Legalities
Please note that to sell cosmetics, a sample of each batch of your product has to formally tested so that you are granted a certificate that lists exactly what's in it and if it's safe.
Equipment
You will need the following:
- A bain marie, or a pot with hot water over which you can place a bowl or similar, using the heat from the water to warm the contents of the bowl. There should be enough water to cover the base of the bowl. Do not use a lid to ensure all moisture escapes. The metal bowl below left is a good choice.
- A thermometer to ensure the ingredients are at the correct temperature - the one above right works well.
- Vitamin E oil to prevent the oil from going rancid. This can be 1g of the pure oil, or a Vitamin E capsule. Oil-based products will start to go rancid after 6 months, but adding Vitamin E will allow them to keep for 12 months or more.
- Containers and labels - for lip balm, use tubes and for creams and polishes use tins.
- You may find one of these useful for filling lib balm tubes.
Basic concepts
The beeswax used in cosmetics must be spotlessly clean. The wax you use for candles is generally not clean enough. To make it clean enough, you can filter the wax through surgical lint which will result in the cleanest possible wax. An alternative is to use a doubled J-cloth - it cleans the wax almost as well as surgical lint.
All balms and creams use a basic mix of beeswax which makes it hard, and one or more oils to make it soft – any oil will do, e.g. rapeseed, olive, jojoba, sunflower, etc. Note that coconut oil is solid at room temperature so it too can make your product harder. In addition, since oils will go rancid after a while, add a little vitamin E oil (or the contents of a vitamin E capsule). You can leave your produce with its natural smell, or you can add a little scented oil, although make sure it’s food grade for lip balms and anything that might end up in food.
Note that there are many, many recipes, so you should experiment until you find one you're happy with.
Melt your oils and wax together in the bain marie. Once they are liquid, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool, stirring occasionally, until it starts to set on the sides of the pot. Then add your vitamin E and your scented oils, stirring vigorously so that they are completely included in the melted mix. They may start the oils to solidify, in which case gently head the mix over the hot water until it just melts. Then pour into your containers. Wait until cool before putting on the lid. Label the container.
All balms and creams use a basic mix of beeswax which makes it hard, and one or more oils to make it soft – any oil will do, e.g. rapeseed, olive, jojoba, sunflower, etc. Note that coconut oil is solid at room temperature so it too can make your product harder. In addition, since oils will go rancid after a while, add a little vitamin E oil (or the contents of a vitamin E capsule). You can leave your produce with its natural smell, or you can add a little scented oil, although make sure it’s food grade for lip balms and anything that might end up in food.
Note that there are many, many recipes, so you should experiment until you find one you're happy with.
Melt your oils and wax together in the bain marie. Once they are liquid, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool, stirring occasionally, until it starts to set on the sides of the pot. Then add your vitamin E and your scented oils, stirring vigorously so that they are completely included in the melted mix. They may start the oils to solidify, in which case gently head the mix over the hot water until it just melts. Then pour into your containers. Wait until cool before putting on the lid. Label the container.
Infused oil
The basis for this is a vegetable oil infused with herbs. You can purchase dried flowers and herbs from lots of sources such as health food shops and Asian stores. A good example is Calendula or Pot Marigold:
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
- Dried Calendula flowers
- Vegetable oil
Method
- Place dried Calendula flowers in the bowl of the bain marie and add oil
- Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to very low and continue to infuse the oil at a low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally
- Strain the cooled oil to remove all the flower parts
- Add Vitamin E to prevent it going rancid.