**Let's make a hydrating facial mist featuring a hydrosol, panthenol & a water soluble extract.**

*It is a lovely follow up to last weeks oil cleansing formulation.*

Hydrating Facial Mist Formulation

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This spray is a lovely follow up to last week's emulsified oil cleansing formulation but it will definitely be a wonderful addition to any skincare routine.

As with most of my formulations you can customize this to meet the specific needs your skin requires

The first ingredient to go in this formulation is distilled water. It’s nothing fancy but it is going to be making up the majority of this formulation. It is important you use distilled water, not just filtered water. We want to start off with a pure & clean ingredient as the base for this formulation

Distillation is the oldest method of water purification. It is basically water that has been boiled in a still. The vapor is then collected into a condenser & cooled to reform water. This process removes all trace contaminants with the exception of some alcohols as well as absorbs carbon dioxide from the air.

*Image of a steam distillation apparatus courtesy of Canva.com*

Our next ingredient is hydrosol or floral water. This is a product of the steam distillation process when extracting essential oils from plant matter. It is a great choice for when you want to add the benefits of essential oils without having to be so concerned with dermal limits & potential sensitization of the skin

Since hydrosols are derived from essential oils essentially any essential oil you come across should have a hydrosol option.

When I made this formulation I chose lavender hydrosol but feel free to use whichever hydrosol is calling your name. Each hydrosol will bring a different benefit or set of benefits to the skin & this is the first place you will be able to customize this formulation

Here are some suggestions:

Lavender Hydrosol

Rich in natural antioxidants & anti-inflammatory compounds
Helps to hydrate, tone & balance the skin
Controls excess sebum on the skin
Treatment for acne, eczema & psoriasis
Suitable for sensitive & irritated skin

Sage Hydrosol

Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatory properties
Helps to control the production of sebum
Suitable for most skin types
Use sparingly & with caution if you are pregnant, nursing or for use on young children

Peppermint Hydrosol

Helps replenish moisture in the skin
Cools the skin (I really like to use peppermint hydrosols in my summer time formulations)
Anti-inflammatory compounds that may also help soothe minor skin burns & scrapes
Acts as a penetration enhancer helping to boost the performance of active ingredients due to its menthol content

Rose Hydrosol

Helps maintain the skin's natural pH balance
Controls excess oil
Effective in reducing redness of irritated skin

Rosemary Hydrosol

Soothing to the skin
May be useful in treating skin irritations, blemishes & roughness
Tones the skin
May help manage acne
May help boost the performance of active ingredients due to its terpene content
May help reduce skin damage caused by UV radiation

Chamomile Hydrosol

Soothing to irritated skin
Helpful in treating eczema & psoriasis
Natural astringent helping to refine pores
Controls sebum production
Great for sensitive skin, acne prone skin & dry or aging skin

*Image of Aloe Vera Juice courtesy of Canva.com*

Our next ingredient is:

Aloe Vera Juice, not to be confused with aloe vera gel

Aloe Vera juice is made by juicing the fresh leaves of the Aloe Vera plant.

Extremely soothing to the skin & moisturizing
Contains anti-inflammatory, antiviral & antiseptic properties
Rich in electrolytes
Can help boost collagen production & hyaluronic acid production in the skin

When purchasing your aloe vera juice make sure you get the cosmetic grade, not the one that is meant for drinking. This is why it is important to purchase your ingredients from a reputable supplier, not Amazon. We can get into that on another post but just know with amazon you don’t actually know what you’re getting.

Our next two ingredients are humectants, which are substances that attract water & hydrate the skin, hair or nails.

Vegetable glycerin

Thick, clear, sticky liquid derived from plants
Natural ingredient
Draws moisture to the skin
Penetration enhancer helping to facilitate quick absorption of active ingredients into the skin
Suitable for all skin types
Won’t clog your pores (non-comedogenic)
Helps improve skin elasticity
May help reduce acne
Enhances skin barrier function by protecting against environmental stressors

Propanediol 1,3

Humectant, emollient & solvent derived from corn sugar
Natural ingredient
Helps to remove any stickiness or tackiness from glycerin
Helps to boost preservative performance
Decreases viscosity allowing formulations to flow more effectively
Prevents water loss & may help soften & soothe the skin
Gives the finished product an overall lightweight texture & skin feel

The next ingredient is optional but it does add some lovely astringent properties

*Image of Hamamelis virginiana plant courtesy of Canva.com*

Witch Hazel

Natural ingredient derived from the Hamamelis virginiana plant

Astringent & Anti-inflammatory properties which can help treat acne & minor irritation
Removes excess sebum from the skin which can help keep pores clean & help prevent acne
Can help protect the skin due to its pore minimizing properties
Might help fight signs of premature aging
Reduces inflammation due to its natural tannin content
Might help with the treatment of psoriasis & eczema
Improves overall skin tone

When purchasing this ingredient make sure if you plan on using it on your face you get the alcohol free version otherwise it may create some adverse effects such as drying your skin which can cause a disruption in your skin's barrier function. This is easily avoided by purchasing alcohol free versions.

Since this is a water based formulation we are going to need a broad spectrum preservative. I’ve chosen Liquid Germall Plus which works over a broad pH range & is well suited for formulations with elevated water content.

This can be substituted for another broad spectrum preservative but please don’t decide to skip on this ingredient. We want to formulate safe cosmetics & one way to ensure that is by properly preserving the formulation!

