If you are still using store-bought lotion on yourself or your family, there are super easy natural alternatives that are fun to make! This homemade lotion recipe has three basic ingredients and takes only ten minutes to whip together.
The basic recipe is an ultra-moisturizing water-free version that lasts for years without preservatives.
NOTE: This is an improved recipe since many people were having trouble getting the temperatures exactly right to get the lotion to emulsify (as per the comments below). This recipe will not have any of those issues!
Making Custom Lotion Blends
Once you master the base recipe, have fun customizing your lotion to your skin type, skin conditions, and desired scent!
There are endless variations, but some of my favorites are:
- Baby Lotion – Infuse the oil with calendula and chamomile before making the lotion.
- Cooling Muscle Rub – Add peppermint, wintergreen, and ginger for sore muscles.
- Anti-aging Face Lotion – Use argan oil and add lavender and patchouli essential oils.
- Lavender and Vanilla Lotion – Add a few drops of lavender and a little natural vanilla extract.
Homemade Lotion Recipe
Yield
Materials
- ½ cup almond oil (or jojoba oil, or any other liquid oil)
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup beeswax pellets
- 1 tsp vitamin E oil (optional)
- 2 TBSP shea butter (or cocoa butter, optional)
- essential oils (optional)
- vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the almond oil, coconut oil, beeswax, and shea or cocoa butter if using, in a double boiler or a glass bowl on top of a simmering pan of water.
- Stir occasionally as the ingredients melt.
- When all ingredients are completely melted, add the vitamin E oil if using and any essential oils or scents like vanilla.
- Pour into a glass jar or tin for storage. Small mason jars work perfectly for this. Note: This will not pump well in a lotion pump!
- Use as you would regular lotion. This lotion is ultra-moisturizing and more oily than water-based lotions so you won’t need to use as much. It also has a longer shelf life than some homemade lotion recipes since all ingredients are already shelf stable and no water is added. Use within 6 months for best moisturizing benefits.
Notes
Other Homemade Lotion Recipe Variations
There are lots of ways you can make your own lotion at home. Consider this easy men’s lotion with just a handful of ingredients, or see below for other ways to moisturize!
Lotion Bars
If you want an even easier solution, make these easy lotion bars! It only has three ingredients, takes less time to make, and lasts even longer.
Aloe-Based Homemade Lotion
If you’d prefer a lighter lotion recipe, this aloe-based version is much smoother and not as greasy. Unlike the version above, it does not have an indefinite shelf life and should be used within a month since it does not contain any preservatives.
This recipe is adapted from the recipe I’ve used for years from Frugally Sustainable.
Aloe Lotion Ingredients
- 1 cup aloe vera gel
- 1 tsp + 1 TBSP beeswax pastilles
- 1/2 cup almond oil or jojoba oil (or any other liquid oil)
- 1 tsp vitamin E oil (optional)
- 1 TBSP shea butter (optional)
- essential oils of choice – I like 10 drops of geranium and 5 drops of lime
Aloe Lotion Instructions
- Melt the beeswax, almond oil (or other liquid oil), and shea butter (if using) in a double boiler or glass bowl over a pan of water.
- Remove from heat and pour into a blender or mason jar (if using an immersion blender).
- Let cool to room temperature. You want it to be room temperature and just barely starting to harden around the edges. This will help make sure that the lotion emulsifies correctly.
- Add the vitamin E (if using) and any essential oils.
- Start blending on low using a blender or immersion blender. Very slowly, start adding the aloe vera gel until incorporated. Use a spatula to wipe down the sides and re-blend a few times until fully incorporated.
- Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to six weeks.
Best Pre-Made Natural Lotions
If reading all that just convinced you that you’d rather just buy a natural lotion than go through the trouble of making one, there are also some great pre-made options. (And no judgment… that’s how I felt the first few times I tried making lotion and toothpaste too!).
These are lotions that I’ve personally used and love and that have safe ingredients and a good rating with the Environmental Working Group:
- Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Lotion – I’ve never found a product I didn’t like from this company
- Shea Moisture Head to Toe Ointment – Similar to the first recipe above- no liquid and very moisturizing
- Nourish Organic Body Lotion – Fragrance-free and very highly rated by EWG
- Shea Moisture Olive Oil and Marula – Smells amazing and works really well!
- Nature’s Baby Organic Unscented Lotion – Also very highly rated unscented lotion
Ever made your own lotion? How did it go? Let me know below!
Thank you for all the info! I just made it yesterday and followed your recipe except I used a combination of peppermint, lemongrass, tea tree and cedarwood essential oils but it feels greasy? What could I adjust to make it less greasy?
