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In our family, we have a tradition of holding one gift to open on January 6th, which marks the feast of the Epiphany and the end of the Christmas season for us. I wanted to find a fun way to teach our kids about this traditional feast which celebrates the arrival of the three kings bearing Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, and I thought what better way that a homemade product that combined all three.
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
I’d already made Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Lotion Bars, but wanted a smoother lotion that would be easy to make and that my kids could help with. As we made this, we learned about the benefits of each of the ingredients and what they symbolized.
Gold was pretty straightforward but the other two are not as well known. Some speculate that frankincense signified a teaching role and sacrifice while myrrh predicted death and embalming. Both had practical benefits for mom and child though. Frankincense was often used to help balance hormones and for healing. Myrrh was often used on the umbilical cord to prevent infection and speed healing and both are considered calming and soothing.
Frankincense and Myrrh are both extracted from the bark of certain trees and are considered medicinal herbs.
Other Ingredients
I wanted to also make this an opportunity to teach my kids about oil and water and emulsification (homeschool science project) so we used an ingredient I don’t often use but that aids emulsification. It is called emulsifying wax. There is some debate on how natural it is, though it is plant derived. Emulsifying wax goes through more processing than a truly natural wax like beeswax, but works much more easily for emulsification.
In fact, we first attempted to get oil and water to emulsify by themselves in the blender and watched them separate completely after a few minutes. Once we added the emulsifying wax, they stayed blended and felt like lotion.
NOTE: Unlike my homemade luxurious lotion, this lotion does contain water and will have a shorter life than strictly oil based lotions. You can use a natural, broad-spectrum preservative to extend the shelf life, but I chose to skip it. I just made a small batch and used it all up within two weeks and kept it in the fridge.
For this recipe, we used (click links to see the brand we used):
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Emulsifying wax
- Distilled Water
- Essential Oils (Frankincense and Myrrh)
- Gold Mica powder
Three Kings Lotion Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP coconut oil
- 1 TBSP almond oil (or olive oil)l
- 1 TBSP emulsifying wax
- ½ cup distilled water
- 10 drops frankincense essential oil
- 10 drops myrrh essential oil
- 1 tsp gold mica powder
Instructions
- Make sure that all containers and ingredients are very clean. This lotion does not contain a preservative so to extend shelf life, make sure everything is as clean as possible.
- Melt the emulsifying wax and coconut oil in a double boiler until just melted.
- Remove from heat and add olive or almond oil and whisk in.
- Slowly add water, whisking to mix until all added.
- Return double boiler to heat and heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes creamy and slightly thick. It will be the consistency of squeezable lotion from a store.
- Add essential oils and whisk in.
- Let cool and transfer to jar or bottle to store.
Notes
Ever made a DIY project with your kids? How did it turn out?
Hi Wellness Mama! I LOVE your blog & come here often. I concur wholeheartedly with your response. Keep doing what you’re doing – please 🙂
Regarding this recipe, I’d like to add Geogard ECT as a preservative. It’s a non-paraben preservative, it’s instructions is to add 1% of it to the finished product, post-emulsification & at a temperature below 45 degrees Celsius. I have 2 questions for you: 1) what is the weight of the finished product, and 2) have you heard of this preservative & used it?
Any information would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Hello all,
I’ve tried making other lotions and had trouble with the ingredients separating, and got very frustrated. But after reading this article, emulsion wax seemed the way to go. I made this last night, and while everything blended together beautifully, the lotion did not thicken after i returned it to heat. I removed it from heat and allowed it to cool over a few hours, stirring occasionally. Now, the next morning, its the proper thickness and looks/feels great. I left out the mica powder, and used a few drops of tangerine oil instead. Thank you for this recipe, I’ll give making lotions another chance!
Anyone else try this recipe?
I also had no luck in getting it to thicken over heat. Letting it sit and hoping that I will have the same thing happen as you, nice thicker lotion!
Dear Katie
i can’t use coconut oil or olive oil on my skin. these actually dry it out.
do you have any suggestions for a lotion or balm without these oils??
Thanks!
Katey,
Great post!!! I too, really appreciate all the information that you share on your site. I find it very informative and have tried many of the recipes that you have been so gracious in sharing.
I did not find anything offensive about your post and I will say “God Bless you and your family in all that you do”. It is a free country still and if someone does not like what they read then they can hit the delete key and move on. So sad for them. God Bless and I look forward to reading more of you blogs………….
I have always had very good luck with Rosemary Gladstars perfect cream recipe, The oils and waters mix nicely with an immersion blender. I think I will add the gold, frankincence and myrrh to that recipe for gifts next Christmas. Your blog is great btw, and no need to explain yourself or your beliefs to anyone.
I’m not sure what the post had to do with religion. I seen it as a all natural lotion post. Some people will find anything to gripe about. With that said When using the gold and it being a powder do you have any problems getting it to dissolve and be smooth in the lotion. When making lotion I have found using powdered substances they leave a gritty feel such as when I add zinc oxide for sun protection. What am I doing wrong or does this gold go smooth when added to the wax. I have always used beeswax is that the problem? Cayenne for pain relief does the same way in my salves or lotion. Keep up the good work some of us appreciate it..
YES!! I agree with Ellen! Good for you, Katie! Keep up the good work!
Can I somehow use soy lecithin in this? And if so how?
P.S. I absolutely love your blog, thanks for all the information!
Just FYI: soy products are NOT healthy! Do some research on soy. It is one of those items, like salt, that has been given a wrong impression about using. Salt has been given a bad rap (commercial salt IS bad, but not natural salt) and soy has been given a good rap, but it is not.
Exactly. It’s your blog, you can do what you want.
Folks don’t need to stay part of this community if they don’t like what’s going on.
