Hand Cream al ALGOMEGA

My hands are destroyed. For the last 6 months I find myself with cuts and unbearable pain on my fingers and making a hand cream that not only could offer some relief but can actually help close and avoid these cuts would be a hit!

Of course there is quite a bit of work behind making a cream, so I first tried a recipe from Lola's forum: a Repairing Hand Cream. Even though I can see why is a good cream for normal hands, my case was a bit beyond the normality I think. So I tried this cream for a bit and after doing some research and experimenting on the oils I would like to include in a hand cream, I decided it was time to try!

Here you can find the recipe I made with this particular active. Oh! Indeed.... what's "algomega"? So the proper name is Algomega NP® and is considered an hydrating active specially good for dry skin that tends to have squales, literally whatg happens with psoreasis. So I was sold there! Let's see some more:

ALGOMEGA NP® is a reparative moisturizer based on the synergistic combination of liposoluble fractions extracted from the association of two algae a microalga Nannochloropsis oculata (Droop) Hibberd and a macroalga Porphyra umbilicalis (Linne) Kützing rich in omega-3 fatty acids (mainly EPA & DHA) in a vegetable oil Silybum marianum seed oil, well-supplied in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (mainly linoleic acid).

Algomega by Glamour Cosmetics

It's an ECOCERT approved product and it's recommended to be used in between 3-5%

ALGOMEGA NP® helps nourish the skin, re-equilibrate lipid deficient skins and replenish skin’s moisture barrier, giving it back suppleness and elasticity.

It decreases desquamation and improves the intercellular cohesion.

It reduces Trans Epidermal Water Loss and reinforces the skin barrier function for more firmness.

It improves the structure of cytomembranes after damage caused by irritant agent and restores the skin barrier for optimum function.

Thus, ALGOMEGA NP® is able to relieve dryness of sensitive and reactive skins.

Given all the benefits I decided to try it not mixed with a lot of other actives, but with a decend fall of grease, in order to test its efficacy. I have bought other actives with similar properties in order to create different hand creams (also to be used topically on my psoreasis patches) and after a week I can say I see a bit of a difference. It does seem to create a barrier and help cicatrization. Still more to test...

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Hand Cream with Algomega NP®

Phase A

Water to 100 (67.65)

Glicerine 2

Xanthan 0.1

Allantoine 0.3

Carbopol Ultrez 21 0.3

Aristoflex AVC 0.3 TO AVOID NEXT TIME

Phase B

Shea Butter 1

Cocoa Butter 2

Squalano 1

Coco caprylate 1

Ethlhexyl Stereate 2

Jojoba Oil 2

Argan Oil 1

Hemp Oil 1.5

Tocoferolo 1.5

MGS ( Metilglucosio Sesquistearato ) 3

Cetyl Alcohol 0.75

Abil Care 85 3 TO BRING DOWN TO 1.5

Dry Flo 0.5 TO AVOID NEXT TIME OR BRING DOWN TO 0.25

Phase C

Bisabolol 0.5

Sodium Hialuronate in 1% solution 2

Algomega 4

Conservant 0.6

Perfume (I used honey and lavanda)

I started by creating the gels:

In one pot mix the glicerine with the Xanthan, add 1/3 of the water slowly while mixing. Use a hand mixer at the end to open the polymer. The bubbles will dissapear later.

On a becker add the rest of the water. Pour over like rain the Carbopol and let it hydrate. After about 10 minutes, mix with a spoon or hand mixer. I added after the Aristoflex because I like thick hand creams, almost like butters and found after some experiments that this gelification process gave me just that. But I may try without the Aristoflex next time, also without the Dry Flo since I feel it makes it a bit drier. Mmm... I may just bring down this last one to .25.

Once I had the two gels I added the Xanthan one to the carbopol/aristoflex one and mixed. Finally I added the allantoine that doesn't really disperse, but it will once it heated.

After it's time to prepare the Phase B.

When I had both beckers prepared I put them both in a double boiler and heated them up to 70 degrees.

When the temperature is achieved I add Phase B into Phase A. This can be done in two o three times mixing for a few seconds each time -with a hand blender!- The emulsion will come quickly and then we will have our lovely white cream that it's still really hot!

To bring down the temperature and therefore be able to add the ingredientes from Phase C, I use a cold bath, putting in a bowl cold water and some ice, I place the becker with the cream in there and keep mixing with a spoon.

When I arrive to less than 40/35 degrees, I take the becker out of the cold bath and proceed to add the rest of the ingredients.

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REVIEW!

I have used this cream for a few weeks. It's pleasant to use and even if it leaves a bit of a shinny look on my hands, they are not at all greasy (which is super important when you need to use your hands all the time... leaving handprints around is not nice!).

I have not seen much imporvement in terms of cicatrization. Obvioulsy having my hands moistured helps, but I have noticed more improvement using the hand cream with "dragon's blood"...