You guys, today is a big day. A day many of you have been waiting for. It’s time for another homemade lotion recipe.
We’ve already made homemade lip balm and body butter, and today we’re making a silky smooth lotion.
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First, a little background story…
A few years ago, I started thinking about making the switch from a laundry-list-of-toxic-ingredients that I’d used to clean my home and care for the outside of body. My family had already been enjoying “real food” for a few years at that point.
Now, let me pause here, and go down a bit of a “rabbit trail.”
There’s an idea going around, which I first believed when making the cleaning and bodycare switch, that chemicals are bad. Friend, I would suggest just the opposite. When I talk about making the switch from toxic products to “more natural” products, I’m not talking about banning chemicals from our homes, because that’s impossible! Everything from baking soda to water has a chemical composition, and we certainly know those ingredients aren’t toxic.
When I talk about making the switch, I’m talking about choosing or making products that aren’t made with highly questionable/toxic ingredients. If you’re curious about some of the questionable/toxic ingredients used to make many of the beauty and cleaning products in the US, many of which are banned in Europe due to health concerns, I recommend checking out the Environmental Working Group’s Database. On the EWG site, you can check out overall safety ratings for products and brands, as well as individual ingredients.
Just remember, my natural living goal is to source or make safer products, not eliminate chemicals. Because that would mean having to eliminate my beloved baking soda, water, and vinegar, too.
Okay, back to the lotion story ;)…
My switch to more natural products started with bodycare items, particularly foundation powder and moisturizer.
I had read about coconut oil being a miracle product, so I switched out my store-bought moisturizer for coconut oil. Within a few months, it was clear that my skin didn’t think coconut oil was a miracle product. After much research, I determined that coconut oil just wasn’t something that I could use every day as a moisturizer.
Side note, I still use coconut oil for DIYs, so I’m not saying coconut oil is bad news. Rather, I’m just suggesting that everyone is different, and so the products we love and use will vary, too. My skin tolerates coconut oil in deodorant, and as an occasional post-shave moisturizer.
At that point, I decided to create a homemade lotion that would be shelf-table, and could be used in place of the coconut oil. After lots of trial and error, I developed a homemade lotion, which technically is a body butter, that’s thick and luxurious. My skin loved the change from 100% coconut oil to this new product. And here’s where my backstory meets today’s DIY lotion recipe…
I shared that lotion/body butter recipe two years ago on Live Simply. Since that time, I know many of you have tried that recipe, and love it! I also know, based on comments and emails, that many of you would like a creamier/less thick lotion that has more of a store-bought consistency.
Today, I’m excited to share with you a new lotion recipe that’s soft, creamy, and even “pumpable.” Before I share the recipe, let’s chat about a few things to keep in mind…
1. This recipe is “pumpable.” This means the lotion is smooth and liquid enough to be used in a pump bottle. My ultra-moisturizing lotion/body butter is very thick, which means you have to store it in a jar (it won’t pump). While you can store this lotion in a pump bottle, cleaning the “straw” (what is that little thing at the base of the pump called?) is tricky, because well, you’re dealing with lotion.
If you use a pump bottle, know that you may need to replace the pump and straw if you can’t thoroughly clean them out before making a new batch of lotion. Alternatively, this lotion could also be stored in a bottle or jar, and then poured on your hand, or spooned out. I personally go with the jar (other than for photos here), since I store this in the fridge.
2. This lotion does require a number of ingredients, and is a bit of process to make. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of making one more thing, let me encourage you…
You don’t have to make lotion to use “cleaner” bodycare products. It’s perfectly okay to purchase pre-made lotion.
Yep, that probably sounds contradictory for a homemade lotion chat. Here’s the thing, simple living isn’t about “doing it all.” In fact, if you’re “doing it all” you’re probably not living simply. It’s okay to say, “You know what, I’m going to make a homemade dinner for my family, and purchase a ‘cleaner’ lotion from the store.” I personally don’t make lotion the majority of the time because I have to prioritize other tasks and I know my health food store sells some decent lotion options.
If you’re going to purchase lotion, I highly recommend checking out the EWG. I personally like Every Day Shea brand.
With that being said, today’s recipe is for the folks who want to make a silky smooth lotion at home.
5 More DIY Recipes With Shea Butter
- Shea Butter Lip Balm – Use shea butter and oil to make this natural lip balm recipe.
- Honey Lip Balm – Use honey, shea butter, and beeswax to make an ultra-hydrating lip balm.
- Lotion Bars – Moisturizing lotion in a solid bar, made with shea butter and beeswax.
- Body Butter – This luxurious lotion is made with shea butter and oil and moisturizes the whole body.
- Face Moisturizer – Combine shea butter and oil to make an all-natural face moisturizer.
