Luxurious Homemade Lotion Recipe

I actually took a class on this a while back and was taught that Vitamin E at this percentage will give the lotion a much longer shelf life. As the goal here is a completely natural lotion, I definitely wouldn’t recommend Germall plus- as it contains propolyne glycol, which multiple studies have shown to be harmful. BTMS has some possible health concerns as well, and I wouldn’t recommend it either. I really appreciate your time and consideration in commenting, but with all respect, I actually run a natural products company and have some experience with all this…

Thanks for this recipe

I always make my own hand lotion, lip balm and even shaving lotion for hubby, Love the scent of the essential oils

You could replace with about 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract (GSE) or just store in the fridge

My co-worker & I are really looking forward to trying this recipe. About how much does one batch make?? Thank you!!!

Wow, the guest is worried about mold more then putting chemicals on their skin.  Maybe it is they who should be doing the research on such things.  
This recipe is exactly what I have been looking for.  I have been using just plain coconut oil (a bit to thick for me) and almond oil (a bit to thin for me).  I will make this, I think it will be a good compromise in thickness. Thanks for watching out for our health Wellness Mama

For dry skin almond, avocado or coconut would work, and for combination I’d stick with almond or olive. The herbs you use make a big difference too… chamomile is moisturizing for dry skin, calendula is more clarifying… together they balance well though.

It doesn’t have sulfates or steroids, which would agitate the PD, but I’d probably still use plain coconut oil, or nothing, until you clear it up. A lot of times perioral dermatitis is caused by hormone fluctuation or an autoimmune allergy, so making sure your diet is really clean will help more than anything. I’ve also heard of using a sea salt and water mix to scrub or rinse to help it go away.

What ratio of essential oils to lotion do you use?  Do you have a specific measured amount?  (As in teaspoons or drops, not grams, please.)  And what do you suggest for preventing mold and bacteria?

Thanks!
Liz

I’ve been using coconut oil lately, and it works really well, but this sounds fun too! Actually, I went to the allergist this week, and told him I use coconut oil for my eczema…he looked at me like I was crazy and then asked me why. I  told him I prefer natural products to chemical cocktails. He didn’t seem amused.

This is great!  Thanks for this.  Can’t wait to try it!

I have a couple questions. 
For the oil, can I use part calendula oil and part coconut providing I keep the total at 1/4 cup? I’m assuming it would make a thinner lotion.

Also, how much does this make?

Information is one thing, being rude is quite another. Good luck and have fun.

It would be fine, even for sensitive skin, just don’t use it right before going out into direct sun, as it can make you skin slightly more sensitive

Hi. I’m so keen to try this on my son who is 1 and suffers from mild eczema. I’ve been looking for something completely natural that I can just slaver on before he goes to bed. I’d like to try the baby cream you suggest but he may also have a gluten allergy (I’m getting it checked out) and noticed on an earlier post you proposed GSE as a replacement for vit-E oil. Would GSE also be OK for a young eczema sufferer? Also, would this cream be OK on his face? Thanks in advance for your advice.

Hi. I’m so keen to try this on my son who is 1 and suffers from mild eczema. I’ve been looking for something completely natural that I can just slaver on before he goes to bed. I’d like to try the baby cream you suggest but he may also have a gluten allergy (I’m getting it checked out) and noticed on an earlier post you proposed GSE as a replacement for vit-E oil. Would GSE also be OK for a young eczema sufferer? Also, would this cream be OK on his face? Thanks in advance for your advice.

I must disagree with Wellness Mama on the antibacterial, antimicrobiodical properties of both coconut oil and vitamin E in lotions and creams.  While Vitamin E is an antioxident and will prolong the shelf life of products, it does not inhibit growth of mold and bacteria in lotions and creams. I highly doubt that a person would no more buy or use a cream in which mold and bacteria were found to be present than they would buy a carton of cottage cheese with mold growing on the top.  Coconut oil, when ingested, has been found to be effective in preventing h. pylori, a bacteria which lives in the stomach lining and digestive system of humans and which is one of the causes of stomach ulcers.  But please note that h. pylori requires an antibiotic specific to the bacteria to get rid of it.  Read up on your facts.

