Orange Face and Body Cream

This is a light, refreshing, non-oily versatile cream to be used for your face or body.

• Emulsifying wax. 1/2 teaspoon. An emulsifier is used as a medium to bind water and oil substances. I buy vegetable emulsifying wax at Mountain Rose Herbs. Some health stores may carry it as well. Palm oil works too (the ingredient in a lot of baking shortening). My mom uses organic baking shortener for this and it works just as well!
• Mango Butter. 2 teaspoons.
• Shea Butter. 1 teaspoon. 
• Sea Buckthorn Oil. 1 teaspoon. I ordered mine from Russia (sea buckthorn is a plant that is native there, so it is cheaper). However, it can be ordered online from various sources. It is very rich in vitamins and is traditionally used to treat many skin conditions, including radiation burns, eczema, acne, and stretch marks. It has a nice orange color and a fruity smell.
• Jojoba oil. 1/2 teaspoon.
• Almond Oil. 1/2 teaspoon.
• Vitamin E oil. 1/4 teaspoon.
• Aloe. 3 teaspoons. 
• Vegetable Glycerin. 1/4 teaspoon
• Sweet Orange Essential oil. 4 drops.
• Optional: Rosemary Antioxidant. 4 drops. This is a preservative to extend shelf life. I add it to my creams because I make so many and it takes me a long time to get through them all. There are other alternatives for preservatives out there, this is just the one that I happen to use.

These amounts are approximate, and you can experiment with the quantities to get the texture and consistency you like.

In a double boiler, melt all of the ingredients together, starting with the emulsifying wax: 

(as you can see, my double boiler is simply a small pyrex bowl inside a pot filled with water.)

Next, add the mango butter and shea butter. Once they melt, add all of the liquid oils. Then, add the aloe, glycerin, essential oil, and rosemary antioxidant:

Stir well, until mixture is thoroughly blended:

Pour into a jar (I used a 2 ounce glass jar for this recipe).

Stir or shake the mixture very well a few times as it is cooling, so that it does not separate. Voila!