Rose and Rhassoul Cleanser - a Study in Composition

Speaking from a skin care viewpoint, I'm a huge fan of rose. No matter which way you look at it, rose is a gift to skin.

Over the years, I've worked with rose in just about every imagineable form; dried whole buds, powdered, essential oil (every type available), both oil and water-based extracts, and my all time favorite – rose hydrosol.

Not only is rose consistently a pleasure to work with – it always brings the most delicious scent to any mix.

In all the years I have made cosmetics, I think I can safely say I will never tire of the scent.

So, with that in mind, I thought I'd share a few snaps of a no-soap face cleanser I put together the other day. I think you've already guessed what the starring ingredient is.

Composing the Powders

When putting together any product, choose ingredients that will work well together to create a synergistic effect.  Combining colors and scents to complement each other will result in a visually pleasing product that delights the nose.

For this cleanser, I chose brahmi, rhassoul and red clay to 'work with' the rose.

Proportions 

Getting the powder proportions just right takes a little practice, but this is the kind of area where you can feel free to experiment with your ingredients to find the perfect combo for your skin.

Tip: Always read the recommended dosage amounts when you purchase ingredients. Some can be used up to 100%, but some need to be dosed carefully.

The rich red and brown colors of these powders will not only look like beautiful, but also cleanse gently without drying.

For the fats in this cleanser, I chose palm oil and castor oil.

The palm oil was chosen partly to create a softer base, and partly to create as neutral-smelling a base as possible. I wanted to see if it was possible to get the powdered rose to dominate the scent.

How Did it Turn Out

Texture wise this was a perfect base. There was no added scent (essential oils) to this mix, so the scent is quite neutral. Unfortunately the rose is barely detectable over the brahmi. My next batch will either include added essential oils, or the amount of brahmi will be adjusted.

As a cleanser, this is a winner for my skin. It goes on smoothly, cleanses beautifully, and despite the rich chocolately-brown hue, doesn't stain either skin or towels.

Make Your Own

Do your own no-soap face cleanser! Check this post for a cleansing bar-in-a-jar formula.