I just made this today and it feels so good. I made this in a processor and not all the water was emulsified with the oil. So I’m worried that the oil and water will seperate eventually. I’ll use it up quickly so I’ll try again soon. I’m wondering if you have better luck in a processor or blender?

Yes I make my own lotion my recipe is a different I also whip it once its back to solid state. I use ot for my hair and skin. Coconut, shea, cocoa, tamu tamu oils, vitamin e, aloe vera gel some other stuff I can’t remember at the moment.

I can’t wait to try out this lotion recipe and some of your food recipes as well.  I also like your food photography.  What has kick started me into living a more natural healthy life is the Paleo approach to nutrition (specifically the Paleo Recipe Book).  Based on what you shared on your ‘start here’ tap I know that you are very familiar with it the Paleo Diet….sounds like you live by it. 

Your blog is great, and it is inspiring to me because I just started a blog  www.luluspaleorecipebookjourney.com).  Eventually I want it to be a hub for people to share in the journey for eating and living well.    Check it out if you get a chance, would love any feed back you can offer.

Thanks again,
Lulu 

Ok. I admit it; I love the smell of Love Spell by Victoria’s Secret. It is cherry blossom and peach. I have never made lotion but would love to try. Does anyone know how I can make it smell similar to Love Spell? Thanks! Linda

Boiled is fine. I haven’t tried a kitchen aid, but it would probably work….

I really want to try my own lotion.  I am using coconut oil that I whipped with vitamin E.  It has gotten harder, but still works and I love the smell.  But I would like something a little thinner.   I am hesitant to use my blender because of the beeswax – afraid I won’t be able to clean it all out.
Does it clean out?  Or do you have a blender you use just for beauty products?

Being allergic to nuts (and having a sensitivity to coconuts) can you recommend any other oil?  I was thinking jojoba or something – but would like whatever it is to help with the shelf-life, etc…  Thanks for your recipe!

Love your recipe! Great lotions. I have a question…I use aloe Vera gel& colloidal oats in. Refrifgerated they hardened but melt quickly when warmed in hands, but they turned watery if left out unrefrigerated. I supposed it is water separating from the oil. I would love the consistency of stored bought lotion but I would have to add emulsifying wax I guess. Any suggestions?

I buy all my ingredients (except Vitamin E) from Mountain Rose Herbs in bulk and since I use them all in multiple recipes I save a lot. http://wellnessmama.com/go/mountain-rose-herbs/ I get the Vitamin E from Amazon. When I completely switch and make our own lotion, face wash, shaving cream, hair gel, hair spray, lip balm, etc, it is a lot cheaper, but it is more expensive if i try to do it halfway and buy some of the organic products instead of making them. I’ll also be posting a lotion bar recipe soon and that is a good 2 in 1

Thanks for the recipe, can 
Liquid Lethicin be used a a preservative?

Vitamin E is a preservative; perhaps you meant to say it is not an antimicrobial? For that, you can use grapefruit essential oil at 0.5-1%.  To use vitamin E as an antioxidant, and thus, a preservative, the best thing to use is T-50 Vitamin E at 0.04%. One can also use rosemary essential oil at 0.15-0.5% to preserve. Happy lotion making!

Either one… Unrefined is better but either is fine

I am trying as quickly as possible to remove all products in my home that contain harmful chemicals and your website has been an absolute dream!  One question I have for you is have you tried to make your homemade lotion for your face and add zinc oxide?  I don’t leave home without my sunscreen but want to get rid of what I am currently using because of the chemicals.  Thanks so much for everything you do!  I have sent your link to several like-minded friends.

This might, or the lotion bars are even more hydrating and might help too: http://wellnessmama.com/4770/how-to-make-lotion-bars/

Just want to add to important points being made here about preservation (because they can’t be stated often enough):  

Vitamin E is NOT a preservative.  Grapefruit Seed Extract is NOT a preservative.   Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that will help prevent oils from going rancid too soon, as well as being good for your skin – BUT –  it cannot prevent fungi or bacterial invasions in formulas.The only preservative in GSE  (Grapefruit Seed Extract), is what’s been added to it in order to preserve the GSE itself.  It, too, will NOT preserve or protect your products from invading gremlins, so please be careful and do some research on the subject.

