Homemade Lotion

There is something incredibly satisfying about blending pure water and organic oils together to make a safe, effective, and luxurious lotion.  And I have discovered a process that makes it fast and easy!  

Creamy, moisturizing - and safe!

But why bother with all the lotions choices available in stores and online?


We often forget that our skin is absorbent and that commercial body care products are filled with chemicals.  Some researchers estimate that women expose their bodies to 135 and 515 different synthetic chemicals during their morning grooming routine.

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Reducing your toxin load, one body care item at a time, is important when you consider the synergistic impact of all the synthetic chemicals in our environment.  

The Halifax Project has studied the combined impact of low dose chemicals on the development of cancer.  Their published research shows that many common and widespread chemicals can effect cancer-related mechanisms in the body at the low doses people typically encounter in the environment.

Making your own lotion not only helps you avoid synthetic chemicals, but also allows you to customize the ingredients to create a lotion specifically formulated for your skin type.

The key to a perfect creme is equal amounts of water and oil states herbalist, Rosemary Gladstar.  The water moisturizes the skin while the oil seals in the moisture and protects the skin.  

The age old challenge is getting oil and water to mix.  Gladstar has formulated an oil, water, and bees wax combination that emulsifies readily to creates a creamy white lotion.

Ingredients

Rosemary Gladstar's book, Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health provides a list of skin care ingredients along with descriptions.  Her guide can help you determine which oil will work best for your skin type.

To avoid pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides be sure to choose organic ingredients.

Oils

The oils used in lotions can be liquid or solid at room temperature.  Grape seed oil is very light and works best for those with oily skin.  Apricot kernel and almond oil are also liquid oils that are light enough for face creams.

If you suffer from dry skin, cocoa butter and lanolin are rich emollients that will nourish your skin.  Just be sure to use sparingly.

Coconut oil is suitable for most skin types.


Olive oil can be used, but the lotion will be heavier and will take more time to absorb.  Olive oil, in an of itself, has medicinal properties and is an excellent solvent for infusing healing herbs.  Infusing your oils with herbs can add healing properties to your lotion.  Learn how to infuse oils here.

There are many oils to choose from including; sesame, avocado, macadamia nut, mango and shea butter.

When experimenting with oils, use about 3/4 cup liquid oils to 1/4 cup solid oils for best results.  Many solid oils like cocoa butter and shea butter are heavy and work best when used in moderation.

Waters

The waters can be distilled or filtered water, aloe vera juice, hydrosols, or rose water.  

Fresh aloe vera juice will spoil within a few days, so use bottled juice for best results.

Using distilled or filtered water will keep bacteria out of your lotion and prolong its shelf life.  Filtered water has the added benefit of being free from chlorine, fluoride, and residue from pharmaceutical drugs and farming chemicals.  We use the Big Berkey water filter for all our water needs.

Optional Ingredients

Essential oils can be used to scent and to add medicinal benefits to the lotion. Lavender is a favorite for face creams and baby lotions. (Add to the waters.)

Vitamin A and or E can be added.  Besides the vitamin boost, they also help serve as natural preservatives. (Add to the oils.)

Blending the Ingredients

I used to blend the oils and waters together by placing the oils in a blender and then slowing dripping the waters into the spinning blender and hoping for the best.  The results were hit or miss as the oil and water would sometimes separate.

But after making mayonnaise with an immersion blender, I thought about trying it for lotion as well.  The result was creamy white lotion each and every time! 

The Process

Assemble your Supplies

Glass measuring cup that will hold at least 2 1/2 cups
1 cup glass measuring cup

Measuring spoons

Pan for heating water

Wooden stir stick (chop sticks and wooden skewers work great)

Immersion blender

Small wide mouth jars to store the lotion

Blending Instructions

• Carefully measure your oils into a glass measuring cup.  You will need accurate measurements to achieve good results. 

Coconut oil joins grape seed oil and coconut butter in a glass cup.

• Add in bees wax and place measuring cup in a pan of water.  Heat on low until all solid oils and bees wax have melted, stirring occasionally with a wooden chop stick.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool. 

