As I modify recipes, I ask myself a few questions...
What's the goal of this product?
What will I be using after this recipe on my face? Toner? Moisturizer? Serum?
What did I like about the previous version? What didn't I like? What did I miss?
As someone with greasy skin, the goal of my cleanser is to wash my face gently to remove sebum, dirt, chocolate, and make-up. I don't want it to be too foamy, and it would be nice if it didn't sting the heck out of my eyes when I use it. I don't want my skin to feel tight or dry after washing. I think it's safe to say that all skin types would like what I've just written here, so let's move on to the next question...
What will I be using after this recipe on my face? I generally use a toner and nothing else as I have greasy skin and I don't get along with oil based products, like a moisturizer, oil based serum, or silicone based serum. (I do like my oil-free moisturizer, though, but I've run out and don't get time in the workshop these days...) Believe it or not, this is a really big deal because what you'll put in your cleanser will depend on what you're using next. If this cleanser is the first step in a larger regimen, you may want to stop with the modified recipe we made the other day and rejoice!
Having said this, I encourage you to keep going and modifying this recipe to see if you really need those next steps or if this facial cleanser is exactly what you want!
What kind of modifications could I make to this product to make it more moisturizing, more hydrating, and more awesome?
The short answer is that there are more modifications than I could cover in a month of making facial cleansers, but we'll review a few more ingredients today. In the last post we covered humectants and cationic polymers. Let's meet another of my favourite ingredients...
HYDROLYZED PROTEINS
I admit it; I'm addicted to hydrolyzed proteins. I love the way they film form and hydrate my skin without oils. There are so many to choose from, but my favourites are hydrolyzed silk protein, which can be found as silk peptides or amino acids, and hydrolyzed oat protein. (Although I'm kinda loving the hydrolyzed baobab protein from Lotioncrafter* and the pisum sativum from the Formulator Sample Shop* as it has a dry, silky feeling I've never seen in a protein before!)
I recommend hydrolyzed oat protein for normal to oily skin as it forms a film that hydrates our skin. I recommend hydrolyzed silk protein for normal to dry skin as it can penetrate our skin and hydrate from within. You can use either for your skin type, or choose another one. Let's use it at 2% to 5% in our cleanser to increase mildness, hydrate or film form.
Why would I choose 2% over 5%? More isn't always better. I've found that 2% offers me the right amount of film forming and hydrating on my skin, while 5% can get a bit sticky at times. I'm finding some of the newer proteins I'm using, like the pisum sativum, don't get that sticky feeling, so I've been trying it at higher levels. I quite like 4% as well for that one...
Do you need it in a facial cleanser if you're using something else next? I would argue yes, because it increases mildness in the product and hydrates your skin. Some would argue "no" because you're washing it off, but I do notice a difference with as little as 2% in my products. As with all our products, it's up to you to see what you think! Always keep great notes!
I do blind product testing sometimes, getting Raymond to pour something into a bottle without telling me what it is, and I have noticed a difference in non-protein body washes and facial moisturizers. I haven't noticed a great difference with my shampoo, but notice it when it's missing from my leave in conditioner.
So how would this recipe look if we were to add 2% to 5% hydrolyzed protein to the facial cleanser? If I adapt the recipes we made the other day - check out this PDF - then I would add 2% into the surfactant phase and remove 2% of the distilled water to balance the recipe to 100%.
Notice I've added 2% hydrolyzed protein to the surfactant phase and removed 2% distilled water to ensure the recipe totals 100%. You can do this with all the recipes we've created so far!
FACIAL CLEANSER FOR DRY OR SENSITIVE SKIN
SURFACTANT PHASE
10% BSB
5% SLeS
10% cocamidopropyl betaine
5% glycerin
3% cationic polymer - I like polyquat 7
2% hydrolyzed protein
0.5% liquid Germall Plus
WATER PHASE
64.5% distilled water
CROTHIX PHASE
up to 2% liquid Crothix
FACIAL CLEANSER FOR NORMAL SKIN
SURFACTANT PHASE
15% LSB
15% BSB
10% cocamidopropyl betaine
3% glycerin
3% cationic polymer - I like polyquat 7
2% hydrolyzed protein of choice
0.5% liquid Germall Plus
WATER PHASE
49.5% distilled water
CROTHIX PHASE
up to 2% Crothix, if desired
FACIAL CLEANSER FOR OILY SKIN
SURFACTANT PHASE
15% C14-16 ole[in sulfonate
15% DLS
10% cocamidopropyl betaine
3% glycerin
3% cationic polymer - I like polyquat 7
2% hydrolyzed protein
0.5% liquid Germall Plus
WATER PHASE
51.5% distilled water
CROTHIX PHASE
up to 2% liquid Crothix
Weigh the surfactant phase of the product into a container and mix. I suggest using a fork and mixing so you don't get a ton of bubbles. It's not the end of the world if it gets bubbly, but you'll have to wait a few days for the bubbles to go down.
