Current literature on “Slow Cosmetics” and new cosmetic and hygiene trends aim to preserve the proper functioning of our skin’s natural barrier by avoiding the use of harsh soaps and cosmetics. https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/5/1249/htm

In our homemade cosmetic preparations, the ingredient that can be the most aggressive and that we need to watch out for the most are preservatives.

I find it rather sad to observe that when the best cosmetic laboratories of today (Welleda, Colgate Palmolive (Sanex line) strive to improve the composition of their soaps and cosmetic products to make them less aggressive and respectful of the natural bacterial flora of our skin, bloggers and authors of homemade natural cosmetics continue to design recipes for creams and other homemade cosmetic products to which they happily add a gram of synthetic preservatives such as Cosgard, Geogard, Rokonsal…

And some of you will tell me that you make these recipes and that you don’t notice anything aggressive. My question is: do you notice that your skin feels more stiff after a few days of use, have you developed skin redness, is your skin more sensitive to the sun and the appearance of sunspots? All these phenomena are side effects caused by the use of aggressive preservatives or excessive amounts of preservatives in your creams and products for daily use, as synthetic preservatives deteriorate the natural protective layer of our skin and alter its functioning. It is for this reason that today’s soaps strive to use less aggressive detergents with the addition of probiotic ingredients and natural skin barrier protectors. And today’s good creams, which are tolerated by all skin types, such as Welleda’s, do not even contain synthetic preservatives, just a few derivatives of natural essential oils.

Weleda is a Swiss-German company founded in 1921. With 90 years of experience, the company is dedicated to the production of anthroposophically oriented master preparations and natural cosmetics. Compare, for example, the composition of Welleda’s Skin Food cream with some of the conventional creams you will find on the market.

WELLEDA SKIN FOOD CREAM INGREDIENTS

INCI: Water (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Lanolin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Beeswax (Cera Alba), Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate (emulsifier of vegetable origin), Glycerin, Limonene* , Viola Tricolor Extract, Hydrolyzed Beeswax,  Sorbitan Olivate (lipids derived from olive oil), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract , Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract , Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Arginine, Zinc Sulfate, Fragrance (Parfum*) Linalool* Geraniol * Citral* Coumarin* *From natural essential oils.

THE WELLEDA PHILOSOPHY IS ALSO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THIS BLOG

We wanted to include here some lines about the philosophy of this brand because we consider that this same philosophy is totally applicable to the natural homemade cosmetics that we emphasize from this our blog.

“Parabens, esters of hydroxybenzoic acid, are one of the most common preservatives in conventional cosmetics due to their low price. They appear on INCI labelling under names such as ethylparaben, propylparaben, isopropylparaben, butylparaben.

Although they are of natural origin, they are produced synthetically and are mainly used to delay the expiry of natural elements. In recent years there has been an increase in cases of skin allergies, rosacea, among others, due to the use of parabens in food and cosmetics (…) Other commonly used synthetic preservatives are benzoic acid, which appears as benzoic acid, or benzyl alcohol, which appears as benzyl alcohol”. Source: welleda

“Preserving a cosmetic naturally is a very complicated task, almost an art, which requires a great deal of experience and knowledge of the principles of natural cosmetics. The process begins with the raw materials, which are subjected to rigorous quality controls.

It is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of natural raw materials, their properties, their character and how to combine them to achieve a natural, stable, safe, effective and long-lasting formula without resorting to synthetic additives.

It also takes advantage of elements such as the type of packaging, natural alcohol or essential oils to contribute to the preservation of the product. (…) Source: Welleda

The most commonly used alcohol, which comes from a long tradition in homeopathy and anthroposophic medicine, is ethanol, which is a completely natural alcohol obtained by fermenting sugars from grains of different plants. It is included in some formulas in very low concentrations, makes the texture lighter and, being volatile, does not penetrate the skin.

Essential oils, in addition to serving as a scent and having multiple physical and emotional benefits, such as stimulating microcirculation, have a fungicidal and bactericidal effect. They are included in very low concentrations between 0.5 and 2%.

It is possible to enjoy effective, safe and 100% natural cosmetics without putting our health at risk by introducing unnecessary chemicals“. Source: Welleda

So, with these ideas in mind, we have intended to write this article on optimising our cosmetic formulations to make them smart like the cosmetics designed by Welleda and thus avoid the use of unnecessary preservatives and chemical additives. That is why we thought we would dedicate this article to “smart cosmetic ingredients” in our homemade preparations.

The best natural preservative that can be used in natural homemade cosmetics is, of course, not to use any preservatives at all.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5583239/

To achieve this, as we always say, there are several strategies:

1.-Prepare a very small amount of product that we are going to consume in a few days and, in this case, we will not need to add anything to our homemade formulation.

2.-Keep our homemade product cool and protected from sunlight and temperature changes, e.g. in the fridge, and package it in dark glass containers.

