How To Make A Cream - Herbalism Basics 6 

Note to self Infused oil Herb infused preparation 50:50 ratio of water to oil Put on double boiler to warm Add beeswax 1 cup of oil to 1 oz of beeswax Let it cool to room temp Ass essential oils/tinctures (optional) Slowly add in water preparation and whisk

Ive been searching for this for so long. Not even pros could explain the truth as this man has done.

When making any kind of salves or lotions and storing them in jars, never use your fingers to remove some of that product to use on your skin. Each time you stick your finger in that jar, you are adding bacteria to the jar. Use a clean popsicle stick , spoon or other CLEAN implement to remove the cream from the container thereby reducing the chance of introducing additional bacteria to the product you have made.

This concept does work, but I adjusted the recipe to make a zinc oxide sunscreen cream. I used 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup olive oil, 20ml beeswax pearls (just under 1oz), 20 ml water, 2 TBS zinc oxide powder. I prepared it as he showed, but I dissolved 1/4 tsp BHT crystals as a preservative during the oil warming phase. I also added a few drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract to the water phase. I mixed in the zinc oxide powder in by hand after using the electric mixer. After it cooled in the container jar it looks and feels just like any sunscreen cream on the market! You just need to experiment and try different oil to water ratios. But the beeswax does act as an emulsifier! Have fun!

I have followed your method for around 11-12 years now! And I am still using it today! I use infused oils and plant concoction. I make it fresh as we need it. I love there are no preservatives or e-waxes. Thank you, thank you, thank you!🌺🌺🌺

Rick is the best presenter! I love how easy to understand his explanations are and the knock on effect is confidence to try them. Thanks!😁

Thank you, Rick. Your teaching skills are clear, concise and easy to follow!

Thank you so much for teaching me these basic skills. I desperately needed these basic principles, to process my medicinal herbs into a finished product! I am so excited to learn more about this homeopathic herbal approach of living! God bless you!

@slanesteve Thanks for the comments - yes these are just reference videos designed to attach to the herbal videos that i'll be putting up over the coming months. In each herbal video I hope to be going over some of the more common herbs. At the moment, I'm not 100% sure which herbs I'll be using.

whoa i just had a massive flashback of the show Art Attack from when i was a kid and now I'm super happy. Your accent and this layout is the best. 😆

Note for self 1c oil: 1 oz beeswax: 1 c water (add essential oils and tincture for fun)

Never change how you make your videos Rick! Love all the things you get up to :)

I loved your videos. Simple, well explained, and good demonstration.....I'm an herbalist now...Lol.....

This actually gives me an idea for a moringa and aloe vera scalp cream to help me with my fine hair and itchy scalp. Thank you so much for the demo!

I loved all your herbalism videos, I'm starting with this, and the information you present is very valuable for beginners like me, direct and easy to understand. I thank you with all my heart!🤩

you should add it when the cream is cooling down (let's say around 50-40°C) but this way you can't add more than a 15% of infused oli because again you have to deal with the emulsion which you already created.. this way your formula will change in: 20% beeswax, 20% water, 45% oils to heat, 15% infused oils to add later.. the total ALWAYS must be 100%! hopefully this would help!

I think the background, while slightly distracting, IS EXTREMELY creative! Thanks for all the info, ignore the haters! You are full of ALOT of great info and a cool accent! Thanks again! My family will love the benefits of what I have learned from you! Have a great day!

Great vid, thx Rick. I'm growing calendula as a cut flower for market and as an edible flower for salads etc. The Greeks suggested that calendula was so good for you that even 'gazing at it' will give healing benefit! I shall give making a calendula cream a try. Peace out dude!

love ......love .....love it thank you sooooooo much

Thanks for sharing this. I have made tons of creams and lotions more traditional emulsifiers but I have always read that Beeswax is not an emulsifier however; KNEW that with the right technique, it was possible because products like Burt's Bees hand creams use beeswax and no other emulsifier. It's late but I am headed to the kitchen now!!

