There are plenty of handmade, artisan skincare sprouting up online nowadays, especially on platforms like Pinterest, Youtube, Tik Tok and eCommerce sites. Artisan skincare tends to use more organic and luxurious ingredients, and usually will not use unnecessary ‘filler’ ingredients like petroleum in their skincare products.
Worldwide, cosmetic regulators such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (ACD), Health Science Authority of Singapore allow artisan brands to create their own cosmetic products at home, as long as they ensure that the products adhere to safety precautions set by the regulators. It is recommended for brands to notify their respective country’s cosmetic regulator of all their all cosmetic products. This is to facilitate regulatory follow-up should safety concerns arise.
I have been making my own skincare since early 2020 and I have enjoyed it thoroughly. There is just something quite therapeutic about making your own skincare and having complete understanding on what goes into the skincare. I have definitely learnt aplenty about what’s good and what’s not since I started. I also enjoy looking at other skincare brands. However, I have come to realise that even if the handmade artisan skincare is organic and is full of luxury ingredients, this does not mean that the handmade artisan skincare is safe to use. There are some factors you need to take note of before you make your purchase.
Here are the 5 big lessons I’ve learnt about what you need to look out for if you are interested in including handmade artisan skincare in your skincare routine.
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Clay and Aluminium are not compatible
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Make sure to store soaps are in a dry environment
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Do not buy water-based products that do not contain have any preservatives
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The space in which the skincare is created needs to be clean and sanitised
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Pregnant ladies and little children should steer clear from most essential oil infused products
1. Clay and Aluminium are not compatible
Avoid using a metal container to store your clay masque. Metal and clay don’t mix well together because clay contains properties that may ionize metal. This could change the substance of your clay mask or even harm the metal container that it’s in! Clay can also make a metal container rust. Instead of metal, keep your clay mask in a plastic or glass jar when you store it.
2. Make sure your soaps are stored in a dry environment
Soap, especially salt soaps, tend to sweat in hot weather. ‘Sweating’ happens between moisture and a humectant (the substance that preserves moisture). For soaps, the humectant is glycerin. Glycerin in soap bases is a natural by-product of saponification (the process in which soap is made!) and sometimes can be added as a moisturising agent. Humectants absorb moisture from the air. Glycerin in soap attracts the moisture from the air which forms on the surface of the soaps, which is also known as soap ‘sweating’.
Soap sweating refers to those small water droplets that are visibly covering the surface of your soap. These small water droplets do not come from inside the soap, but are actually from moisture from the air being attracted by the glycerin in the soap. The more humid the environment, the more likely the glycerin will attract moisture to the surface of your soaps.
Don’t let soap sweating turn you off though! Glycerin is known to be beneficial for the skin. The theory is that when you wash your body with soap, a thin layer of glycerin is left behind, which will then draw moisture from the air onto your skin, and hence moisturises your skin more.
If you stay in a humid environment (like me!) You can consider getting a dehumidifier! I personally use the Xiaomi Deerma Dehumidifier and it has been really useful in preventing my full shelf of handmade soaps from sweating!
3. Do not buy water-based products that do not have any preservatives in their full ingredients list
Without preservatives, bacteria can grow in your water-based skincare in a matter of days. I personally am shocked when I see the ingredients list of a water-based product (Any product that has a water-based ingredient like glycerin, aqua [water], rose water, witch hazel, hyaluronic acid etc.) does not contain any preservatives. Do not buy such a product, as the chances of your skincare getting infected with bacteria within a short period of time is inevitable.
4. The space in which the skincare is created needs to be clean and sanitised
Any cosmetic product in a public setting or a home setting is going to have some normal bacteria that’s not going to cause any illness. Therefore, as long as the formulator has a good foundation and understanding of skincare ingredients and maximum percentages to use for each ingredient, it is usually okay to buy their handmade cosmetic skincare. Usually handmade skincare owners are personable and will tend to show photos or videos of the space in which they create their bath and body formulations. From the photos and videos that they share, you can check whether the space is clean and clutter free. Also make sure that the creator is always wearing gloves when working on the product formulation.
5. Pregnant ladies and little children should steer clear most essential oil infused products
I see lots of handmade skincare products that are catered for little ones that have all sorts of essential oils in them.
The majority of essential oils are highly concentrated on their own and should not be used on the average adult’s skin. They are generally safe for adults when used correctly and diluted in your diffusers or skincare products like your body lotions, creams or gels. However, many essential oils, even those that are diluted, are not safe for infants and pregnant women.
Infants and children have thinner skin, less developed livers and immune systems. This makes them more vulnerable to potential toxicity associated with the use of essential oils, even those that are supposed to be safe and mild, like peppermint essential oil.
Following safety guidelines and exercising extreme caution is crucial. You should always consult a healthcare provider before using essential oils on or around infants and children.
As for pregnant ladies, there are some essential oils that you can use when you are pregnant. The essential oils you can use will depend on the trimester you are in. For the sake of yourself and your baby, always exercise caution and consult your doctor before using essential oils during pregnancy.