If you are a person who finds traditional face soap to be too drying, you just may fall in love with cream cleansers! Most conventional face cleaners strip the skin of natural oils (called sebum), which can result in unbalanced skin. This can cause a host of problems, including breakouts, redness, itchiness, and ironically oily skin! What I love about cream cleansers is that they help to remove dirt and excess oil, but in a gentle and restorative way. 

What is a Cream Cleanser?

Despite the name, there is no actual “cream” in a cream cleanser. The name comes from the silky look and feel of the soap when it emulsifies. There are many cream cleansers on the market, but I really love making my own with natural ingredients that my skin loves.

In this DIY facial cleanser, I called upon some of my favorite skin care oils and one of the most underrated essential oils for skin care and aromatherapy—blue tansy! Blue tansy oil has a divine aroma that is supportive in times of stress. It smells sweet, fruity, and floral, and I love bringing this kind of wellness support when taking time for self-care. Its benefits, however, extend far beyond its pleasant aroma. Blue tansy oil has a long list of skin-loving benefits. This specialty oil contains antioxidants and can help to calm and soothe the skin, especially when experiencing redness and minor irritations. It’s the star of the show in this homemade face wash!

You will notice in the recipe below that I offered a range of castile soap. I have made about six versions of this recipe, and continue to tweak it depending on what my skin needs at the time. I think it is important to recognize that the condition of our skin changes over time and even with the seasons. It is healthy for us to remain flexible and in tune with these needs as we make our own skin care products.

Slight Digression: Over the years of teaching natural skin care, I have found that people often get stuck making statements like "I have oily skin" or "I have dry skin". (We can thank the conventional beauty industry for this kind of labeling.)  Instead, I like to teach people to think of our skin on a continuum and instead of putting labels on ourselves, we can say things like "I am currently experiencing dry skin and seek to better support it to a place of balance."  This is more conducive to a healthy relationship with our self-care and also keeps us more aware of how our skin is changing over time. If you claimed to be a person with oily skin for 10 years, you would most likely default to seeking skin care products that support oily skin, despite the changes that your skin has gone through over those 10 years. We aren't oily or dry all the time.

I also teach the benefits of changing up your skin care routines so that the skin gets a variety of supportive benefits while also training it to be adaptive to change. Just like our diets, having diverse sources of “nutrition” is important to ensure we are getting what we need. Different oils, hydrosols, and essential oils bring varying benefits to the skin, so I always celebrate variation in skin care. This is yet another reason I make most of my own skin care products!

This recipe took me a long time to formulate, and I think it is one that you'll keep in your recipe book for years to come. Have fun, try some new things, and show yourself some love!

How to Make a Cream Cleanser

Makes about 26 grams or 3/4 fluid ounces.

Ingredients

• 6 grams organic rosehip seed oil
• 4 grams organic pomegranate seed oil
• 2 grams beeswax
• 8-12 grams organic castile soap
• 6 grams organic vegetable glycerin 
• 8 drops blue tansy essential oil  

Directions 

1. Fill a saucepan with water. 
2. Weigh all ingredients except the essential oil and add to a double boiler.
3. Place double boiler in saucepan and heat until all of the ingredients are melted. 
4. Once a liquid, remove double boiler insert and use a whisk to stir.
5. Continue whisking mixture until cooled. 
6. Pour into glass jar and label with ingredients and date made.
7. Allow to sit for an hour as the ingredients fully incorporate.
   
   

To Use

• Wet hands and face.
• Using a clean utensil, scoop out a nickel-size amount.
• Apply to face and massage into skin for 1 minute.
• Use warm water and wash cloth to remove cleanser.
• Follow up with your favorite toner and moisturizer. 
  
  

• You will notice that the castille soap is in a range. If you are experiencing more oily skin or if you like a bit more cleansing action, you can opt for more soap. If you are experiencing dry skin, I recommend using less of the castile. Keep in mind that the texture will be firmer with less soap. 
• This recipe is in weight measurements. I make this in small batches since there is no preservative, and measuring by weight makes this recipe more reliable.
• I personally love blue tansy oil essential oil for skin care and for aromatherapy, but if you have a different essential oil you prefer for your skin, you can swap.  Do not use citrus as most citrus essential oil is phototoxic and you don’t want that to remain on your face. 
• This recipe can be used daily or as needed. My personal skin care routine includes oil cleansing about 5-6 days a week, and using a homemade cream cleanser 1-2 days a week. 
• This preservative-free face wash is best used within 2-4 weeks. You can easily half the recipe to make smaller batches more frequently. 
  
  
  

Looking for More DIY Skin Care Recipes?

Try This Brightening Berry and Honey Face Mask

You may also enjoy:

• DIY Sheet Mask for Dry Skin
• Moisturizing Skin Serum Recipe
• Bronzing "Glow Up" Facial Serum Recipe