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Module Four: Balms
A basic balm is a mixture of oils and bu3ers (such as cocoa bu3er and shea bu3er) with the addi8on of a wax that makes it set into a solid balm.
There are many different types of wax you can use:
Beeswax
Jojoba wax
Almond Wax
Candelilla Wax
Wax is usually used at 10 -­‐ 20 % of the recipe. 10% would give a soL balm and 20% a firmer balm. Beeswax is a firm wax which forms a protec8ve layer on the skin. Its great for lip balms, to protect the lips from the elements. Jojoba wax and almond wax are oLen preferred in facial balms as they are soLer and don’t form such heavy barrier.
There are many different types of balms you can make:
Solid cleansing balms
Lip Balms
Treatment balms
Body balms
Foot balms
When making balms you can use slighter over the 2% dilu8on of essen8al oil that we usually recommend. This is because the essen8al oil is added to warm ingredients and therefore some will evaporate. The extra drops you add compensate for this evapora8on. For this reason you could use up to 50 drops of essen8al oil per 100ml. However some essen8al oils are much stronger than others and you wouldn’t always want to add this much. Peppermint for example is very strong and if making a peppermint lip balm 15-­‐20 drops per 100ml would be plenty.
Shelf life: As balms are oil based products that do not contain water they do not require a preserva8ve. Balms without preserva8ve have a shelf life of around 6 months. If the balm starts to look or smell different you will need to discard it.
Storage: It’s very important not to get water into the balm when you are using it as this will cause the product to go off. Store in a cool, dark place. Ensure you have clean, dry hands when using the balm or use a spoon or spatula to remove it from the jar.
©Gail Francombe 2013!
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com
How to make balms
Watch the ‘Lavender Cleansing Balm’ Video
Essen8ally, all the ingredients except the essen8al oils and clay (if using) are melted together in a bain-­‐ marie over a medium heat. Its best to melt the harder ingredients with a higher mel8ng point first (cocoa bu3er, beeswax) then add soLer ingredients with a lower mel8ng point (shea bu3er, base oils). This prevents overhea8ng ingredients. Then the mixture is removed from the heat, the essen8al oils (and clay) are added. If you are using oils high in essen8al fa3y acids (e.g evening primrose, borage, hemp, rosehip) add these are also added aLer the mixture has been removed from the heat. S8r the mixture and pour into jars to set. It’s important not to let any drops of water from the bain-­‐marie get into the product. Balms containing wax will set quickly.
Cleansing Balms
Cleansing balms are solid cleansers used in a very similar way as cleansing oils. There are many lovely ingredients that can be used in cleansing balms -­‐ cocoa bu3er, shea bu3er, coconut oil as well as other base oils. Clay can also be added as an extra cleansing ingredient.
Shelf life: Balms have a shelf life of around 6 months. Storage: It’s very important not to get water into the balm when you are using it as this will cause the product to go off. Store in a cool, dark place.
To use: Rinse the face with warm water or apply a warm, damp flannel or muslin cloth over the face to loosen make up and open the pores. Remove a small amount of balm using a spoon and massage into the skin. Remove with a damp muslin cloth, flannel or damp co3on wool pads.Follow with a flower water or hydrolat or homemade toner to remove all the last traces the oil and any make up or dirt.
©Gail Francombe 2013!
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com
Cleansing Balm Recipes
These balms use 10 -­‐ 15% wax. Beeswax is a harder wax than sweet almond and jojoba so you generally need less beeswax (10%) than sweet almond of jojoba (15%). You can increase the propor8on of wax in the products if you want a more solid consistency -­‐ this is oLen useful in warmer weather as your balm won’t melt as quickly.
Lavender Cleansing Balm
VIDEO: Watch us make this in the video
This is a lovely cleansing balm which uses the an4sep4c and healing ac4on of honey, with the cleansing ac4on of clay.
5g cocoa bu3er
10g coconut oil
5g shea bu3er
5g beeswax
10ml sunflower oil
5ml honey
5g green clay
10 drops lavender essen8al oil
You could replace the green clay in the recipe with another type of clay -­‐ while kaolin clay, pink clay or red clay.
