How to Make Your Own Homemade Lotion

Learn how to make a homemade lotion that fights dry skin without worrying about unesseccary chemicals and fragrances.

Having lived in a desert for most of our lives and then moving to the cold winter climate of Minnesota, having a good lotion has been a must here at Glover Cottage Grove. However, thanks to extremely sensitive skin, finding a store-bought lotion that works for our family has been easier said than done. It felt like every store-bought lotion we tried made our skin dryer and itchier. Even if we did find a lotion that worked, it would almost always have the highest price tag and the smallest bottle. So we decided to learn how to make our own! We want to share with you today our recipe on how to make your own homemade lotion because the recipe we use has dealt with even our dryest skin without causing any skin freakouts whatsoever.

What does lotion do for you?

It might seem too simple, but lotion is really just meant to help you with dry skin. Essentially, the way it keeps your skin dry is by creating an oily barrier that keeps water locked into your skin. Some companies advertise a bunch of different effects that their moisturizers can have on your skin, such as acting as a vitamin or mineral replacement. However, resources like Harvard Health Publishing have noted that most moisturizers only help your skin by simply keeping your skin moisturized. But preventing your skin from drying out has additional benefits like allowing it the opportunity to heal itself, improving its barrier and overall health.

Benefits of making your own homemade lotion

One of the biggest benefits of making your own homemade lotion is that you know exactly what’s in it and can adjust it to your needs and preferences. If you need a heavier lotion, you can increase the ratio of shea or mango butter to carrier oil. If you want your lotion to feel lighter, you can add cornstarch and reduce the amount of shea and/or mango butter. You can also scent your lotion however you want with essential oils or leave it unscented.

Since this recipe uses all-natural ingredients, you don’t have to worry about the added chemicals and fragrances that come with many store-bought lotions. This is great for people with sensitive skin as some of the additives in store-bought lotions can actually make the lotion work against you by irritating and potentially drying your skin further. Chemical fragrances are especially notorious for causing skin irritation.

Ingredients

Carrier Oil

The essential oils and fruit seed extracts in our homemade lotion recipe all add various benefits, but they can be irritating and cause damage to your skin if applied directly. That’s where carrier oils come in. Effectively, carrier oils dilute essential oils and seed extracts and “carry” them to your skin in a concentration that gives you the benefits without the irritation.

Beeswax

Beeswax is a versatile product that has been used in skincare and food preservation for hundreds of years. It is one of the critical pieces of our homemade lotion recipe because it has properties that allow it to act as a humectant that draws water in, an occlusive that traps water in the skin, and an emollient, which makes the skin feel softer. On top of these, beeswax is edible and food-safe. In fact, we use it for another skincare recipe that you can find in our article, How to Make Your Own Homemade Lip Balm.

Shea butter

Shea butter has multiple qualities that make it great for skincare. Aside from working to keep water locked in your skin, it can also help your skin fight eczema because it has some of the same fatty acids that can occur naturally in your skin, making it easier for your skin to repair its barrier as it absorbs the shea butter. Shea butter also provides

Mango Butter

Mango butter is similar to shea butter. It has antioxidants and UV protective properties while also being skin-friendly.

Vitamin E oil

As a supplement, vitamin E is said to help prevent various disorders and promote a healthier immune system. As an oil, it is supposed to help with dryness and itchiness and has a limited ability to protect the skin against UV damage. Though, there have been studies showing that vitamin E oil can cause allergic reactions in some people, so do a spot test with it to make sure it is safe for you to use.

Coconut oil

Like with multiple items on this list, we use coconut oil for many recipes, from food prep to toothpaste to hair care. Like some of the other fruit and nut oils in this list, coconut oil has fatty acids and antioxidants that work with your skin to improve its barrier and retain moisture. What makes coconut oil unique is that it also has some level of antibacterial properties that make it useful for healing small wounds like skin breaks caused by eczema rashes.

Olive oil

Olive oil is primarily used in our lotion as an emollient, to soften the skin. It also has antioxidants and other compounds that promote damage repair. In some cases, olive oil can also be used as a skin cleanser because of how it can break down and remove certain debris from the skin.

Grapefruit seed extract

We use grapefruit seed extract in our homemade lotion as a preservative. Its natural antioxidants and acids that prevent bacteria from growing. This makes it a great choice as a natural preservative in your lotion.

Cornstarch/arrowroot powder

Both cornstarch and arrowroot powder have primarily aesthetic purposes in this homemade lotion. Both powders are often used in cooking to thicken sauces, broths, and dough. In lotion, they absorb some of the excess grease, making for a lighter, less greasy feeling when applied to your skin.

Homemade Lotion

Yield: 8 oz

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Learn how to make an ultra-moisturizing and healing lotion at home. You'll never want to go back to store-bought lotions after this!

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup carrier oil (jojoba or sweet almond oil are great choices)
• 1 Tbsp beeswax pellets
• 1 Tbsp shea butter
• 1 Tbsp mango butter
• 1 tsp vitamin E oil
• 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 15 drops of essential oil of your choice
• 20 drops grapefruit seed extract (for preserving)
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (optional; if you want a less oily lotion)

Instructions

1. Melt shea butter, mango butter, beeswax pellets, and coconut oil on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
2. Once the mixture has melted, add your carrier oil of choice and mix it in. Let cool.
3. Once at room temp, add the mixture to the fridge to help it harden (generally 15–20 minutes). It should be hard, but still soft enough to stir until whipped.
4. Add the essential oils, grapefruit extract, olive oil, and vitamin E oil.
5. Mix with an electric mixer until whipped (around 5 minutes).
6. Spoon the lotion into an airtight container, then store it in a cool, dry location.

Notes

This should last for around 6 months. Excess lotion can be stored in the freezer for future use.