Effective rich W/O cream with CastEmul

With our emulsifier CastEmul you can make a really good rich cream. This is suitable as a hand cream, foot cream, night cream, but maybe a bit too rich for use as a day cream. The yield of the recipe is about 100 grams of cream.

Supplies and ingredients

• 2 x Beaker 250 ml [30038]
• 1 or 2 Spatulas [14901]
• Weighing scale accurate to 0,1 g
• Teaspoon or measuring spoon
• Dropping pipettes plastic 1 ml [30111]
• Dropping pipettes plastic 3 ml [30110]
• Tissues / adsorbent paper
• Cream jar(s) with lid for 100 g cream

Aqueous phase

• 70 g fresh tap water
• 3 g Glycerin [10630]
• 0,8 g Magnesium sulfate [13006]
• 22 drops (± 1 ml) HexaCon 91 [10306]

Oil phase

• 4 g CastEmul Hx [10460]
• 22 g Macadamia oil [11005]
• 2 drops (± 0,1 ml) Tocopherol (Vitamin E) [10540]

Procedure

You can prepare this cream cold: heating is not necessary. It is important to take the time for it: allow at least half an hour to stir. Weigh out the substances in the aqueous phase and place them in a 250 ml beaker: mix as well as possible. All magnesium sulfate must be dissolved before continuing, the HexaCon 91 may still make it a cloudy mixture. In the other 250 ml beaker, weigh all the components of the oil phase, also stir well.

Add the water phase to the oil phase drop by drop using a pipette, while stirring the oil phase well, until all is mixed well. After about 20 drops you can add a few drops of the water phase at a time: keep stirring. Then add a maximum of 1 ml of water phase at a time, keep stirring! After most of the water is added the cream will start to thicken.

When the entire water phase has been added, stir for at least another minute. Then fill one or a few cream jars with the
cream and let it cool down. The end result is a pumpable, soft cream or thick lotion, slightly thinner than custard.

The cream will usually keep for a few months, however, at the slightest sign of spoilage, the cream should be discarded.

The more time you take, the more stable and thicker the cream becomes. When curdling or separating the cream into layers, you may have worked too quickly or stirred insufficiently.

Variants and additions

• Feel free to use another vegetable oil, such as almond oil, avocado oil or soy oil. Or use a mixture of different oils.
• A perfume (perfume oil or essential oil) can be added to the oil phase, do not use more than a few (3-6) drops per 100 grams of cream.

Simple herbal aftershave

The only fragrance British men were allowed to wear during Queen Victoria’s time was lavender. A contrast with more southern countries where there was much more choice, for example, rose, orange flower and violet. Some British men persist to this day, using only an English lavender water, such as Yardley’s Old English Lavender. Our formula also contains lavandin, a spicy variety of lavender.

Supplies

• 100 ml (80 grams) cosmetic hair water [29550]
• 2 ml (2-3 grams) glycerine [10630]
• 60 drops (2-3 ml/g) essential oil Lavandin Abrialis[20138]
• Bottles with closures for approximately 100 ml of aftershave
• Pipettes, beakers, funnel

Procedure

Mix the raw materials in the order indicated, or vice versa, it doesn’t matter. Put the aftershave in one or more suitable bottles, for example twice the 50 ml aftershave bottle Florindo. Alternatively, you can also fill three quadro bottles with this recipe. The shelf life is usually at least 12 months. The essential oil and glycerine are best dosed with a plastic dropper pipette [30110], do not forget to order these.

Aftershave Hexe Africa

For Aftershave Hexe Africa we were inspired by Ax Africa. This fragrance was developed in the 1990s by perfumer Ann Gottlieb. The use of vanilla for a men’s fragrance was less common then. A somewhat more complicated recipe, for the enthusiast.