If in doubt, make your product using whatever you believe to be ‘natural preservatives’, then submit it to a lab for testing.  I know it’s a topic of hot debate, but it’s better to be safe, than sorry.

As yet, there is no such beast as a ’100% natural, organic preservative’, although chemists around the world are no doubt working on creating one, but until then, it’s a matter of researching each and every chemical used in various preservatives to determine which one is best suited to the product you desire to make, and which one doesn’t contain chemicals you prefer to avoid, or  might be allergic to.

Happy crafting!

Oh, also… if you’re worried about mold and such, store in the fridge. I live in Southern California where it’s pretty dry so I’m pretty sure I’ll use it up before it goes bad.

You could add 1-2 tablespoons to this recipe depending on how much coverage you want

I just discovered this page today in search of a recipe for bug spray……so glad that I did.  I will be trying both the bug repellant and this lotion recipe. I have to say from my own experience that anything organic is better than the commercial alternative. Both of my sons have exzema and my husband suffers from psoriasis and most commercial laundry det., soaps and lotions usually break them out to a degree. Simply switching to the homemade laundry det. has made a HUGE difference in the kids. I have been using it for over a year. Oatmeal baths, diet changes and taking my older boy off all his prescriptions have made all the differnce in the world to him. Not only was the medicine not working; it was suppressing his appetite and making him have horrible mood swings because of the steriods. I obviously haven’t made the lotion yet, but I don’t think that any mold growth will be a concern for me. I can’t keep enough lotion in this house, and if you do find that the lotion does get moldy use it up faster, make a half of a batch or share it with someone to use it up before it goes bad. After witnessing first hand the skin reaction to the crap they put in products that are advertised for people with sensitive skin, I am far less concerned about the mold. Thank you for sharing your information.

can i add aloe vera gel to this lotion?

Thanks for posting, this looks great! Ok, I have a big question. I’ve looked up many recipes for all natural homemade lotion. So the one thing I keep seeing over and over, that just doesn’t sit completely right with me is using distilled water. WHY? I know, I know, regular water has impurities… but so much that it wouldn’t be ok in lotion??? I have a GREAT well, not city water, I don’t feel like a few added minerals are going to hurt my lotion. Is there a reason I’m just not understanding as to why distilled water is so important? I really don’t like the idea of paying for WATER or a distiller to distill my own. I have great water! Thanks again for posting and I’m hoping you can shed some light for me on this baffling seeming obsession over distilled water (not just your post – all of the recipes I could find).  :)  THANK YOU!!!

My girls cant wait to make Christmas gifts with ya this year (lotions, chapsticks, etc)! There is something about home made gifts that just feel so wonderful and I love that it is affortable and you can make it as cute as you want to.

Yes, though you’d use slightly less.

Do you know what the ingredients were? I’d definitely throw it out if you’re seeing mold! When making homemade lotions it is important to make sure there are some preservatives, natural or otherwise. Have the symptoms gone away since you stopped using it?

I haven’t tried it so I don’t know if the same properties are maintained in the aloe or not. Mountain Rose Herbs also has a rosemary antioxidant that smells great and is a great preservative.

I just finished making this lotion and it turned out good.  A few tips:  I did not let the oil mixture  cool completely or it would have gotten hard (I think), but I did heat the aloe mixture up just slightly in the microwave for about 20 seconds so the two mixtures were about the same temp. Also, I used a hand minxer for the blending step. It is WAY easier to  clean the metal mixers that you can toss in the diswasher than sit and try to get all the grease out of your blender, that takes forever.  As far as the greasiness of this lotion, I find it to be just as greasy using grapeseed oil as it is using coconut oil.  I plan to use it up, as the aloe will be good for the summer sun-kissed skin. 

I doubled your recipe, using rose water and almond oil. It emulsified quite nicely but left quite a bit of water to be poured off. I’d say close to 3 tablespoons. Any ideas why this happened?

With baby #3 on the way this is a much-needed recipe.  Thank you so much for taking the time to share. When I think of the lotions I used on my first two children (out of ignorance) I cringe.  This should work well for the new bambino and my 5 1/2 year old who suffers from eczema. 

