Herbal Cream Making - The Old Chemical Free Way of Skin Care

Herbal Cream Making 101

​One of the most satisfying things I make is skin cream! I learned how over 30 years ago because my face was full of rashes and bumps from the chemical chaos of commercial creams. Once you learn this skill, like anything else, it becomes an integrated healthcare thing that's easy. I have a basket dedicated to my cream making things that sits in my apothecary. We need some basic kitchen equipment, great music, and uninterrupted time. 

There's a large more detailed PDF in my ElderMoon School herbal medicine course, Birthing an Herbalist In 13 Moons - (DETAILS HERE) - with more on making cream, the chemical chaos of commercial creams out there, and other remedies for supporting healthy glowing skin. Yes, rest, clean eating, plenty of good water, meaningful work, play and relations all affect our largest organ of elimination, OUR SKIN. 

This post gives you the recipe and basic instructions to just get started and get some experience with simple ingredients and the technique.

Enjoy. XO - Jen

weigh your ingredients for accuracy

​RECIPE SHARE: Jen’s Calendula & Rosemary Cream - Yield Approx. 9oz.

This recipe given with weighs and exactly how I make it now.  Use a kitchen scale that has a tare button so you can subtract the container for super accurate weight measuring. This ensures more consistency and success with your recipe. 

WEIGH YOUR "WATER" INGREDIENTS

• 3 oz. distilled water, or hydrosol
• 1 tablespoon of aloe gel – optional but include in the weight of the ‘water’ part
• 1 pinch of Borax mineral*

WEIGH YOUR "OIL" INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 oz. EACH organic Calendula and organic Rosemary infused Olive Oil
• 3 oz. organic Grapeseed Oil
• ½ oz. Avocado Butter OR Cocoa Butter
• ¼ tsp Vitamin E Oil - prick a few gel caps open with a pin if need been 
• 1/2 oz. Beeswax (1 tablespoon Beeswax pastilles)
• 8-15 drops each of essential oil of Rosemary or Lavender

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Optional Preservation Help: Add a homemade Grapefruit extract as a small swirl to finished whipped cream. Not too much or your emulsion will break like the way lemon can in hollandaise sauce making. Check out the video in our video section on how to make an easy batch of grapefruit extract that will last years in your apothecary and why it helps with many other thungs related to our health. If adverse to this then you can add Calendula or Rosemary Tincture (30 drops to "water" part of recipe).

*Optional - Pinch of Borax - natural mineral crystal that softens water and helps emulsify – often used to soften water for the laundry machine and that's where you find it, in the laundry soap area at grocery store; one box will last your whole life for this and costs a few dollars. We have hard water so I add this to my laundry and have it around already.


INSTRUCTIONS - read through before you begin so we can imprint your brain on the steps as you go. 

1. In a double boiler, melt weighed beeswax first and then add other oils and warm until all is just melted.

2. Measure on zeroed (press the tare button) scale the water part(s) and drizzle into warm oil part whisking gently. Decide if your using Calendula or Rosemary tincture too as this needs to be added here in the "water" part. 

3. Continue to gently whisk. Remove from the heat once uniform in texture. Do not over heat!

4. Begin the cooling process with placing this bowl with your warmed ingredients into a cool water bath in a larger bowl in your sink and keep gently whisking until you see it beginning to solidify on the edges. Scrape the edges and keep whisking the solids into the center. It will look opaque as it starts to emulsify with cooling down. 

5. Whip until cooled a few minutes and then add essential oils and grapefruit seed extract if using. Whip a little more until cool by hand or with a hand mixer.

6. Do not over whip or your emulsion will “break” and separate. Do not add too much essential oil or it could break with these too.  
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7. Spoon into wide mouth jars immediately and cap. It will set up more in a few hours. Do NOT wait on this step or it will be too thick to transfer well to your jars. You can double this recipe.

I use a cool water bath to help the wax begin to solidify and start the emulsion process. Just keep whipping until light and fluffy. Then stir in essential oils if using, a few drops of homemade grapefruit extract (helps extend shelf life and keeps our skin pH in good range), and jar it up.

​STORAGE: 

We fill 4oz. jars and distribute through the house, one to each person plus one in each bathroom. Extras are stored in the frig until needed. We make enough for 2-3 months at a time. 

Here's an archived video of me giving a demo from years ago. 

​And if you're needing some cream without the strain of learning just yet, I have ya covered. 
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LINK: ​ELDERMOON's CREAM TO ORDER.  

ENJOY. Much Love, Jen