*Note: Some4mes I find when using cocoa bu?er and shea bu?er in the same recipe the balm goes a li?le grainy. Cocoa bu?er and shea bu?er cool and solidify at different rates -­‐ shea bu?er much quicker than cocoa bu?er which is what can cause the graininess. It’s not harmful and the grains melt on contact with the skin. You may prefer to s4ck to using just one bu?er rather than both in which case in this recipe use 10g of either cocoa bu?er or shea bu?er. Similarly honey can also cause graininess but this too will melt on contact with skin*
Gentle cleansing balm
This is very simple to make and effec4ve at removing make up, including eye make up. Its gentle enough for sensi4ve skin. You could add essen4al oils to this if you wish
15g jojoba wax
20g shea bu3er
65ml base oil of your choice (sunflower, apricot, olive etc)
20 drops of essen8al oil of your choice (op8onal)
Orange and Honey Cleansing Balm
15g jojoba wax
20g shea bu3er
45ml base oil of your choice (sunflower, apricot, olive etc)
10g kaolin clay
10ml honey
10 drops lavender essen8al oil
10 drops orange essen8al oil
©Gail Francombe 2013!
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com
Coconut cleansing balm
This is very simple to make and effec4ve at removing make up, including eye make up. Its gentle enough for sensi4ve skin. You could add essen4al oils to this if you wish.
15g jojoba wax
20g coconut oil
65ml base oil of your choice (sunflower, apricot, olive etc)
Cocoa Orange delight
Cocoa bu?er is soothing and soKening for the skin, a wonderfully emollient bu?er that smells divine. Remember that orange oil is phototoxic so this should not be used before direct exposure to sunlight.
10g cocoa bu3er
10g beeswax
80ml base oil of your choice (sunflower, apricot, olive etc)
20 drops of orange essen8al oil
Face and Treatment Balms
If you want a facial moisturiser that is 100% natural and preserva8ve free then your choices are to use a facial oil or a facial balm. As these are both oil based products which don’t have water added to them then there is no need to add a preserva8ve. The wax and bu3er in these balms act as occlusives -­‐ they form a thin layer on the surface of the skin to protect it, whilst s8ll allowing the skin to breathe naturally. This layer also prevents transepidermal water loss and by reducing water loss they help to keep the skin supple, soL and moisturised. This balms are good for dry -­‐ normal skin.
You can apply a small amount of balm to damp skin which gives a similar effect as using a regular cream -­‐ a cream aLer all is a blend of oil and water. Spritz your skin with a flower water and follow with a small amount of balm.
Wild Rose Beauty Balm
This is a gorgeous balm -­‐ soK and nourishing. Lovely to apply as a moisturiser if you’re looking for a preserva4ve free product. Can also be used as a cleansing balm.
50ml jojoba oil
15ml rosehip seed oil
20g shea bu3er 15g almond or jojoba wax
0.5ml Vitamin E oil
6 drops geranium essen8al oil
6 drops lavender essen8al oil
2 drops frankincense essen8al oil
©Gail Francombe 2013!
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com
Melt the wax, bu3er and jojoba oil together in a bain marie. Once melted remove from the heat and add the rosehip oil, vitamin E oil and essen8al oils. S8r to mix the ingredients and then pour into jars to set.
Dry Skin Rescue Balm
This is a wonderful mul4-­‐purpose balm which harnesses the healing proper4es of calendula and lavender. It’s great for moisturising lips and dry skin and for healing mild skin complaints.
Calendula oil is usually either sunflower or olive oil that has been infused with calendula flowers. Calendula oil is a wonderful herbal oil for skincare, it’s known to be calming and contain amazing skin healing proper8es. It’s an8-­‐inflammatory, an8bacterial, an8fungal and an8viral. Apply externally to soothe dry skin, cuts, burns, skin problems, warts and cold sores.
80ml calendula oil
10g shea bu3er
10g beeswax
40 drops of lavender essen8al oil and 6 drops chamomile essen8al oil
Or 35 drops lavender essen8al oil and 10 drops ylang ylang essen8al oil
Whipped Shea Face Balm
This is wonderful if you’re looking for a preserva4ve free product. The ingredients are pure bu?ers and oils with nothing added. It’s also a much lighter balm as it’s made without any wax. The shea bu?er and coconut oil give it its thick consistency. Massage a li?le to damp skin.