3.-Design a formulation that will keep well for a few weeks without the need to add any preservatives. As we all know, if our formulation does not contain water, this is very easy to achieve, but the problem arises when we want to formulate a cream or body lotion with an aqueous phase, which are undoubtedly more moisturising.

It is therefore necessary to design our formulation well if we want to do without preservatives.

To achieve this, it is possible, for example, to use in our products oils that have been altered to lengthen their rancidity, such as fractionated coconut oil, derived from natural coconut oil, or squalene, derived from the fatty acids in olive oil.

Better still, it is possible to use partially ozonised oils which retain all the properties of the vegetable oil but do not become rancid or contaminated, thus preserving our formulation.

Oils macerated in balsamic resins also have a longer shelf life.

And, of course, since the problem of contamination of our creams comes from bacteria and moulds in the water in products containing an aqueous phase, we can treat the water we are going to use.

We can start, for example, by using hydrolats to which we can add a few drops of the same essential oil to enhance its preservative capacity or even alcohol (preferably ethanol, or even vodka, which has a high natural alcohol content and is also used to make homemade tinctures) as in Welleda’s cream, which is not absorbed into the skin but prevents our cream from deteriorating.

Of course, if we do not have hydrolats, we will have to use distilled water. And why not? Treated water, for example with ozone, as we do with oils. Instead of using ozonated oils, we can use ozonated water in our preparations to avoid fungi and bacteria and, above all, to avoid the need to use synthetic preservatives.

And, in any case, when designing our products, we can consider the idea of making a solid cosmetic since solid cosmetics, by definition, contain little or no water. We will talk about solid cosmetics in a later post.

OZONATED WATER AND HEALTH

Numerous studies have shown that drinking ozonated water provides health benefits and has positive effects on the circulatory system, the nervous system, the skin, the …

Washing fruit, vegetables, fish and other perishable foods with ozonised water guarantees their total disinfection. The same disinfecting and sterilising effect of ozone can be applied to containers, bottles, teats, bottles, contact lenses… Simply immerse them in ozone purified water for 5 minutes.

Ozone-treated water also has a beneficial effect on the gastric mucosa, which is favourable as an adjuvant factor in the treatment of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers and some parasitosis.

In general, ozone therapy considers the use of ozone water to be very beneficial for: the circulatory system, the nervous system (depression, stress, insomnia, exhaustion), obesity and cellulite, allergies, eczema and other skin conditions, anaemia, liver problems, rheumatism, arthritis and gout.

Medical ozone therapy eliminates the free radicals that cause premature ageing. Dr. Pérez de León, a renowned doctor from the Biological Institute of Health, includes ozone therapy among his therapeutic methods, stating that it increases immunity by 25-30% and that “it is beneficial for any illness”. Proof of this is that it is currently being used as part of the treatment for AIDS patients.

You can see that your ozonising machine for oils and water can even help you to increase your defences and avoid contagion by coronavirus. Who would have thought it?

On the other hand, if you use ozonised water in the preparation of soaps and household detergents, you will achieve better whitening results than with bleach, as ozone enhances the action of detergents by neutralising the action of other chemical pollutants such as bleach and chlorine, thus preserving the environment.

The cosmetics and hygiene industry has accustomed us to buying synthetic preservatives and synthetic sanitisers based on chlorine, which nowadays, with the technology available to us, are not even necessary and, moreover, pollute. But they do keep the wheel of the capitalist-consumerist system running.

RECIPES THAT DO NOT NEED PRESERVATIVES TO BE PRESERVED

Here are some examples of homemade formulations that can last for several months without the use of preservatives.

BB-CREAM Facial

Along the lines of what we were talking about how to formulate smart homemade cosmetics without using preservatives or using minimal preservatives.

For example, it is possible to formulate a BB-Cream Facial without using an aqueous phase.

Therefore, it is not necessary to add preservatives. We have only taken the precaution of using fractionated coconut oil, which is more stable than natural oil, and will last about 6 months in perfect condition. In addition, this BB-cream includes a high sun protection factor due to the 20 grams of zinc oxide with which we have prepared the line. This makes it an ideal day cream.

Ingredients for 100 g of product:

0.8 g pink ochre pigment (or a mixture of red and yellow iron oxide)

20 g of zinc oxide previously micronised in the ceramic mortar to avoid lumps

63 g fractionated coconut oil

8 g of silica microspheres

8 g beeswax

PROCEDURE:

Put the red iron oxide and the yellow iron oxide in a heat-resistant container. Then add the zinc oxide.

Add the fractionated coconut oil to the mixture, stir and blend. Add the silica microspheres, stir and finally add the beeswax.

Put the mixture in a bain-marie to melt the wax, stir well and pack.

In this first cosmetic formulation we have not used an aqueous phase, which makes it much easier to do without preservatives, but in this second case, we present a body lotion formulation that does contain a lot of water.

LIPID BARRIER PROTECTIVE BODY MILK FORMULATION

This body milk keeps for weeks without adding any preservatives thanks to the combination of lanolin and beeswax. You will certainly finish it before it deteriorates. But if you expect to use it for months, it is best to add a few drops of GSE to your distilled water or use ozonated water instead. Of course, it is also possible to use a mildly ozonated almond oil.