Fantastic video. Yay. I feel totally encouraged now to make my own creams. I have long since been wanting to do this, but did not feel like following others that seem less professional. I have good skin (see pic - no filters have been used) - in fact I think it is now better than it ever was, due to an intermittent fasting programme that is ayurvedic (the bodhimaya plan), and I've been doing a triple skin cleansing routine since my teens. Way ahead of ya, beauty editors!!! LOL. At 58 years old I am very proud of my skin, but I want to maintain it using natural means in terms of moisturising creams. My biggest issue is hydration. Oils do not hydrate (hydro=water, not oil) and most of the time I end up finding a cream either gives me the oil my skin needs or the water, but not both. I am also very concerned at the new trend to re-introduce the same products as whipped creams, which means they have merely introduced air, so you actually get less product for your money. Rip-off!!!! Time to take back control I think (!) and yaboo sucks to the cosmetic industry. Another issue is that I recently developed an allergy to methylisothaloninone. My face went like a football overnight and I had mild breathing difficulties the next morning after using a day cream with this in. After doing online research, I have to say it's scary where this stuff lurks - Dove, Nivea, L'Oreal, you name it. They don't even need to put this stuff in! Of course this is limiting what I can buy, so this is another factor driving me to create my own products. And while I am having a moan-fest - here is a question to all others visitors here: am I the only one who likes to buy BIG pots of cream so I have less shopping trips to do??? Why are companies allergic to selling things in larger pots? With my dry skin a pot of 250mg barely lasts me two weeks and I usually have to apply several applications every day. In terms or product miles, we need to start voting with our feet to stop companies forcing us to buy small pots, with trips into town every week to buy the bally things. And don't even talk to me about night creams!!!! So this is my bid to make something that works for mature skin, which is deeply moisturising (hydrating) and comforting, for both day and night. One thing: you did not mention the need to clean everything in a hot bleach and water mixture and to do the same with the stick blender, beforehand, and the need to spray your jars with alcohol before putting things into them, or you can be transferring bacteria from your hands and equipment into the cream - and some of these bacteria can blind you. The alcohol will evaporate, but it will ensure there are no bacteria present. Sorry, don't mean to be negative... hope you understand that I mean well for everyone visiting here. :) Look forward to more of your videos - will be watching them later today for sure! Thanks so much.

I use Vitamin E as my preservative so I don't have to refrigerate mine. I end up using mine around 5 months and it's still great. I keep it by the kitchen sink. I make soap and my hands are always getting freshly made soap all over them. I have to have a really good moisturizer or my hands will be so dry you can see it! LOL. Thank you for making this so simple. Concocting can be troublesome because it can get tricky. You make it so easy I want to go try it out right now. LOL. Thanks.

Just tried this and it came out beautifully!

This video was so helpful Rick! Thank you for sharing :)

Thank you , Rick . i bought 4 sticks of Beeswax ; tomorrow i'm making your body cream recipe ... i'll use Frankincense essential oil , so , hopefully, i'll be in Frankincense Heaven ! very excited about making this . yes , Kristen is right , the opening scene of you video is very "trippy" !

I am into herbs big time and I thank you for you post. It makes it easy for folks to understand. Blessings and peace to you!

@msTmattole Thanks for the comments. I've got no immediate plans to make a video on lotions, but it sounds like it might be a good idea to see what information is out there to do it successfully. As far as I'm aware, the temp must stay as low as possible to prevent the degradation of the plant material - so just warm enough to melt the wax. It will help if all the ingredients are of similar temps. :o) Good luck with your endeavours.

Thanks - I'm just an amateur - if I want to know something I'll look it up in a book or research it on the net making sure I've gone to several independent sources for the information and then extrapolate my own version of doing it

Excellent introductory series and thanks for all your efforts in putting this series together. Looking forward to your "remedies"

Rickvanman, I love this Herbalism series of yours. I hope you will make more videos on this topic. I really love your videos. They are easy to understand, and i learn alot from them! Thank you so much!