You can replace the shea butter with mango butter (an astringent butter), however the coconut oil is necessary for consistency and it does have a greasier feel. This recipe absorbs faster and you can scent it with any skin-friendly essential oils you want. https://wellnessmama.com/beauty/mens-lotion-recipe/
I love love love this lotion. My man loves it more. It’s great for scars, dry skin, regular skin, chapped skin, feet, everything. It is not greasy, soaks in quickly, and is very nourishing. Best part is that I know exactly what is in it. Thank you for sharing this!
First, thank you very much for sharing this recipe (and all the other, truly wonderful ones)
I peaked on over to the best pre-made natural medicines and came across comments about ingredients changing and SheaMoisture having been purchased. (A google search confirmed that Unilver bought Sundial Brands that owns Shea Moisture and Nubian Heritage.)
Can you confirm whether these products are still on the best list?
(I love having resources like this and just want to make sure they are still high quality.)
Thank you for your time and all your work!
Unilver bought Sundial Brands that owns Shea Moisture and Nubian Heritage
Reference:https://www.essence.com/news/shea-moisture-acquired-by-unilever/
The products and ingredients in the Shea Moisture linked products are still good, even though the owners have changed hands. However, some of them are the older formulations that aren’t as readily available.
I tried the recipe and it was easy to make. I added some frankincense. however it hardened into a block and was not easy to remove like body butter. I will still use it as a body bar. I used the exact measurements in the recipe but maybe I needed to use more of the oils or shea butter. Also, I used the solid coconut oil as opposed to liquid since it did not specify. Was I supposed to use liquid coconut oil?
The recipe calls for regular coconut oil, but it can get very hard at colder temperatures. If it’s that hard it might help to cut the beeswax in half, at least during the colder months.
Hi,
What a lovely recipe. It is great on my skin!! But My moisturizer turned out quite a different color. Yours is nice and white and creamy whereas mine is yellowish, kind of a cloudy amber color. What did I do wrong? Many thanks!
Hi Claire, it depends on the quality of ingredients used but slightly yellow should be fine. White beeswax and refined shea butter will yield more of an off white color, while yellow beeswax and less refined shea butter will make a yellower lotion – that’s totally fine!
I love your recipe. I want to incorporate breastmilk for extra benefits. How would I go about doing that?
I loved this lotion… I’ve never seen anything that can stop and itch like this stuff. Everyone I’ve given a jar to has loved this as well.
What is the shelf life for the Homeade Lotion Recipe? (made without vitamin E and vanilla)
Thank you 🙂
The shelf-life is up to 6 weeks in the fridge. The vitamin E slows the oxidation of the oils, but it won’t preserve the aloe vera which is what has the shortest shelf life out of the ingredients.
I just made this using the prescribed quantities almond oil, coconut oil, shea butter, and used soy wax instead of beeswax, but it just looks like a jar of yellow oil. I read that you can substitute soy for beeswax, but the end result doesn’t look quite right…
Instead of pump bottles, can I use squeezable lotion bottles for this recipe?
You could try a silicone squeeze tube and let us know how it goes. It should work.
Love this recipe! I add a tablespoon of arrowroot powder to help it absorbe more quickly into the skin.
This question may have been answered among the many questions and comments,
so I’m asking as a new person in starting to create my own products. what, Is it better to use fractionated oils? And do you have a method and recipe for making a lotion as well?
I haven’t made this yet, and I was wondering how to measure the beeswax? I bought a small block; should I shred it and measure it that way??? In the comments, it seems some people complained of the final product being too firm and I’m wondering if it has to do with using too much beeswax.
Better to grate or shred and use that way
Hello! I wanted to let you know that there is a website that lists 2 of your DIY recipes as things that “won’t work” and lists their reasons why. They also provide links to your recipe pages. I have not personally tried them yet, I just wanted to contact you somehow and let you know. If you would like, I can let you know the name of the site and provide you with a link. I wish you the best!
Hi, I made this lotion according to your recipe. It unfortunately does not look like a whipped lotion that you have in your photo. It is quite hard so perhaps I used too much beeswax? I measured 57g of beeswax (your recipe says 1/4 cup and when I looked it up it said 57g was weight). Do you think I can add more of the other ingredient and melt it again? Also I was going to put some citrus essential oil in the lotion but I wasn’t sure if this was a good idea? Thanks so much.
Do you have to use an organic beewax for this or is regular beewax okay?
Is there something I can use to sub for the coconut oil? It dries my skin out.
I’m going to use mango instead of Shea or coca butter. Allergic to cocoa butter.
Thanks for all you do!
I loved the original recipe and have made many batches of it without a problem ever. I can’t find my printed copy of the recipe so came here to print again. However, I am only seeing the new recipe you posted. Can I get the original one? Thank you!