Formulation and characteristics of skin cream with the addition of essential oil blend

Abstract

The use of natural ingredients in cosmetics, such as essential oils, is gaining increasing attention today due to their perceived safety for health, attributed to their antioxidant properties. This research aims to determine the formulation of cream by adding an essential oil blend and analyzing physicochemical, microbiological and hedonic characteristics of the skin cream. The study comprises two phases: selecting the preferred essential oil blend by a panel of evaluators and preparing the skin cream with the addition of the chosen essential oil blend. The essential oils used in this study included clove, ginger, cinnamon, galangal, nutmeg, and citronella, with concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%. The research results reveal that the skin cream with the highest antioxidant activity is the one with the addition of a blend of clove and citronella essential oils. However, based on hedonic testing results, the most preferred skin cream formulation is the one with a mix of clove, citronella, and ginger essential oils. Physical characteristics and microbial contamination testing of the cream formulation with a blend of clove, citronella, and ginger essential oils show that the skin cream meets the viscosity and microbial contamination requirements set by SNI 16-4399-1996, with a spreading capacity of 5.07 cm.