10ml rosehip, borage, hemp or evening primrose oil
0.5ml vitamin E oil
25 drops rose geranium essen8al oil 15 drops lavender essen8al 50g shea bu3er 20ml cold pressed coconut oil (in its solid form)
20ml jojoba oil
Method one: Melt the shea bu3er and coconut oil gently in a bain-­‐marie. Take off the heat, allow to cool a li3le, add the rosehip oil, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil. Whisk with an electric hand whisk for 20 seconds. Allow to cool a bit more (you can place the bowl in the fridge to speed the process up) add the essen8al oils, and then whisk again for another 20 seconds. Con8nue like this un8l it reaches a creamy consistency and then put in pots. You may find it useful to using a piping bag to pipe the balm into pots as is can be a li3le messy using a spoon.
Method two (quick method): A really quick way to make this balm is to use shea bu3er and coconut oil at a warmish room temperature. Then there is no need to melt them first as they will be soL enough to whisk together. You may not achieve as smooth a consistency as with method one but its much quicker this way.
©Gail Francombe 2013!
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com
Lip Balms
Lip Balms tend to be firmer than cleansing balms or treatment balms so that they form a thicker protec8ve layer on the lips.
There are two types of container that you can use, a jar/pot or a twist up s8ck. If you are using a jar then it’s be3er to make a soLer balm so that you can remove it from the jar easily with your finger. When using a twist up s8ck its be3er to make a firmer balm.
Here you can also see a lip gloss which we’ll come to later.
ProtecLve Lip balm (recipe when using twist up sLcks)
30g beeswax
20g cocoa bu3er
50ml vegetable oil – e.g sunflower, almond
25 – 50 drops essen8al oil such as 40 drops Orange and 8 drops Myrrh
20 drops peppermint (any more and the balm will really make your lip 8ngle)
40 drops rose geranium
How to make:
Put all ingredients, except the essen8al oil, in a bain marie and allow the bu3er and wax to gently melt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a li3le. Add your drops of essen8al oils and s8r. Fill the tubes ¾ full and allow to cool and set (there will be some shrinkage). Then top up with more balm mixture and allow to set. Allow to cool before pujng the lid on. ©Gail Francombe 2013!
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com
Turkish Delight Lip balm (for twist up sLcks)
The pink mica and geranium essen4al oil give these lip balms a pink 4nt and turkish delight aroma. Delish!
30g beeswax
20g cocoa bu3er
50ml vegetable oil – e.g sunflower, almond
1 tsp pink mica
40 drops geranium essen8al oil
Follow the direc8ons above adding the mica at the same stage as the essen8al oil. More or less mica can be used to achieve the desired colour. Soothing Cocoa BuOer Lip Balms (recipe when using jars)
15g beeswax 10g cocoa bu3er
70ml sunflower oil
25-­‐50 drops of your choice of essen8al oil (op8onal)
Lip Gloss
Lip glosses are made in the same way as balms but with only a li3le beeswax so that they have a much soLer consistency. You can buy lip gloss tubes to store them in which makes then easier to apply. Mica is used to colour the lip gloss and add sparkle. Castor oil is a thick, shiny oil perfect for lip gloss.
1g beeswax
14ml castor oil
0.5-­‐1g mica (I used a pinch measure which is roughly equal to 0.5g)
1 drop geranium essen8al oil (op8onal)
Lip gloss tube
©Gail Francombe 2013!
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com
1. Melt the beeswax together with the castor oil. here I’m using a heatproof jug directly on a hot plate or you can use a bain marie.
2. Once its melted add the essen8al oil and the mica and s8r in well.
3. While the mixture is s8ll warm pour into your lip gloss tube (you can use a syringe to help you). If the mixture starts to set before its in the tube simply warm it up again. Leave some space at the top of the tube or it will overflow when you put the lid on.
©Gail Francombe 2013!
www.schoolofnaturalskincare.com