Silky Smooth Homemade Lotion
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sweet almond oil 157 grams
- 3 TB refined mango butter 40 grams
- 2 TB cocoa butter 14 grams
- 1 TB beeswax pellets 8 grams, or finely chopped beeswax
- 1 tsp vitamin E oil
- 43 drops lavender essential oil or orange essential oil, can be reduced to 20 for young children
- 1 cup distilled water or a floral hydrosol – rose lavender or calendula all work well – must be room temperature or lotion is more likely to separate, 220 grams, the hydrosol is my preference
Instructions
- Make sure that your blender or immersion blender (you can use either one–I prefer an immersion blender because it’s easier to clean), bowl and all utensils are very clean when you make this. If they’re not fully sanitized, then your lotion can grow bacteria or mold. Clean everything with hot soapy water, then swab with rubbing alcohol or vinegar, and let air dry.
- In a heat safe glass bowl, combine the sweet almond oil, mango butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax.
- Place the glass bowl on top of a saucepan partially filled with water, over medium heat. This creates a type of double boiler. Stir occasionally until everything is melted and combined.
- Allow the oil mixture to cool for a few minutes before pouring it into your blender (if using a table-top blender). Let this mixture cool until it’s room temperature. It should look creamy, thick and opaque, but don’t let it get solid. Optional: You can place the blender in the fridge for about 35 minutes to speed up the process.
- Add the vitamin E oil and essential oil to the cooled oil mixture. If you’re using a table-top blender, blend the mixture with the lid on for a few seconds. If you’re using an immersion blender, place the stick in the bottom of the mixture (in a high-rimmed bowl), and blend for a few seconds, pulsing up and down at the bottom a few times.
- If you’re using a table-top blender, take the lid off of your blender, or just the top part of the lid if you have that option on your blender. With your distilled water or hydrosol in the glass measuring cup, slowly pour it into the oil mixture in a very thin drizzle while the blender is on medium/low. If you’re using an immersion blender, with the blender on and at the bottom of the jar, slowly pour the distilled water or hydrosol into the oil, pulsing the immersion blender up and down at the bottom just a few times.
- If you’re using a table-top blender, slowly increase the blender to medium speed and blend the lotion for 30 seconds more. If you’re using an immersion blender, continue to blend, pulsing the immersion blender up and down, for about 30 seconds more.
- Immediately pour the lotion into a jar and store away from light and heat.
Notes
Natural Body-Care Simplified
Learn how to make your own body and beauty products with simple ingredients.
Hi! I am really excited to start making this lotion! I did buy the preservative you recommended from Skin Perfection, but I was wondering how many drops of the preservative do you put in the lotion? Thanks so much and I look forward to making this soon!
Hey Lindsey, I’m not sure about amount. Does the company have suggestions? Usually the company will have suggestions for how much to add to various products.
Eu fiz a loção e ficou maravilhosa. Obrigada por compartilhar!!!
Enjoy, Gabriela!
Hi,
I’m a new follower, can i used unrefined mango butter instead of refined mango butter. will it affect my lotion consistency.
Hey Uma, Welcome to LS! I believe you can without issue.
Hello,
I am a new follower :-))
I would like to ask if I can use Frankincense oil instead of lavender oil and how much?
Wow! Awesome recipe! Thanks so much for posting. Quick question: does this recipe yield 16oz by weight or 16fl 0z? I have a 16oz bottle I am placing it in and don’t want too much left over! Thanks!
Hi Kristin, I made this wonderful recipe to a T with the mango butter and emulsifying wax NF (instead of beeswax) to keep the water and oils correctly mixed and used my very own homemade calendula and lavender hydrosol for the water phase and half almond oil and half calendula and lavender infused olive oil (that i also made) for the oil phase, added lavender and chamomile pure essential oils with a safe 1% dilution rate for the kiddos (as i was making it as a sleepy time kid lotion) and it turned out great! I even added the leucidal complete preservative at the end with the recommended concentration for the batch to prevent microbial growth, plus Vit E. to prevent the oils from going rancid. I love the texture and you are right, it is pumpable lotion with a creamy, luxurious texture that keeps you moisturized. Very pleased with the end product! But do i have to store it in the fridge or is it safely stored in my dry dark cabinet? I want to make sure what I’m applying on the children is safe.
That sounds lovely, Melissa! I keep my lotion in the fridge. It does thicken up quite a bit due to the cold temperature so if you’re using a pump it doesn’t work so well (I store it in a jar and scoop it out). That’s my personal preference these days for safety since I don’t use a preservative. I make the half batch amount and use it daily, so it’s used up within about 4 weeks.