Supplies

• 50 ml cosmetic hair water [29550]
• 1 ml glycerine [10630]
• 13 drops (± 0.7 ml) Cedramber (IFF) [23011]
• 10 drops (± 0.5 ml) Iso E Super (IFF) [23021]
• 5 drops (± 0.3 ml) EO Lavender Bulgaria (org) [20104]
• 3 drops (± 0.2 ml) Isoraldeine 95 (Giv) Methyl ionone [23009]
• 2 drops (± 0.2 ml) EO Sage Dalmatia [20137]
• 2 drops (± 0.2 ml) EO Black pepper [20121]
• 1 drop (± 0.1 ml) EO Patchouli [20110]
• 1 drop (± 0.1 ml) Vanillin 25% in DPG
• Perfume bottle Florindo 50 ml
• Atomizer attachment black E5
• 8 x Pipette plastic 1 ml
• 2 x Pipette plastic 3 ml

Procedure

Cut the riser to the correct length: when the atomizer attachment is screwed onto the bottle, it should fit loosely into the corner of the bottle. If it is too long, the closure can become loose. If this is too short, you cannot completely empty the bottle.

Fill perfume bottle Florindo about half with Cosmetic hair water, it does not come very precisely. Use a plastic 3 ml dropper for this, this is easier than a small funnel. Then add the other raw materials one after the other. Always use a new 1 ml pipette for this, except for the Glycerine. The latter is quite viscous, so a 3 ml pipette works a bit easier. Fill the pipette slowly to avoid the formation of air bubbles. Make sure that the pipettes are not mixed up, otherwise the cedramber might smell like sage and the patchouli oil smell like vanilla. Finally, top up the bottle with cosmetic hair water until it is nicely filled. Finish with the atomizer attachment.

Freshly made Aftershave Hexe Africa often smells a bit like alcohol, this alcohol smell diminishes after a few days and eventually disappears. It does not need to be preserved, because of the high percentage of alcohol it cannot mold. The effect of oxygen from the air, high temperature and too much (sun) light can cause the odour to deteriorate. Store it (like other aftershave) cool (not in the fridge), dry and dark in a tightly closed container. Usually the smell gets a little better after storage. It is usually at its best when it is 3-6 months old. If properly stored, it normally lasts at least a year, sometimes (much) longer.

Old-fashioned Aftershave Lotion

For this recipe of the old-fashioned aftershave lotion, we were inspired by recipes from the 1920-1960 period. We have put our own spin on it. It contains alum, a substance that makes blood clot from small cuts. Menthol has a cooling effect and a fresh scent. As a fragrance we also use flower waters, originally that was the water that remains after making essential oil from flowers, nowadays it is usually made by mixing a little essential oil with water.

Supplies

• 50 ml (40 grams) cosmetic hair water [29550]
• 25 ml (25 grams) orange flower water [29601]
• 25 ml (25 grams) rose water [29602]
• a pinch (1 gram) of alum [10621]
• a small piece (0.5 gram) of menthol [23000]
• measuring cups
• bottle(s) and spray attachment(s) or cap(s) for a total of approximately 100 ml of aftershave
• Pipettes, funnel, spoons etc.
• label for the bottle

Procedure

Dissolve the menthol in the cosmetic hair water. Stir well: the menthol will dissolve fairly quickly. Mix orange flower water and rose water together and dissolve the alum in it. Mix all this together.

The aftershave is a bit cloudy. This is due to the low alcohol percentage of the aftershave in which very little menthol dissolves. You can let it settle and drain. You can also leave it that way, the disadvantage may be that the atomizer will eventually become clogged. On the other hand, it does look pretty: an opal-coloured liquid.

Put the old-fashioned aftershave lotion in one or more suitable bottles, for example 2 x the 50 ml aftershave bottle Leandro. Another option is three quadro bottles of 30 ml each. If you don’t have enough to fill the bottle, you can add some cosmetic hair water. The shelf life is usually at least 12 months.

