Safety and guidlines in formulating skincare

Before you begin: Health, Safety and Best Practice •Always sterilise equipment and containers before use. You can use 70% IPA (rubbing alcohol), a sterilising system such as Milton or put them through the dishwasher and then in a cool oven (140C for 20 minutes. Don’t put plastic in an oven!) Ensure everything is dry before using. •Maintain a high level of personal hygiene. Wash hands or wear gloves before starting and ensure all work surfaces are clean and disinfected. •For the greatest accuracy weigh all of your ingredients in grams using digital scales. •Any product containing water will deteriorate quickly. When making products that contain water you need to use a broad spectrum preservative from specialist skincare suppliers. Vitamin E and Grapefruit seed extract are not preservatives. • Anhydrous products (products that don’t contain water) such as serums, balms, and body butters will have a shelf life of around 6 months and there is no need to add a preservative. •Always apply products with a clean finger or spatula to avoid contamination. •Keep oil based products - oils, balms, body butters - and dry products away from water. •Natural cosmetics made without preservatives can become contaminated so get rid of any product if it starts to look or smell different. •Always carry out a patch test before using a product to check for allergies. Apply a little to the inside of your elbow and wait 24 hours to check for any reaction. •Don’t forget to label your products! Include the date you made them
‎Essential oils for skin care have been around for thousands of years and used all through history. They play a very big part in natural skin care and are once again becoming popular.