@Nibiru128 LOL! Thanks for the comment. No tardis, but certainly hard work. Took 2 weeks over-all including the scripting and research time. I guess you just have to make time somehow :o)

Add half a teaspoon of cosmetic grade borax (for this size). Do your research on cosmetic borax, it's completely natural and good for the skin. It will emulsify your cream completely. Beeswax and essential oils are not emulsifiers and even if left in the fridge it will separate or at least get water bubbles in it. Just use the borax and you'll always end up with perfectly blended creams. Some people don't like borax but I find those who don't think it's bad for you. If you use chemical borax from the cleaning section than YES. But cosmetic grade is just a form of salt that actually acts as an antiseptic (or a band aid if you like) for damaged skin. It's the perfect emulsifier for your beauty products.

Oh-- thank you for the tips by the way .🙂 Having the chemistry explained briefly beforehand helps aim for proper ingredient targets.

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!! Best video I have seen, there was another but I forget his name right now but yours is easy peasy, I sometimes have to heat my oil and water three times because it does not emulsify and then whisk it in a double bath of ice water with ice. But I like your tutorial and your inspiring images. You ROCK.

Thank you! This video was very helpful!

you can add vitamin e to prevent rancidity. you can also use grapefruit seed extract (GSE), rosemary essential oil, to name a few. do your research. don't take anyone's word for it.

What a beautiful way of teaching how to make a cream, thank you so much.

Hi Rick, Really enjoyed all your Herbalism RU-vid Videos and pinned them all to my Boards. I see that you eventually added a Disclaimer which is always a good idea. Thank you for sharing these educational videos. Wishing much health and happiness.

I've watched this before & although I've made this recipe (& like it), I must say that beeswax is NOT an emulsifier. You will see that you can almost feel the distinction between water based & oil/wax based halves. Not separation but almost as if some the water sits on the surface of every scoop but it still works. At home who cares but if you plan to sell it, you might have issues. I'm modifying a batch today. I'll use slightly less beeswax & add a tiny bit of stearic acid emulsifier to pull it all together smoothly. I refuse to eliminate the beeswax, my skin loves it!

Hey ye all. If you don't like using Parabens, there are 2 broad spectrum plant based preservatives on the market now called "Geoguard" and "Optiphen". Not as effective as Parabens but they will give your concoctions at least a year shelf life maybe more. Plant based preservatives are made of a combination of potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate and calcium gluconate all derived from corn plant FDA approved and used as food preservatives. So perfectly good for homemade natural skincare.

Thanks for quick reply Rick. I am sure I am going to learn a lot with your help. All the best in your future and thanks again :).

THANK YOU FOR SHARING SO FREELY. YOU ARE A GOD SENT ❤️

this was so darn helpful and professional, THANK YOU!!

Hey Rick, I've loved all of your herbal videos and you have made it incredibly easy to whip up some nice, soothing lotion in just a few hours; however, I had no idea how difficult it could be get all of the melted beeswax/oil mixture cleaned up. Do you have any suggestions for helping to get it out of pans (or out of my sink?) Great videos, I'd really like to see more.

hi! hopefully this would help: to make a cold cream (this type emulsified with beeswax) respect the proporcion of 60% oli, 20% beeswax and 20% water. heat the ingredients separately ( oils and beeswax in one pot and water in another one) up to 70°C and then add the water little by little to the oils-wax mixture. even when it's cooling down keep on stirring well! :-) this time you won't fail and the cream will not separate!

you're welcome! ;) on changing %: you can raise oils, but it would turn into a pomade, you have to be careful on raising water it could cause the emulsion to separate..20%beeswax could hold up to a maximum of 25% water and in this case I would use in the oils mixture a quote of coconut oil which is solid at room temperature and would help the water to be kept in the emulsion. Please note that the biggest part of active ingredients is thermolabile so if you want to add infused oils to the cream

Hi Rick - I drop in and out of your videos occassionally, I first came across you when you were in your "outdoor bushcrafting" phase a little while ago. Just want to say that I am staggered by the sheer volume of vids you put out and more staggered by the fact that you have to research first a lot of the topics you present. Don't know how you find the time but well done mate...!