Ingredients for about 250 ml of body milk:

10 grs lanolin

12 grs beeswax

10 grams of emulsifying wax #3 (INCI: Glyceryl Stearate Citrate)

120 g distilled/ozonised water with a few drops of GSE

80 grams of almond oil

PROCEDURE:

Heat the beeswax in a bain-marie until it melts and add the lanolin.

Separately, heat the emulsifying wax No. 3 in a bain-marie in another container and when it melts, add the almond oil and the ozonised water until it reaches a temperature of 70 degrees.

Now add the oil + ozonised water to the lanolin and beeswax mixture while whisking until the mixture is integrated and the emulsion is stabilised. It should be a light emulsion like a fine custard.

If it is too light after whipping, don’t worry, because when it cools down it will thicken much more. If you add more wax, it will be too thick and you will not be able to use it smoothly afterwards.

This is a very interesting body milk because the combination of lanolin and beeswax generates a kind of film on the skin that reinforces its lipidic barrier, thus protecting our skin from dehydration. You will notice it immediately if you decide to make it.

HOMEMADE SOYBEAN LECITHIN EMULSIFIER with base of ozonised oil

It is advisable to first pulverise the soya lecithin you have purchased with a ceramic pestle and mortar, which usually comes in granulated form.

I say this because crushing the granules well helps a lot later with the process of incorporating the soya into the sunflower oil.

Ingredients:

40% cold-pressed sunflower oil (sorry, but supermarket oil is not suitable) or sweet almond oil, in our case, ozonised sunflower oil.

60% non-GMO soy lecithin, usually granulated.

PROCEDURE:

The pulverised soya lecithin is added to a heat-resistant glass container, which is to be placed in a bain-marie.

Then add the sunflower oil that has already been weighed and place in a bain-marie for about 15 minutes.

After this time, the granules may not have dissolved completely. Some people blend them in a blender, but if you find this process too messy and messy, we simply keep stirring for a few more minutes until they are completely dissolved.

Finally, pour the mixture into a glass jar with a lid and leave it to stand for 3 hours. After this time, our lecithin will be ready.

This is an emulsifier that can be used for cold or hot emulsions. However, it is recommended to use another agent that can give consistency to the emulsion (co-emulsifier), e.g. beeswax, which, although it is not an emulsifier itself, helps to make the emulsion more stable. It is also possible to use cetyl alcohol or a thickening gum such as xanthan in the aqueous phase.

The advantage of this soy lecithin emulsifier is that, in addition to being an emulsion coadjuvant, it provides a soft touch and a higher level of hydration and anti-wrinkle protection to our creams due to the phytoestrogens contained in soy lecithin. And, the biggest advantage of preparing it with ozonised oil is, without a doubt, that it does not go rancid as is usually the case with homemade soya lecithin made with conventional sunflower oil.

ANTI-MOSQUITO SPRAY

Ingredients:

50 ml of seawater reconstituted from Dead Sea salt, or Celtic salt, or any other salt with properties. As you know, salt is another great natural preservative. However, you can substitute this recipe with ozonated water, of course.

6 drops of Citronella Java EO

6 drops of EO of Eucalyptus citriodora

5 drops of Geranium of Egypt essential oil

5 drops of Immortelle de Corsica or Helichrysum or Immortelle de Corsica E.O.

1 g vegetable glycerine

INSTRUCTIONS

First, reconstitute the seawater by adding a teaspoon of salt to 50 ml of a mineral water that you have at home.

Now, we will calculate one gram of glycerine* which will serve as the basis for dissolving the essential oils and combining them.

So, to this gram of glycerine we will add the EOs and stir.

Finally, we add the glycerine mixture with the essential oils to the seawater and package it in a spray bottle, preferably in dark glass, to keep it in good condition for a longer period of time. Although, as you have probably gathered from our clever formulation, this combination of water with salt and essential oils needs virtually no additives to keep it stable indefinitely.

*If we did not use glycerine, we would have to use a natural solubiliser to emulsify the essential oils with the seawater to avoid having to shake our bottle every time we use it.

TIPS:

Avoid adding more EO than indicated because, although you may think that this will make your spray more effective against mosquitoes and other flying beasts, this is not entirely true and you may also cause a skin reactivity problem for children or sensitive people.

Although the ingredients used are all natural, as we always say, just because they are natural does not mean they have no effect. This spray contains essential oils, which are powerful therapeutic weapons that should be used with caution and respect.

In this case, we will avoid using higher doses than those recommended for the 50 ml of product and, at the same time, we will avoid direct contact of the EOs with the skin. This is why we have diluted them in the glycerine and water contained in our spray bottle.

