Magnesium Lotion For Better Sleep (and Healthier Skin)

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Beauty » Magnesium Lotion For Better Sleep (and Healthier Skin)

I’ve posted before about how to make your own magnesium oil. But I wanted to come up with something that was a little more moisturizing and even more skin nourishing. This magnesium lotion/body butter hydrates skin and is a great way to get more magnesium in your skincare routine.

Benefits of Magnesium

Our skin absorbs what we put on it, which can be a good thing or a bad thing! Here we’re using it to our advantage. I take magnesium supplements because unfortunately our soil and food are depleted of this vital nutrient. And most of the population has a magnesium deficiency. I also like using topical magnesium on my skin, especially at night.

Our muscles (and many other things!) need magnesium to function properly. When we don’t have enough it can lead to leg cramps, migraines, and restless legs. I don’t give my kids melatonin, but I will rub this on their feet at night to help them get restful sleep. For some people, myself included, magnesium can be more energizing. So I use magnesium body lotion during the daytime.

Why Make Magnesium Cream?

I like making my own skincare products when I can because they’re often healthier and cheaper. Some magnesium lotion brands have sulfates and parabens, but we’re skipping those here. Other common ingredients are capric triglyceride, MSM, xanthan gum, and glyceryl stearate. Not really things I have on hand in my kitchen.

Magnesium Body Butter

This recipe uses all natural moisturizing ingredients to make dry skin soft and silky. Many people notice a tingling or burning feeling the first time using magnesium oil spray. Because this magnesium is blended in a thick lotion/body butter base I’ve found it’s more comfortable to use.

Some lotion recipes add glycerin and aloe, but I opted not to here. While they’re both great for healthy skin, too much glycerin can make skin feel sticky. And aloe really shortens the shelf life.

Magnesium Lotion Ingredients

I did use Coconut oil and shea butter, which both have a naturally mild SPF of 4-5. While it won’t work the same as sunblock, it does help the skin be more resilient. Our bodies also need magnesium to absorb vitamin D from the sun, so this magnesium lotion is great for mild sun exposure.

You’ll notice a few other unique ingredients in this recipe. Instead of beeswax to thicken, I use a blend of candelilla and emulsifying wax. Candelilla is a hard plant wax that thickens without being greasy. And the emulsifying wax helps the magnesium water combine with the oily ingredients.

If you don’t have either of those, you can use beeswax, but it’s harder to clean up and feels heavier on the skin. It’s also trickier to get the magnesium lotion to not separate.

Non-Greasy Feel

A lot of body butters can feel really heavy on the skin. This is more of a thick lotion consistency and absorbs faster. It uses a blend of waxes and oils that help it to not feel as greasy as some body cream and body butter options.

The Right Magnesium

There are lots of different types of magnesium, but not all of them will work in a lotion. Magnesium supplements (like magnesium citrate) will leave a gritty feel and don’t really work. Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), can work if it’s dissolved enough, but it’s not ideal.

Magnesium lotion uses magnesium chloride as its magnesium source. I use these unscented magnesium bath flakes to make pure magnesium oil for the lotion. They’re made from Zechstein magnesium chloride harvested from ancient seabeds.

Basically, you want it to say magnesium chloride on the ingredients list.

Adding Essential Oils

A lot of my skincare recipes rely on essential oils for their scent and health-promoting properties. You could add whatever skin safe essential oil you prefer to the formulation for scent. I used lavender because it’s great for soothing irritated skin and helps the mind and body relax at night. I avoid using certain citrus essential oils because they can cause photosensitivity for daytime use.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, make sure the essential oil you use is pregnancy or breastfeeding safe. Or just leave it out and have an unscented version.

How to Use Magnesium Lotion

I use this or regular magnesium oil on my kid’s feet each night to help them sleep and boost magnesium levels. It’s also a great product to use for sore or restless muscles. You don’t need to use it all over like a body lotion for results, but you could if you wanted to. It may clog pores if used on the face though.