When the product is uniform, add the water, then mix again until it is blended. Again, try to avoid too many bubbles.
Add the Crothix 0.5% or 1% at a time. Mix well with the fork. It will likely fall to the bottom, so I suggest stirring from the bottom to make sure you're integrating the Crothix. If it isn't thick enough, add another 0.5% to 1%.
For oily skin, don't go over 2% as it can feel a little too moisturizing. For other skin types, you can go as high as 5% if you wish, but this will be very very moisturizing. If you can't get the visosity you want right now, it's okay. This is why we have pump bottles!
If you're playing at home, here's how you can catch up and play along!
Newbie Tuesday: We're making facial products!
Shopping list
Equipment list
Let's start making facial cleansers! - Your skin type
Surfactants - what are they?
Meet the surfactants
pH of our surfactants
Facial products - the base recipe
Facial cleansers - modifying them with humectants and cationic polymers
Did you make cleanser? What did you think? (part one)
Did you make cleanser? What did you think? (part two)
Did you make cleanser? What did you think? (part three)
Did you make cleanser? Submit your recipes!
Question: Can you add carrier oils to cleansers?
Join me tomorrow as we take a look at using aloe vera in the recipe!
Did you make cleanser? What did you think? (part one)
Did you make cleanser? What did you think? (part two)
Did you make cleanser? What did you think? (part three)
Did you make cleanser? Submit your recipes!
Question: Can you add carrier oils to cleansers?
Join me tomorrow as we take a look at using aloe vera in the recipe!
7 comments:
Hi Susan,
I discovered your blog just recently while discussing an opinion you wrote on preservatives with one of my favorite DIYers, Marie (of humblebee and me). I am such a newbie that I'm still shiny. I love your newbie Tuesday posts and that you show us newbies why the math is important and how changes to the recipes impact the whole and most of all which part of the recipe to modify.
Do you DIY because you enjoy the process or because you are looking for healthier more natural products? Thanks so much for sharing what you have with the rest of us. 😎🤗
Belinda
A newbie question. Waht is BSB and LSB? I can't tie the intials to the chemicals.
Thanks
Susan
Hi Arismac! There are a dozen posts that come before this one in the links at the bottom of the post. Check out the first few where all your questions will be answered.
Hi Susan. I´m such a fan of your blog, thank you again for sharing this information with us. My question is about hydrolyzed proteins and hair products. I know they are most used in hair products and I have seen some other bloggers recommend a mixture of heated powder gelatin, water and vinegar as a hydrolyzed protein treatment for hair. I have also read that gelating is the hydrolyzed form of collagen protein, so it makes sense.
Since I can´t access so many of those wonderful ingredients you use in your recipes from the place where I live (I cannot even buy them online/have them shipped, unfortunately) I wonder whether I could substitute the hydrolyzed protein from one of your hair recipes with a gelatin+water+vinegar mixture? Tanking into account to preserve the product, of course. Thanks.
Hi ORE! No, I'm afraid that combination isn't going to do much for your hair. Wait a second...if you want to try it, try it. Make a small batch and see what you think. Keep really good notes, and please come back here and tell us what you think.
Hi Susan. Could I substitute sepimax zen for the crothix in the cleanser for oily skin recipe and then add dermabrasion crystals to make it a scrub? If so at what Percentage? The crystals did not stay suspended with crothix. Thanks
Hi Jamil! The short answer is yes, you can! The longer answer can be found in a post that will be posted on Friday, June 23rd, 2017. Sorry to make you wait so long when you've already waited two months for my answer!
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