Variations and more

Variations

The blueprint can be turned into a gray print by colouring it. It is best to do this after it has been fixed. Colouring is possible in a solution of tannic acid (web shop) of 1 gram per liter, but it is also possible with strong, cold, black tea. Rinse the blueprint in this solution for about ten minutes until the colouring has taken place.

Instead of Potassium ferricyanide red (T), Potassium ferrocyanide yellow (T) can be used, this gives a much darker colour with other contrasts.

There are several other options for further editing, we haven’t tried everything yet. Be aware that not everything works, don’t experiment with the most successful pieces, but make a lot of proofs.

Continue

Especially if you want to learn more about printing from a transparency and editing it, a course or workshop is a good idea, for example at:

Defobie, in various places in the country. The Defobie website contains beautiful examples of what is possible with blueprints.

Polychrome, in Middelburg, also offers various other photochemical processes, such as carbon printing and salt printing.

Simple hand dishwashing liquid

A simple recipe for a simple hand dishwashing liquid.

Supplies

• 50 ml fresh tap water
• 40 ml Detergent (SLES) Hx [10102]
• 10ml Betaine (CAPB) Hx [10101]
• 20 drops (± 1 ml) HexaCon 91 [10306]
• A few grams of Sodium Chloride [13012]
• 10 drops (± 0.5 ml) Dihydromyrcenol [23024]
• Plastic pipette 1 ml
• HENRI bottle 100 ml
• HENRI valve cap

Procedure

Mix Detergent, Betaine, HexaCon 91 and Dihydromyrcenol together in the HENRI bottle. Put the valve cap on and shake well. Then add the water. Put the cap back on and shake well again so that everything is mixed.

It may be good right away, but for a more viscous dishwashing detergent you can add some sodium chloride. Shake well after adding and repeat if desired. Do not add too much sodium chloride, then it will not thicken, but it will become thinner again.

The simple hand dishwashing liquid usually has a shelf life of 1 to 2 months.

Variation

Feel free to experiment with other scents such as EO Orange Sweet CP. Keep in mind that some may give the food utensils an unsuitable odour. HexaCol (the water-soluble types) can be used to colour the detergent, yellow or orange, for example.

Simple bath oil

A simple, floating bath oil, for a relaxing bath.

Ingredients:

– 100 ml Soy oil
– 10 drops of vitamin E
– 26 drops Bornyl Acetate
– 10 drops EO Sage Dalmatia
– 4 drops of EO Juniper Berry

Procedure:

Mix in any order and you’re done! For dripping the vitamin E and the fragrances, it is useful to have a number of drop pipettes.

A beautiful and suitable packaging is, for example, a bottle of POLLY with an aluminum cap. The above recipe is good for two bottles: one to use yourself and one to give away. The bath oil has a shelf life of 2 to 3 months.

Bath milk ‘active’

Bath milk ‘active’ is a kind of bath oil. When you pour it into the water it gives a white cloud, as if it is milk. The bath milk does not float on the water, but mixes with it.

Ingredienst and materials

• 45 ml Grape kernel oil
• 5 ml Laureth-4 (Mulsifan)
• 5 drops of vitamin E
• 8 drops EO Lemon CP (org)
• 12 drops EO Orange Sweet CP (org)
• 20 drops Linalyl acetate
• 1 Bottle ‘POLLY’ with valve cap
• 3 x Plastic pipette 1 ml
• 2 x Plastic pipette 3 ml
• Possibly a funnel

Procedure

Mix in any order and you’re done. Use the small pipettes for the fragrances, a larger pipette is useful for dripping the vitamin E, which can also be used for the Laureth-4.

As a fragrance composition you can use one of the formulas given elsewhere on the site, but you can also choose a fragrance oil from our range.

How to use: put a good splash in the bath water. The bath oil has a shelf life of 2 to 3 months.

