Nail and cuticle balm is easy to make at home. This will require natural cosmetic ingredients and half an hour of time. When preparing a homemade balm, you can take into account the features of specific nails and add exactly those components that you see fit.
Self-preparation of a cosmetic product makes it possible to reflect personal preferences. For example, you can replace the classic component - lemon essential oil - with any other (say, damask rose), if for some reason the main component does not suit you. So, a step-by-step algorithm for making a balm - wax for your favorite nails.
To prepare the balm, we need natural wax, solid and liquid oils - all components are sold in natural cosmetics stores. In addition, you will need a glass jar and a regular saucepan (for a water bath), a wooden stirring stick (for example, sushi sticks) and containers for ready-made balm (fondant or empty cream jars).
Balm for nails should have a special consistency, that is, be fairly solid, but not liquid. During the preparation process, the density is adjusted by wax (the more wax, the harder the base will be) and by oils (the more oils, the softer). Let's take the following proportion as a guideline: natural wax - 10%, solid oils (butters) - 50%, liquid oils - 40%.
First step: prepare a glass jar in which you will mix all the ingredients, put wax on the bottom. Natural wax is used as a thickener, as well as it has protective properties, nourishes, moisturizes. Lemon wax, beeswax, carnauba, candelilla wax will suit us … Ideally, we use lemon wax - it is extremely useful for nails, but you can take any other as a basis.
Second step: add solid oils (butters): one or more. In the manufacture of nail and cuticle balm, the following oils are usually used: cocoa butter, shea butter (shea butter), aloe vera, coconut and others. Each oil has its own unique properties, therefore, when choosing a butter, consider the specifics of its action.
Third step: To melt solid ingredients, use a water bath: boil a half-pot of water, place the jar of ingredients in the center. Watch the melting process carefully, stir with a wooden stick. When the mass becomes liquid, remove it from the heat.
Fourth step: add liquid oil - one or more. For our purposes, olive oil, apricot kernel oil, peach seed oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, grape seed oil are perfect … Each oil has its own unique properties, therefore, when making a choice, pay attention to the skin type, the desired properties of the future product and your preferences.
Fifth step: add essential oils (a few drops) to the slightly cooled, but not yet thickened mass. It can be lemon essential oil (has a wonderful anti-inflammatory effect, strengthens and nourishes the nails), tea tree (an excellent antiseptic, has a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect), lavender (relieves inflammation and refreshes).
Sixth step: prepare containers for balm, wipe with alcohol or vodka. Pour the prepared mass into containers, let harden. The balm for nails and cuticles is ready!, before you start making natural cosmetics: apply the components in small parts to the skin of the hand at the elbow and observe for a day. If there is no swelling, rash or itching at the site of application, then the component is right for you. It is better to test each ingredient separately so that in case of an allergic reaction, you know what exactly needs to be replaced. Be especially careful with essential oils - they are often allergic to them.
Remember that. Store the finished balm in the refrigerator, and the one you use at room temperature.
