DIY Psoriasis Cream Recipe
A homemade oil-based cream that can protect, nurture, soothe, and relieve. It contains neem oil, a natural alternative to steroids, sweet-smelling and nourishing coconut oil, and glycerine for moisture. This DIY psoriasis cream makes enough for two 3.4 oz (100 ml) jars, but can be scaled up to make more at a time.
Servings 3.4 oz
Cost $30
Equipment
- two stainless steel pans (one able to fit inside the other) to create a double-boiler
- silicone spatula or spoon
- stand mixer or whisk
- digital kitchen scale optional
Ingredients
Solid Oils
- 1/2 cup shea butter 50 g
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil 40 g
- 2 tsp cetyl alcohol 6 g / or 1/2 tsp beeswax*
Cooling Phase A
- 5 tsp olive oil (light colored or pomace) 25 g / optionally: infused with calendula
- 3 tsp neem oil *15 g
- 2 tsp vegetable glycerine 10.5 g / or honey*
Cooling Phase B
- 1.5 tsp cornstarch 6 g
Instructions
- Measure the solid oils into a small stainless steel pan. Also, measure the cooling phase A ingredients in a small container and the cornstarch into its own container.
- Melt the pan of solid oils by floating it in another pan of simmering water. This is called a double-boiler and helps melt without overheating.
- When melted, take the pan off the heat and pour the melted oils into the stand mixer's bowl. Stir in the cooling phase A ingredients—neem oil, olive oil, and vegetable glycerine.
- Refrigerate the bowl for thirty minutes or until the oils become opaque but are still liquid.
- Sift the cornstarch into the bowl using a sieve and spoon. Cornstarch helps reduce the oiliness of the cream and is also used as a treatment for psoriasis.
- Using a stand mixer, whip the ingredients for three to five minutes on high. Use the silicone spatula to push the solid oils at the sides of the bowl back into the center. The aim is to mix the ingredients and create a lot of tiny air bubbles.
- Refrigerate the bowl for a further ten minutes. When you take it out, the ingredients inside will have set solid.
- Whip the solid mixture for up to five minutes or until it's creamy and glossy.
- Spoon the mixture into clean jars or cosmetic containers. A silicone spatula will be handy for getting most of it out of the bowl.
- Leave the finished DIY psoriasis cream to rest for one day at room temperature before using it. The final consistency is less like lotion and more like a creamy salve. Firm but still scoopable with your fingers, and it will melt quickly as you massage it onto your skin. Use it as and when you need it all over, but especially for elbows, knees, hands, and nails.
Video
Notes
*Beeswax is not a direct replacement for cetyl alcohol in this recipe, but a small amount will help firm the mixture. To clarify, cetyl alcohol is not the same kind of alcohol as spirit alcohol. It's a fatty alcohol that comes as white waxy pellets, and we use it as a plant-based thickener, emollient, and emulsifier. It's light-wearing on the skin and wonderful for both this recipe and this body butter recipe.
*Neem oil can help stop itching and work as a natural steroid. However, it contains a natural component called azardirachtin, to which some people have a skin sensitivity. If you wish, you can reduce the amount in this recipe by half and make up for the amount with more coconut oil. Using less neem oil in this recipe will result in a lighter-colored cream.
*Honey can be used in this recipe instead of vegetable glycerine, but there is a chance of microbes growing in it if you do not use a preservative. If this recipe is made with honey and no preservatives, keep it refrigerated and use it within two weeks.