I noticed a few comments on granule formation. Slow cooling allows larger crystals to form so leaving something to cool in a room gives maximum chance for the big granules to form. Rapid cooling in an ice water water bath means that the crystals are a lot smaller and are not felt. My chemistry background coming out there. Despite the background I want to start using more natural moisturisers as the ones i have been using no longer seem to work as well. Also have freids with psoriasis with similar problems. Lookin forward to getting into the lab, i mean kitchen over the weekend thanks for the recipes.
Hi,
I made the recipe with shea butter and it is so cool and really loving it, Also i didnt really like the aroma the lavender alone was giving me so mixed my lavender EO with lemon EO, hope its okay. Ready to try other recipes!!!!
Hey Jemilatu, That sounds lovely. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the lotion. Also a side note, It’s best not to go in the sun when using lemon essential oil in a product.
Love this recipe and i have all the ingredients, but i’d like to replace the beeswax with emulsifying wax for better emulsification of the oils and water parts. Any idea what the measurements would be , volume and weight, for this type of wax?
Hey Melissa, I’m not sure what the measurement would be for the emulsifying wax-possibly the same? I can add that I haven’t had any issues in the many times I’ve made this recipe with emulsification.
Sorry I meant to say aloe vera gel
Thank you for sharing the recipe. Can you substitute aloe vera juice for the water?
Hey Tammy, I recommend sticking with distilled water or a hydrosol. I’m not sure how the aloe vera will perform in this recipe.
Hi, I was wondering if I could add wheatgrass juice or powder to this cream? We love wheatgrass and are looking to incorporate it more in everyday life. Thank you.
Hey Samantha, I don’t have any experience with using wheatgrass for body care applications.
Hi! How much hydrosol or rose water do you use in place of the water?
Hey Cathy, The same amount.
Hi- I just made your lotion and love it! Curious if you know how much Leucidal Complete to add to your recipe? The Leucidal Complete site said 2-4% but I’m not sure how that translates in your recipe.
Many thanks –
Do you think a person could use an herbal tea steeped and cooled in RO (reverse osmosis) water? Of course just the herbal tea with bo added flavors or sweetener.s.
Hi, I have been following the recipe. I haven’t added the water yet, but my lotion seems so soupy. It is cool. I was expecting it to be thicker before water is added
Hey Nikki, It won’t be solid once cooled. How did it go?
I made this lotion and I love it. But I can’t get it to pump, so I kept adding more Rose hydrosol. Is this okay to add? Or is it going to mess up the recipe? Because now it doesn’t feel as hydrating I think.
Hey LaCressa, Is your home really cold at the moment? The lotion will firm up when it’s cold outside (or when places in the fridge). You could add more hydrosol. It may separate, but it won’t ruin the lotion.
Thahks Kristin, one of the problems I have with my skin is that it’s on the very dry side. I normally add oil to whatever cream/lotion/butter am using and trust me I have tried a lot.
Also, I don’t have cocoa and mango butter can I use only shea butter and use the same quantity as the two kinds of butter mentioned in the recipe.
Hey Jemilatu Audu, Have you tried using shea butter alone on your skin? It’s an incredible moisturizer and may really help. You can try using the shea butter as a replacement for the butters in this recipe. I’m not sure it will yield the same results. Another option is to use the shea butter to make a body butter (that will work): https://livesimply.me/2017/03/31/how-to-make-easy-body-butter/ And you could play around with the oil used, too.
Hi! New member here and new into homemade cosmetic products. thinking of trying your recipe.
In addition to the almond oil can I add other oils to it? such as argan, avocado olive oil or grapeseed oil to the almond oil?
Can I also add aloe vera gel to the recipe? am a sucker for aloe vera.
Thanks.
Hey Jemilatu Audu, Aloe is wonderful, but I wouldn’t add it to this recipe. You could apply it to your skin before or after using this lotion. I recommend sticking with almond oil, or going with grapeseed oil. Both are light oils, so they won’t weigh down the lotion.
Hi there!
Im about to start my own small business selling all natural bath and body products. Been spending weeks on pintrest looking at recipes to play around with, thinking I may end up piecing a few together based on the products I have, that will also go well with the signature scent combos I’ve come up with. Have to say, compared to a lot out there, you sound very knowledgeable and experienced…so kudos to you! This makes me comfortable in asking you my question…
I have bought the leucidal liquid root preservative so that my products will stay good on the shelf where ill be selling. My question is, do you know how much longer this will extend the shelf life? I also read on another pin that body butters don’t need a preservative since they are oil-based. Do you agree?
Thank you much in advance!!!
Hey Brenda, Great question. I think the best source to answer the question is the company that makes the preservative. I would reach out to them and see what they recommend for products, particularly since you’ll be selling products. As far as body butter, you don’t need a preservative since water isn’t used in recipes. Adding vitamin E oil will help keep the oils from going rancid.