THE NATURAL PRESERVATION ALTERNATIVES THAT WE KNOW OF

As we have been talking about, ozonated oils, ozonated waters and hydrolats, sea salt added to our waters, oleates based on balsamic resins, essential oils added to our compositions, tinctures such as benzoin tincture or propolis tincture; all these options constitute authentic natural conservation strategies for our homemade cosmetic products as long as we include them in our formulations.

In the event that it is essential to use some kind of preservative in our preparation, as is perhaps the case for the preservation of natural aloe vera gel or some creams and lotions with aqueous phase, we can look to the natural cosmetics industry and the organic food industry to find preservatives that are less aggressive to our skin but still do their job effectively.

https://fbcindustries.com/what-are-the-most-common-food-additives-and-preservatives/

Natural preservatives such as potassium sorbate are, in principle, not harmful to the body. Potassium sorbate (E202) consists of the potassium salt of sorbic acid and is used as a preservative in both the cosmetics and food industries. It is considered safe because it is converted to water and CO2 in the human body. It protects cosmetic products against yeasts and moulds and is very skin friendly. The dosage of this preservative would be between 1.5% to 2%.

https://www.feelinggoods.nl/weet-jij-wat-je-smeert/

We prefer to use mild preservatives such as potassium sorbate combined with ethanol or preservatives of natural origin that also contain probiotics, such as Leucidal, as well as those used in naturopathy to fight infections, such as grapefruit seed extract and propolis tincture, which is also used to disinfect wounds and as an adjuvant in infectious processes.

Using potassium sorbate as a preservative in dermo-cosmetics is certainly an option, although as is often the case with milder, biodegradable options, it is not a very effective option.

“Potassium sorbate inhibits the growth of yeasts and moulds, but has only moderate efficacy against bacteria. It is therefore useful to use potassium sorbate in combination with natural alcohol (ethanol) for a wide range of applications. Potassium sorbate is one of the few preservatives accepted by the BDIH. The optimum pH value of the final product should not exceed 5 for proper functioning. Up to a pH value of 7, the operation is also safe. Lactic acid can be used to achieve the correct pH level. Potassium sorbate is also soluble in water”.

NEW GENERATION OF MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRESERVATIVES

The following study analyses the preservatives used in conventional dermo-cosmetics and also in herbal dermo-cosmetics. Unfortunately, as far as preservatives are concerned, there is not much difference.

https://www.actasdermo.org/es-conservantes-productos-higiene-cosmeticos-medicamentos-articulo-S0001731017302053

“Approximately 6% of the population is sensitised to some cosmetic ingredient, especially preservatives and fragrances. When a risk of sensitisation to a preservative is described, expert committees (Scientific Committee on Consumer Products and Cosmetic Ingredient Review, in Europe and North America respectively) issue opinions that lead to legislative changes determining restrictions on maximum permitted concentrations or even a ban. As a result, the cosmetic industry promotes preservative alternatives (new molecules or combinations). Occasionally, newer preservatives end up triggering new cases of sensitisation, as serious or more serious than those secondary to the preservative they replaced. Thus, over the years, there have been several “epidemics” of sensitisation to preservatives: formaldehyde (1950s and 1960s), methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) (1970s-80s), or methyldibromoglutaronitrile (1990s). We are currently immersed in an “epidemic” of allergy to MI since its use in cosmetics was approved in 2005, at a concentration <100ppm, in the belief that it was less sensitising than MCI, and despite the fact that the first cases of dermatitis to methylisothiazolinone had already been reported at the time“.

However, we are happy to see that new generation preservatives are starting to be seen in online home cosmetics shops whose naturally sourced compositions are not only more environmentally friendly but also, in some cases, 100% biodegradable.

This is the case with the above-mentioned Leucidal, whose INCI is Lactobacillus Ferment. It is a probiotic-based preservative created by the fermentation of Lactobacillus in a defined growth medium. Lactobacillus is one of the species of microorganisms used to produce fermented products, such as kimchi and sauerkraut, a staple of the Korean diet, from cabbage. Like many members of the lactic acid bacteria family, Lactobacillus is able to restrict the growth of other microorganisms by acidifying its environment. However, Lactobacillus also produces novel antimicrobial peptides, known as bacteriocins, which are able to provide broad-spectrum antimicrobial protection capable of restricting the growth of other microorganisms by acidifying their environment.

It is best incorporated into our formulations during the cooling phase of the process at temperatures below 70°C. Suggested use levels are typically between 2-4%.

Dermorganics 1388 (INCI: Glycerin, Aqua, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate) is a natural preservative approved by ECOCERT that not only increases the shelf life of our cosmetics, but also provides important skin care properties as it helps to moisturise and reduce inflammation, making it suitable even for irritated skin or skin with acne. It has a mild odour that does not interfere with formulations, just like Leucidal.  In addition, all components are also of vegetable origin (star anise, sugar cane, non-GMO soy/corn) and glycerine.

Its most effective application would be at a dosage of 2-4 % of the final product and its shelf life is up to three months, more or less the same as Leucidal. And, of course, it meets the ECOCERT criteria (100 % natural and 46 % organic/ecological origin). Dermorganics is available in the cremascaseras.es online shop.

