How to Make DIY Forest Cleansing Balm

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RECIPE
5g | 0.18oz complete emulsifying wax (not beeswax!)
4g | 0.14oz Polysorbate 80
21.75g | 0.77oz fractionated coconut oil
5g | 0.18oz castor oil
9.5g | 0.34oz stearic acid
2.5g | 0.088oz cetyl alcohol
0.25g | 0.0088oz vitamin E oil
1.5g | 0.053oz French green clay
5 drops spruce essential oil
10 drops fir essential oil
2 drops oak moss absolute
2 drops cardamom essential oil
For the full written instructions, information on substitutions, information on scaling, preservatives, and links to all the ingredients and all the equipment I used, visit www.humblebeeandme.com/forest-...
LEARN MORE ABOUT STEARIC ACID
www.humblebeeandme.com/quick-g...
LEARN MORE ABOUT CETYL ALCOHOL
www.humblebeeandme.com/quick-g...
#humblebeeandme #stubbornlyDIY #DIYcleansingbalm
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[@clarewhite3004]

I've made four of your cleansing balm recipes and this is my favorite. The rose balm works just as well, but I like the softer, scoopable texture of the forest balm. I've made both versions of the creamy clay balm and neither gives me the perfectly clean rinse-off that I get from the rose or forest balms. So this is the cleansing balm I use every day after work to remove sunscreen and dirt!

[@jamiebianco]

I made this and have been using it for a few days now. For my clay I combined mostly kaolin clay with a small amount of sea clay because I thought I had French clay but I didn’t-whoops 😂! I then used frankincense, lavender and cardamom for my EO combo because I didn’t have the others. It smells so clean and fresh...I am enjoying this cleanser and have a strong feeling I will make it again when it’s gone! Thanks again for the awesome recipe and inspiration! 🙌🏻

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yay! I'm so glad you're loving it :D You should check out my most recent cleansing balm recipe, too-it's in stick form and I love how easy it is to use! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZqaiIasrsmIa5o

[@patriceboquet4995]

Nice ‼️

[@fabricatedreality8218]

So I'm back! Lol,I made this one and it was beyond lovely...so creamy and luxurious. I had to use different essential oils but I still love it and I use this every morning and night.

[@janicepeterson9309]

This is a wonderful cleansing balm. I didn't have Oak moss but used cypress essential oil. It's great. Thanks for all your hard work in formulating these recipes.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Beautiful! Thanks so much for DIYing with me :)

[@nirvanaelements]

Ooh, just made this balm with pink clay and scented with geranium essential oil, added some argan oil as it needed to be used up (great idea!) It was just lovely and so nice to use. Thank you for sharing this recipe and I was stoked to have all the ingredients in my stash so I could whip it up straight away! Yay! Loving your channel and have enjoyed your blog and photography for years!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yay! I love your pink twist, too 😄Thanks so much for reading, watching, and DIYing with me-I really appreciate your support!

[@goldenemily1]

OMG. This is going to be my best cleanser too! I substituted red turkey castor oil in same measurement. It is lovely as with the red turkey oil, that is water emulsifying. So, I LOVE this. I spread it, then add some water with my hands and it gets milky, then wash cloth, then rinse. By using turkey red castor oil, you can make it a combo oil/milky cleanser and skin the second cleanser, as used when first is basic oil. One step and done!

[@chantelleherholdt9779]

I have tried a few of your recipes to make lotions and body butter was amazing I was looking for a cleanse balm recipe today and I think this one is the one I want to go with an inexpensive ingredients list looks promising can't wait to try this recipe!!!

[@fabricatedreality8218]

So I've made your creamy clay cleanser and your chocolate mint cleansing balm and I'm in love with both of them. I can't wait to make this one. I have all of the ingredients except the essential oils that you suggested. I guess I'll have to use lavender, peppermint and/or eucalyptus!

[@mariahn5764]

Finally ordered what I was missing to make this cleansing balm. You made it look awesome and I'm excited to try!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Woo! Enjoy :D

[@mariahn5764]

Humblebee & Me I’m totally in love with it! 😍 Thanks for all your thoughtful recipes!

[@frankiebelmain740]

Tysm!! I made this and I love it.

