Rose Face Cream

Nourishing • Balancing • Brightening

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YieldAbout 2 cups

TimeAbout 45 minutes (plus making the rose oil)

Skin TypeAll skin types

ToolsDouble boiler, thermometer, hand mixer or blender, clean sterilized jars

TextureLight and creamy; thickens as it sits

StorageWith the preservative it keeps longer in a cool place. Without it: refrigerate and use within 1 week, or make fresh.

About This Recipe

This rose cream is made with rose infused oil, combined with shea butter for deep moisture and rose hydrosol to drench the skin as the oils and butters soak in. Roses are packed with antioxidants and are deeply nourishing for all skin types. It's adapted from Rosemary Gladstar's Perfect Cream recipe.

Rose infused oil in a glass jar — Rose Oil, Shea & Hydrosol

The Apothecary Letters Get my Calendula Body Butter recipe, free

Ingredients

Oils: ⅔ cup rose infused apricot oil (or apricot, almond or grapeseed oil)
⅓ cup shea butter
0.5 oz beeswax
½ tsp glycerin
1 tsp arrowroot powder
0.5 oz Leucidal SF Complete (optional preservative; your cream will last longer)
Liquids: ⅔ cup rose hydrosol
⅓ cup aloe vera gel

Small jar of rose face cream — Soft & Balanced

Directions

Combine the rose infused oil, shea butter and beeswax and melt gently in a double boiler.
Once melted and slightly cooled, add the glycerin and arrowroot powder.
In another container, combine the rose hydrosol and aloe vera gel and warm gently to about 120°F, so the oils and waters are roughly the same temperature.
Start mixing the oils with a hand mixer or blender, then very slowly add the waters as you keep mixing. Don't go too fast. If the cream stops accepting water, stop there.
Once whipped, gently but thoroughly stir in the Leucidal and essential oils, if using.
Pour into clean, sterilized jars. The cream will thicken as it sits.

To Use

Scoop a small amount with a clean spatula or clean, dry fingers.
Smooth over clean skin.

Notes

Make the rose oil first: see how to make rose infused oil.
Use clean equipment: wipe tools down with rubbing alcohol, use clean new jars and lids, and make sure everything is dry. Don't use wooden spoons or spatulas.
For the water, use a hydrosol or distilled water, never tap or spring water. Use store-bought aloe vera gel; it has some preservatives in it.
Grapefruit seed extract and rosemary extract help oils stay fresh, but they are not preservatives and don't stop mold.
Beeswax isn't a true emulsifier but works as one here; don't skip it. Pellets combine more easily than grated chunks.
The arrowroot is optional, but it helps the cream absorb faster and feel less greasy.
The preservative is Ecocert approved and made from fermented radish. Some folks skip it; it's up to you.

Read the blog post →More tips, swaps and the story behind this recipe

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