Because it has oils that help with vitamin D absorption and mild sun protection, I’ll use it before going outside in the warmer months. 

magnesium lotion
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4.16 from 138 votes

Magnesium Lotion

All natural moisturizing ingredients make skin soft and silky in this thick lotion. Magnesium aids restful sleep, reduces muscle soreness, and boosts vitamin D absorption.
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time15 minutes
Cooling Time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Yield: 12 ounces
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • Place magnesium flakes into the mason jar and add the boiling water, stirring until the magnesium dissolves.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • Put the coconut oil, shea butter, emulsifying wax, candelilla wax, and grapeseed oil into the top of the double boiler and turn on medium heat. You can also use a heat safe glass bowl on top of a pot filled halfway with water.
  • Stir frequently until the ingredients are melted and completely combined.
  • Pour the melted oil mixture into a mixing bowl or blender. Let the mixture cool until it's room temperature and slightly opaque. I put mine in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to speed up the process.
  • Add the essential oils and vitamin E if using.
  • Use a hand blender, immersion blender, or regular blender on medium speed to start blending the cooled oil mixture. You can also use a stand mixer.
  • While the oil mixture is mixing/blending, very slowly add the dissolved magnesium mixture. Start with just a few drops, and then pour in a very thin stream. Continue to mix until fully incorporated.
  • Transfer the magnesium lotion to a glass container.

Notes

  • If you have pre-made magnesium oil on hand, you can use ½ cup of that instead of the magnesium flakes and boiling water.
  • Store in the fridge for a cooling lotion, or at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to two months.

Storage and Shelf Life

Magnesium body butter doesn’t have any preservatives, so I make it in smaller batches. It keeps for up to two months without a problem. It can also be stored in the fridge for a thicker and cooling lotion. It’s great to use after sun exposure to help the body absorb Vitamin D. You can also add some vitamin E to extend the life of the oils and shea butter (though it’s not an antimicrobial).

Where to Buy Magnesium Lotion

If you’re short on time or just don’t feel like making it, you can buy healthy magnesium lotion online. This Magnesium Lotion Shop sells hand-crafted jars that everyone seems to love! They have a fragrance-free version or one with lavender essential oil.

Have you ever used magnesium oil or lotion before? Did you notice a difference? Leave a comment and let me know!

Magnesium is a vital nutrient for the body and this magnesium body butter includes natural ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter for healthy skin.
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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

531 responses to “Magnesium Lotion For Better Sleep (and Healthier Skin)”

  1. Lian Avatar

    Kate I’m wondering if u would be cool with me using some of ur beauty recipes to make products that I would sell to my community at the local market?

  2. Sue Avatar

    Hi Katie,
    I made this and it turned out great! Thanks so much. Magnesium oil has really helped me sleep better.
    Love your website!

  3. Cindy Avatar

    I made a similar recipe using beeswax. It felt nice, and didn’t itch, but left a waxy film on my skin that had to be washed off. I wonder if the emulsifying wax feels different. Thanks.

  4. Danielle Avatar
    Danielle

    I didn’t read through the hundreds of comments so this may have been answered but my magnesium butter is kind of sticky.. and after a couple weeks has drops of liquid in it?? Also, quick question about the flower infused diaper cream. I didn’t have flowers so I used chamomile hydrosol instead.. wondering how long this is suppose to last and still cloth diaper safe? Thanks in advance

  5. Jan Lewis Avatar
    Jan Lewis

    The whole point of making your own products is for health. Is the emulsifying was completely non toxic? The ingredients I’ve read on various ones sound like chemicals. Thanks

  6. Brandi Arender Avatar
    Brandi Arender

    Can you add magnesium flakes directly to a lotion bar recipe or will it disolve?

  7. Judy Avatar

    Katie, assuming I’m deficient in magnesium (just going by how much the magnesium oil stings) how much of the body butter would I need to use every day? Thanks! Love the blog!

