Make Your Own Lotion With 3 Simple Ingredients

Skin care is big business, accounting for millions of dollars in sales each year.  According to IBISWorld  the cosmetic and skin care industries are very competitive.  As a result,  companies are relying on new product introductions to grow their business.  For the consumer, this means “new & improved” patented ingredients, more chemicals and toxins with unknown side effects, all with the promise of more youthful, healthy skin. 

Most Americans are accustomed to an abundance of choices in skin and personal care products, yet it can still be overwhelming trying to choose what is the safest and most economical.  It helps to get products from a company you trust,  one that ensures quality control in all aspects of producing their consumer goods.  EWG’s cosmetic database can help you avoid products with toxic ingredients.  I’ve also found it easiest to simplify my routine where I can.  If you are unfamiliar with the risks of using most drug store personal care products I encourage you to watch a short video from Safe Cosmetics.org, a non-profit organization committed to educating the public about safety in our personal care items.

DIY for the safest options Recently, I’ve found some great directions on making your own lotions at WabiSabi Baby.com.  I’ve had the how-to  information for years but never ventured out to try it until I read the clear directions from WabiSabi Baby.  Packaged lotions are convenient and you don’t have to worry about shelf life, but if you’d like to try making your own lotion, I recommend this recipe.  When you add your pure, therapeutic, food grade essential oils  you’ll have the purest lotion customized to your skin’s needs. 

I mixed together this batch of simple ingredients and had a very emollient lotion in 15 minutes.  I used jojoba one time and coconut oil the 2nd.  The coconut oil version was amazingly emollient.  I have used a lavender lip balm (made with coconut oil) for dry patches and the coconut oil  version was very similar.   If you can heat up a can of soup, you can make this recipe.  The first time I did this, the water separated a little.  I reheated the mixture in the double boiler and it turned out much better.  I look forward to trying this recipe with glycerin (making sure it’s vegetable glycerin) for even more moisture.   Mountain Rose Herbs carries a large selection of lotion making supplies including beeswax pastilles and glycerin.   Let me know if you’ve made your own lotions and what has or has not worked for you!

 

 

DIY Lotion With 3 Simple Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1/4 C Vegetable Oil (Almond, Coconut, Jojoba, Sesame, NO soybean, canola or corn )
  • 1/4 C Emulsifying Wax (Local beeswax or emulsifying beads from a specialty store)
  • 1 1/4 C Hot purified water (Almost boiling)
  • Glass quart canning jar with lid

Instructions

  1. Temper the glass canning jar by slowing warming it in a pan of hot water.
  2. Remove with a hot pad and set on a hot pad to cool slightly while you mix the ingredients.
  3. Melt vegetable oil and emulsifying wax in a small stainless steel sauce pan.
  4. Pour in hot water CAREFULLY. **This step is critical in avoiding a mess!
  5. Stir until fully incorporated, the consistency will be like milk.
  6. Pour the lotion slowly into the glass canning jar making sure the jar is still slightly warm and put the cap on.
  7. Gently shake the mixture every five minutes until the mixture sets.
  8. Add 8-10 drops of essential oils of your choice in the middle of mixing ingredients.
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Calming lotion: Roman chamomile, lavender & frankincense

Acne prone: Melaleuca alternifolia, Roman Chamomile

Eczema: Myrrh

Cooling Foot Lotion: Peppermint

Sunscreen: Add 1 T non-nano zinc oxide plus lavender to protect and support skin health (I ordered mine from WabiSabi baby.com)

Insect Repelling Lotion: Purifyig blend, Peppermint, Cedarwood, Immune Immune Boosting Blend, Citronella (make sure it is not a chemical citronella oil, but pure plant extract).  Add non-nano zinc oxide to make a bug repellent sunscreen

I made half this version for a couple days use and keep it in the fridge since there are no preservatives.  You could also add some Vitamin E oil or essential oils that would act as natural preservatives.  Make sure you don’t use citrus oils in lotion you will be putting on before sun exposure, they are photosensitizing and make it more likely you’ll burn .

Mix up a Body Butter with a similar technique, just adjusting the ingredients with less water:

Make your own lotion and Body Butter

 

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