[@kalinaantonova223]

I made it and it is liiiterally perfect. I just LOVE it. My face is so soft but not oily ❤

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I am so thrilled to hear it! Thank you so much for making with me ❤️

[@elainemcanulty8789]

Hi I just found your channel and love it and plan on doing your courses! I just made this cleansing balm but left it unscented and it’s amazing but… my only issue is it totally stings my eyes.. any idea what ingredient could cause that so I can reduce it?

[@TheMsShanah]

Hi! Can I use pink ventilated clay instead of the green clay?

[@nsingh2155]

Thanks for this recipe Marie. Will this work without polysorbate 80? I can't find it in Australia. Thanks

[@raadizon3442]

Hi Marie!! I made a greentea cleansing salve last week and I love love it. I put about 20% greentea glycerite, emulsified with emulsifying wax NF, I also put about 10% cera bellina just to get a bit of a gelly consistency, and a co umulsifier polysorbate 80.. I infused my oils with greentea matcha powder to get a nice green color and scented it with greentea fragrance oil and tea tree oil. I'm so inlove with it already but will do it onemore time maybe next week without cera bellina. 😉

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Oooh that does sound decadent!

[@jillgross3968]

After 4 years of using this formula in many scent ranges, I still love it. Maybe time to Bee Better, this formulation!!!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks, Jill! I remember being so thrilled with this formulation when I first created it ❤️

[@Najma-n1]

This was such and exercise! Just what I needed now. I'm going to make my version as always inspired by humblebee & me. My love, Naj

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Happy making and thanks for watching!

[@tehreemfatima7836]

Hi, i want to know if using all these essential oils is safe for all skin types?

[@hilaryquinn8673]

I’m trying this today! Thank you! Do you think this would work in a push up tube type container? If not, what size jar would you suggest?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

It's too soft for a push-up tube; read the blog to learn more about what packaging I used :)

[@kalinaantonova223]

I love your chanel and everything you do❤. I cant wait to try it but i have one question. Does it matter what emulsyfing wax shoud i use? I only have Glyceryl stearate SE. Do you think it will work? 🥰

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Hi! It should work, but it is anionic so I wouldn't use it around your eyes. I highly recommend getting a non-ionic emulsifying wax like Emulsifying Wax NF or Olivem 1000 if you can!

[@chinyzurc9790]

Hi Marie, how many grams of this product you made? Awesome video.

[@raadizon3442]

Marie I will be excited to see you make a version of forest theme solid in shower body conditioner ala Lush? I'm pregnant and I am obsessed with anything looking or smelling green 💚

[@miasdorkycornerlives8538]

omg!! thank you so much! I am definetley making this tonight ;)) Will it turn out okay if I leave out the stearic acid and cetyl alcohol and add more emulsifying wax?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I wouldn't; you'll be substantially increasing the cleansing power of the balm, making for a much more drying/less gentle final product, and emulsifying wax doesn't have the same texture as either of the ingredients you are trying to replace.

[@riyankanath6452]

Should i add a preservatives in a cleansing

[@batrisyiazaim2069]

may i know if this cleansing balm leave skin glowing? anyway keep on your good work, i love all of your vids!!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

It can definitely be part of a skin care routine for glowing skin-in my experience it's never just one thing that leads to glowing skin :) Check out my June 2019 Q&A video for details on my full skincare routine!

[@theresalawrence156]

😂haha! I love that you know what a value village is! When I lived in the northwest that was the best junk store!

[@episodesfreak]

I wonder if I can completely skip the clay and the essential oils in this recipe

[@laylael5106]

Hi lovely lady can I ask how much glyceryl caprylate would work in this as a preservative? I’ve tried to read up but a newbie so need your advice. Thanks.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I wouldn't recommend glyceryl caprylate as a preservative for this formulation or any other without a solid amount of formulation knowledge and experience. It's not a broad spectrum preservative, but more of a booster/support: shop.skinchakra.eu/en/Cosmetic-Lab/Preservatives/Glyceryl-caprylate-GMCY.html. Happy making!

