How do I make Aqueous Cream or E45 Cream ?

[steevo]

I have started making my own creams by mixing E45 together with essential oils such as lavender/tea tree/eucalyptus (active ingredients).
I dont want to continue using E45 because I dont trust anything produced by the pharmaceutical companies.

Does anyone on here know how to make a cream to use as a base for an ointment to replace the E45 ?

[lottie]

Gimme a couple of hours and i'll get back to you- my OH's a pharmacist!!;):D

[steevo]

Gimme a couple of hours and i'll get back to you- my OH's a pharmacist!!;):D

Ok Lottie thanks for that :)

[lottie]

I'll ask him when he's finished work- but just looking at my aqueuos pot & the ingredients start with Liquid Paraffin B.P. 6%, white soft paraffin B.P. 15% and Emulsifying Wax (also purified water) so i think 'base'wise- you're looking at liquid paraffin(vaseline) but im not liking the whole 'paraffin' word!! LOL!! (not all that natural!! LOL!!!):D

[steevo]

I'll ask him when he's finished work- but just looking at my aqueuos pot & the ingredients start with Liquid Paraffin B.P. 6%, white soft paraffin B.P. 15% and Emulsifying Wax (also purified water) so i think 'base'wise- you're looking at liquid paraffin(vaseline) but im not liking the whole 'paraffin' word!! LOL!! (not all that natural!! LOL!!!):D

EXACTLY :D

I was thinking that instead of paraffin, maybe we could use olive oil or something similar ? Mayonnaise is a creamy substance and is made of vegetable/olive oil and vinegar which is all shaken up (I think) so maybe that could be done with oil and water and some other mystery (non toxic :D) ingredients :confused: It may take some experimenting to work it out.

[catfood]

Mayonnaise uses egg whit as an emulsifier to allow you to ad vinegar. In theory you could ad other water baste things instead of vinegar and get the same effect.

[steevo]

Mayonnaise uses egg whit as an emulsifier to allow you to ad vinegar. In theory you could ad other water baste things instead of vinegar and get the same effect.

So we need water, oil and a natural safe emulsifier then ?

[catfood]

So we need water, oil and a natural safe emulsifier then ?

Well I am not an expert but I was shown how to make mayonnaise once. So from what I know yes oil + emulsifier + water = mayonnaise or something. ;)

[steevo]

Well I am not an expert but I was shown how to make mayonnaise once. So from what I know yes oil + emulsifier + water = mayonnaise or something. ;)

In a car, if oil gets into your water it creates a creamy substance.

[lottie]

(just throwing ideas around here...:o)
How about when you cool oil it becomes harder....what if you made the substance (with eg- olive oil) and kept it in the fridge?!! (just a thought??) also- i know its not nice but fat ie- animal fat could be a good base- plenty of it too as fat's a waste product most of the time....'lard' lol!! when swimmers swim in the sea they cover themselves in goosefat dont they? to keep warm+create a barrier from the water? its whether or not animal fat being absorbed into the skin is a desirable thing or not? and ethical issues but then again we ingest in food it dont we? If masked with a fragrance ie- eucalyptus etc then you wouldnt smell like a roast potato after a few hours....LOL!!!:D

[steevo]

(just throwing ideas around here...:o)
How about when you cool oil it becomes harder....what if you made the substance (with eg- olive oil) and kept it in the fridge?!! (just a thought??) also- i know its not nice but fat ie- animal fat could be a good base- plenty of it too as fat's a waste product most of the time....'lard' lol!! when swimmers swim in the sea they cover themselves in goosefat dont they? to keep warm+create a barrier from the water? its whether or not animal fat being absorbed into the skin is a desirable thing or not? and ethical issues but then again we ingest in food it dont we? If masked with a fragrance ie- eucalyptus etc then you wouldnt smell like a roast potato after a few hours....LOL!!!:D

LMAO :D:D:D Great stuff Lottie :D
That's what I like, when people come up with ideas! :) No matter how funny some ideas SEEM (and yours DONT sound silly btw, I like them), it all helps us to get to the final solution. If you get any more ideas let me know cos I REALLY do want to make my own creams for example to treat mosquito bites etc

[jim fear]

LOL

Whats the cream for exactly?