However, be wary of preservatives based on benzyl alcohol and advertised as environmentally friendly when it has been known for years that benzyl alcohol is an allergenic substance that can cause skin irritation as stated in the EU classification of allergenic substances.

Source: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/cosmetics/cosmetic-products-specific-topics/fragrance-allergens-labelling_en

The French Aroma-Zone shop of course has Leucidal and GSE, but also offers an environmentally friendly preservative alternative known as Plantaserv Q, which they call Naticide. It is a broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal preservative that ensures the preservation of cosmetic preparations containing an aqueous phase. This colourless-yellow liquid with a sweet vanilla smell is of natural origin and its composition includes aromatic compounds with antibacterial and antifungal properties. That is why its INCI is as simple as this: Fragrance.

It is mainly used in milks and lotions and in shampoos and shower gels at a maximum dosage of 1%. It is difficult to dissolve in water, but it can be added when the emulsion is still warm (it can handle the temperature well) so that it integrates better and dissolves in the oils.

And of course, of course, we cannot forget the famous grapefruit seed extract that has caused so much controversy (include link to grapefruit seed extract article) and which is known as ESP in Spanish (GSE in English). If possible, try to get it like this one (for example, in the Aroma-Zone shop) which is specially designed for use as a dermo-cosmetic preservative and contains an addition of organic acids (lactic, citric and ascorbic acid) that make it especially suitable for use in home cosmetics.

This one by Aroma-Zone in particular is of natural origin, contains no benzethonium chloride, no parabens, no triclosan, and is completely biodegradable. However, it cannot be used internally as an antibiotic, although it can prolong the life of our “homemade” water-based cosmetics for approximately 1 month.

We also found this other GSE product especially for home cosmetics in a Dutch shop. In this case, it contains 60% GSE and 40% vegetable glycerine.

Those normally found on the market contain a maximum of 33% GSE and, of course, no added glycerin if they are not designed for cosmetic use. INCI Nomenclature: Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis) Extract (and) Glycerin.

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) for internal use is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent based on citrus seeds and pulp. It is blended with vegetable glycerin to be non-irritating to skin and mucous membranes when used in cosmetic formulations. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of grapefruit seed extract make it an ideal cosmetic preservative in products such as shampoos, creams, lotions, scrubs and soaps.

This therapeutic agent, in its internal use version, is used worldwide for its natural antibacterial and antifungal properties. In laboratory studies, this particular extract has shown activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including E. coli, Staph. Aureus, as well as fungi such as Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Aspergillus Flavus and Aspergillus Niger. It is very safe to use and is completely biodegradable. It has a 30-year track record of safety and efficacy as a human therapeutic agent. GSE for internal use is even safe enough to use as a drinking water disinfectant when necessary.

Preservatives in food are certainly a problem, but the same situation applies to our skin.

Dr Alejandro Junger’s famous therapeutic method, which he described in detail in his book “CLEAN” and in which he proclaimed the need to abandon processed food with all its preservatives and added chemical additives in order to restore the functioning of the intestinal microbiota, could be said to have a parallel in the current literature on “Slow Cosmetics” and the new cosmetic and hygiene trends that aim to preserve the proper functioning of our skin’s natural barrier.

https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/5/1249/htm

With this idea in mind of optimising our cosmetic preparations by avoiding unnecessary preservatives and chemical additives, we thought we would dedicate this article to ozonated oils as a “smart cosmetic ingredient” in our homemade preparations.

OZONATED OILS IN OUR HOMEMADE PREPARATIONS

Ozonated oils, in addition to all the properties that a natural vegetable oil already contains, are excellent for healing and regenerating the skin. We can therefore use them directly in cosmetic preparations, just as we would use non-ozonated vegetable oils. Moreover, they retain their properties much better thanks to ozone.

WHAT IS OZONE?

Ozone is a highly oxidising, bluish-coloured gas, which forms in the ozonosphere and protects the Earth from the action of the Sun’s ultraviolet rays; it is an allotropic state of oxygen produced by electricity. It is therefore a gas that is naturally present in our atmosphere. Each ozone molecule contains three oxygen atoms, and its chemical formula is O3. The oxygen molecules (O2) contained in the air we breathe consist of only two oxygen atoms.

Ozonated oils can be applied directly to the skin. If you have read carefully what ozone is, you will be able to directly deduce some of the fundamental properties of ozonated oils in their topical use.

-On the skin of our face, they improve the appearance of the complexion because, paradoxically, they prevent oxidation and free radicals, protecting it from the sun’s harmful rays and thus preventing the appearance of pigmentation spots.

-It is possible to apply them to the body to deeply moisturise it, but this can be a bit expensive if you have to buy them, it is better, as I explain below, to prepare your own oils with an ozoniser or to dilute them in a moisturising body milk recipe like the ones we provide on our website.

