotions and tonics are different products for their intended purpose. Moreover, some cosmetologists convince their clients of this. But it’s all about translation difficulties. On the same label, you can read the French version of the name Lotion or Lotion Tonifiante and immediately notice the English word Toner. Hence, there is no difference between tonics and lotions. Both of these products are designed to tone the skin and prepare it for the application of creams.But depending on the type of skin, their additional functions may differ: some will soothe, others will moisturize, others will fight acne, and so on. That is why these funds need to be selected not independently, but in consultation with a specialist. It is not worth giving up on removers and relying only on the tonic. It is not able to deeply cleanse the skin and remove eye makeup, especially waterproof. The standard way to use tonic lotion is to wipe cleansed skin with a soaked cotton pad.But there are also nuances. If you are using an anti-aging toner with ingredients that create a lifting film on the skin (most often wheat proteins), wipe your face from the bottom up and from the center to the periphery. And if you apply a special tonic to problem skin with inflammation, do surging, not rubbing movements.

Physiological Soothing Lotion for Sensitive Skin, La Roche-Posay; lotion for dry and sensitive skin Gentle Toning Lotion, Dior; matting lotion Tone It True, Givenchy; moisturizing lotion Lotion Tonique Hydratante, Caudalie; toner for oily and combination skin Clarimatte Clarifying Toner, REN.

In addition to tonic lotions with the usual watery texture, many brands have appeared in care lotions that resemble a light fluid. They perform radically different functions than the classic tonic lotion. In fact, this is the first step in the care ritual after cleansing and toning. The main purpose of such lotions is to create the right “base” on the skin for applying any anti-aging, nourishing and moisturizing products. There is no need to apply the care lotion with a cotton pad. Better to warm up the texture with your fingertips and spread over the skin like a regular skin care product.

Lotion Divine, L’Occitane; lotion Sublimage La Lotion Suprême, Chanel; lotion Super Aqua-Lotion, Guerlain; lotion Énergie De Vie, Lancôme; tonic Skin Expert, L’Oréal Paris.

.