For those of you who have read through our blogs posts before will know that we have previously explained the ingredients and benefits of our fabulous Soothing Skin Cream back in 2016. In this blog, we intend on giving you an insight into the processes of making & potting the cream. As well as this, we will give you a brief refresher on what each ingredient is and how they help our skin.
This cream was designed by Cecily Fearnley who was the founder of our company, Sweet Cecily’s. Cecily had struggled with her eczema for many years, and she found that no matter what product she would try, they would never fully be able to clear up the issue. Things started to change when she took the matters into her own hands and started trialling out different ingredients to create her own cream. After several tests, the soothing skin was created, and it has remained the same formula since.
The Cream Contains a Powerful Blend of Ingredients
The Soothing Skin Cream was formulated to sooth areas of the skin that are dry and sore or are affected by skin conditions, this is done by the natural concoction of ingredients that we add to make. Each ingredient we add provides its own benefits to help the skin.
Cocoa Butter
Cocoa Butter, which is widely used in foods such as chocolate bars and chocolate chip ice cream is also a staple in skin care. This natural ingredient has been used in medicine for around 3,000 years and was once used as a form of currency. Its original form is that of the cocoa bean, the bean is then roasted and pressed to separate out the fat, which is where the cocoa butter comes from. Cocoa butter is high in fatty acids which when applied to the skin helps to nourish and hydrate it.
Sweet Almond Oil
The next ingredient is Sweet Almond Oil. Used for centuries in ancient Chinese practices, people would apply the oil to small cuts or wounds. Today however, it is widely used in skincare and cosmetic products. We add this into our soothing skin cream as it has great anti-inflammatory properties and is a great when it comes to repairing the skin.
Hempseed Oil
Hempseed Oil (Hemp Oil) is pressed from the seeds of a cannabis plant. It has been found to have several different benefits including its anti-aging properties and the ability to balance our oily skin to regulate the body’s natural oil production.
Borage Oil
We also use Borage Oil in the soothing skin cream. This oil is extracted from the seeds of the Borago officinalis plant. The oil is found to be high in Gamma - linolenic acid, an omega 6 fatty acid which the body is unable to produce on its own. This ingredient also helps with the anti-inflammatory of the skin and can help to relieve flare ups.
Propolis
Propolis (aka Bee Glue) is a resin like substance that comes from plants which is then processed by bees. There are many great benefits to using propolis in skin creams such as its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, it works wonders for those who have acne prone skin.
Aside from the ingredients above, the Soothing Skin Cream also contains Vitamin E oil, Distilled water, and a small mixture of natural chemicals such as Stearyl Alcohol and Glyceryl Stearate.
How We Make Our Soothing Skin Cream
The Soothing Skin Creams are made, potted, and labelled in house by us, taking handmade to another level. The process of making these creams is separated into several different stages.
Firstly, we set up in the production room. This involves us checking to make sure that we have all the ingredients that we need in stock. Once we have confirmed the ingredients, we fill up a large and small double boiler with water (we use them to melt down the ingredients). Then its time for us to get dressed for the job. This includes putting on gloves, an apron, and a hairnet. (And as you guessed it, we look great!)
Once we are ready, we begin weighing out the five natural ingredients for our first phase. Some of the ingredients include Cocoa Butter and the propolis liquid. Each raw materials weight must be accurate for the cream to be the correct consistency. They are then added to the small double boiler so that the mixture can melt. Whilst the phase one ingredients melt, we can start weighing the phase two ingredients out. This phase is very similar to the first one however, it is on a much larger scale and includes lots of boiling water.
Here is Where the Hard Work Starts…
Whilst the phase one elements are slowly melting down, we can begin to hand whisk the second phase. This usually takes anywhere between 5-10 minutes of constant whisking to get the mixture at the point of where we can add our second phase ingredients.
Phase two can then be added into the large double boiler whilst one of us is using a hand blender to prevent the different ingredients from separating. After around 5 minutes of this, we can get back to more hand whisking. This time we whisk for around 30 minutes. As the moments pass, the mixture will begin to homogenise and thicken. It’s crazy to see its consistency change in a split second in front of our eyes!
Once the cream is thick enough, we can allow the mixture to cool in a bath of cold water. Eventually after around 30 minutes, the cream has cooled enough for us to add in the third and final phase of ingredients. All three oils are accurately weighed out and then added to the mixture where we whisk the cream for a final few minutes until it is evenly distributed.
Now, we can start potting the cream into our glass jars, spreading the cream around the sides first to prevent air bubbles. This is a process that may seem easy, however, avoiding making a mess requires lots of concentration. After the creams are weighed, smoothed out and wiped, we can add the lids.
Finally, we can make the cream jars look pretty by adding colourful stickers to the top, side, and bottom. Thus, finalising the overall cream making process.
It is then stored on our shelves ready for our lovely customers to order and use on problematic areas of the skin.
Sophie's Rating of Our Cream
Our Soothing Skin Cream has been praised on our website, reflecting the same experience I (Sophie) have encountered recently, the product having 5 stars, and being described in the reviews as life changing to some.
[caption id="attachment_32182" align="alignnone" width="611"]A few weeks ago, I came to work with bad eczema around my eye and Dorrie handed me one of our Soothing Skin Cream testers to try and for me, it was a game changer. Since I was a child, I had been prescribed different medicinal creams, however, my skin would flare up even more and a burning sensation would have me wiping off the product quicker than what it took me to put it on. Once I put the Soothing Skin Cream around my eyes, the product instantly gave me a soothing sensation and my sore red eyes seemed as though they were clearing up right there and then.
Eczema - Before Applying Soothing Skin Cream[/caption][caption id="attachment_32183" align="alignnone" width="617"]
Eczema - After Applying Soothing Skin Cream[/caption]
I’ve continued to have bad flare ups recently, due to the change in weather, on my arms, face, and ankles. However, since I have carried on applying the product to my affected areas, I have noticed a huge difference in the way my eczema heals compared to when I was using prescribed creams. My affected areas seem to become less itchy within minutes and my skin is cleared up within a day or two.
A couple of weeks ago, I was feeling self-conscious going out in public due to my bad flare ups, but after using the Soothing Skin Cream, even after a few days, it has changed how I feel about my skin knowing that if my skin flares up again, I have a cream that works for me.