Botanical Skin Care Recipe Book Review and Unisex Shaving Cream!
A little while ago, The Herbal Academy sent me a copy of Botanical Skin Care Recipe book to review, and I have been absolutely blown away by it! I want to share my review with you and also share a recipe or two that I’ve developed based on the great info in this book. :)
Botanical Skin Care Recipe Book Review:
To be completely honest, I couldn’t believe how much I loved this book! As soon as I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down… I read it cover to cover in one blissful morning and it had so many little torn paper bookmarks it looked furry by the time I was finished. I absolutely LOVE the depth to with the Herbal Academy dives into the properties of each ingredient and how to create natural cosmetics SAFELY. Particularly helpful to me was the section that went over all of the various options for natural preservatives. Any bodycare recipe that has moisture in it (like rose water, tea, water, fresh plant matter, etc.) needs a preservative to prevent bacterial growth for long-term safety, but the world of preservatives can be really intimidating! Luckily there are some great naturally-derived preservatives available for natural body care, and reading about them in detail really helped me make my decision about what would be best for me and what it came from and how it works. Yay! I also really loved the simplicity of the recipes in this book. Most only require a couple of ingredients, and are easily adapted and customized, as I’ve done below. You can add in your own custom scents, colors, botanicals, and other ingredients. With a section explaining how to safely make infusions, dried herbs, and other basics, you’ll have the tools you need to jump in and create your own creative bodycare recipes. Whether you’ve been experimenting with homemade bodycare and cosmetics for a while or if you are totally new to this rewarding practice, this book will both cover the basics and expand your horizons. I can’t recommend it enough!
Shaving cream (p. 116)
I was especially excited to give this recipe a try, since I felt empowered by my new knowledge about naturally-derived preservatives to make a recipe with moisture in it that otherwise would need to be used really quickly to prevent the growth of mold and/or bacteria. I love how basic the original recipe is, so I could add in my own adaptations. I hope you enjoy my take on it!
Before we get to the recipe, I just want to emphasize that choosing to shave anywhere or anything is each individual’s personal decision, and I support your choice! I personally enjoy the sensation of shaving my legs, and do it even in the winter when nobody will see them (because shaved legs + silk long underwear = total sensory heaven.) This formulation is gentle enough for any part of your body (though if you are particularly sensitive, I’d recommend trying it without the essential oils first), and makes the process of shaving that much more enjoyable. But please don’t feel any pressure whatsoever to shave if it’s not for you! Your body is beautiful exactly as it is.
Unisex Wild Mallow Shaving Cream
This soothing unisex shaving cream is infused with a common garden weed! That’s right, wild mallow has a lot of wonderful soothing properties and is perfect for a summertime shaving cream. It infuses oil with softness; since it is slightly mucilagenous, the oil it infuses will be silky and soothing. It has cooling properties perfect for legs or faces that have gotten a bit too much sun or maybe some bug bites (it’s summer leg season* after all.) Dried plantain is also soothing to the skin and can help soothe breakouts, bug bites, and more. I think you will enjoy the woodsy unisex fragrance and silky texture of this recipe!
Ingredients:
For the Infusion:
1 1/4 c. sweet almond oil
2 c. fresh wild mallow leaves
¼ c. dried plantain leaves
For the Shaving Cream:
1/2 c. mango or cocoa butter
1/2 c. castile soap
1/2 c. raw honey
12 drops bay laurel essential oil
8 drops pine essential oil
4 drops bergamot essential oil
Natural preservative (optional)
Distilled water
Directions:
Rinse and dry the wild mallow leaves until they are crisp. Place them in a pint-sized sterilized glass jar and add the dried plantain. Cover with almond oil and let infuse in a dark place at room temperature for 2-4 weeks OR speed up infusion by placing the sealed oil-filled jar into a saucepan full of warm water set on low for several hours. Once the oil is infused, strain it well, pressing on the plant material to release as much infused goodness as possible. Measure 1 cup of infused oil for this recipe.
Gently heat the infused oil and mango butter in a double boiler on low until mango butter is melted.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Add soap and honey to oil mixture and stir well. It will become opaque at this step. .
Once it has cooled down to room temp, add the essential oils and stir well. Adding a natural preservative at this stage will keep your shaving cream safer to use and longer-lasting. I used Leucidal Liquid SF. It’s important to follow the directions on the natural preservative you choose to make sure you add the right amount. I measured my liquid by weight (about 16 oz), then determined 2-4% by weight (0.3 - 0.6 oz) and added that amount of Leucidal Liquid to my bowl and mixed well.
Once the preservative and essential oils are mixed in, pour the liquid into two16 oz bottles with foaming tops (each bottle will hold about a cup or 8 oz) and add enough distilled water to fill the bottle. Shake to combine. Store in fridge for 1-2 weeks, or longer if you use a preservative. You can also skip the water to create a thicker shaving cream that lasts longer. Shake well before using.
I’ve been making great little videos about the recipes I’m creating, so don’t forget to follow me on social media if you want to see them! You can find me on TikTok (username is @behindthewondersmith ) , Facebook, Instagram, and Discord!
* “Summer Legs”: happy legs covered in weird tan lines, scrapes, bug bites, scars, bruises, and other signs of happily running around in the woods all summer. I wouldn’t trade my summer legs in for perfectly smooth legs if you paid me; I love the stories they hold and the adventures they have carried me on! I’m proud of my shin dents and scars, thankyouverymuch.
Finally, I can’t NOT share this absolutely ridiculous outtake from photographing the shaving cream in action!
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Join me for a little winter night magic as we bake this cake full of rich seasonal flavors and black cocoa!