Products like this one in the recipe, made with oil and beeswax (no water) are  quite self-preserving and certainly don’t need chemical preservatives. I’ve been making products like this for years with out using any preservative. 

hi! I love the sound of this recipe and your lotion bars- so easy! I’m at the beginning of my journey of homemade products for my family. there seems to be some evidence out there that vit e oil can cause cancer so im a little wary of adding it a lotion.what is your understanding of this? what would the shelf life of this lotion be without vit e oil? is there an alternative natural preservative that I could use? thanks!

Great! Ok I’ll try that then.  I’ll let you know how it goes! Do you have any information on Vit E as a carcinogen? I have already bought a bottle but haven’t opened it and am wondering whether I should return it. I know it helps to improve the appearance of the skin, but not sure if it is worth the risk – if there is even a risk… Thanks!

 You and others keep mentioning percentages, such as 0.5%, 1%…I don’t quite understand how to translate this into drops, teaspoons, tablespoons, gallons, and so on. Say I was using this exact recipe, not cutting it or doubling it, and wanted to use GSE as my anti-microbial; how much of the GSE would I use?

Hi,

I really want to make this new receipe! I have been making the previous one but also have had trouble with getting the water to blend in properly and often finds it separates when you rub it into your hands although it is the best cream I have ever had for my kids. This new one looks ideal.

I need to order online the beeswax as I have run out and also some Shea butter. Can you roughly tell me the quantities in weight (grams) instead of cups?

Thanks

Tansy

I’ve researched a few homemade lotion recipes and quite a few recommend mineral water as an emulsifier. I made your recipe, and it seemed like it didn’t emulsify (I did not use water).  It just seemed a little oily and less lotion like (but strangely its a thicker oil because its not suitable for a pump as you said).  I’m wondering if I made it wrong?  Would you recommend using water in the lotion after the heating process using a wisk?  Thank so much!!

The recipe really worked out well. I also tried it with Avocado oil.

The recipe was actually updated because so many people were having trouble with the liquid containing version.

I’ll try to get that back up soon.

Really depends on the oil. On average 15-20 is fine

Can the lotion be stored in plastic? I would like to send some to my mother and don’t want to mail in a glass container. thank you!

How do you add green tea to your lotion?  

The vanilla does mask the smell of the wax. I use lavender or citrus oils.

Where does one find beeswax for this project. Can I use the bee wax from honeycomb?

Can I use cocoa butter lotion in place of cocoa butter? And if so can I use any lotion in place of the butters?

I really liked this lotion. But I put alot of peppermint essenial oils in because I didn’t like the beeswax smell though

I’m not completely sure on the weight conversion with beeswax. My guess is that 2 ounces (though 1/4 cup with liquid) is considerably more with beeswax. Did you measure with a dry measure at all?

Two ounces is probably about three large tablespoons… I’d measure it out, but I’m out of it myself and waiting for more to come in…

Can we actually use the powder inside Chamomile capsules in place of the chamomile flowers? (So we can skip the step of infusing the carrier oil with chamomile flowers – if we want to have chamomile lotion? ) Do you know if it would have the same effect?

Thank you so much for the recipe. I made a small batch using only the basic recipe (omitting the optional items for this first attempt) using soy wax flakes (I already had some on hand) and it turned out really well. I am already looking forward to making a larger batch using some of the additional ingredients.

Is there a substitute for coconut oil? I am allergic to coconut (and all other nuts) and cannot stand the smell of it.

Yes

Sorry, I’m in a brain fog this morning… you are right. If using a liquid oil, reduce by 1/2 to get the same texture.

probably about 1/4 cup shredded, but you could reduce that if you want it to be more “squeezeable.” You could also add a little more of a thin oil like olive or almond to make it easier to squeeze too…

I was having trouble with the block beeswax too, and decided to melt it all down and pour 1/4 C into cupcake tins. Now, when I need to make a recipe, I just pull out the little “cake” and use it that way. Same with the butters.

Mine turned out super hard. It’s great but it isn’t exactly what I was looking for as far as ease of use. I’m using a block of beeswax that isn’t easy to measure by the cup – I used 2 oz instead of 1/4 cup, so maybe my weight was off. What do you think? I’m going to try to remelt everything today and add more coconut oil and shea butter.