[@jojoyap799]

hi, does montanov 68 turns white after the cleansing balm touches water? just curious if i can use that instead of beeswax

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Montanov™ 68 is never a suitable replacement for beeswax as Montanov™ 68 is an emulsifying wax, and beeswax is not. In this recipe you could try Montanov™ 68 as the complete emulsifying wax.

[@laylael5106]

Hi Marie I made this but something in it is making my eyes water and sting alot. What is the ingredient that could be doing that? Ive never had this issue with a cleansing balm. I slso find although it’s beautiful when first applying it’s slightly too soapy and feels alittle drying afterwards almost like i used a soap to wash my face. Which ingredient could be the culprit? Please help x

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

It sounds like you may want to reduce the amount of emulsifier, as the emulsifiers are the cleansing ingredients. I'd probably start by replacing the Polysorbate 80 with more fractionated coconut oil :) Happy making!

[@l.g.7540]

Hi Marie, (thank you for this video) want to make this sounds lovely. I want to substitute the emulsifying wax with Sugarmulse? Next, I want to substitute Polysorbate 80 with something other than Olivem 300, can I use Oliwax LC? Anyway, I have a lot of Natural ingredients, any that you suggest to swap the Polysorbate? I am obsessed, it sounds amazing.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I'm afraid I have not worked with any of those ingredients so I cannot offer any advice here.

[@l.g.7540]

Okay, thank you for your quick response. Love watching your videos.

[@145Jannah]

hi Marie, just a slight confusion here. Can I just use this as a facial cleanser? As I don't follow a 2-step cleansing routine. Thank you in advance!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Definitely! Happy making :)

[@ecuaquito36]

Hi, can I use regular coconut oil? And can I use this for all tapes of face?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

No; FCO is liquid, coconut oil isn't. FCO is also much lighter, while coconut oil will leave a greasy sheen on the face. And yes, you can use it for all types of skin UNLESS you suffer from fungal acne.

[@neon.neutral]

Hi Marie- I’m determined to make a emulsified cleansing balm ... I’m sensitive to cetyl alcohol, but I do have e-wax and polysorbate 80. Is it possible to add either more % of e wax to thicken or one of the c waxes to thicken? My first batch I used olive oil and it worked quite well but felt super greasy on the skin, which I didn’t love. My second batch I tried the lime in the coconut which I liked but somehow it was thin and didn’t rinse off like I wanted. (I put it on dry face, then add water) The third batch I used vanilla infused olive oil and it isn’t thick enough and it separated. I’m going backwards, lol. Any tips are welcome!!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Increasing the e-wax will have a much more noticeable effect of strengthening the cleansing power (possibly making it too strong), so I do not recommend trying to use it as a thickener. Have you thought about trying a butter in the oil blend? Or perhaps trying stearic acid instead? You might also like a sucragel powered product, which is more of a cleansing gel than a balm. I have a recipe for one of those here: www.humblebeeandme.com/oil-cleansing-gel/

[@ankitapanigrahi4216]

Hi Marie, thanks for the the video. I tired it today and I loved it however I couldn't get the same consistency in the end as yours. Could you please suggest what might have gone wrong also I wanted to know if I can use DMDM hydantoin as preservative in this cleansing balm?

[@miss19lolo]

I would like to create a cleansing oil with some water content, but I'd like for it to be an oil and not a cream/lotion, just like the cleansing oils/balms on the market. What proportions/compositions do you recommend to get to that end result in spite of the water content?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I suspect there is some sort of key ingredient in such formulations that is not readily available to home crafters-I'd dive into reading ingredient labels + extensive research (www.humblebeeandme.com/how-to-research-your-ingredients-part-1 & www.humblebeeandme.com/how-to-research-your-ingredients-part-2) to understand how such formulations work. Happy making!

[@gnomebeard407]

Is your oakmoss absolute very thick/viscous? Mine is. I got it from Piping Rock and it is super hard to measure because it comes out in globs!! When I use it in anything it over powers. Can I heat this?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Nope, mine is quite thin, and definitely not that strong. I'd recommend asking your supplier about it, but my opinion of Piping Rock is not very high: facebook.com/EOAnalysis/posts/2057067404530522.

[@gnomebeard407]

Humblebee & Me where can i get high quality oakmoss absolute EO?

