DIY Anti Aging Cream for Youthful and Brighter skin

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Quick research revealed that elderflowers are one of the best anti-aging herbs. My experiments started with this Elderflower salve that became one of my best posts of 2019. The salve is great however a bit oily, especially if you want to apply it in your morning skincare routine under the makeup. I tried to develop a lighter formula that would hydrate and tighten my skin but will not leave an oily residue on the skin.

Homemade anti-wrinkle cream

This homemade face moisturizer for aging skin contains water which makes this DIY anti aging cream lighter and non-greasy. While Oil-based salves are not formulated with water, creams on the other hand have a ratio of water and oil 50-50. That makes this homemade face cream for wrinkles more suitable for normal to slightly dry skin. Moreover, the water base in homemade anti wrinkle cream allows you to add other water-soluble substances. Herbal infusions or hydrosol have significant advantages for the skin.

I made a similar rose cream using rose petals

Ingredients

Emulsifying agent - Lanolin

When we use a formula with an aqueous and oily phase, it requires an emulsifying agent. The emulsifying agent, lanolin, lowers the surface tension between the two bases.

Thus enabling water-base (Elderflower hydrosol) and oil base (elderflower infused oil) to disperse in each other and create homogenously smooth DIY anti-aging face cream.

Lanolin is derived from sheep wool and contains large amounts of fat. Il also prevents water evaporation from the skin thus keeping the skin hydrated.

Preserving agent - Leucidal

Formulas that contain water call for a preserving agent, Leucidal Liquid SF.

To keep this DIY anti-aging face cream safe to use and prolong its shelf life, it is essential to include a preservative in a recipe formula.

Leucidal liquid SF has been made by the fermentation of Lactobacillus and belongs to one of the best natural moisturizers with antimicrobial activity that protect against bacteria, mold, and yeast.

While this homemade anti wrinkle cream with preservatives lasts up to one year, you will have to use it within three months and keep it refrigerated without preservatives. In that case, I suggest making small batches and placing them in the small jars to avoid any contamination.

Elderflowers in the recipe

To make this cream potent I used two ingredients infused with elderflowers

Elderflower hydrosol

Making elderflower hydrosol is a slow process. You can also use elderflower infusion or distilled water instead.

Elderflower hydrosol is genuine condensed water made from fresh or dried Elderflowers. Considered astringent, elderflower hydrosol can tone and balance and rejuvenate your skin.

To make a half cup of elderflower hydrosol you will need to collect 8 large elderflower blossoms ( or 100g of dried elderflowers) and place them in the medium-size cooking pot so the bottom is completely covered.

Make space around the center of the bottom where you need to place a heat-safe bowl upside down on the bottom. Cover the flowers with half a liter of water and place the other bowl upright on top of the first one (as per the image below)

This will become the place of condensation where the vapor reaches the bottom of the cold lid and drops in the form of hydrosol in the second bowl.

Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to a slow simmer.

Once the ice starts to melt, use a pipette or spoon to slowly remove the water. Keep adding another batch of ice cubes and removing the melted ice till your bowl with hydrosol is full. It takes approximately 20 minutes and one kilogram of ice for me. Once cooled pour it into a sterile jar and close the lid.

Elderflower oil

The oily part of this DIY anti aging face cream is made of Elderflower infused oil that reduces fine lines, smooths and rejuvenates the skin relaxes and cleanses, nourishes, and regenerates the skin.

The process of making elderflower oil is simple however requires time (about 4 weeks). Just place dried elderflower blossoms into a sterilized glass jar and fill it with almond oil. If you have fresh elderflowers you will need to dry them first. Leave it for 4 weeks to macerate. Check occasionally, to make sure that elderflower blossoms are covered completely with the oil. After four weeks strain all the herbal material and you will be left with pure elderflower oil.

You can also speed up the process by using the double boiler method. Place the jar with elderflower and carrier oil in a double boiler and bring it to a slow simmer. Make sure the temperature in the oil will not exceed 50 C (122 F). Thus keeping all medicinal properties. Remove it from the heat, let it cool down and strain the oil.

Coconut oil

Apart from being useful in the kitchen, coconut oil has anti-viral and anti-bacterial, making it great for cleansing the skin.

Easy to absorb coconut oil helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, thus greatly contributing to this .diy face cream for wrinkles

I like to use coconut oil in other skincare products such as this body butter or

Beeswax

Beeswax protects the skin by forming a barrier between the skin and the environment without clogging pores. In addition, it's high in vitamin A, which is responsible for supporting cell reconstruction.

DIY anti aging face cream

First step

Place beeswax in the double boiler, wait till it melts, and add coconut oil and lanolin. Mix it well and remove it from the heat.

Second step

Wait for the mixture to cool down to 50 C (120 F) and add elderflower-infused oil. Mix it till you have a homogenous mixture. Warm it up again in the double boiler if needed.

Third step

Slowly warm the elderflower hydrosol to 50 C (122F) in the pan.

Fourth step

Use a hand mixer and gradually pour warm elderflower hydrosol into the oily mixture while whisking at a steady pace until the mixture cools down.

Fifth step

add Leucidal liquid into the mix and continue whisking

Sixth step

Lastly, add the essential oil of your choice. I used lemongrass essential oil

Seventh step

transfer the cream into a sterilized jar with a lid, label it and store it refrigerate.

How to store homemade face cream for wrinkles?The oil and water base presence makes this homemade face cream for wrinkles less stable in its shelf life. With preservative Leucidal, this DIY anti aging cream stays well for over six months. If you want to prolong the shelf life, keep it in a refrigerator. Ideally, make smaller batches to keep the cream fresh and safe to use.

ANTI-AGING CREAM MATERIALS NEEDED

• 70 g Elderflower hydrosol or elderflower tea
• 127 g Elderflower infused oil
• 56 g coconut oil
• 14 g beeswax
• 1 tea spoon  (5 g) lanolin
• 3 g Leucidal Liquid SF - 
• 10 drops of essential oil (optional)