Acne prone face cream

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elmtree

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Hey guys! New to this forum but not new to body products. Something I've been wanting to make for a couple years now. A face cream for acne prone skin. Any suggestions on oils or additives good for this problem?


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Ah crap! I just lost everything I wrote. Grrr....

Okay...oil suggestions: hazelnut, grapeseed, fractionated coconut oil, rice bran, castor

Butter suggestions: babassu, mango, shea

Additives: glycerin or sodium lactate, Isopropyl Myristate - although I've read some people say it isn't good for people with acne because it helps to make a product more easily absorbed. Not really sure if this is the actual reason - I may be confusing it with something else. My opinion - it's going to eventually absorb into the skin and if you're using lightweight, astringent oils then I don't think it's a problem. But I could be wrong.

Part of liquid: aloe vera juice, witch hazel

Essential oils: I'm not an expert so you might want to check aromaweb.com for recommendations. I know tea tree oil is recommended a lot but many people have complained about the smell. I do know you need very little to scent a cream or lotion - 1% or even less.
 
Lemongrass is a good substitute for tea tree oil.

I'd keep the scent at .5% or less. You could add by drops until you get to a level you like. A little goes a long way.
 
Essential oils that are reasonably safe to use and might be beneficial to oily, acne-prone skin would include palma rosa (Cymbopogon Martini), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis var. Cineole or var. Verbenon), clary sage (Salvia sclarea), helichrysum (Helichrysum Italicum), vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides). I'm sure there are others, but these are some to consider that are pretty safe for skin use and fit the bill.
 
Essential oils that are reasonably safe to use and might be beneficial to oily, acne-prone skin would include palma rosa (Cymbopogon Martini), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis var. Cineole or var. Verbenon), clary sage (Salvia sclarea), helichrysum (Helichrysum Italicum), vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides). I'm sure there are others, but these are some to consider that are pretty safe for skin use and fit the bill.

Thanks DeeAnna! I love palmarosa and rosemary. I haven't used sage much but want to. What do you think would be a nice combo for a face cream for acne?


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I'd go with judymoody's recommendation of .5% or less. I have dry, sensitive skin so the EOs I use for facial lotions and creams are considered milder (mainly lavender & a little geranium).
 
Oh and DeeAnna, I don't have any of the last two EO's you mentioned. Keep meaning to order some though.


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Refined sesame oil is good too. I made a facial lotion using it (among other wonderful things suggested by Swift Crafty Monkey) and after three weeks, not one pimple, boil or a hint of either. I would avoid olive oil.
 
I'd go with judymoody's recommendation of .5% or less. I have dry, sensitive skin so the EOs I use for facial lotions and creams are considered milder (mainly lavender & a little geranium).

I'm the same Hazel, but add acne prone to that lol three strikes I guess ;-) Stress doesn't help either. Doing my first fair soon and I think it's contributing lol


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Refined sesame oil is good too. I made a facial lotion using it (among other wonderful things suggested by Swift Crafty Monkey) and after three weeks, not one pimple, boil or a hint of either. I would avoid olive oil.

OMG CaraCara, I love her blog!! It's really amazing. Been reading it for awhile now but I guess I missed that one. Thanks! She is really so amazing.


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OMG CaraCara, I love her blog!! It's really amazing. Been reading it for awhile now but I guess I missed that one. Thanks! She is really so amazing.


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Me too! Every Saturday morning I make it a point to go through a pot of coffee and spend a couple of hours reading her blog. You almost deserve a degree in chemistry after a while. :p
 
I'm bad... I stay up late nights reading... Lol


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Oils: jojoba(light,non-comodogenic,absorbs quickly) ,neem(antiseptic,anti-inflamatory), infused olive oil( healing herbs that are available),sweet almond.

Some other oils might not be available there..so,no use mentioning.

Butter: shea butter(absorbs quickly).

EO: peppermint,eucalyptus.

Aloe vera n witch hazel and camphor(a pinch or two).
Might add AHA lotion if available..for acne spots..n cell renewal.

Do good research before adding ingredients..all are safe though..and if allergic to particular ingredients..but I think 80% depends on your diet ,physical and mental fitness.

All the best !!



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Carrot seed,geranium,lavender,clove,teatree,evening primrose,hazelnut,hemp,kukuinut,macadamia,meadowfoam,seabuckthorn,bergamot,cajeput,cedarwood,chamomile,calendula,cyprus,brahmi,tulsi,sage,sandalwood,rosehips,pumpkin seed are all good for acne.

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I would play with the EOs you have and develop a blend that you like to smell. If the scent is objectionable or too strong, it just won't work for general facial use, even if the EOs are helpful for the skin. For a daily use product, the EO blend you use needs to strike a good balance between appealing scent and helpful benefits.

For example, I personally would avoid tea tree, eucalyptus, and mint in a daily use facial lotion -- they are just too strongly scented for me to want all over my face and they can be irritating if applied close to the eyes. For a spot treatment on a zit or other problem spot, well, okay, I could do that, but not every, every day as a general thing.

Okay, going back to the EOs you have. Pick no more than three EOs. I might play around with palmarosa, rosemary, and clary sage. Rosemary has a strong herbal, camphor scent, so use it with a light hand. Palmarosa is sweeter and more floral. Clary sage is softer than rosemary, but still herbal. I'd start with 1/2 palmarosa, 1/3 clary, and the balance rosemary. So, in a 10 drop blend, I would try about 5 drops palmarosa, 3 or 4 drops clary, and 1-2 drops rosemary.

Put a few drops on a strip of coffee filter or clean plain paper. See what you think right after blending, and at 10 minutes, 1 hour, and 2 hours after blending. Don't over-smell the blend at any one time because your nose will become desensitized to it -- just a whiff or three is plenty. Adjust the proportions to suit your nose. If the clary or rosemary don't work for you in this blend, I'd substitute all purpose lavender for either, if you like lavender.

I agree with the others to use the EO blend at 1/2 to 1% of your lotion recipe. For example, if your recipe is 100 grams, a total of 0.5 to 1 gram of EO would be what you'd add. Keep the scent on the light side for a daily use product.

I just made a light facial lotion a few days ago and added EOs at 1%. The scent in the lotion is distinct but light and it works for me.
 
Last edited:
Thank you everyone for all of your thoughtful advice. I am going to try some of those oils. I have quite a few of the specialty oils cause I've just acquired them over the years but I've never really tried to make an acne moisturizer before. I'll check back and let you know how it turns out after I make some, probably this weekend.


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