Basic, Traditional Cold Cream.
Cold Cream is not a reference to temperature
but to Coleseed Oil, which was originally used along with Mineral
Oil (a petroleum product) to make the first Cole Creams in the
16th Century invented by Galen. This formula went nearly unchanged
throughout the Victorian Era. These days we substitute the Coleseed
Oil for Sweet Almond Oil and the Mineral Oil for Beeswax. The
name is a simple corruption of the original.
This is just about the simplest recipe you
can start with, and demonstrates the simplicity of making a
basic oil-and-water emulsification. Modern creams and lotions
do not contain Borax, as this product has been deemed unsuitable
for use in creams and lotions designed to be left-on the skin.
Borax has a toxic effect on all plants and animals in fairly
high doses, although the minute amounts used in these traditional
recipes is not at all harmful.
You'll Need
2 small saucepans
Hand whisk and/or Electric whisk
The following ingredients...
Sweet Almond Oil
Beeswax
Borax
Clean water (distilled or mineral if you wish)
How To...
Pour 75ml of clean water into
1 saucepan (the smaller if there is one).
Add 1/4tsp (1.25ml) Borax powder to the water.
Place this pan on a gentle heat and hand whisk until the borax
is completely dissolved and the water gently steaming, then
remove from heat and leave aside.
Meanwhile
Pour 120ml of Sweet Almond Oil
into another saucepan (the larger if there is one).
Add 30g Beeswax pellets to the saucepan.
Place this pan over a gentle heat and melt the Beeswax into
the Sweet Almond Oil completely, then remove from the heat.
Immediately, while all ingredients
are hot...
Take your whisk (an electric whisk or small hand (stick) blender
is best, on a Low-Med setting, but a hand (balloon) whisk is
effective if used Vigorously). Whilst whisking the oils, slowly
and little-by-little, pour your water/borax mixture into your
oils. You will immediately see the two liquids emulsify into
a fairly thick, white, rich cream.
Whilst warm, spoon the cream
into a suitable jar or container and leave to cool and thicken.
Adaptations to this recipe...
1. Enhance your cream by using
Rose or Lavender Water instead of water.
2. Add your own choice of essential oil/s. Just a few drops,
after adding the water whilst still whisking.
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