Friday, 3 December 2010

22 days until Christmas - products for teen boys

We have a number of teen boys in our youth programs, and I'm making them little kits to thank them for their hard work in helping us set up at the library, things like moving chairs and tables, moving the video game equipment, keeping the younger ones in check, and so on. This year, I'm giving them my favourite body wash, a shaving bar, and a fragranced body spray!

BODY WASH
I've said this before, but I love formulating body washes. It's easy to tweak your favourite recipe and try it out in the shower that day, so you know right away if you like it! I'm giving the boys bottles of this recipe, which is my favourite out of all the combinations I've made so far! I figure teen boys can use all the acne fighting power they can get!

MOISTURIZING BODY WASH WITH ESTERS AND WHITE WILLOW BARK
12% cocamidopropyl betaine
16% BSB or other surfactant of choices
12% C14-16 olefin sulfonate
30% warm distilled water
10% aloe vera liquid
5% PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate
5% myristamine oxide
3% polyquat 7
3% glycerin
2% cromoist
2% panthenol
0.5% preservative (liquid Germall Plus)
0.5% white willow bark
up to 2% Crothix

Mix the surfactants together well, then add the rest of the ingredients (except the panthenol, preservative, and white willow bark) and continue to mix. Try not to get too many bubbles. Heat a little water and dissolve the white willow bark into it. Add the panthenol, white willow bark, and preservative. Mix again.

We scented these with a lime-eucalyptus essential oil blend - 2 parts lime to 1 part eucalyptus - and left it uncoloured. I'm so happy with this one!

If you don't have PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate or myristamine oxide, feel free to use another water soluble moisturizer (like PEG-7 olivate) or leave it out and add 10% of your favourite surfactant in their place. (Click here for all the posts on surfactants.) I've chosen C14-16 olefin sulfonate because I like it for oily skin, but you could use a surfactant more suitable for dry skin in its place. Just don't change the cocamidopropyl betaine - I consider this essential!

SHAVING BAR
My husband loves shaving bars, so I thought I'd share them with the boys this year (they're growing up so fast!). I'm using 5% cocoa butter, 5% babassu as I don't want to introduce too much oil to their adolescent faces, and I'm switching out the shea and fractionated coconut oils for non-comedogenic esters, specifically 10% C12-15 alkyl benzoate. This will offer nice slip and glide, and it will keep the fragrance on their faces a little longer. I figure it's two great things in one!

SOLID SHAVING BAR
60% Incroquat BTMS (or 30% BTMS, 30% Incroquat CR)
10% cetyl alcohol
10% butter of choice - 5% cocoa butter, 5% babassu or another hard oil
3% cationic polymer like honeyquat or condition-eze 7 (polyquat 10)
5% oils of choice
2% hydrolyzed silk protein
2% panthenol
2% dimethicone
2% cyclomethicone
2% hydrolyzed protein
2% fragrance or essential oil

Weigh into a heat proof container the Incroquat BTMS, cetyl alcohol, butter, cationic polymer, oils, silk protein, and hydrolyzed protein and place into a double boiler until they melt. Add the panthenol, dimethicone, cyclomethicone, hydrolyzed protein, and essential oil, mix well, then put into a mould and pop into the freezer or fridge until solid.

As a note, these are best made in 33 gram (1 ounce) to 45 gram moulds. They last forever, and making them larger only makes it annoying to swipe across your face!

FRAGRANCED BODY SPRAY
The boys pay a fortune for these products, so why not make them a few in their favourite scents. I have a few Axe fragrance oils, so I'm using those for these body sprays! Here's the most recent post I've written on this topic, which includes anhydrous and water based versions.

Here are a few more ideas suitable for the teen boys in your life!

Join me tomorrow for some gift ideas suitable for teen girls!

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