Silky Smooth Homemade Lotion
A 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.
Recipe Notes
Water Note: Using water, without a preservative, shortens the life-span of products significantly, so it's always best to use water-based products for short-term use. This recipe provided makes a lot of lotion, so I cut the amounts provided here in half. I think the halved recipe is the perfect amount since I'm the only person using on a daily basis. I also store my lotion in the fridge since I don't add a preservative. The lotion isn't "pumpable" when it's stored in the fridge (I keep mine in a jar), but it's still just as lovely. Click here for my product-making safety tips.
Preservative: If you'd like to add a preservative, Leucidal Complete is my recommendation (this is very affordable, if you're going to make lotion on a regular basis). You can read more about how to use it (amount needed) and how it works, here.
I've found that the best way to clean the utensils and jars after making this lotion is to use my Sal Suds dish soap and hot water.