Lotion is extremely easy to make, because it only requires three basic ingredients and only takes about ten minutes to take. Like many DIY products, it’s easy to customize your lotion, so if you’ve got specific needs due to your skin type or you just want a specific scent, you can make it!
I’ve seen tons of variations on scents out there, but a few of my personal favorites are chamomile, peppermint, wintergreen and ginger for athletes (sore muscles!), coconut for your face, and rosewater and almond oil for normal, everyday use. Of course, there are other hugely popular scents like lavender, vanilla, tea tea, mint, etc..
BASIC LOTION RECIPE
Remember: You can customize your own lotion by adding your favorite essential oils or using shea or cocoa butter in place of the coconut oil (this will give you more of a body-butter thickness).
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup almond or olive oil (option to infuse with herbs)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup beeswax
- Optional: 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil, 2 tablespoons shea or cocoa butter, essential oils, vanilla extract or other natural extracts
- Combine ingredients in a large jar.
- Fill a medium saucepan with a bit of water (an inch or so) over medium heat.
- Make sure you have a lid on the jar and then put it in the water. This way, the ingredients start to melt.
- Shake or stir occasionally to make sure everything stays even. Once everything is melted and looking good, you can convert it to whatever jar you’ll be keeping it in
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Winter Moisturizer
2 Tbsp. apricot kernel oil
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup stearic acid powder( I purchase this from candle making supply
companies)
1/2 tsp. baking soda(works best if it is fresh)
1 Tbsp. aloe vera gel
1 cup water
Combine oils and stearic acid in a heat resistant container. Combine the
baking soda, aloe vera gel and water in another heat resistant container.
Heat the oil mixture in a water bath until the mix is a clear liquid and all
the stearic acid powder is melted.
Heat the water solution until just boiling in the water bath .Slowly add 1/3
of the water solution to the oil solution and stir.The combination will foam
slightly .
Pour this into a blender and stir. Add the rest of the water mixture in a
slow steady stream and blend on high. The mixture will be a white fluffy
cream.
Spoon the cream into a container and cool completely.
Massage a small amount into your face and neck.Store in a cool and dark
place. Makes 12 oz.
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Eggnog Lotion
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream( half and half works well for this too)
1 Tbsp. rum
1/4 cup light oil(canola, almond, also walnut will work well)
In a blender mix together the first 3 ingredients. until well blended .With
blender still running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until well
combined. Pour the creamy lotion into a container and store in the
refrigerator.
Makes 8 oz.
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Body Lotion
2 Tbsp. cocoa butter
2 Tbsp. castor oil
2 Tbsp. vodka
Mix together the cocoa butter and castor oil and heat gently to melt the
cocoa butter. This can be done in microwave or water bath. Add the vodka and
stir well.Allow the mixture to cool completely and stir once more to blend the
lotion.
Makes 3 oz.
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Jaffa Moisture Blocks
I've got a great one for you today. This is an astoundingly easy recipe for the best moisture block EVER. It's really amazing - it's creamy and rich but also light. It smells faintly like chocolate. I use it all over - well, let me amend that slightly - on my body, my hands, my face and my lips.
In case you're not sold yet - this moisture block is made out of edible ingredients, is travel-friendly (as in, you can take it on planes because it's solid), and is great even for sensitive skin.
The downside to this recipe is that you have to spend a bit of money to get the ingredients the first time around. But you can use most of these ingredients in cooking, too, and these little moisture blocks make great gifts. So think of it as an investment.
***********
Jaffa Moisture Blocks
Makes about 4 small blocks
15 min cooking time + 30 min cooling
Adapted from Bodyworks
Ingredients
60 g raw cocoa butter, preferably organic
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp avocado oil
1 tsp almond oil
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp jojoba oil
1000 IU vitamin E (this was 2 capsules for me)
15 drops bergamot essential oil (or your choice)
* Use organic ingredients when you can. Especially if you're going to be using this as a lip balm. Be sure you're not allergic to any of the ingredients, too - we can't have you breaking into a rash or anything.
**What's 'jaffa'? It's a chocolate-orange candy here in Australia. But basically the choc-orange combination is referred to as 'jaffa'. A little bit of culture for you.
***I've actually modified the ingredients a little ... taking you back closer to the original, except that the original used regular cocoa butter and 10 drops of lavender essential oil + 5 drops sandalwood or patchouli essential oil. I *have* changed the recipe slightly for the version I'll be selling, but if you want to make this yourself it won't be too different - promise!
1. Melt the cocoa butter gently in a saucepan - and by gentle I mean low heat and stirring regularly. When it's melted, remove it from the heat and add all the vegetable oils and vitamin E. You'll have to prick the vitamin E capsules and squeeze out the contents. Stir well.
2. Let the mix cool down slightly and then add the essential oil. Mix well. I use bergamot so my moisture block has a lovely chocolate-orange scent, but you can try other essential oils if you prefer. The original recipe called for 10 drops of lavender + 5 drops of patchouli or sandalwood.
3. Pour the mixture into small muffin or chocolate molds and set in the fridge to cool. After 30 min or so the mix should be solid enough to pop out of the tins and store in a jar.
4. To use, rub directly onto skin. Body heat will melt the moisture block just enough to smooth it over. If you live somewhere really warm, you may need to store your moisture blocks in the fridge during the summer.
***
Lemon Balm Skin Cream
This will tighten and smooth normal to combination skin.
3 Tbsp. dried lemon balm leaves
1/2 Cup Boiling Water
1/2 oz. beeswax
2 oz. lanolin
1/2 cup wheat germ oil
1 tsp. propolis powder (bee glue)
Pour boiling water over lemon balm leaves in a clean bowl. Steep for 10
minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, collecting liquid in a clean bowl.
Allow to cool; discard lemon balm leaves.
Melt beeswax and lanolin in a heatproof glass set in simmering water.
Stir in wheat germ oil. Add herbal infusion by teaspoonful and stir
until well blended. Remove glass from water.
Add propolis powder to tepid cream and carefully stir it in until
blended. Let cream cool completely.
Stir cream thoroughly and transfer it to clean containers with
tight-fitting lids.
Store up to 3 months.
***
Extra Lovely Moisture Oil
Adapted from Bodyworks: Restoring Well-being with Homemade Lotions, Potions and Balms
Ingredients
1/4 c cold-pressed apricot kernel oil
1 Tbs coconut oil
1 tsp dried calendula flowers or tea (these are marigolds, you might even have them in your garden!)
3 vitamin E oil capsules (available at pharmacies)
6 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops frankincense essential oil (optional)
1. Put the calendula into a dish and pour the apricot kernel oil over it. Leave to infuse for 15 min or so. Then strain the oil (like you do with tea) into a glass bottle.
2. Poke a hole in the vitamin E capsules with a skewer and squeeze them out into the bottle with the oil.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix or shake, and use a little bit at a time on face and hands and body. (It's an oil, so careful you don't accidentally pour too much out!)
Some notes about making your own beauty products:
1. Always keep essential oils out of the reach of children.
2. Make small batches and replace every few weeks or month - we don't use the same preservatives as commercial brands (a good thing, but our beauty products won't last as long)
3. Try to store your beauty products in dark jars or in the cupboard out of light or in the fridge.
4. Always use clean utensils and a clean working area.
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