P.S

Tea tree oil is a give from the gods!

[steevo]

LOL

Whats the cream for exactly?

P.S

Tea tree oil is a give from the gods!

It's for anything really such as mosquito bites, spots, acne, athletes foot, cold sores, itchiness, cuts, eczema etc

Let me just point out that I dont have ALL of the ailments mentioned :D but occasionally these things come and I dont wanna buy anything the pharmaceutical companies produce. And when I have made my own cream using E45 and essential oils they seem to work pretty much but it's trial and error I suppose with what oils are used.

Yeah Jim Tea tree oil is good and alot of people swear by it. I also like eucaliptus and lavendar but these are really the only ones that I have tried.

[lottie]

Ok- he says- it depends on what you want to mix- as many things wont mix well unless you get the right bases- so you need emulsifying ointment/wax as a base- with that you can mix water soluble preparations. To control consistency you can use white soft and/or liquid paraffin.

As for substituting the white/soft paraffin base for a far more natural choice you can use coconut oil or vegetable olive oil instead. To make a cream you could add some pre-boiled water to coconut oil and slowly heat it with beeswax as an emulsifer, mix and cool- all this will be trial and error with getting the right concentrations! This will be the base for your cream/ointment! The emulsifier will bind the water and the oil together apparently! He still advocates the liquid paraffin/wax as the best/cheapest easiest solution but im explaining we're trying to get as natural product as possible here! :D

It really depends on what you want to make and treat and as you can imagine, mixing certain substances dont go well due to their properties.

You'll also need preservatives or your mixture wont last long.....and how much you make of it!

[live]

I cannot use soap, hairdyes, face creams etc. I also cannot use a lot of the
new cleaning products on the market. I usually use Dermol 200 for showering but when I ran out I started using E45 shower emollient. I have a very good sense of smell and it doesnt smell right.

[steevo]

Ok- he says- it depends on what you want to mix- as many things wont mix well unless you get the right bases- so you need emulsifying ointment/wax as a base- with that you can mix water soluble preparations. To control consistency you can use white soft and/or liquid paraffin.

As for substituting the white/soft paraffin base for a far more natural choice you can use coconut oil or vegetable olive oil instead. To make a cream you could add some pre-boiled water to coconut oil and slowly heat it with beeswax as an emulsifer, mix and cool- all this will be trial and error with getting the right concentrations! This will be the base for your cream/ointment! The emulsifier will bind the water and the oil together apparently! He still advocates the liquid paraffin/wax as the best/cheapest easiest solution but im explaining we're trying to get as natural product as possible here! :D

It really depends on what you want to make and treat and as you can imagine, mixing certain substances dont go well due to their properties.

You'll also need preservatives or your mixture wont last long.....and how much you make of it!

That is fantastic info Lottie. NOW I have something that I can build on. Very much appreciated ;):):)

[lottie]

You're more than welcome....he was happy to help and im sure he'll be happy to offer any further advice you may need!:)

[quelyn]

How abour organic beeswax, organic coconut oil, aloe vera gel, and or organic castor oil. A few years ago I took classes and eventually was concoting my own skin care items. I believe........melted beeswax was a staple in some items but another base is alluding my memory at this time.

[steevo]

How abour organic beeswax, organic coconut oil, aloe vera gel, and or organic castor oil. A few years ago I took classes and eventually was concoting my own skin care items. I believe........melted beeswax was a staple in some items but another base is alluding my memory at this time.

Thanks for the info quelyn. I am gonna have to pop into Waterstones and see if there are any books in there that give the "secrets" away. Coconut oil sounds an iteresting option, but not sure about "gels" because arent they made of chemicals ? Anyway the beeswax thing I will have to check out too (I should have done that by now:o).

[upsetbrit]

I've had some annoying patches of dry skin breaking out on my face lately, infact my whole face has been covered in flakes. It tends to make me very self concious and paranoid. I've suffered with skin problems since my mid to late school years.

The best cream i've found so far is 'moisturising baby lotion' from mothercare. 'E-45' is too greasy for my liking and when i tried 'zinc and castor oil' it just greased up my skin but never cured the problem (OK, so i put bum cream on my face...). I've also tried things like antiseptic cream to no avail.

