Today we’re doing a thing that is long overdue—a Soothing Under Eye Gel! It’s part of our soothing series, and it is lovely. It’s also the first recipe I’m sharing using Aristoflex AVC, a very cool cold-process gelling agent and emulsifier that I’ve been working with for over three years now, but for some reason or another nothing has made it to the blog—until now!
This Cacti Q10 Anti-Aging Facial Serum features a base of beautiful plant oils spiked with some potent Coenzyme Q10. It’s rich in antioxidants, has rejuvenating properties, and leaves your skin positively glowing. It’s also a rather pretty orange colour, and comes together in a flash. Despite the name, you certainly don’t have to be looking for an anti-aging facial serum to enjoy this DIY—its got something lovely and pampering for almost any skin type!
Today’s recipe is definitely long overdue, but I wanted to make sure it was on point before I shared it—it’s a sulphate free shampoo bar. I started working on this back in January 2018 and have been testing and tweaking ever since. About six weeks ago I decided to include this in the Mango Mango series, so here we have a Mango Mango Shampoo Bar!
This beautifully marbled soap is a wonderful example of things not turning out quite how you expected, but being wonderful anyways. My working title for these bars was “Indigo Swirl”, but this batch of soap had different ambitions. The particular level of trace in the batter meant the pour-swirl I had planned ended up turning into wispy, marbley seams of blue rather than dancing swirls, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how everything turned out.
Our Soothing series continues with this lovely Soothing Cleansing Balm. Up until now all of our soothing projects have included a water phase, and many of our awesome soothing ingredients (cucumber distillate, chamomile hydrosol, urea, etc.) live in that phase. This project is 100% anhydrous—this means many of the ingredients we’ve used before are off the table, but several news ones are now on the table!
Today we’re making a simple salve starring calendula, with a supporting cast of sea buckthorn and lavender. It’s easy to make, and the end result is a lovely warm yellow salve with a gentle, calming scent. If your nose is sore from too much blowing, or perhaps your complexion is feeling the effects of months of cold winter winds, this Calendula Sunshine Salve is just what you need.
Make it Up: The Essential Guide to DIY Makeup and Skin Care is now available at booksellers all over the world!