[@TheMsShanah]

Can this remove makeup as well? Should I try it without the clay to try as a makeup remover?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yup, definitely-but go ahead and leave the clay in :)

[@khakemadina9686]

Hey teach me best cleansing balm for Asian skin with the help or beeswax .lots of love from Pakistan .

[@khakemadina9686]

Is it going for Asian skin ?

[@geeksigns4562]

Why didn't you leave your glass container on the stove top when adding the French green clay? Does it need to cool a bit before adding the clay?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I found the stearic acid was a bit stubborn about melting; I would think everything was all melted through and then on closer examination there would still be tiny particles of stearic acid still dancing around. Once the clay has been incorporated it is pretty much impossible to see if there are any teensy bits of stearic acid, so for this reason I recommend melting everything through before adding the clay :)

[@rajeshwarisavant6954]

Hi , can this cleansing balm use for oily skin too

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yes, definitely!

[@lilianamota-orona7233]

Looks like there is a typo in the description ingredients. From the video and the blog, it should be 9.5 grams of stearic acid. The description has 9.5 grams of cetyl alcohol, and a second 2.5 grams of cetyl alcohol. This recipe looks amazing! Can't wait to try it!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Fixed it, thank you! :D

[@BelindaDavis]

Grrrr. I always get so excited when you post a new recipe and want to try it right away. But, there is almost always at least one ingredient, (one that isn't substitutable [is that a word? Is now!] of course) that I don't have. I've got a plethora of emulsifying waxes and polysorbate 20 but not 80. So I have to wait, and wait, and wait. You may have to start posting a list of ingredients for upcoming recipes, just for the sanity of people like me. :)

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Ah, sorry! And I promise, if I had my stuff together well enough to actually do that, I would :P I plan well ahead, but when push comes to shove I change a lot of stuff last-minute-ish :P

[@BelindaDavis]

OH MY LORD! You mean to tell me that you are human after all? Totally crushed....not, just my strange sense of humor acting out. It's actually totally okay cuz it's worth the wait and gives me time to work on something else. Like organizing my stash and using up those infused oils that are nearly at the point of no return.

[@gnomebeard407]

I just made this and smells like you're walking with Bilbo Baggins through a thick forest!! I used BTMS-50 instead and hope it comes out just as great. It is setting up right now. Going to use it in the morning!

[@honybee3501]

thank you so much, your recipes really do work, 😊🤗👍👌👍👍👍

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thank you, Hony Bee! I really do take the time to test them because I don't want people to waste their ingredients :)

[@kathkwilts]

Do any of these cleansing oils use bentonite clay?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Have you checked my blog? humblebeeandme.com/

[@jacquelinebeltz1226]

Thank you for sharing! I'm excited to try this one. I've been doing oil cleansing for a while and was beginning to think I should try an emulsifying oil cleanser. Now I just need to order some ingredients 😬 P.S. I think you meant to put fractionated coconut oil in the ingredient list rather than castor oil twice.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yay! Happy making :) And yes, you're right, I fixed it!

[@mrembo25]

I know this video is a little old. But I'm finally getting to experiment with this. Many people have skin that just doesn't take to castor oil, despite it's amazing cleansing qualities, so I was wondering if I can switch out the castor oil for hemp oil?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

You certainly can!

[@mrembo25]

I've watched this a few times and really like the outcome. My question is, why can't bentonite clay be used in this formulation??

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I'm guessing you've never used both bentonite and the clay in this recipe-give this a watch kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIPUlXmtrKaUiJI :)

[@mrembo25]

I've used both and finally after some reading I discovered its because of the way they behave in water in terms of absorption and the density of substance they form. Can castor oil be substituted for hemp?

[@lindatrucha]

I'm making this right now but don't you have to add the vitamin E when the mix is cool?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I've read conflicting things about it being heat sensitive, but looking into it again, it seems like it is, and I suppose it's not much of a hardship to add it during cool down even if it's not :P

[@lindatrucha]

Exactly that's what I did just in case 😊 And I love the final results I made some change since I don't have all the ingredients

[@LocdAura]

Would it be OK to add Salicylic acid to this?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I don't recommend it; salicylic acid is quite temperamental when it comes to dissolving it, and this recipe does not contain anything it is likely to dissolve well in. Additionally, BHA really shines in leave-on applications, so it would be a bit wasted here :)

[@chlyderanada9248]

Can I use cetearyl acid as a substitute for cetyl and stearic?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

You can try it, but in my experience cetearyl alchol creates quite "applesauce-y" anhydrous concoctions when used as the sole thickener. Learn more at www.humblebeeandme.com, search for "quick guide cetearyl" :)

[@chlyderanada9248]

@@HumblebeeAndMe Thank you! Thank you!