  8. Brandi Arender Avatar
    Brandi Arender

    Is there away to make lotion bars with the homemade magnesium oil? I like using the lotion bars and don’t want to make magnesium lotion/butter.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      It is tough because of the oil/water issue, but one that I’m working on experimenting with and will definitely update if I figure it out 🙂

  9. Phena Avatar

    Hi, I made your magnesium oil spray and i Absolutely LOVE IT! Thank you so incredibly much for sharing the recipe (and for your entire blog! I love it!!).
    I would love to try to make my own magnesium lotion now too… but I have really dry and sensitive skin (i was really surprised and so happy when i didn’t react to the mag spray!!).
    I was just wondering if i could just add the same amount of magnesium oil used in this recipe to ~300ml of a lotion i currently use & receive the benefits (i think 282ml is roughly the total quantity of the ingredients used in your recipe, not including the magnesium)? Im just concerned i may react to some of the ingredients- i probably won’t but don’t want to risk it for several reasons!
    Hope to hear back from you & again, thank you so much for your wonderful blog!!
    PS so sorry if this comment is a little jumbled!!!

  10. DAPHNA GARCIA Avatar
    DAPHNA GARCIA

    Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I recently purchased magnesium flakes and was looking for a recipe to use it in. This one sound lovley. Can I add a preservative to this recipe to extend the shelf life? If so, do you have any suggestions?

  11. stacy crawford Avatar
    stacy crawford

    Can you use a magnesium body lotion on your entire body daily?
    I made a different recipe for magnesium body lotion and I have only been putting it on my belly, heels of my feet and lower back where I have discomfort, each night before bed.

  12. Tina Avatar

    Does anyone know how much this recipe yields! I’m not good at cups and tablespoons? Thank you in advance.

  13. Scott Avatar

    Have you experimented making a lotion with the EASE (water based) magnesium spray yet? I’d like to come up with something and would appreciate your feedback.

  14. Megan Martinez Avatar
    Megan Martinez

    Hi there!
    I’m proud to say that your blog inspired me to start making homemade soap and lotion!
    I do have a question about a lotion I made with coconut, olive, grape seed, avocado, vitamin E oil, and beeswax. We all love it but my sister has a concern. She said her face is dry, a’tight feeling’ , used twice a day but hands are good. Out of about 20 users of this lotion this was a first and only concern I’m trying to get to the bottom of. My face feels a little tighter as well, fine lines are diminishing, I’m losing the sagging in my neck . I love it and think it’s surprisingly youthful.

    What do you make of all this?
    Can you offer any advice or understanding that would help my sister?

    I would greatly appreciate your help, Wellness Mama! ?
    Thank you for your time.
    ~Megan

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      That tightening can be normal, especially for those with really dry skin but it could also signal a mild allergy to one of the ingredients.

  15. Dee Avatar

    What about using Magnesium powder from supplements? Could use the powder in with whipped Coconut oil?

  16. Amy Avatar

    Hello all!

    Although I have been using wellness Mama’s advice religiously (and often refer to my family as the “wellness army! haha) ive only now gotten brave enough to post online. I just tried this magnesium body butter recipe and it is so fantastic I just had to post! So creamy and nourishing! W Mama’s posts, recipes and advise are on a legendary level in my opinion —> rushing out to buy her cookbook now! Thank you Wellness Mama! <3

  17. Dara Avatar

    Instead of cocoa butter or shea butter, try mango butter. It is just as moisturizing but has no smell.

  18. Diana Avatar

    I bought the Shea Butter and is really smelly!! Is it normal for it to smell like rotting dairy?

    1. Lena Avatar

      Diana, fresh un-refined shea butter has a nutty smell. Nothing like what you are describing!

      I usually get my shea butter from Amazon. The place I get it from is called Essential Depot. Their shea butter is always fresh and creamy. You can use it right from the jar if you want to..

      One time I got a jar that had a cracked lid in shipping. I told them about it next time I ordered so they would pack it better. They didn’t just pack it better but sent me a whole 16 oz jar extra for free!

      Before I found this place on Amazon I have bought shea butter from other places and got hard, dry shea butter.

      You should definitely complain about what you got, Shea butter is not supposed to smell anything like that!

4.16 from 138 votes (99 ratings without comment)

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