Ohh thank u sir very nice video, love it. I love herbs

These are really helpful videos! I bought some books on apothecary and want to start making my own preparations. It's really nice to have a visual along with the reading. Thanks!

Best video on herbal creams I mean.

Thank you SO SO MUCH! I'm not into this whole herb thing, however, i now understand how lotion is made. I plan to make goat's milk lotion and this was very helpful!

Thank you so much for the great work 😀

I love the recipe and your accent 💕🙏 You have a new subscriber!

Excellent video! Just bought a hand blender similar to yours and am dying to make some of my salve recipes into creams! I have several of my infused oils and tinctures ready to roll! I am sad to hear this is a thing of the past for you and wish you luck on whatever you do next! Thanks again!

@Malvarenga92 Hi, a water based preparation would be an 'infusion' or a 'decoction' - see my other herbalism videos for instructions

this is the first video from your channel that i watched. really appreciate the knowledge shared. thanks Doc.

Oh, that looks so great, makes me want to order one from you, but you are in Australia. Have you heard about Weleda? They make the creams adding a plant essence which had been rhythmically shaken and this essence then is added to the creams to give it an endless shelf life, this is Dr. Rudolf Steiner's invention, a remarkable phenomenon.

Dear Rick, i tried to make my own cream as soon as i've wached your cream making video and the reasult is absolutely wonderful. i've been making researces about this for a long time and this is the best solution i've ever had. i do thank you for all the info you are giving in your videos. also big thanks for the info about the greatest emulsifier "beeswax". i keep thinking how to reach "emülsifying wax" which i also thought that indispensable for cream making. it's all about whisking well.

Exccelent video many thanks!!!

WHAT GREAT INFORMATION!

@aquahoe Because he failed to tell you that you also need borax in addition to beeswax to make the emulsion. The amount of borax to be used depends on the amount of water you use, but should never exceed 1/16 to 1/20 of the beeswax you use (in terms of weight). Note: Borax is to be put in the water phase.

Anshu Seth: I used beeswax. Worked well. It does tend to cool quickly and start to thicken as it cools, so you have to be quick when you are using the emulsion blender or you do not get a total blending of the herbal decoction. Part of the problem I had (which was easily fixed) was using to wide a container to emulsify the melted beeswax/oil with the decoction and thereby cooling to rapidly. I simply put it back into the double boiler and re-melted and then used a tall, more narrow container to blend it together. This worked very well. The thickening of the "crème" is related to "cooling" of the product you are making if you are using beeswax. In the video Rick mentions lanolin as an emulsifier. I prefer the beeswax as lanolin can cause allergic reactions especially in people allergic to wool.

I wish you make more videos I absolutely love love all the videos you made on RU-vid Thank you so much

Why not use lecitin as a natural emulsifier? he mentioned mayonnaise himself and that's because licithin is found egg yolks, but is also derived from soy. The clean licithin is made into pellets witch can be soacked in water/herb juice and mixed before adding the oils. bees wax is not actually an emulsifier, but works more like a supplement for an emulsifier. Instead you could have used both bees wax and licithin for a better result. I'm not really a herbivore myself (XD) but it just seems like a better choice for making a cream that mixes better without using chemicals. Btw it has been done by many people so i'm not making it up

@bearlysceneranch too early to tell yet - i'll do a book reccomendation video as soon as Ive spent some time working with them.

@aquahoe Borax, given the E number E285, is used as a food additive in some countries but is banned in the United States - not sure I'd be wanting to put this chemical in my natural remedies

Thank you very much for your precious tips

Thsnk you so much! I was looking for a 100% natural cream that doesn't require ewax 🥰

This is amazing! I'm gonna do this!!!

I will be watching ALL your videos. God willing.

