You have certainly used vinegar as such for many purposes, but have you ever prepared cosmetics from vinegar.
Vinegar is used to be seen as a very strong raw material for cosmetic products. This is largely due to the smell of vinegar. Certainly, for example, lemon juice is just as strong but its aroma is very pleasant. The smell of vinegar is also the main reason why it has not been developed cosmetic products so often.
Herbal extract from vinegar
The most convenient way to combine the good characteristic of a vinegar is to prepare herbal vinegar extract. Good herbs for extracts are aromatic herbs like thyme and rosemary. You can combine different plants and prepare your own extract, for example, from dried summer herbs. Calendula and chamomile are also good for extracable herbs. You can use the for extraction either white wine vinegar or distilled vinegar. Expensive unfiltered apple cider vinegar I would not waste for this purpose. You can use it as it is.
Herbs Suitable for vinegar extraction
You can use all kind of herbs in herbal vinegar extract either fresh or dried
- Citrus peels (organic quality)
- Aromatic culinary herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage
- Leaves of blueberry, leaves of cowberry; this way you can get arbutin into a cosmetic product
- Fresh ginger; relieves pains, good for foot baths
- All mints are also good for foot baths and deodorants
- Nettle
Prepare the herb extract as follows
- Clean the herbs if they are fresh
- Shred herbs into smaller pieces and put to glass jar with a lid. The glass jar should be so small that you can get it completely full of herbs. I myself have used baby food jars.
- Pour the spirits vinegar or white wine vinegar so that the herbs are covered.
- Close the jar and place it in a light-protected place for two, maximum four weeks.
- You can also talk to a jar ?
- After four weeks filter the vinegar and move it to a clean glass jar with a lid.
- You can use this way with extracted vinegar for about half a year. Then it’s time to make a new.
Where you can use the herbal vinegar extract
- You can prepare the facial toner from herbal vinegar
- You can make deodorants from herbal vinegars
- You can use it in foot baths
At the same time, prepare many different herbal vinegar extracts for different purposes. This way you will always have in your closet semi-finished products to produce cosmetics. In the summer, it is worth of picking up natural herbs and store some that are suitable for your skin for the winter. Herbs can also be frozen and you can made vinegar extracts of frozen herbs.
Deodorant made of herbal vinegar
Vinegar is an antibacterial. It is a very common preservative. So, we can prepare a deodorant that reduces the growth of bacteria. Body odor and perspiration suppressing herbs are, for example, stinging nettle and sage. Please note that stinging nettle may easily dye white clothes if used too much.
Vinegar is suitable for deodorant very well as it keeps bacteria and fungi at bay. After all, vinegar is precisely a preservative. You can also use apple cider vinegar without herbs for this recipe. However, if you want to try the herbs effect you can prepare herbal vinegar for deodorants.
The gentle herbal vinegar arises from the chamomile. Chamomile also does not stain clothes as well as stinging nettle.
There are plenty of silica in the nettle. The silica effectively eliminates sweat from the skin and takes care of the skin.
Sage prevent sweating. It can also be used internally, for example such as a tea.
Witch Hazel Water is a heavily astringent ingredient. It reduces perspiration and is therefore useful in deodorants.
Here is a separate post about Aloe Vera. It is a skin care and soothing ingredient. Aloe Vera is anti-microbial and also helps in the prevention of sweat odor.
For a spray-on deodorant, you need
- Spray bottle, made of glass
- 50 ml of herbal vinegar extract from e.g. chamomile, nettle or sage; These herbs help to prevent perspiration and sweat odor formation
- 1tbsp aloe Vera Juice
- 1tbsp Witch Hazel Extract
- 1tbsp boiled water
- 5 drops of essential oil; For example, Cedar or Tea tree
- 5 drops essential oil of lemon or lime
Do this
- Measure all ingredients in a spray bottle
- Close the cap and shake vigorously
- Use small amounts in clean armpits.
- Let the deodorant dry for a short while before dressing up.
Facial toner for acne
The vinegar is suitable for all skin types as a facial water, if one can accept it’s odor. Vinegar is an acidic substance and therefore a very suitable facial ingredient. It balances the pH-level effectively.
If you want, you can always choose an unfiltered apple cider vinegar for facial toner. It can be slightly diluted with water before putting in a spray bottle. Such a product is the simplest. Vinegar is an effective conditioner for acne-prone skin. It does not dry out the skin but keeps it moist.