[@nerminanumanovic9049]

Hi Marie, thank you for this recipe this is exactly what I needed but I would like to avoid using polysorbate 80, what can I use instead?

[@BelindaDavis]

If you will check her blog, www.humblebeeandme.com/forest-cleansing-balm/ at the end of the recipe she talks about substitutions. I believe it's oliveM300

[@nerminanumanovic9049]

Thank you so much darling :)

[@sararehman1692]

I just got a strange idea Can’t we make these and while it’s still liquid put them in tubes so we don’t have to worry about scooping it out ??? Is that possibly ?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

If the balm is formulated for a tube that works nicely, but this one would be too soft.

[@laurahunt170]

Can you use Jojoba oil instead of castor oil?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

You can, but castor oil has drawing properties that jojoba doesn't that make for a more effective cleanser. Additionally, I would choose a cheaper liquid oil than jojoba as you are effectively washing it down the drain!

[@mndoyon]

I did you Orange wax balm yesterday… If I knew! I have Stearic acid in my collection. I would have replace the wax. Next time!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Next time indeed! Enjoy it and thanks for DIYing with me :)

[@vanmarracini]

Can you teach us a cleaning oil? Not a balm formula? Thank uuu ♥️

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I have many on my blog @ www.humblebeeandme.com :)

[@nibrasalsahaf4836]

There is no preservative used?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Nope. Please read through the Preservatives section in the FAQ (www.humblebeeandme.com/faq/) to learn more!

[@ritijain5455]

Heyyy!! Loved this!!What is the shelf life of this product?? Preservatives??

[@sake9305]

It should last up to the oils become rancid, so roughly about 2 years if stored right. And you don’t need a preservative since there’s no water or moisture in the formulation so there’s no risk of bacteria growth. But if there’s the risk of putting moist or wet fingers into it you should add a broad spectrum preservative like Optiphen.Hope that helps

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Red RëRë is right! And for more info, check out the preservatives section in the FAQ (www.humblebeeandme.com/faq/) :) Happy making!

[@ritijain5455]

@@sake9305 thanks a ton for this info!!

[@ritijain5455]

@@HumblebeeAndMe I am obsessed with your content!! Mere watching you create makes me super happy!

[@sake9305]

ritika bhandia you’re welcome 😊

[@garaakaze8317]

Can i use only sunflower seed oli instead of coconut oil and castor oil?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yes, but you will lose some cleansing power that the castor oil contributes.

[@gnomebeard407]

I made this the first time with your quantity ingredients and was beautiful!!! I ran out and decided to double the ingredients and it came out much lighter. Not the same as original 😑

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Hmm. I wonder if this comes down to the stirring and cooling phase at the end? That would take longer with more product... maybe that? If everything is in weight the measurements should all be ok.

[@gnomebeard407]

Humblebee & Me very weird. Even during the cooling phase I kept stirring (after a few min. in the freezer) and it never really thickened. I might re-melt everything tonight and add more clay.

[@rasyeedarahma6502]

Hai, how about the expired time?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/long-will-______-last-shelf-life/

[@Lilione111]

I seem to be reacting to cetyl alcohol. It's my new additive & only used 3%. My skin is so irritated! 😏 tried it a few times with the same reaction. My face red blotches, spots & sensitive. On the body itchy verging on stinging. Did some research & some others have also reported. Thought I'd mention it in case others are reacting & wondering what is going on!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Aww no! I'm so sorry to hear that :( At least cetyl alcohol is fairly easy to avoid or swap out if it's in a recipe, though. Make sure to avoid cetearyl alcohol as well-it also contains cetyl alcohol.

[@Lilione111]

Thanks.

[@PlanetTim420]

You are so, so lovely! Just sayin... 😊

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks!