Hello Olga! I have been interested in natural skincare starting in my teenage years, when acne became and everyday battle for me. Over the years, I have found out through trial and error, that harsh chemicals cause more harm than good and strip your skin of its natural abilities to heal! I have since then created my own serums, face washes, masks, ects. and my skin has been travelling back in time like magic! I LOVE all of your skincare products and would like to ask if you aquired so much knowledge through a degree or through any particular reading material. I would love to know as much about skincare as I can, because it is my passion and excites me greatly! One day I would like to help other people who have struggled with the same things I have. You are an inspiration to me!
Dear Isabel, Thank you for your comment. I agree that natural cosmetics is a miracle! Nature is laboratory where we can find essential oils and proteins, extracts and minerals, fruit acids and vitamins - everything, which can fix problems and mobilize the self-repair processes. Handmade cosmetics is joyful and valuable by itself due to ability to create a highly individualized products, which work smoothly and safely. Of course, this work is not the easy one. All formulations should be carefully calculated (up to 0.1 % or 0.01 g). My medical and research background helps me, but if you wish, you can follow this path without such. To understand specifics of action on skin of all my components I read a lot of materials: papers, reports, monographs, and also learned common components of creams, shampoo etc from well-known mass market cosmetics, elite brands and eco cosmetics. Majority of such information you can find online. I performed multiply experiments with emulsifiers and active components. I am glad that I inspired you to learn and to make natural cosmetics. I think that you need to learn at least basics of theory and to start from more simple recipes, but carefully follow formula, conditions of making (time, temperature, pH) and always records step-by-step all what you did in your notebook. These records, you always come back to repeat best results, or to analyze and to improve further. And the main thing is that you can be helpful for many people, while using force of nature to maintain health and beauty! Best, Olga
When you say the basics of theory, what would be the terminology for this general field? I would like to better understand formulations and different types of conistency when it comes to natural skin care.
Ok. The basics of theory for cosmetics include: from which components do cosmetics consist of? How to formulate recipes? And how to make step by step - process and conditions? For example, a very basic lotion has: 1) water, 2) oils/butters, 3) emulsifier, and 4) preservative. Of course there are much more ingredients can be added – for example, active ingredients, but you need initially just basic ones. For making lotion all ingredients separated in 3 phases. Phase A: the water-based ingredients, Phase B: the oil-soluble ingredients, Phase C: actives and preservatives. Usually, but not always, process is: heat phase A and phase B; combine A and B, mix; when cool and add phase C. Consistency (or thickness) of lotion will depend on amount of each part (ratio water/butters) and emulsifier. Of course, process of making also will influence the final texture. I hope that this information will be helpful for you.
Hi Olga, I used to be a very happy customer when you were on Etsy. Are you still selling your lovely products somewhere else? I’d love to order. Please advise. I’ll be glad to give you my email if you need it. Thanks so much. Holly G
Hello Olga!
ReplyDeleteI have been interested in natural skincare starting in my teenage years, when acne became and everyday battle for me. Over the years, I have found out through trial and error, that harsh chemicals cause more harm than good and strip your skin of its natural abilities to heal! I have since then created my own serums, face washes, masks, ects. and my skin has been travelling back in time like magic! I LOVE all of your skincare products and would like to ask if you aquired so much knowledge through a degree or through any particular reading material. I would love to know as much about skincare as I can, because it is my passion and excites me greatly! One day I would like to help other people who have struggled with the same things I have. You are an inspiration to me!
-Isabel
21, Houston, TX
Dear Isabel,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I agree that natural cosmetics is a miracle! Nature is laboratory where we can find essential oils and proteins, extracts and minerals, fruit acids and vitamins - everything, which can fix problems and mobilize the self-repair processes. Handmade cosmetics is joyful and valuable by itself due to ability to create a highly individualized products, which work smoothly and safely. Of course, this work is not the easy one. All formulations should be carefully calculated (up to 0.1 % or 0.01 g). My medical and research background helps me, but if you wish, you can follow this path without such. To understand specifics of action on skin of all my components I read a lot of materials: papers, reports, monographs, and also learned common components of creams, shampoo etc from well-known mass market cosmetics, elite brands and eco cosmetics. Majority of such information you can find online. I performed multiply experiments with emulsifiers and active components.
I am glad that I inspired you to learn and to make natural cosmetics. I think that you need to learn at least basics of theory and to start from more simple recipes, but carefully follow formula, conditions of making (time, temperature, pH) and always records step-by-step all what you did in your notebook. These records, you always come back to repeat best results, or to analyze and to improve further. And the main thing is that you can be helpful for many people, while using force of nature to maintain health and beauty!
Best,
Olga
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say the basics of theory, what would be the terminology for this general field? I would like to better understand formulations and different types of conistency when it comes to natural skin care.
ReplyDeleteOk. The basics of theory for cosmetics include: from which components do cosmetics consist of? How to formulate recipes? And how to make step by step - process and conditions?
ReplyDeleteFor example, a very basic lotion has: 1) water, 2) oils/butters, 3) emulsifier, and 4) preservative. Of course there are much more ingredients can be added – for example, active ingredients, but you need initially just basic ones. For making lotion all ingredients separated in 3 phases. Phase A: the water-based ingredients, Phase B: the oil-soluble ingredients, Phase C: actives and preservatives. Usually, but not always, process is: heat phase A and phase B; combine A and B, mix; when cool and add phase C.
Consistency (or thickness) of lotion will depend on amount of each part (ratio water/butters) and emulsifier. Of course, process of making also will influence the final texture.
I hope that this information will be helpful for you.
Hi Olga, I used to be a very happy customer when you were on Etsy. Are you still selling your lovely products somewhere else? I’d love to order. Please advise.
ReplyDeleteI’ll be glad to give you my email if you need it. Thanks so much.
Holly G