Bees wax pastilles melt faster than chunks.

The solid oils have melted.

The bees wax is just about melted.

• Keep the oils in the glass measuring cup or pour them into a glass jar.  In order for the immersion blender to do its magic, the head of the blender must fit snugly into the base of the container.

Oils are cooling, but not ready at this stage.

• Allow the oils to cool to room temperature.  I cannot stress enough the need to wait until the oils are completely cooled, opaque, and thick.  This can take several hours or longer depending on temperature in your kitchen. Be patient, as having both the waters and oils at room temperature is critical for successful emulsifying.

Cooled  and stirred oil with 1 oz of bees wax.

• If adding vitamins A or E, add them to the oils after they have cooled.

• While the oils are cooling, measure the waters.  Add in essential oils at this point.

• When all ingredients are at room temperature, pour the waters into the cup with the oils all at once.  

Pour waters on top of cooled oils and start blending.

• Place the blending head of the immersion blender at the bottom of the cup or jar and pulse.  After a few pulses you should see the color of the liquid turning white.

The liquid turns white as the water and oil emulsify.

• Continue pulsing while slowly lifting the blender up to incorporate more of the liquid into the thick lotion.  When all the liquid is creamy and white, the lotion is done!

Just about done.

Creamy white and ready to place in jars.

• Pour the lotion into small wide mouth jars.   I leave one small container in the bathroom for daily use and keep the rest in the fridge.

These recipes make a big batch!

• Place the lotion you will not use daily in the refrigerator to prolong the shelf life.

• Because this lotion is so rich, a little bit goes a long way.  If used sparingly, it should be absorbed by the skin in a few minutes.

Recipes

Calendula Lotion

3/4 C apricot kernel or grape seed oil infused with calendula
2 TBS cocoa butter
2 TBS coconut oil

1/2 to 1 ounce grated bees wax

1/4 C aloe vera juice - commercially prepared
3/4 C distilled or filtered water

Essential oil of choice - optional

Makes 2 cups, plus a bit more.

Rosemary's Perfect Creme

3/4 C apricot kernel, almond or grape seed oil
1/3 C coconut oil or cocoa butter
1/4 tsp lanolin - optional

1/2 to 1 ounce grated bees wax

2/3 C distilled water or rose water
1/3 C aloe vera gel - commercially prepared

essential oil of choice - optional
Vitamins A and/or E - optional but helps to preserve

Makes 2 cups, plus a bit more.

Tips

• Heat your oils in the evening and they will be cooled to room temperature and ready to blend the following morning.

• You can use bees wax in chunk form and cut it into small pieces or purchase bees wax pastilles (pellets) which are much easier to use.

• The more bees wax you use, the thicker the cream will be.

• This lotion is great for your face, but also wonderful for your entire body. And because you made it yourself, it is affordable enough to use as a body cream.

• Use sparingly.  It may feel a bit greasy at first, but should be absorbed in a few minutes.

• Commercially processed aloe vera gel is recommended as fresh gel will spoil in a short period of time.

• Avoid use of any aloe vera product on staph or strep infections.

• If you purchase a large bottle of aloe vera gel, you can freeze the excess in ice cube trays and take out just what you need each time you make lotion. Two large ice cubes equals just about 1/4 cup.

Allow aloe vera gel cubes to reach room temperature.

• Herbs can be infused in the oil to create lotions that have healing properties.  I infused yarrow, comfrey, and witch hazel in olive oil to make a lotion for varicose veins.

• If you store your lotion in previously used jars, be sure the lids are completely dry and any cardboard or paper liners have been removed. (Paper liners can hold moisture and bacteria which can mold the lotion.)

• If your ratio of cocoa butter is too high you may notice the formation of granules in your lotion.

• Rosemary Gladstar has a fun how-to-video that you can view by clicking here.

• Herbalist Rosalee de la Foret suggests adding 1 tsp of cottonwood bud tincture as a natural preservative.  Check out her recipe here.

• Have fun experimenting with different oils to create your own unique lotion.