help me in my quest to design a moisturiser for acne!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:15 pm

Hi everyone. I came over from Acne.org when someone helpfully pointed over here.

I've been 99% clear for months using a simple blend of: half emu oil, half jojoba, and a teeny bit of tea tree, manuka, and lavender, as well as Rosehip seed oil and some Bio-oil for scars.

The only problem is that I want to make it into a cream so it's not as oily. I've read some do it yourself things online, like about using beeswax and borax, or Emulsifying Wax NF. I think I'll probably go with the Emulsifying Wax since I heard that Oil in Water (or was it the other way around?) mixes were very fluffy and not oily. But it may aggravate acne. What do you think?

I found a place online where I can buy a lot of different oils. I'm going to list the ones I'm interested in adding to the blend here:

Soothing properties:
Aloe Vera
Calendula oil
Chamomile German oil

Antioxidant:
Sea Buckthorn

An additional carrier oil, good for oily skin:
Hazelnut oil

For Scars:
Helichrysum italicum oil (this one sounds like a miracle oil)
Tamanu oil

What does everyone think? Is this too many different oils? I am *not* going to remove oils from my original formula since it's keeping me clear, but I'm not entirely pleased with its scar reducing effects, and also I've been doing Lactic acid peels lately so I think the soothing oils would help a lot with the irritation afterwards. Also do you think I need some sort of preservative like grapefruit seed oil or vitamin e?

Please let me know what you think! Cool

free skin care · Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:42 pm

Hi violetdream,

Be very careful about turning the oils that are working so well for you into a cream.

I found, after years and years of frustration, that emulsifiers are one of my major problems with breakouts.

Apparently, this is not uncommon.

So ... if your oils are working ... why change?

Just my thoughts ...

Mary

Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:23 pm

Wow is that true? I know that beeswax is not comedogenic, I don't know about borax salts..probably shouldn't be. I heard that Emulsifying Wax NF is slightly comedogenic.

The reason I want to change is that I want something easier to manage and less greasy. I'm finding that I get oils everywhere and my bedside table is all greasy. If I could just have it in a little jar like most skin creams that would be amazing. Also when I put the oils on in the morning it is so greasy and I have to put powder on to minimize it. I wish I could just put on a light cream and then go without worrying about the extra steps.

free skin care · Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:33 pm

Hi violetdream,

Quote:

Wow is that true? I know that beeswax is not comedogenic, I don't know about borax salts..probably shouldn't be. I heard that Emulsifying Wax NF is slightly comedogenic.

Well ... it's certainly true for me ... and I gather from a conversation I had with a bio-chemistry acquaintance that emulsifiers can often be a problem for breakout-prone skin. Smile

I tried beeswax ... it caused problems ... Crying or Very sad

Quote:

If I could just have it in a little jar like most skin creams that would be amazing. Also when I put the oils on in the morning it is so greasy and I have to put powder on to minimize it. I wish I could just put on a light cream and then go without worrying about the extra steps.

Why not go to your pharmacy and purchase a small amber glass dropper bottle. Premix your oils with your essential oils in this.

To use: put a single drop of oil onto your finger ... and rub that finger with the corresponding finger on the other hand ... this "emulsifies" the oil ... then you can lightly apply this single drop onto your damp face.

That's how I apply any oils, serums etc. You may need more than a drop ... but it's far less messy ... and shouldn't get oil on your dressing table either.

I have a bunch of dropper bottles ... and use them regularly. They generally aren't very expensive at the pharmacy ... less than $1 usually.

It makes life much easier! Laughing

HTH

Mary

Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:43 pm

Hmmm...are you sure that it was the beeswax that was causing problems? I think I read somewhere that the molecules of beeswax are actually too big to get in and clog your pores! Everyone is different though. I still want to give it a try because my skin isn't ultra sensitive - I don't break out from the rosehip seed oil or bio oil which is supposed to be a bit tricky...

Also I do use an eye dropper..I think I probably just use too much oil, heh, but I worry if I don't that it won't moisturise enough or get enough of the antibacterials into my skin. It always seems like when I take a few drops it doesn't cover all my skin completely...

free skin care · Mon Apr 02, 2007 5:16 pm

I don't break out from Rosehip oil either ... although I've never used the Bio Oil.

Nope ... it was the beeswax. Crying or Very sad

The molecule might be too large to be absorbed ... but it can certainly clog your pores. Just about anything can "get stuck" in your pores ... Laughing

You have to find your own solution ... I just wanted to warn you of my experiences. I've been doing DIY for ... um ... way more years than I care to admit! Laughing

However, I had to go DIY ... because commercial creams/lotions etc caused me more problems than they solved. Crying or Very sad

It took me many years to discover that my skin just doesn't like emulsifiers ... Crying or Very sad

Oh ... and you probably really don't need more than a few drops of the oil. If you're trying to moisturize ... what you're really trying to do is to keep your skin from losing water. So ... if you apply a few drops of oil onto a damp face, you effectively keep your face hydrated and the oils help it stay that way.

HTH

Mary

Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:16 pm

Thanks for your kind and helpful reply!! I'll keep it in mind but I do want to experiment...when I was a kid I would make soap "potions" and I think the old excitement is coming back Laughing

Any feedback on the Essential oils I have chosen?

free skin care · Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:18 pm

violetdream wrote:

Thanks for your kind and helpful reply!! I'll keep it in mind but I do want to experiment...when I was a kid I would make soap "potions" and I think the old excitement is coming back Laughing

Any feedback on the Essential oils I have chosen?

You should PM Wildflower. She's the expert when it comes to Essential Oils. Very Happy

free skin care · Mon Apr 02, 2007 7:16 pm

Hi!

I would be very careful about changing anything, since what you have now is working for you.

I would especially avoid adding any more carrier oils - I doubt they would help anything and they may cause more breakouts. It's nice that your skin can tolerate Rosehip oil though - that always makes me break out Sad

However, I know that a lot of people here, including myself, mix their oils with aloe vera until the mixture emulsifies, and apply that to the skin. You could just mix a few drops of the oil (or however much you normally use) with about a squirt of aloe vera gel in the palm of your hand and apply it immediately. I find this really helps the oil to sink into my face and it feels really good as well.

Some people also mix their oils with hyaluronic acid - this also seems to help the oil sink in faster into the skin.

If you are mixing your oil in advance with the aloe vera and storing it that way, I do think you should use a preservative - vitamin e should do the trick, I think, and store in the fridge to be safe.

hth!

Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:56 pm

Thanks everyone for being sooo helpful and friendly!!

It's working for me but I really want to see more scar reduction. Honestly I don't think rosehip does much for my scars. I tried it every day on a scar on my knee and it didn't help...Bio oil helped a little though. I just want to hit my scars with everything that's out there to give them the best chance to heal!! I'll stay away from the Hazelnut oil though, thanks for the tip (though it is cheaper than Emu/Jojoba...hmmmm)

I like that aloe vera heals skin but I don't like the tight feeling it gives. I was thinking of getting some aloe vera OIL to put in the mix...I want something creamy not something goopy...when I put aloe on my face the next morning I can feel it get goopy on my face again so I know it's not sinking in and I don't like that. Also I think it may make me more oily when I leave it on but I'm not sure...

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