-As ozonated oils are moisturising by nature, but also contain the antifungal and antibacterial properties of ozone, you can also use them to moisturise your intimate body areas, thus avoiding itching and possible infections derived from vaginal dryness that all women sometimes suffer from at different stages of our lives.

-Applied to the toenails, they not only prevent redness and irritation, but also prevent and cure nail fungus. Your nails will be a little blue for a few days, of course, because ozone is a blue gas as we explained before, but they will be as healthy as apples.

 And if, in addition, you want to use ozonised oils in your natural cosmetics recipes, the advantages are even greater because by using these oils you will avoid the need to use preservatives in your homemade preparations. Ozone ensures that these oils are better preserved, preventing oxidation for much longer than non-ozonated vegetable oils.

“The ozonation of the olive oil resulted in changes in its chemical composition. Although a decrease in unsaturated acids was observed, several additional compounds detected in the ozonated olive oil positively affect physicochemical, sensory, and functional properties of cosmetic emulsions. Emulsions based on the ozonated olive oil retain their properties much longer compared to emulsions based on the refined olive oil. Ozonated olive oil treated with 0.10 mole O3/100 g oil allowed increasing the shelf life of the non-preserved formulation up to six months. A weak inhibitory effect against C. albicans and A. brasiliensis was also demonstrated for this emulsion in the challenge test. An interesting aroma and lack of cytotoxicity at concentrations 625µg mL-1 make the ozonated olive oil a promising raw material for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries”.

Source:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351748534_Olive_Oil_with_Ozone-Modified_Properties_and_Its_Application

PROPERTIES OF PARTIALLY OZONATED OILS

The ozone contained in the carrier oil enhances the properties of the oils to their maximum expression. In other words, if Hypericum oil is in itself a good anti-inflammatory, ozonated Hypericum oil is a much better anti-inflammatory.

Ozonated oils are generally used to provide oxygen to the skin. Ozonated olive oil, for example, can be useful for the following conditions: Scrapes, cuts, burns, psoriasis, eczema, cold sores, anal fistulas, seborrheic dermatitis, ringworm, athlete’s foot, toenail and foot fungus, poison oak or poison ivy, bee stings, insect bites, bruises and generally any part of the skin that needs healing.

New uses for ozonated oils are being discovered every day. For example, they are now also being introduced in alternative dentistry as they have proven to be useful in the healing of gum abscesses, periodontal problems, and gingivitis.

-Ozonated oils not only oxygenate the tissues, improving the skin’s blood microcirculation, but also deeply moisturise the skin, as they have a high absorption capacity, preventing trans epidermal water loss and skin flaking.

-On the other hand, they act as precursors of the metabolic mediator nitric oxide, prostaglandins and arachidonic acid, thereby contributing to the regulation of cell division and differentiation of the epidermis, i.e. they regenerate tissues.

-It is very important to bear in mind that in the summer they can be particularly useful in our homemade sun preparations as they help to prevent excess free radicals, avoiding damage to endothelial tissue. The hyper-oxygenation of the essential fatty acids in the carrier oil produced by ozone facilitates anti-radical activity in the process of oxidative stress in the cells and so it delays skin ageing.

Its broad-spectrum germicidal capacity, since this process of hyper-oxygenation creates ozonides and peroxides, is scientifically proven as you can read in the following reports:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7024311/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/iwj.13760

In short: In all ozonated oils something very characteristic is produced; their healing and germicidal properties become excellent. Therefore ozonated oils are very good for wounds, irritations or skin scars.

WHAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN WITH REGARD TO NATURAL HOMEMADE COSMETICS

If we add enough ozonated oil to our cosmetic preparations, we manage to ozonate the entire oil phase. Thus, the use of preservatives, even in products containing an aqueous phase, becomes redundant.

And what do you think of the idea of preparing our macerates and oleates with one of these partially ozonated oils?

For example, with ozonated sunflower oil, which otherwise, without ozonation, tends to go rancid very quickly. However, ozonated sunflower oil will allow us to preserve our oleates and macerations, such as calendula oil, for a long period of time without worrying about oxidation and consequent rancidity.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233283510_Germicidal_Properties_of_Ozonated_Sunflower_Oil

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25623845/

THE CHARACTERISTICS AND PROPERTIES OF OZONATED VEGETABLE OILS

(we have taken this section from the Jabonarium website), which is pioneer in Spain in the commercialization of ozonated oils for natural homemade cosmetics. Please note, I do not receive any kind of commission for advertising this, so I don’t care if you decide to buy ozonated oils on this website or not.

Just keep in mind that you should buy “partially ozonated natural oils” or oils suitable for internal consumption because, although you may think that oils suitable for topical use can be useful, fully ozonated oils, in addition to being thick, are too strong to be used in your homemade preparations and can even irritate the skin and cause flaking due to their strong antibacterial and antifungal activity.

Ozonated Olive Oil. It helps to reduce the effects of cellulite and is also a good anti-acne oil, as it regulates sebum secretion, preventing pimples from appearing.

