Summer can be hard on the skin. Whether it’s too much sun, chlorine or salt water the skin needs a little extra attention to keep it at its healthiest during the hot summer months. I’ve created an ultra nourishing and skin beautifying balm you’ll want to slather on your skin all summer! You won’t believe how replenished and nourished your skin will feel! This balm is made with all natural, affordable ingredients. Plus, I’ve added a new and exciting ingredient that will lock in moisture on a cellular level.
I’ve been experimenting with a bunch of new additives from Lotioncrafter lately and literally have a counter full of new DIYs I’m trying out! One additive in particular is Oleo HA. It’s a solid form of hyaluronic acid and can be used in oil based recipes. Typically hyaluronic acid comes in a powder and must be dissolved in a water. This ingredient allows us to add it to a balm during the heating phase or heat it by itself and add it to an oil. I’ve not tried adding it to anything but balms so more experimentation will need to be done.
Today’s recipe is meant for after sun recovery. Whether you’ve been in the sun all day and your skin feels parched or you are sunburnt, this recipe will help replenish and soothe the skin after fun in the sun!
After Sun Balm Ingredients:
Unrefined Coconut Oil is incredibly healing. This is a must ingredient if you are using this balm to relieve a sunburn. Coconut oil is not the most moisturizing oil so it can be replaced if this balm is to simply replenish the skin.
Unrefined Shea Butter is ultra nourishing. It seals in moisture and softens the skin. It’s rich in vitamins A and E and its rich fatty acids soothe and replenish dry, even chapped skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties to help heal and reduce swelling and irritation. It also has a low level of sun protection (SPF 3-5)
Kukui oil comes from the Hawaiian kukui tree and has been used for centuries in the Hawaiian culture. It is actually their state tree. Like shea butter, it is full of vitamins A, C and E, is full of skin moisturizing fatty acids, can helps accelerate healing and calm inflammation. The oil has linoleic acid and oleic fatty acids, which can repair the skin’s natural barrier. Another recipe that contains kukui oil is my 2 in 1 massage oil. It would be great as a leave in hair conditioner.
Rosehip Seed Oil is high in vitamin C making it one of the most effective anti aging oils. It helps to brighten the skin, making it look more radiant and supple.
Beeswax is what thickens up our oils to make a balm. It is incredibly nourishing and acts as a barrier keeping moisture locked in the skin.
Carrot Seed Essential Oil is an integral part of this recipe. It is an essential oil full of nutrients including beta carotene, and vitamins A and E. Carrot seed oil nourishes dry skin, and can even reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Carrot seed essential oil has a natural SPF of 40 so it can help protect the skin if you choose to use this DIY during your time in the sun. Carrot seed contains a large amount of carotenoids. Carotenoids have been proven to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Carrot seed essential oil is my go-to in the summer. I add it to every single DIY I use during the summer months. It’s in my Anti Wrinkle Eye Stick which is a fantastic eye serum for sun lovers.
Lavender Essential Oil is a fantastic essential oil to encourage healing as well as reducing inflammation. It helps counteract the smell of the carrot seed oil quite nicely.
Peppermint Essential Oil is optional but I added it for a slight cooling sensation. Peppermint is a great pain reliever. Since it has such a nice cooling sensation, you might be interested in my Air Conditioning in a Bottle recipe!
Oleo HA is hyaluronic acid that is dispersed in oil. This means that we can now get the benefits of hyaluronic acid in oil based skincare products. Hyaluronic acid binds water molecules hydrating the skin from the inside out. It strengthens the skins natural barrier and helps heal by supporting tissue regeneration. It even can help other products absorb better.
What is Oleo HA?
In easy terms, it’s a form of hyaluronic acid that can be used in oil based skincare creations.
Oleo-HA is obtained from small molecule of sodium hyaluronate (HA) and Hydrogenated Castor Oil and Castor Seed Oil through unique HA microsphere technology. The small molecule of HA is evenly dispersed in the oil phase. When applied onto skin, Oleo-HA can easily release the HA molecule to penetrate into the skin and nourish the skin from inside.
Since the outer layer of Oleo-HA is an oil-film forming lipophil,and the molecule of HA moisturized from within, Oleo-HA can significantly increase the skin hydration and keep the skin moisturized constantly from the inside and out.
The recipe possibilities are endless with this new ingredients. I’ve already formulated an anti aging skin mask and am working on a leave in conditioner for the hair that I’ll post soon. Lotioncrafter specifically mentions using it in lip products for lip healing and plumping. It is a bit expensive. The smallest amount you can get is 5 grams at $12.65. 5 grams is a very small amount but only .1-2% is needed for each recipe.
What You’ll Need to Make Hyaluronic Acid After Sun Balm:
Materials
- 2 TBSP. Unrefined Coconut Oil
- 2 TBSP. Kukui Oil
- 2 TBSP. Rosehip Seed Oil
- 1 TBSP. Unrefined Shea Butter
- 1 TBSP. Beeswax Pellets
- 1/2 tsp. Oleo HA
- 5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
- 2 drop Carrot Seed Essential Oil
Tools
- 4 ounce glass jar
- medium sauce pan
- 2-4 ounce glass Pyrex measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- stir stick or spoon
Instructions
- Create a double boiler by filling a medium sized sauce pan half way full of water.
- Place a glass Pyrex measuring cup in the water.
- Add oils, butters, waxes and HA Oleo (no essential oils yet) to the cup.
- Turn the stove top to medium and allow all the ingredients to melt together.
- Once everything is liquid, remove from heat and add the essential oils.
- Transfer to a jar(s) and allow to cool in the fridge. This may help your balm getting a grainy texture in the future.
Notes
- This balm makes 4 ounces.
- No preservative is needed since all the ingredients are oil based.
- I recommend storing this balm in a glass jar. I stored mine in 2 2 ounce jars so I could keep one in my beach bag and one on my bathroom counter.
- Oleo HA has a melting point of 162° Fahrenheit, 72° Celsius. It needs to reach this temp so that it will fully melt and not clump. You may want to use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of your ingredients.
How to Use After Sun Balm:
Apply a thin layer to the skin after being in the sun. This balm can be used while in the sun but should not be used in the place of sunblock. I believe in getting a small amount of sunblock free sun time daily. Applying this balm during that time could be helpful for enhancing a tan. Even though it contains a few ingredients that have a natural SPF, I can not claim it will keep you from getting a sunburn.
You can use this balm on your face and even as a replenishing mask! If you use as a mask you will need to remove with a wet, warm wash cloth. I don’t recommend using it on your face if you have acne prone skin.
In a pinch, I have even used it to remove waterproof mascara!
Happy sunning! xx, Jenni