Hi Katie! I just made this last night while making my laundry detergent and beach waves spray I woke up this morning and the lotion was hard, almost like my lotion bars. I used regular beeswax, so maybe it’s harder (I had to melt it down since I couldn’t find pastilles locally. Anyway, should I just reheat this and add some coconut oil? Is there anything wrong with reheating? thanks a bunch!

great! thanks so much. I know there are so many variations with ingredients and I just need to try different things. I’m just afraid of doing something “wrong” with heating I really appreciate all you do!!! And certainly do not expect you to know EVERY type of variation out there

I have been looking (with no luck) for soap and lotion products that do not contain any coconut (I’m allergic to it and trying to eliminate any exposure to see if there’s an effect on chronic health problems). Is there another type of oil that would be a functional substitute for the coconut oil in your recipe? I know coconut oil is evidently the greatest thing ever for lotion and soap, since every recipe and product has it…Thanks!

Thanks! I’ll try that. Doing it that way actually means I’ll be able to get everything I need really easily – my ex-fiance/roommate/good friend is a bee keeper, so this will be my first try at using the beeswax for something, once I get it strained/clean enough. Do you have any recipes for just a regular bar of soap? I saw the household cleaning recipes, but nothing for the body. And thanks again; I have the feeling I’ll be trying out several of your recipes in the future.

Tried it out Sunday. Love it!!! Came out a bit liquidity, was a little worried about it being too oily but after 5 mins the lotions had completely soaked it I would like to try to get it thicker next time…wondering if adding more beeswax would work….

It might…I just stick with pure coconut oil based recipes for diaper cream with cloth diapers… you can just add some zinc oxide powder to coconut oil for a good diaper cream.

Hm, I think it felt so greasy because it was still a little warm – I let it cool off some more and used a tiny dab of it on my hands and wrists, and it hydrated my skin quite nicely (I get really, really dry skin, and it cracks very easily and painfully), and left my skin soft and smooth. Still a bit greasier than I’d like, but I now see why adding more beeswax probably wouldn’t help
My lotion was Lavender-thyme scented, because I happened to have a bottle of lavender oil and thyme-infused olive oil from when I made salad dressing.

Oh, I forgot to mention before, that I used this as chapstick today, and it was great for that, too!

How much vanilla extract would you add for one batch?

Great recipe! I made it exactly as instructed and it came out quite hard. I scooped it into my mixer and beat it for a few minutes- now its like body butter. Perfect!

You can, you just may have some issues with it mixing in all the way, but it should still work…

Just decreasing the amount of oil will make it slightly less oily, though you definitely won’t need as much of this as you would regular lotion…

Just made it and it’s cooling on the counter! It certianly looks wonderful, though I am wondering about the greasiness…

What amounts of each ingredient did you use? You should be able to just remelt and stir well to fix it.. perhaps add more of the butters or beeswax if the proportions were off

Hi! I’ve now tried all three of your lotion recipies and this one is definitely my favorite! However, mine turned out mostly solid. It melts in my hand and I’m able to ‘scrape’ some out of the jar with my fingertips easily enough, but I was expecting it to be a bit thinner. Any suggestions? Should I add more oil? I did have the lid off the jar quite a bit as I was melting it (trying to do a few too many things at once ). Would that make a difference? Thanks for your help!

Sorry for that…. that was the old recipe and the liquid was removed when I updated the recipe. You could use it, but would need to emulsify by adding the oil to the warm rose water slowly…

Hello Wellness Mama, I have two questions:#1. How long would you say the shelf life for the above lotion recipe would be before I should discard the remaining? #2 For the lotion bars, what is the best suggestion for storage and will they melt if wrapped in saran wrapping? Thank you.