Ozonated Hypericum Oil. It is highly recommended for mature and tired skin. This oil is a great healing agent, helping to heal wounds. It is also anti-inflammatory and soothing for burns.

Ozonated Rosehip Oil. It is highly recommended for dry skin, as it has a great nourishing power. It helps to improve dermatitis problems. This oil is a great stimulus for the natural production of collagen and elastin in our skin, and acts as a cellular renewer.

Ozonated Sunflower Oil. It is a very powerful natural regenerator, which also eliminates bacteria and fungi. It also helps to restore the pH of the skin and is effective against cellulite.

Ozonated Chamomile Oil. Chamomile oil has great antibacterial power. This oil is also anti-inflammatory. It is also effective against skin infections.

Ozonated Arnica Oil. Ozonated arnica oil has a great anti-inflammatory action. This oil is a great antioxidant and photoprotector. It is also very good for relieving insect bites or irritations.

Ozonated Calendula Oil. Ozonised calendula oil provides elasticity to the skin, especially for sensitive skin. Very suitable for chapped skin. This ozonised oil also has anti-acne properties.

Ozonated coconut oil. This oil, although not found in the Jabonarium shop, is interesting to include in this classification because of its outstanding qualities. In general, natural cold-pressed vegetable oils are always hypoallergenic, but this is a particularly outstanding quality of coconut oil that makes it especially suitable for the most delicate skins. Also because of its excellent emollient and moisturising properties, coconut oil is particularly suitable for those with sensitive skin.

Coconut oil is a safe way to combat dry, flaky skin and has been used for years for eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and other skin problems. These properties are undoubtedly optimised by partially ozonating this oil. When coconut oil is ozonated (infused with active oxygen), its antioxidant capacity is boosted while it acquires a luxurious consistency that is easily absorbed into the skin.

THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRST OZONATED OILS

And here we must talk about the great sage Tesla, of whom so much has been said lately since all his discoveries have become better known.

Nikola Tesla (in 1900) patented his first ozone generator, which he immediately began to use by ozonating olive oil that he sold to doctors. Tesla created his ozonated oil by bubbling ozone through pure olive oil in the presence of a magnetic field for eight weeks. In 1904, ozonated olive oil, also known as Glycozone, began to appear in the medical literature: “The Medical Uses of Hydrozone and Glycozone”, 9th edition, by New York chemist Charles Marchland.

Ozone is a very reactive gas and difficult to stabilise for long periods of time in a usable form. It has long been known as a universal disinfectant agent that fights bacteria, viruses, and other germs. However, when ozone is bubbled through an ozone-resistant container (such as a glass container), the ozone gas is trapped and begins to react with the oil.

Ozonated oil is actually created by a redox reaction. The ozone literally burns the oil, and three primary organic peroxides are actually created throughout the process. In other words, the first peroxide created reacts a second time to produce a second peroxide, and finally once more to form C10H18O3. The final process is quite remarkable, as the whole substance will turn into a white foam. Once this white foam settles, there is no point in further ozonation, as the original oil is no longer present, and the compounds have been brought to a state that no longer reacts with ozone.

What is the shelf life of ozonated oils?

The oil is reported to be stable for up to 17 years. For long-term preservation it should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Ozonated olive oil has been tested after 10 years of refrigeration and has been found to be 98% more effective in its germicidal power.

HOME OZONATION

If you have your own ozone generator, which is nowadays available on amazon for less than 100 euros, the possibilities are vast.

From ozonating your oils, as commercial ozonated oils are quite expensive, to ozonating the water in your cosmetic preparations or even ozonating seawater for use in your homemade soaps, facial lotions, and topical sprays.

Ozonated oil has many benefits for daily use and for body and skin care (regeneration, healing). Its use is widespread because its capabilities are limitless: Bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal, effective against parasites…

How is ozonated oil made?

The most commonly used oil is olive oil, which has many interesting properties, but it is possible to use any type of oil, such as sunflower or coconut oil. However, it seems necessary to use oils with a high concentration of oleic and linoleic fatty acids. The acidity of the oil should also be low.

What equipment is needed to make home-made ozonated oil?

You will need an ozone generator. There are many models available on the market. They range from a few tens of euros to several hundred or even thousands of euros if you need to produce large quantities. However, for home use, an ozone generator that generates 500 to 600 mg/h is sufficient. This is available on the market for a modest price.

However, the ozone generator must be equipped with a tube to introduce the ozone into the oil. It must also have a porous stone to fix the end of the tube. This stone will allow a better diffusion of the ozone into the oil and thus ensure a better mixing and integration of the gas into the liquid. The bubbles resulting from the ozone injection must be small. This is the main interest of this stone. If the bubbles formed are too large, the injection will not be perfect. Not to mention the risk of splashing, which is always unpleasant…

Of course, you need oil. The oil you choose must be of good quality and cold-pressed.

And finally, you need a container such as a glass jar or bottle for the ozone to bind to the oil. As a rule, it only takes one day (24 hours) to ozonate the oil. After one hour of ozonation, the ozone starts to integrate the oil.