You can also add some vitamin e oil (great for skin) and it will preserve the cream even better. Just a few drops will do.

The process of living is enzyme reactions. Preservatives prevent bacteria and viruses in creams by inhibiting enzyme reactions. When you put the cream on the preservative will be absorbed into your body and prevent enzyme reactions there until it is removed. It's your choice but the best preservative it's too keep it alive and make small quantities periodically

Fantastic video preparation I love it thank you for the teaching

the preservative isn’t harsh it’s what’s needed for a longer shelf life then 2wks or more plus you need to use an emulsifier Wax like BTMS50, Emulsifier NF, Vegetable Emulsifier CA/20 but no beeswax or aloe Vera gel but use filtered water or cooled boiled water instead (not tap water) Rosemary Oleoresin, liquid Germal Plus, Phenonip, osteophin plus are the preservatives you can use - Vitamin E is Not a preservative it is an additive You can also add Ecosoya Q210 (aka CB135) with the E-wax as it’s the only one dermatology tested safe for ALL skin types and used for skin preparations

This was excellent! You have the best informative videos on you tube.. THANKS!

Lovely lovely lovely! Thank you for sharing 🤗🙏♥️

so glad i found these vids. very interested and so in love with gardening and herbalism. I want to learn how to make soap and pH safe fragrances

1 ounce beeswax 1 cup oil (infused optional) 1 cup water (infused optional) Melt the wax into the oil, then mix with essential oils and the water and mix with an immersion blender

Thank you, thank you, thank you

Beautifully and clearly explained!

Did the beeswax harden in the bottom of the bowl, you didn't scrap it out? Great video will try this I love stick blending.

those percentages are the "original" ones of the galenic recipe: beeswax has a mild emulsifying properties so you need quite a lot of it to be able to have the 20% of water in the cream. The 20% of beeswax is able to maintain the emulsion stable for a very long time (more than 12months), I'm not sure taht just a 7% would hold the emulsion just as well! ;)

Fascinating series Rick!

You are so kind!

very interesting rick

Thank you so much for sharing. It would be better to make the Herb into an Oil, eliminating the water altogether and giving the cream a much longer shelf life without having to put it into the frig. I couldn’t remember how to make a cream, but I find that White beeswax pellets cosmetic grade: are better for making creams. Dark jars are always the best. Thanks again!!!

That is the infusion/decoction. An example of an infusion would be tea, meaning you have infused water with herbs of some kind. The most important thing to remember is that you need 1 part water to 1 part oil in order for the base to work.

Vitamin e is also good for extending the shelf lives of infused oils

Just finished watching a RU-vid video that demonstrates why beeswax is NOT an emulsifier. There are far better and equally safe choices to use. Kind of surprised that Rickvanman did not know this.

The liquid preparation you added at the end, was that alcohol based tincture liquid or water preparations?

thank you! You are a wealth of knowledge.

Wow great information!!! Do you have any other suggestions for emulsifying agents? I am getting into herbalism but I am vegan and cruelty-free so I do not use beeswax.

Oh my fucking God you have no IDEA how long I've been looking for your channel!

A lot of people say you can't say beeswax as an effective emulsifier.... Emulsifying wax, usually plant based, seems to be the most commonly used. What's your opinion on that, please?

Thank you for your video. I am learning bunches

Great video, thank you so much

Thanks for the sub :o) Glad the vids helped. Not a healer - This was just a hobby I dabbled in last year, but I found I kept making medicines and then had no use for them, so ended up throwing them away after they expired :o( Haven't done much in the way of herbalism for a while, but it's nice to have the knowledge in case the sills are ever needed. Good luck with the herbalism course :o)

Lovely video thx for sharing... I would like to know what temperature are the liquids?

Thanks really easy to follow, top quality video.

Hey Rick, I'm a hedgewitch living in pendle, Lancashire and herbalism is a big part of my life. I think the vids you have done on the subject of herbalism are great, are you going to do any more of them? Do you still practice herbalism?