I use this cold cream mostly as a facial cleanser, but my mother prefers it as her night cream. Either way, our faces are super soft in the morning as the nutritive oils soak into our earthly pores. I make a batch every three months or so. I make more around the holidays so I can gift it.
How to Make Cold Cream
1) Gather ingredients
Why use Coconut Oil? Coconut oil is laden with antioxidants, antimicrobials, and antifungals. It also contains vitamin E. So it is not only nourishing for the skin, but healing and protective from environmental residues.
Note: Coconut oil does have molecules that are too large to be absorbed into the skin easily, so mixing it with other oils and using warm water to wash it off is important.
What I use: I use refined coconut oil for cooking and baking; so it is usually on hand in my home. I purchase Golden Barrel brand in bulk. I pay about $2.50 per 16 oz. jar because I buy it by the case. An Amish grocery or food co-op is a great source to buy bulk foods.
Why use Grapeseed Oil? Grapeseed oil is made of fine molecules that absorb into the skin well. Grapeseed oil also has Omega 6 and vitamin E. So, like coconut oil, it nourishes the skin and helps prevent damage and heal damaged skin.
What I use: I don’t typically cook with grapeseed oil. It is more expensive than other healthy oils. I will use it in a pinch for cooking on occasion. But in general I purchase and use it to make lotions. I buy the Carlini brand from Aldi. It costs about $4 for 25 fl. oz..
Why use Lanolin? Lanolin is a fatty oil produced by sheep. It is harvested from their sheered wool. Lanolin has been used to moisturize and protect human skin for hundreds of years. Lanolin helps skin to stay moist for a long period of time by creating a natural protective barrier between the skin and the environment. A lot of chemotherapy patients find lanolin helpful in treating their burns from radiation. Like many mothers, I have used it while nursing babies for the first couple weeks. It helps in healing and binding moisture in the skin keeping skin soft and young.
Note: Some people have found lanolin is irritating to their skin and are allergic to this product. It is also an oil from sheep, so if someone is desiring vegan beauty, this ingredient will not work. It can be skipped if desired.
What I use: Since some sheep are sprayed with pesticides to keep their wool bug free. Lanolin can be a pesticide riddled product. I buy from sellers on Etsy who claim to have organic or pesticide free lanolin. I know there is no certification to know for certainty, but that is the best I have found to date. I recently bought a 8oz bottle on Etsy for about $14 including shipping. Since I only use 1 teaspoon per recipe, this bottle will last for years. I keep it in the freezer between uses to preserve it.
Why use Beeswax? It holds everything together! Without beeswax, once my oils and water bases are mixed, they would separate when they settle. The beeswax acts like glue and binds oil and water ingredients together so the cream stays creamy. Other waxes will work, but beeswax is cheap and natural, so that is my choice. Beeswax also contains some of the same benefits of honey. It helps heal skin through. It also contains vitamin A and antibacterial properties.
What I use: I bought a 2 pound cone of beeswax at a farmer’s market four years ago. It cost $7 at the time and I still have about a year’s worth left. I do freeze it between uses to preserve it. If a farmer’s market is not convenient, I would probably buy it on Etsy.
Why use Rosewater? Rosewater is nothing new for skin care. It has been used since ancient times as a skin freshener and healer. It helps healing and balancing the skin’s pH to reduce acne. It smells amazing too. It contains antioxidants. So like all of the other ingredients in this cold cream, rosewater will help the skin fight inner and outer oxidation from stress, UV, and harmful microbes. So rosewater is an important ingredient to helps skin stay youthful and healthy. Rosewater also helps inflamed skin calm down. So skin that is sensitive or rashed with eczema will benefit from regularly using rosewater. Rosewater helps slow down extrinsic skin aging by preventing the degradation of the skins collagen and elasticity due to the natural tannins, vitamin C and pectins roses contain.
What I use: I generally use Heritage Store rosewater, but recently purchased a food grade rosewater on Amazon from Alive Herbs. It cost $15 for 17 fluid oz. compared to the $6.25 per 8 fl.oz. from Herbal Store from Thrive Market. I am happy with either.
Why use Aloe Vera? Anyone who has slathered on aloe vera gel after a sunburn, knows that it has soothing, anti inflammatory and healing properties. Aloe is notorious for helping the skin heal, not only from sunburns, but scars, acne, and eczema conditions. Aloe, like lanolin, blocks in moisture and provides protection to the skin from polluting elements. Aloe contains antioxidants and vitamin C and A. I use it on sunbuns, burns, as an occasional face mask on its own, and even drink it.