And the interesting thing about being able to use our own generator is that we can choose the power we want for our homemade oil. As we mentioned, ozonated oil is a powerful bactericide, if instead of ozonating it for 24 hours you do it for less time you have the possibility of deciding the power you want for your oil. Less time, less ozone, and a softer oil. Keep in mind that after the ozonation process, your oil will acquire a strong ozone smell, so you can certainly make it less potent by using less time. The best oils for cosmetic preparations are partially ozonated oils.

It is also possible to add essential oils to scent the result, but of course this will also increase its bactericidal and fungicidal potency. So, as we always say, moderation is a great virtue when you are trying to design a product that has properties for the skin without being aggressive.

Once the ozonation process is complete, the container in which the oil is stored should be sealed if you are not going to use it immediately. The shelf life varies from 1 to 10 years, depending on the quality of the ozonation. Logically, if you are going to use it to prepare your products, you can keep it, like the rest of your oils, in a cool place away from light and high temperatures.

ADVANTAGES OF OZONATING THE OIL YOURSELF

If you have an ozoniser, even a cheap one from amazon, it might be interesting to try ozonating the oil you want to use yourself, for example, to prepare homemade soya lecithin. In this way, you will extend the life of your homemade lecithin enormously since you will prevent the sunflower oil, which is the base of the lecithin, from going rancid.

The possibility of ozonating a homemade oil at our disposal not only reduces the cost of the procedure, but also, having our own machine, as mentioned above, allows us to control the degree of ozonisation of our final product.

If we are looking for a slightly purified oil, we will apply, for example, a few hours of ozonisation.

If, on the other hand, we are looking to extend the life of a final product such as homemade soy lecithin emulsifier, we may need to leave the sunflower oil in contact with ozone for a slightly longer period.

HOMEMADE PREPARATIONS BASED ON OZONATED OIL

In the section on the cosmetic properties of ozonated oils, we talked about the skin regenerative capacity of ozonated oils.

With this in mind, we have designed a recipe for a facial repair suncream that can be very interesting for everyone now that summer is over, and we need to recover from the ravages of high sun exposure on our skin.

Our regenerating cream is based on two key ingredients: ozonated olive oil* and gamma oryzanol*. Both components prevent sun damage and at the same time repair the skin.

*Ozonated oil: The interesting thing about ozonated oil with regard to sun protection is that, without forming a total protective screen as mineral sunscreens do (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide), it allows the skin to tan without getting sunburnt. We might therefore think that its degree of protection (SPF) is lower than that of mineral filters, but this is not entirely true because ozonated oil prevents sunspots and corrects pigmentary alterations of the skin. In addition, a posteriori, after exposure to the sun without filters, it acts by regenerating the skin and healing possible sunburns. As you can see, ozonated oils are very interesting sunscreens.

*Gamma-oryzanol: Gamma oryzanol is derived from rice bran oil and is composed of sterols and ferulic acid. This compound demonstrates a high antioxidant and anti-ageing capacity. Its ferulic acid content makes it a powerful antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress on the skin. It reinforces the skin barrier and is suitable for use in products for dry and mature skin. It also has a high capacity to absorb UV radiation (UV-A and UV-B) and is ideal for combining with physical sunscreens (vegetable oils) in creams and milks. In this case, with our physical ozone-filter oil.

With these two ingredients, we aim, in a simple and smart way, to obtain a sun protection and repair product for our facial skin that does not need preservatives or any other type of synthetic additives.

Ingredients for about 50 grams of product:

30 grams of a hydrolat of your choice or distilled water

15 grams of partially ozonated olive oil

1 gram of gamma-oryzanol powder

6 grams of emulsifying wax number 2*.

*The emulsifying wax number 2 normally has this INCI: Cetearyl wheat straw glycosides, cetearyl alcohol. You can find it in different shops like Aroma-Zone or La Redoma Creativa.

PROCEDURE:

Previously, the powdered gamma-oryzanol should be crushed with a ceramic mortar to improve its dissolution in the oily phase and to avoid possible lumps, because as you have just read, this product does not dissolve in water.

Next, dissolve the emulsifying wax in a bain-marie together with the partially ozonated oil.

In a separate container, heat the aqueous phase with the hydrolat or distilled water. When the temperature of the hydrolat reaches about 70 degrees, add it to the oil phase and begin to whisk with a cosmetic mixer until the whole is well integrated. And we do not need to add anything else, apart from a few drops of essential oil if we prefer to scent our cream, as the ozone contained in the oil gives it a strong aroma that some people may find somewhat unpleasant. However, if the oil is only partially ozonated, the aroma is usually very mild and pleasant.

Personally, we have added a few drops of jasmine EO which, in addition to deliciously perfuming our sun cream, also gives the skin elasticity.

What do you think? Have you ever heard of the possibility of using ozonated oil to prepare your sunscreen creams? We are looking forward to hear from you.