Blueprint – making photosensitive paper

Blueprint or cyanotype is an old photographic technique that was mainly used for making copies of large technical drawings and plans. When you talk about a blueprint in everyday life, you usually mean a plan for something. With the advent of the photocopier and other inexpensive reproduction techniques, the blueprint disappeared. Fortunately, there are always people who are interested in these ancient techniques, purely out of curiosity or because of their artistic possibilities.

You can make blueprints on paper, textiles, basically anything that you can wet with water. The substances to be used are not very dangerous. The procedures of sensitization and development are simple: for example, the exposure time is neither very short nor very long and you do not need expensive equipment. The disadvantage may be that it always produces a blue/white or (after coloring) gray/white print.

Blueprint – making photosensitive paper – takes two steps:

• making the solutions
• make it photosensitive

Making the solutions

You make the photosensitive layer by first making two solutions and then mixing them in equal parts. From the moment you mix the solutions, the solution is photosensitive. You then apply this photosensitive solution to the substrate. The most suitable is paper that can absorb a lot of water and will not tear, for example watercolour paper, or textiles, preferably cotton or linen.

The two solutions have the following composition:

Solution I

• 10 g Potassium ferricyanide red[32019]
• 100 ml fresh tap water

The Potassium ferricyanide red (T) dissolves quite easily in the water without heating.

Solution II

• 30 g Ammonium iron (III) citrate [32058]
• 100 ml fresh tap water

Ammonium iron (III) citrate dissolves a little less easily, but good stirring is usually sufficient.

Ordinary fresh tap water can be used as water, or, if possible, demineralized water from the supermarket or drug store. The salts to be dissolved can be ordered from De Hekserij. The above recipes are not very precise, it is no problem if a little more or less is solved, feel free to experiment with this. When making textiles photosensitive, a higher concentration is recommended.

Prepare the solutions in a beaker or measuring cup and transfer to bottles for storage. Store both solutions separately in dark glass or PET bottles. No jars with metal lids: iron, tin and steel can have a negative effect on the solutions. Solution II can start to mold, that’s not a disaster, but remove the mold before use.

The solutions are in general green-yellow in colour. The mixture of both can also be dark green or blue. This is due to the formation of Prussian Blue in the solution. This can lead to differences in the end result.

Making it photosensitive

The sensitization should be done in a place with low ultraviolet light, indoors in a not too sunny area is usually fine. Blinds or curtains are closed and every kitchen, every classroom and certainly every darkroom is suitable.

Mix an equal volume of both solutions, for example 10 ml of both. Apply this new solution to the paper or fabric to be photosensitive. You can do this with a sponge, cloth, brush, whatever you want. However, do not use brushes or other items with metal parts, these can adversely affect the process. Then allow the photosensitive material to dry. This should preferably be done in a dark room, for example in the attic, or in a closet. When it is dry it can be used. It can be used wet, but it is more likely to run through and the sensitivity is less. The sensitized paper is yellow-green to blue in colour.

Blueprint – using photosensitive paper

The photosensitive material can now be used for printing. There are several options for this. You can make a photogram: for example, you place leaves, flowers or other things that partially allow light to pass through on the paper and illuminate it. Because thin leaves let through less light than thick ones, a photographic image is created.

Another way is to print from a negative. You can adjust a photo in an editing program to black and white, then invert the colors (so what was white becomes black and vice versa) and print this with a good photo printer on foil or possibly on paper. Good contrast is important! Place the negative thus made on the photosensitive paper and expose it.

The traditional way of reproducing drawings can also be used. Place the drawing on the photosensitive paper and expose. Of course, this works best if the paper is as translucent as possible, for example tracing paper, and if the drawing itself blocks out as much light as possible, for example by using Indian ink. Experience shows that it is also possible with drawing paper and pencil, but the contrast is less and the exposure time is longer.

Light sources

Lighting is easiest with sunlight. Lighted outside, glass windows block a lot of ultraviolet radiation. The exposure time depends on the conditions, in bright sun light, around 1 pm on June 21 the exposure time is short, maybe just a minute. In winter and when it is cloudy, this can be much longer. It also makes a difference whether you use paper or foil as a negative.

