Creating Your Own Cosmetics - Naturally: The Alternative to Today's Harmful Cosmetic Products [Paperback]

Nikolaus J. Smeh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1995

Millions of people every year have allergic reactions to name-brand lotions and creams. This book shows consumers how they can avoid using today's harmful cosmetic products by creating their own skin and hair care products from natural ingredients. Easy instructions for over 70 highly effective cosmetic preparations-tonics lotions creams soaps shampoos bath and shower oils aroma therapy products even alpha-hydroxy (natural fruit) acids. Best of all these natural products can be made in five minutes and at a fraction of the cost of store-bought brands.

Product Details

• Paperback: 271 pages
• Publisher: Sports Touch; 1st edition (January 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963775510
• ISBN-13: 978-0963775511
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,157,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Super book with some technical information., January 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Creating Your Own Cosmetics - Naturally: The Alternative to Today's Harmful Cosmetic Products (Paperback)

For the aspiring home craft chemist (or mad scientist) this book is a MUST. Smeh's book is easy to read, relatively easy to follow, and full of technical information. I had heard of liposomes but did not know what one was until I read his book. Can't wait to try making my own sunscreen.

I found two problems with his book: you *have* to read the first chapters first - there's no skipping straight to the recipes with this one; and although Smeh does a good job of telling you what to avoid in your fomulas, he doesn't explain all the products in his. What's in GermabenII? What is betaine?

I took this book out from the library and I'm glad Amazon has it for sale - I want it!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful info. on making cosmetics and on cosmetic ingredients, July 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Creating Your Own Cosmetics - Naturally: The Alternative to Today's Harmful Cosmetic Products (Paperback)

Unlike most "make your own natural cosmetics" books, the recipes in this book call for things like "sorbitan monostearate" and "isosteroyl lactaylate." (Mail order sources are given in the back. You can also get the stuff at http://www.skincare-institute.com). Using the simple directions given in the book you can make shampoos, sunscreens, moisturizers, etc.

Because the book includes extensive discussion of what various cosmetic ingredients are and what they do (both "chemical" and "natural") it would also make interesting reading for someone who is curious about just what they are putting on their face, and what the possible effects of those ingredients are. This would make a good companion book to Paula Begoun's book, _Blue Eyeshadow Should Absolutely Be Illegal_.

I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but I'm going to as soon as I can get the ingredients together. The recipes appear to be easy to follow.