Homemade Balm Recipe and Ingredients

Anyone have homemade balm recipes?

What are the ingredients?

Level of difficulty?

Or perhaps know of a vendor who sells cheap unscented balm, then I can add my own fragrance?

Goals:
Moisturize
Assist healing (aloe/Vitamin E)
Scent
Clone AOS product

Thanks,
Jake

Milk is friendly on the skin

I was planning on making a balm next week. I'm using the following:

Aloe Vera Gel (3oz)
Cocoa Butter (2 Tbsp)
Vitamin E (1/2 Tbsp)
Tea tree oil (~5 drops)
Lavender oil (~5 drops)

I am debating whether to add Witch Hazel or to keep it as a separate step in the post-shave process. I should note that I am in no way an expert - in fact, I've never tried this before - and I based my recipe on products which I know will be good for the skin.

Have you tried any recipes that worked?

Here's a home brew that feels pretty good. All mixed in a 4 oz plastic travel bottle with a squirt top.

2 oz unscented aloe vera gel
1 oz unscented witch hazel
1/2 oz of unscented moisturizer lotion (Vaseline Intensive care)
10 drops +/- liquid glycerin

scent of choice ( I used Ogallala Bay Rum, 2nd batch using Superior 70-$)

For starters this combination seemed to work well. Just a hint of the bay rum but with the soothing feeling of the aloe vera.

Too much glycerin and the concoction will feel sticky.

I put a big squirt in my hands, do my face, and wipe the remaining on my arms. "Look good, feel good, and smell good!"

I posted this elsewhere before, but it bears repeating. I make various flavors like this.

1 sandwich sized (or thereabouts) ziplock bag
13-15 grams (about one level Tablespoon US) of Goat's Milk Multi-Base Lotion (buy the 1 pound tub for cheap!)
1/2 teaspoon (US) Jojoba oil (optional)
70-100 ml Witch Hazel - I prefer Dickensons. Yes, the smelly stuff with alcohol - it'll be fine, trust me!
Scent if you want it. Example 3 ml Old Spice Scent oil concentrate from one of the web suppliers, or a somewhat larger amount of cologne of your choice.

Directions:
Put all the stuff in the ziplock and seal it. Smoosh it around until it is well mixed, adding lotion base or Witch Hazel until you get the consistency you want. Run the bag over the corner of a table to chase the mixture all into one corner of the bag, then cut a corner off the bag to dispense into a container. A pump bottle works very well for this. Check beauty suppliers.

FYI - I have substituted Ogalalla Bay Rum AS for the Witch Hazel in this recipe, and it works great! No longer do you need to shake your Ogalalla to keep the oils suspended!

PappyD said:

1/2 oz of unscented moisturizer lotion (Vaseline Intensive care)

Click to expand...

You know, I have this lotion... Maybe I'll try this recipe out soon!

Klopstick said:

Goat's Milk Multi-Base Lotion

Click to expand...

I am interested in this. Ever used it to make shaving cream?

Never thought of making shave cream with it. The ingredients really don't have anything to do with how shaving creams are made, so it's not something I would think would do the job. You are welcome to try if you are feeling adventurous tho!

nice!

Oh, just an FYI, yesterday I made a batch of this, substituting a 2 oz sampler bottle of Ogalalla "Special Reserve" bay rum (the double strength stuff) for the witch hazel and let me tell you, that packs a kick! VERY warming on the face, but works great.

Klopstick said:

Never thought of making shave cream with it. The ingredients really don't have anything to do with how shaving creams are made, so it's not something I would think would do the job. You are welcome to try if you are feeling adventurous tho!

Click to expand...

And this is why I ask questions!

Klopstick said:

Oh, just an FYI, yesterday I made a batch of this, substituting a 2 oz sampler bottle of Ogalalla "Special Reserve" bay rum (the double strength stuff) for the witch hazel and let me tell you, that packs a kick! VERY warming on the face, but works great.

Click to expand...

I really need to give bay rum a shot. You gents seem to really like it. All I've ever really used is Nivea's AS. Can't remember if I've ever used an alcohol-based AS.

So I tried the balm recipe I posted and I thought I would update it: PHEW! It smells a bit like, well, :9898:. I only did half a batch (thank goodness!) but I decided that for the next batch I'll cut the cocoa butter in half. Its chocolate scent did not blend well with the other scents plus, when applied, it felt very greasy on the face. I might reduce the vitamin e as well to reduce the oils.

If that doesn't work then I might try PappyD's recipe since I have all of the ingredients on hand.

I made up a balm consisting of 1 part witch hazel, 2 parts Solarcain, 1 part glycerin and a dash of fragrance.

A little thick but worked well.

I've never made a balm, but a splash is easy.

Witch hazel
Aloe vera gel
Glycerin
Fragrance oil or essential oil of choice


The predominant ingredient is the witch hazel. About 3:1 with the aloe vera, depending on what thickness you want. Just a little bit of glycerin, and just enough essential oil to hide the funk of the witch hazel.

this stuff is easy to make, inexpensive, and soothing.