Other sources of ultraviolet light are also suitable. An ultraviolet light box with a timer is ideal, but a facial tanner can also do the job. Exposure times should be tried, you can also play with this and underexpose or overexpose.

Once the photosensitive paper has been sufficiently exposed, the image must be fixed. This can be done very simply by rinsing the paper with plenty of water. Preferably do this in a somewhat dark room, for example the kitchen or bathroom with the curtains closed. When the paper no longer gives off a green color, it is fixed and can dry.

The created image may discolour over time, so do not hang it in the bright sun.

Roll-on bottle deodorant

A deodorant for a roll-on bottle needs to be thickened a bit, so that a nice layer is placed on the skin. The roll-on bottle deodorant is easy to make, but watch out for lumps!

Please note that the deo active Odex is discontinued. This recipe will therefore be removed in the future.

Supplies

• 3 ml Glycerin [10630]
• 3 ml Odex [10620]
• 0.5 g Xanthan gum [16102]
• 12 drops FO May bells [21104]
• 25 ml (= 20 g) Cosmetic hair water [29550]
• 30 ml (= 30 g) fresh tap water
• 2 Dropper pipettes plastic 3 ml [30110]
• Dropper pipette 1 ml [30111]
• Measuring spoon plastic 2.5 ml [30107]
• Roll on bottle 50 ml glass – complete [14041]
• Beaker 100 ml [30037]
• Measuring cylinder 50 ml LM [30013]

Procedure

Read this method carefully first. Mix the raw materials in the beaker in the order indicated. After adding each subsequent substance, stir everything well (you can just use a teaspoon or so), this way you avoid lumps. Once the tap water has been added, stir well and put 50 ml in a deodorant roller. Glycerine, Odex and fragrance oil FO May bells can best be added with a plastic pipette. Xanthan can be weighed, but 0.5g is about half a measuring spoon of plastic 2.5ml, so you can do that too. You can weigh the Cosmetic hair water and water, but also measure it with a measuring cylinder of 50 ml. The end result is a white liquid, about as thick as vegetable sauce. Pour this into the bottle of the deodorant roller and press the roller firmly on it. Twist the cap on. A label completes it all.

The roll-on deodorant does not need to be preserved, because of the high percentage of alcohol it will not spoil easily, the deodorant can usually be kept for several months.

The effect is based on the active ingredient Odex, which neutralizes certain sulfur and nitrogen compounds from the sweat because it hangs on these odour molecules. Because these fragrances in particular are regarded as unpleasant, the problem has been solved.

Lemon deodorant

A lemon-themed recipe, this lemon deodorant is made for an atomizer bottle.

Ingredients

– 40 ml tap water
– 5 g citric acid
– 60 ml Cosmetic hair water
– 2g Triethyl Citrate
– 20 drops of EO Lemongrass (org)

Procedure

Dissolve the citric acid in the water until all the granules have dissolved. In addition, mix the rest of the ingredients. Pour both solutions together and stir well. Put the solution in a bottle with an atomizer. In addition to the ingredients, also provide pipettes, measuring cups, measuring spoons and, if desired, a funnel.

The high percentage of alcohol ensures that no preservative is needed. Even without the alcohol, the deodorant would not go bad easily, because the deodorant is very acidic. We have measured a pH (acidity) of 2.7 in the lemon deodorant ourselves, there are few microorganisms that can last that long.

The lemon theme consists of the citric acid (citric acid powder from De Hekserij, not lemon juice from the supermarket, that’s something completely different), triethyl citrate, which is a compound (ester) of citric acid and alcohol and the essential oil made from a tropical grass. All ingredients in this mixture, except the water, prevent the growth of micro-organisms, which are the main causes of sweat odour. The essential oil also gives off a nice scent.