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!

Rose Moisturizer

This is a light and smooth face moisturizer. It wears well under makeup and won't make your face feel greasy. I use this every morning after I wash my face. I find that it tightens and smooths my skin. This recipe is for a 1 ounce jar:

• Jojoba oil. 1/2 teaspoon. Desert Essence Jojoba Oil for Hair, Skin & Scalp 4 fl oz (120 ml).
• Aloe. 4 1/2 teaspoons. Make sure you purchase the purest aloe possible. I order mine from Mountain Rose Herbs. The Aubrey Organics brand aloe is good as well, and you can purchase it at most local health food stores ( Aubrey Organics - 100% Pure Aloe Vera Gel, 4 fl oz gel ).
• Vitamin E oil. 1/8 teaspoon. 
• Vegetable glycerin. 1/4 teaspoon. I use this one: Vegetable Glycerin 4 Ounces.
• Rose essential oil. 5 drops. I use Rose Absolute essential oil, but there are other rose oils that will work just as well.
• Rosemary Antioxidant. 2 drops. This is a natural preservative that will extend the shelf life of your moisturizer. It can also be used as a preservative for food products. I got mine from Mountain Rose Herbs. A small bottle of this stuff will last you for years.

Combine the jojoba oil and aloe in a 1 ounce jar. Stir very well, until the mixture reaches a smooth, creamy consistency. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Note that the consistency of your moisturizer will vary, depending on the type of aloe you have. A more gel like aloe will produce a thicker, creamier mixture. Watery aloe will produce a more watery mixture that is likely to separate. This is okay, it just means that you should shake the jar before each use. 

Note: Aloe is water based, so it does not always mix with oil  easily. In commercial products, there are chemicals used which suspend the oil particles, making them easy to mix with water-based ingredients. I choose to skip these chemicals and go the small extra step of just shaking my homemade products before each use.