Thanks this is a great post! I recently made my first salve of coconut oil, cayenne pepper and turmeric for my sore joints. The turmeric acts like topical aspirin while the oil and turmeric help reduce inflammation. The only down-side, turmeric can stain. But super fun to make

I don’t know… it is on my list to measure by weight next time. If you have it, the pastilles can be measured with a 1/4 cup measuring cup…

I usually either use beeswax pastilles, or grate it with a cheese grater (very carefully!). If your attempt came out to hard, you can re-melt and add more of a liquid oil to make it thinner, or even beat it with a mixer to make a whipped version: http://wellnessmama.com/6544/whipped-body-butter-recipe/

I have just a piece of beeswax and it is so hard to handle it when it is liquid. But I will try to make the recipe anyway. Thanks!

I haven’t, but don’t see any reason they wouldn’t work…

WONDERFUL post! I found you while searching for lotion recipes. Never have I thought to use a mason jar for melting my bath product ingredients. This tip is genius. Thank you for posting this! I look forward to giving it a go! ~Jen

Made your lotion recipe for the first time! Love it, my normally dry and cracked hands, especially my thumbs are soft and whole! Also about three days after starting to use the lotion I went to the dermatologist for my yearly “spot” check. Almost immediately she made a comment about how well I take care of my skin, it is so soft! I told her I made my own lotion, she seemed impressed! Thanks for the recipe!

You should add about one to two tsp. Sometimes it varies because it depends on how strong you want the scent to be. First try one tsp. and if you think you’d like it stronger, add a little more.

My husband is allergic to coconut oil, the smell will make him sick and if I wear it, he cannot come near me. What can I use instead?

Thanks so much!

I just ordered all the supplies for this and I am wondering if you can recommend another source for supplies. Dealing with MRH was a pretty bad experience and I would like to avoid using them again. Any suggestions?

This was a great experiment. I love the smells of everything together and love the texture on my skin! My itchy winter dry is non-existent. I was looking to get some new essential oils to add the next time and make a couple batches as gifts. Thank you so much for the post and for your response! Take care.

Is this okay to use on my face? Could hyaluronic acid be added? Thank you!!

Vitamin E is not a preservative, it is an *antioxidant* which means it will not prevent mold, bacteria, or fungus, but will keep the oils from going rancid. Essential oils are also not preservatives on their own, even if they have some preservative properties. And most importantly, grapeseed extract is not a preservative! The only studies that showed that it worked as a preservative used grapeseed extract contaminated with parabens. Using grapeseed extract will preserve a lotion about as well as prayer, unless it is contaminated (it often is), and in that case you may as well just use normal parabens.

However, like someone said above, you don’t need a preservative in this recipe because it doesn’t have any water in it. I promise I know what I’m talking about, I formulate natural cosmetics for a living.

Hello Wellness Mama
I have tried to make the cream but it turned out way too filled with wax. Do you have any tips or suggestions on how I should improve ? please write back!

Just thought I’d add my two cents. I use this recipe with a few alterations. I add a tablespoon or two of aloe vera gel and some vitamin e oil, and I use grapeseed oil instead of olive or almond. I don’t use cocoa or shea butter, or any essential oils. This mix has to be mixed in a blender or food processor to truly emulsify. I have absolutely no idea how this would mix without that step! And it is challenging to clean your processor afterward so keep that in mind. But my skin really, really loves this stuff!

That will help, though this is a thick lotion…

Can you please recommend a preservative and an antioxidant for homemade soap? Thanks.

I am wondering the same thing, can it be used on the face? I dont want my kids to have acne problems.

Wellness Mama…would you recommend this for a face cream? I made it (and like it) but not sure about the wax for use on my face (new to this homemade stuff)

I tried this recipe last night…results..amazing! I love it and it worked great on my very dry skin, for the first time in my life, I woke up this morning and my skin wasn’t dry and itchy. It was actually still moisturized! Thank you, I am looking forward to trying many more of the skin recipes on this sight!

Hi, I absolutely love your blog. I just made the lotion with coconut oil, olive oil and beeswax. Is this okay to use as a face moisturizer? I plan to use it as lip balm too.
Thanks!

Absolutely

How many drops of the essential oils do you use for this recipe?

I tried this recipe, but I don`t get lotion, it totaly hardens

I too would like to know if I need to melt the bees wax and coconut oil first, then measure out the amount needed for this receipe. Thanks

It is a thickener… it can be left out but I’ve never had trouble with it blocking pores at all…