What I use: I buy the food grade Aloe Vera juice from the cheapest source I can find. A local health food store is a great spot, but it can be purchased on Amazon. I currently have a gallon of Lilly of the Desert in my cupboard. I purchased it from a local health food store for about $20. It will last me a couple years. I recently discovered that Walmart sells 2 quarts of Fruit of the Earth Aloe juice online for less than $8.
Why I use Primrose: I add primrose to my cold cream to boost it’s anti-aging properties. Like rosewater, primrose fights the breakdown of elasticity and cartilage of the skin. It also contains Omega 6 acids which help nourish aging skin and prevent flaking. It can also be taken as a supplement. I see it as an anti-aging boost in my cold cream. Primerose helps my skin to remain healthy as the years take their toll.
What I use: I usually buy it in supplement form from CVS or Walmart. I just get the Spring Valley or Nature’s Bounty. It runs around $6 for a bottle of 75 capsules. Currently I have a bottle of Jarrow Evening Primrose from Thrive Market. I puncture and squeeze about 3-4 in each batch of cold cream.
Those are the basic ingredients I use in cold cream. Essential oils can be added if desired. Tea Tree oil helps dry out and prevent acne, so it could be added to cream for those with acne troubles. Frankincense oil also has benefits in preventing skin aging, so I might add a few drops of that sometime.
Truly, the possibilities are versatile and fun to tinker. I would be cautious to read pros and cons about every product I use. I like to use old, time-proven ingredients in my products and am cautious about the long term side effects of various ingredients. I also like to use products that are food grade and safe to eat if possible.
2) Measure
3/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon lanolin
1 tablespoon grated beeswax: press it tight in the spoon
3-4 capsules primrose oil
2/3 cup rosewater
1/3 cup aloe vera juice
3) Put it Together: step by step
1. Measure grapeseed oil, coconut oil, lanolin, primrose oil, and beeswax and put in glass measuring cup.
2. Melt oils and beeswax together. I use a glass measuring cup in my microwave for a couple minutes. A saucepan on a stovetop at low heat will also work. The oil only needs to be warm enough to melt the beeswax completely.
3. Give it a stir and set it aside to cool. (This can be done quickly in the fridge or freezer, or slowly on the counter.
4. Once the mixture is cooled sufficiently, it will be thick and foggy.
5. Measure the rosewater and aloe vera juice together and pour into a blender.
6. Turn the blender on high speed and SLOWLY very SLOWLY add the oil mixture. Mayonnaise is made this same method. If the oil is added too quickly it will not adhere to the water mixture and the batch will be ruined.
7. Empty the entire oil mixture into the blender bit by bit.
The mixture should look white and fluffy like hand cream.
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That is is!
8. Pour the cold cream into jars and pop in the fridge.
9. Most of the cream should be stored in the fridge because there are no preservatives and the oils will go rancid over time. I usually take about 4-6 ounces out at a time for use. It lasts me a good month or more.
4) How to Use Cold Cream
I use Cold Cream as my evening facial wash. I rub it all over my face, eyes, and neck. Then, I get a washcloth as hot as I can stand. I lay the cloth on my face and let it set there about a minute. Then I wipe my face clean. That is all I do at night. The cold cream removes make-up and moisturizes my skin in one step. It works on my skin all night long. Every morning I wake up, my skin feels AMAZING.
My mother uses cold cream as her nighttime cream. She washes her face with a face-wash and then applies a thin layer of the cream all over her face and neck before bed. Unlike me, she leaves the cold cream on and does not wash it off.
The cream can be applied all over the body as well for extra moisture. It can leave a greasy feel at first because the natural oils do not penetrate pores quickly. Honestly, I find it works best for me if I moisturize BEFORE taking a shower instead of after. The hot water helps my pores expand and soak in the natural nutrients better than on my cold tight pores. It is a flexible cream and can be used multiple ways to meet each person’s taste and needs.
Note:
Depending on the temperature the cream is stored it will be thick or runny. That does not affect it’s effectiveness. I often like a soap dispenser to store mine outside the fridge.
Check out what other home-made product I use on my skin in the article:
