A caress in the form of foam
Did you know that a cleanser can be much more than a product to remove impurities? In reality, it is the first gesture of love you give to your skin every day. Especially if you have dry, sensitive or reactive skin, choosing how to cleanse your face makes the difference between a balanced complexion or a face that screams “help.”
In this first installment of our new natural cosmetics section in Rainbow Magazine, we bring you a homemade and easy recipe to create your own nourishing, gentle and effective facial cleanser. An alternative without toxins, without gender labels, without empty promises… and with ingredients that you can pronounce without getting stuck.
Because yes: taking care of yourself is also a way of resisting in a world that has often told us the opposite.
Why a natural cleanser for dry skin?
Dry skin has fewer lipids on its surface, which means it loses hydration faster. Many commercial cleaners, even those that promise “nutrition,” contain aggressive surfactants that wash away what they shouldn’t. Result: tightness, redness, peeling and a constant need to “put something on” afterwards.
Has this ever happened to you?
What we are looking for here is a cleanser that cleans without stripping, that respects the lipid layer and that feels like a caress. And if it also smells calm and can be made with your own hands, all the better.
Key ingredients and their benefits 🌱
Before going step by step, let’s briefly meet the stars of this recipe:
- Sweet almond oil: Nourishing, softening and suitable even for ultra-sensitive skin. Rich in essential fatty acids, ideal for restoring the skin barrier.
- Rose water (hydrolate): Refreshing, soothing and slightly astringent. It helps tone without drying and leaves a delicate fragrance.
- Pure aloe vera gel: Moisturizing, anti-inflammatory and regenerating. A classic that never fails, especially on dry or reactive skin.
- Natural emulsifier (wax type number 3 or soy lecithin): Necessary to unite the aqueous and oil phase. There are many eco options available.
- Natural preservative (optional but recommended): Like leucidal, which is vegan and suitable for homemade cosmetics. Without preservative, you will have to keep it in the refrigerator and use it within a week.
- Lavender essential oil (optional): Just a few drops. Provides calming properties and a relaxing aroma. If you don’t like lavender, you can safely omit it.
Recipe: Nourishing Facial Cleanser for Dry Skin
Approximate quantity: 100 ml
Duration: 7 days in the refrigerator without preservative / 3 months with natural preservative
🧴 Ingredients:
- 30 ml of sweet almond oil
- 50 ml of rose water
- 10 ml of aloe vera gel
- 5 g of natural emulsifier
- 0.5 g of natural preservative (optional)
- 3 drops of lavender essential oil (optional)
🧪 Utensils:
- A heat-resistant container
- A mini whisk or small blender
- A clean and disinfected bottle (preferably amber glass)
- Teaspoon or precision scale
Step by step 🧼
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Prepare your space: Wash your hands well and disinfect all utensils. It seems obvious, but homemade cosmetics are delicate: if an unwanted bacteria enters, it becomes the perfect home for it to reproduce.
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Melt the emulsifier: In a container in a water bath, mix the almond oil with the emulsifier. Heat gently until the wax is completely dissolved. Don’t go overboard with the temperature: warmth yes, boiling no.
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Temper the aqueous phase: In another container, slightly heat the rose water and aloe gel. The idea is that they are at a temperature similar to the oil phase, so that the emulsion does not break.
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Join both phases: Pour the watery part over the oily part while whisking vigorously. If you use a mixer, do it carefully so as not to introduce too much air. In a few minutes you will see how it transforms into a fluid and homogeneous cream.
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Add extras: When the mixture is warm (never hot), add the preservative and the drops of essential oil if you have decided to use them. Mix well.
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Package and label: Pour the cleaner into a clean bottle, label it with the manufacturing date, and store it in a cool place. If you have not used preservative, keep it in the refrigerator and use it within a week.
How do you use this cleaner?
Very easy. Apply a small amount to dry or slightly damp face, massage in gentle circular movements, and remove with warm water or a damp muslin cloth. You can use it both in the morning and at night. But listen to your skin: sometimes just one daily cleansing is enough.
What if it doesn’t work for me?
There is no universal recipe that works for everyone. What nourishes you may be heavy for another person. Natural cosmetics is also a process of listening, trial and small errors that teach us to know ourselves better.
What if this is not your recipe? Then you have a base to test on. You can change the vegetable oil, use another hydrosol, adjust the proportions… Because in the end, no one knows your skin better than you.
Is this cleanser suitable for combination or oily skin?
Not exactly. Although it can be adapted, this formula is intended for nutrition and repair needs. But don’t worry: in future installments there will be recipes for all skin types. Fiance!
Taking care of yourself is also political
At Rainbow we not only encourage you to take care of yourself on the outside, but to question what that means. Who decides what “beautiful” skin is? What happens when we reconcile with our dry skin, with its textures, with its way of speaking?
Creating your own cosmetics is also an act of autonomy. A gesture of queer self-love that challenges norms, aesthetic diagnoses and shelves full of products that promise what you already have: value.
To continue exploring…
In the next installment: a multipurpose balm for lips, hands and sensitive areas. With ingredients you probably already have at home.
Do you dare to prepare yours?