So anyway, my skin is smooth again thanks to mothercare (where stubble doesn't grow at least!) and i have no dry skin at all and i've only used it twice! Did i buy the cream? No, it was a gift from a family member from the birth of our last daughter, but we never used it.

While many of the ingredients will raise an eyebrow, i can't knock something if it works. Two ingredients are camomile and milk protein but the rest would leave me typing all night...

OK, not quite making your own cream, but it might help someone who needs the help who may be reading the topic :)

[shodan]

Epaderm

This stuff is amazing for dry skin and Eczema, I suffered badly with those conditions all my life until the last couple of years, and now its completely gone, this stuff was an excellent help on the way, and its as harmless as you can get.

I also found Oilatum a great help for severe outbreaks

http://www.superliving.co.uk/pharmacy/body-health/skin-hair-nails/dry-skin/epaderm-emollient.html

How does it work?

Epaderm ointment doesn't contain any active ingredients as such. It is a mixture of yellow soft paraffin, liquid paraffin and emulsifying wax that produces a greasy moisturiser. It works by providing a layer of oil on the surface of the skin to prevent water evaporating from the skin surface.

Dry skin results from lack of water in the outer layer of skin cells known as the stratum corneum. When this layer becomes dehydrated it loses its flexibility and becomes cracked, scaly and sometimes itchy. The stratum corneum contains natural water-holding substances that retain water seeping up from the deeper layers of the skin. Water is also normally retained in the stratum corneum by a surface film of natural oil (sebum) and broken-down skin cells, which slow down evaporation of water from the skin surface.

The skin dries out when too much water evaporates from its surface. This increases as we get older and is made worse by washing, because hot water and soap remove the layer of natural oil on the skin surface.

Moisturisers are helpful for dry skin conditions, particularly eczema and dermatitis, which get worse when the skin is allowed to dry out. Used regularly they help restore the skin's smoothness, softness and flexibility by helping the skin retain moisture. They should be applied frequently to prevent the skin drying out.

This ointment can also be used in place of soap when washing to prevent drying of the skin, and as a moisturising bath additive. After washing, the skin should be patted rather than rubbed dry to avoid rubbing the oil off the skin.

In conditions such as eczema, using a moisturiser regularly, even once the skin has improved, can help prevent flare-ups of this condition.

What is it used for?

Dry skin conditions

[steevo]

Ok- he says- it depends on what you want to mix- as many things wont mix well unless you get the right bases- so you need emulsifying ointment/wax as a base- with that you can mix water soluble preparations. To control consistency you can use white soft and/or liquid paraffin.

As for substituting the white/soft paraffin base for a far more natural choice you can use coconut oil or vegetable olive oil instead. To make a cream you could add some pre-boiled water to coconut oil and slowly heat it with beeswax as an emulsifer, mix and cool- all this will be trial and error with getting the right concentrations! This will be the base for your cream/ointment! The emulsifier will bind the water and the oil together apparently! He still advocates the liquid paraffin/wax as the best/cheapest easiest solution but im explaining we're trying to get as natural product as possible here! :D

It really depends on what you want to make and treat and as you can imagine, mixing certain substances dont go well due to their properties.

You'll also need preservatives or your mixture wont last long.....and how much you make of it!

I have FINALLY now got some Coconut Oil in a plastic jar for 95p (from Tesco :o) from the Asian foods section. It looks a bit like lard and it's in a plastic jar. It seems like it's good value to me. The coconut oil melts VERY easily in your hand (unlike lard) and feel nice.
Also I got a very small bar of bees wax from an outdoor stall that was selling honey, it was 80p.
Now I just need to start doing some experiments :)

[lottie]

I have FINALLY now got some Coconut Oil in a plastic jar for 95p (from Tesco :o) from the Asian foods section. It looks a bit like lard and it's in a plastic jar. It seems like it's good value to me. The coconut oil melts VERY easily in your hand (unlike lard) and feel nice.
Also I got a very small bar of bees wax from an outdoor stall that was selling honey, it was 80p.
Now I just need to start doing some experiments :)

Wey-Hey Buddy!!! :cool: Excellent...let us know how you get on....:D