Hydrating Facial Mist Formulation

Now it’s time to start adding our active ingredients

Panthenol powder

This is the same ingredients as Pro-vitamin B5 used in certain mainstream shampoos
Derived from rice but it can not be guaranteed to be a vegan product
Acts as a moisturizer by drawing water from the deeper layers of the skin into the upper layers of the skin
Water soluble ingredients you can purchase in powder or liquid form. See notes on how to use liquid version
Enhances skin's barrier function helping to lock in moisture
With regular use it can help promote soft, smooth, supple skin while soothing irritation & inflammation
Promotes wound healing
Improves skin elasticity
Prevents trans-epidermal water loss
Anti-inflammatory effects
May help fight the signs of aging
May help reduce the severity of acne & even prevent future breakouts

Our next active ingredient comes in the form of a water soluble extract. There are many options available to meet your skincare needs. It is important that you purchase a water soluble extract for this formulation.

Seaweed Extract

Offers the skin a mixture of vitamins, minerals & nutrients including hyaluronic acid which can help speed up cell & tissue regeneration while helping to maintain the skin’s natural moisture levels, reducing inflammation & discoloration
Contains antioxidants can assist in less collagen & elastin breakdown helping to keep that youthful appearance
Can help regulate oil production of the skin
Hydrates the skin & can reduce wrinkle depth
Reduces the appearance of redness helping to improve skin texture & tone
Has been used to as topical treatment for cellulite, skin aging & burns
Suitable for all skin types but may be beneficial for those with dry or irritated skin

Water Soluble Extract Suggestions

Calendula Extract

Soothes & calms the skin
May help speed up wound healing
May help address redness of the skin
Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial & antifungal properties which may be helpful in soothing eczema
May help increase collagen production
Protects the skin from free radical damages
May help decrease skin dullness, fine lines & wrinkles
Suitable for all skin types

Chamomile Extract

Antioxidant
Calming & soothing to the skin
Anti-inflammatory properties
May help decrease the signs of aging
Suitable for all skin types

Cucumber Extract

Emollient & moisturizer
Anti-inflammatory properties helping to address swelling & puffiness
Comprised largely of lipids, proteins, Vitamin C & a variety of minerals
Helps to support healthy skin cells & even skin tone
May help keep acne flares under control by addressing excess sebum production
Hydrating to the skin
May help fight the signs of aging & reducing the appearance of dark circles & undereye puffiness

Caffeine Extract

Anti-inflammatory properties
Reduces wrinkles
Helps with collagen & elastin production
Brightens the skin
You typically only need to use once a day
Suitable for people who have concerns about wrinkles

Green Tea Extract

Antioxidant
Soothes & protects the skin
Reduces sebum production
May help minimize the signs of aging
May be a treatment for acne

Ginger Extract

Anti-inflammatory properties
Skin rejuvenator
May help fade the appearance of scars
Brightens skin tone
Suitable for all skin types

Sea Buckthorn Extract

Hydrator & moisturizer
Rich in antioxidants
Regulates sebum production
Evens out skin tone
Prevents moisture loss
May help improve the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles
Suitable for most skin types

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing your water soluble ingredients since this is a leave-on product feel free to use some of your more expensive active ingredients. It can be wasteful to pack a rinse off product, like last weeks emulsified oil cleanser with expensive ingredients that will be rinsed off & sent down the drain before they have a chance to work their magic

Formulation 100g Batch:

Phase A

60.5% Distilled Water

20% Lavender Hydrosol

10% Aloe Vera Juice

1% Vegetable Glycerin

1% Propanediol 1,3

1% Seaweed Extract

1% Panthenol Powder

0.5% Liquid Germall Plus

5% Witch Hazel (optional)

Equipment:

Beaker for mixing
Precision scale
Whisk
1-2 bottles with a mister lid. I used 2-50 ml bottles

Instructions:

Weigh out phase A into a beaker
Stir until fully incorporated
Pour into a container with a mister lid

Notes & substitution recommendations:

When made as suggested the pH is 5
You could switch out the seaweed extract for any water soluble extract
You could skip the panthenol powder & just add more to the distilled water portion
If you had the liquid version of panthenol you would want to add 2% & adjust the distilled water portion
You could switch out the hydrosol for any hydrosol or floral water
You could not use any hydrosols & just adjust the distilled water portion
If you wanted to add any oil such as essential oils or Vitamin E MT-50, you will need to add a solubilizer like polysorbate 20 you’ll have to make a phase B which will hold your essential oils & solubilizer & then mix that into phase A taking those amounts from the distilled water portion. Always be sure to consult the IFRA recommendations to learn the maximum amount allowed in the formulation. Approach this with a less is more attitude, you can always add more the next time you make it, but if you make it too strongly scented in the first place you might not be able to use it on the face without issue. If your essential oils don’t have this paperwork consider purchasing your essential oils from somewhere that does to ensure you are safely using the oil & aren’t running the risk of something called sensitization & form an essential oil allergic reaction. Once this happens on the skin you can kiss using that essential oil goodbye because you’ve now created an allergy. It can be avoided by always following the manufacturers recommended maximum amounts
If you’re using witch hazel be careful you don’t get this spray in your eyes. This can be easily avoided by closing your eyes when you spray. If it does get into the eyes be sure to rinse well with cool water

Comment down below & let me know, how did your skin feel after you used this?

Be sure to come back next week & learn how to make flying ointment, your new favorite meditative support