Beyond that, you definitely were not proselytizing. Rather, you shared a recipe with reasons that were consistent with Wellness Mama, and it happened to delve a little deeper into your personal realm…. That takes courage! Bravo.
Furthermore, there were *actual real reasons* why gold, frankincense, and myrrh appeared in the bible. I’m not religious, but I can acknowledge that!
I love how you present stuff.
You’re real.
Rock on with yo’ bad self Katie!!!
Wellness Mama,
Just a comment…….Maybe you shouldn’t incorporate religion into your site :/
I love your site and I haven’t found one like it. Very comforting, but I was disappointed to see this.
The recipe incorporated three ingredients, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which are historically associated with the Biblical account of the Christmas story. They are also a great for the skin in modern times. I simply talked about a tradition we have in our family and a holiday we celebrate (thus the reason for the recipe in the first place). I did not try to evangelize anyone or push my religious beliefs on anyone.
This is my personal blog and and I won’t censor my life or my reason for including a certain recipe because it *might* at some point offend someone. If I did that, I would never publish anything. “Maybe you shouldn’t incorporate religion into your site” because it might offend someone? Maybe I shouldn’t talk about my children since it might offend some people that have more than 1.2 kids. Maybe I shouldn’t talk about natural hair color ideas because some people don’t believe in dying their hair. Or I shouldn’t include any recipes with meat to appease the vegetarians, pork to appease my Jewish readers, nightshades because my autoimmune friends can eat them, sweeteners of any kind so I don’t upset the diabetics, or alcohol so I don’t offend the Muslims.
There will always be something that upsets someone. I write to (hopefully) help other people make the transition to natural living more easily than I did, and I hope that my writing will be helpful to you, but I won’t censor my recipes or articles or remove parts of it for fear someone won’t like it is offended by it.
I understand that you have different beliefs and opinions, but as far as I can tell, I didn’t write anything offensive in this post and the recipe is a great beauty recipe and natural remedy, regardless of your religious beliefs. I respect your right to your own opinions and beliefs, and I’d ask that you offer me the same courtesy and respect. If I’ve written something helpful to you, I hope you’ll use it and implement it regardless of my personal beliefs behind it, and simply not use the recipes or posts that aren’t helpful or applicable to you.
Good for you Katie. Keep doing what you are doing.
I personally loved this article as I celebrate the same so thank you for it 🙂
Maybe you can write anything you want because it’s YOUR blog and it’s a free country where people can choose to read or not read anything they like. I love your site, Katie. You have helped me and my two kids in so many ways. Thank God for people like you.
Wonderful response, Katie. You do an awesome job on here. Thanks for all the time you put into sharing your knowledge with us and allowing us little snapshots of your life and family. Keep doin’ what you’re doin’. 🙂
KUDOS! Your response was spirited, lovely, and thoughtfully perfect. And I say that as one of those non religious readers who gets annoyed by preachy religious posts and this certainly wasn’t one of those posts.
Amen! ( Oh my gosh! I hope I didn’t offend someone!). Excellent response for the easily offended. Continue on as you are!
Amen!
Are you KIDDING me? Yea for you Katie! I think some people just search for anything that they can publically complain about! Good grief! It’s not like you said anything offensive.
Well said, Katie. Too many people get upset over some perceived wrong and that is one of the big problems with the world today. GET OVER IT! Most of the time it is NOT about offending YOU or your beliefs!
Take what you can/will from something and leave the rest out if it bothers you, but give everyone the chance to share what they want.
What about all those bumper stickers that say “Honor Diversity”? Is that JUST for YOUR beliefs, or for MINE, too?
I was impressed by your answer. If someone does not like it they don’t have to read it. You keep up the good work
Good for you, Katie! I appreciate your site and your authenticity! 🙂
Well said! It has always puzzled me how, when the majority of people agree that the main point of their religion is love, those who claim to be the most devout seem to hate the most. Go figure!
Personally, I don’t mind what a person’s religious beliefs are, what I do object to is trolling, cyberbullying and people who will always manage to find something to complain about, even if they have to search for it.
You cant please everyone. I like your answer. Let this person join another site.
Well said. There was nothing wrong at all with what you wrote. If you don’t like it. Stop reading!
Well said! You really can’t expect to please everybody! I am not overly religious but your posts would not turn me off from visitng your blog/site.
Your Awesome Katie and Sooooo right…..you share as much as you want too! I feel truly blessed in so many ways to have stumbled upon your site and all I can say is God Bless You!
Perfect response. Amazing how narcissistic and arrogant some people are.
Great answer! Way to go Katie! It’s not religion, it’s history, and furthermore your blog your rules.
I’m sorry that her “religion” bothers you. But it is her website and it is what is important to her. She is not only sharing information, she is sharing herself with us. Where is your “tolerance” for other peoples beliefs, likes, and things they want to share? If you don’t like it don’t visit her site. Although I’m sure you can overlook this because her site is a wonderful wealth of information.
I wrote the above and then scrolled and noticed there were already responses! I got so incensed at the comment that I immediately started replying without looking if Katie already had!
Eryn, Someone once to me to eat the candy and leave the wrapper. Good advice and it will keep people from getting under your skin…
I too am Christian and Catholic taboot! And if you think I have not had my feathers ruffed up, you would be mistaken. I found this recipe delightful and the tip for keeping things from separating was ideal, and the idea of sharing a mother’s faith with her children is to be commended. Traditions are the essence of faith and this blog spot keeps us on point. LORD knows it easy enough to go off the wire occasionally. Kudos to Katie – my newly found faith keeping friend.
FYI: I have been a journalist for more than 35 years, and a massage therapist for more years than that. I found this website thanks to Lesa and I say to Katie and Lesa: “Great blog, great attitude, and a delightful word smith.” Thanks Lesa.
All that and a bag of chips too.