If you're new to making your own skincare at home, here's some tips and considerations to get you started. You may like to come along to one of our workshops to learn the basics then continue to make at home. 

• Measure things out - making skincare is a bit like baking, whilst there is a little bit of a margin of error, the more accurately you measure, the better. You can use disposable pipettes, teaspoon or tablespoon measurements, scales to measure weight, or drops for essential oils. Please note that 1mL = approximately 20 drops. Depending on the recipe you're using, make sure you do any conversions first so you are confident that you are adding the correct amount.  
  
  
• Keep things clean - the cleaner the environment and equipment you use when making your skincare, the longer it will last and the healthier it is for your skin. We recommend having different equipment for your cosmetics to your cooking, as food contamination will spoil your products. Cheap stainless steel bowls, spoons and handheld blenders for your creams are easy to source. 
  
  
• Create your own - It's easy to make a skincare product that truly suits you. Customise our recipes, or any other that you find online, by swapping ingredients with similar ingredients that suit your skintype, condition or preference for scent. Eg. Shea Butter for Cocoa Butter, Almond oil for Jojoba oil, Lavender for Peppermint oil etc.
  
  
• Write things down - There's nothing worse than creating an amazing skincare product and not remembering what you put in it. Write down you ingredients, additions, changes, amounts, method etc, so that next time you go to make it you know exactly what to do. 
  
  
• Label your products - Pop a label on your handmade products and date them so you don't lose track. Any product you make will eventually come to the end of it's shelf life, so make sure you're aware of when it was made. A product preserved with natural products is unlikely to last more than a year, so you don't want to pull it out of the back of your cupboard in 3 years thinking it's ok to apply to your skin. 
  
  
• Be aware of signs of spoilage - Products that are going off can cause skin irritation. Signs your product is past it's shelf-life are discolouration, air bubbles, visible microbial growth, change in smell or texture. If you see any of these, time to make another batch!
  
  
• Be creative - Don't let convention get in the way of your creativity. Stick to the basic guideline so your product works and is preserved properly, but play around with your scents and ingredient combinations. Some of the best things come from crazy experimentation!

At Home Checklist
Some things you may like to have on hand for making your next project include:

Equipment -
Electric frypan or double boiler
Scales in 1g increments
Hand mixer                                                                                         
Measuring vessels
Stainless steel or glass bowl
Stainless steel spoons 
Spatulas
Thermometer 
Disposable pipettes
Disposable gloves 
Apron
Zip lock bag for pouring (if required)
Product recipe 
Paper & pen for notes   

Ingredients –
Essential oils 
Carrier oils   
Butters 
Waxes     
Emulsifiers 
Preservatives 
Vitamins      
Other actives 
Demineralised water   
Sterile packaging 

If you have any queries, feel free to contact us via email hello@sagecosmetics.com.au. And don't forget to tag us in your social media so we can see your amazing skincare creations!