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This easy goat milk lotion recipe is amazing for the skin, super moisturizing, and creamy. With powdered goat’s milk, shea butter, and jojoba oil, this lotion is simple to make and will surely become a valued part of your skincare routine.
Years ago, I was given a jar of goat’s milk from my sister’s homestead to experiment with. I tried homemade goat milk soap and a goat milk lotion recipe, and the results were incredible!
I immediately became a fan of goat’s milk skincare. It is so nourishing and hydrating, and it makes a beautifully creamy lotion that is light and non-greasy.
The only downside of this lotion was how perishable it was; I had to store it in the refrigerator because of the milk.
I’ve since learned a lot about making homemade lotion, and I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with different methods and recipes. Now I have a brand new goat milk lotion recipe that does not need refrigeration!
This new homemade goat milk lotion is equally creamy and moisturizing, with a great skin feel you are going to love. Now it’s just easier to store!
Why You’ll Love It
- Simple ingredients: One thing I love about making my own skincare is that I know exactly what’s in it!
- Nourishing: This lotion is so silky smooth and moisturizing to the skin — you’ll love how it feels. The goat’s milk in this recipe may even benefit your overall skin health!
- Eco-friendly: This recipe uses only natural, sustainable ingredients. Making your own lotion is a great way to reduce waste and live more eco-consciously.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- Goat milk powder: I opted for powdered goat milk so the lotion isn’t quite as perishable and does not need refrigeration. It provides the same benefits and texture as fresh goat milk.
- Distilled water: It’s important to use distilled water to maximize the shelf life of your lotion.
- Jojoba oil: Jojoba oil is excellent for the skin, and it makes an appearance in many of my recipes! I use it often to make my homemade body butter for glowing skin and DIY body oil. Learn more about the benefits of jojoba oil.
- Shea butter: Shea butter is very hydrating and soothing to the skin. It also gives this lotion more structure and thickness.
- Wax emulsifier: An emulsifier is necessary to keep the lotion from separating. I’ve tried different emulsifiers, and I prefer this emulsifying wax.
- Cetearyl alcohol: This works as a co-emulsifier with the emulsifying wax.
- Glycerin: Look for pure vegetable glycerin, like what I use in homemade hand soap.
- Citric acid: You may need citric acid to adjust the pH of your lotion. You can find this in bulk online (like what I buy for homemade bath bombs), but smaller containers can often be found at the grocery store.
- Geogard 221: This is a broad-spectrum preservative for skincare and cosmetics. It’s absolutely necessary to add a preservative to water-based lotions to stabilize them and prevent bacterial and mold growth.
Tools Needed
- Double boiler or a saucepan
- Digital scale
- Mixing bowl or half-gallon mason jar
- Immersion blender
- Kitchen thermometer
- pH test strips
- Storage jars: You can use a squeeze bottle, a pump bottle, or a wide mouth jar.
Variations
- For this recipe, you will need a fat (some type of butter and/or oil). I am using a combination of shea butter and jojoba oil. You can substitute the shea butter for mango butter or cocoa butter. The jojoba oil can be swapped with another liquid oil, such as sweet almond or fractionated coconut oil. Keep in mind that if you substitute the shea butter, the texture of the lotion may be affected.
- Feel free to get creative with the essential oils you use and make a unique scent that you enjoy. Just keep in mind that you’ll want to avoid photosensitive oils if you plan to wear this lotion while outside.
How to Make Goat Milk Lotion
Step 1. In a double boiler or a small saucepan over low heat, melt shea butter, jojoba oil, emulsifying wax, and ceteraryl alcohol. Once melted, stir well and remove from heat.
Step 2. In a separate saucepan, heat distilled water, goat milk powder, and glycerin to 160°F.
Step 3. Add the melted oils to a tall-sided, heat-resistant container. Slowly add the water and goat powder mixture, pulsing with the immersion blender until emulsified. about 40-60 seconds. Allow it to cool to 130°F before moving on to the next step.
Step 4. Once cooled to 130°F, add your preservative and blend well with the immersion blender. about another 2 minutes.
Step 5. Continue to pulse the lotion with the immersion blender every couple of minutes until the lotion begins to set.
Step 6. Check pH level. If it’s over 7, adjust until it’s within 2-7 pH (see notes on adjusting pH).
Step 7. Transfer to an airtight container of choice (see notes).
Step 8. Allow lotion to completely cool before securing the lid.
How to Adjust the pH
Geogard 221 is meant to work in a product with a pH between 2 and 7, so we may need to adjust the pH of our lotion using citric acid. Here’s how to check and adjust the pH:
- In one container, dissolve 20g citric acid in 20g distilled water.
- In a separate container, measure out 1g of lotion and add 9g of distilled water.
- Mix well.
- Dip the pH test strip in the lotion and water mixture.
- If it is above 7, add a squeeze of the citric acid and water mixture to your main lotion container.
- Mix well.
- Then repeat steps 2 to 3 as needed until you get your lotion in the correct range.
Tips + Notes
- Be sure to sterilize all equipment and work surfaces before beginning, to prevent bacteria from getting in your lotion.
- Don’t use tap water in your lotion! Distilled water is very important to ensure your lotion is free of bacteria and other impurities that can affect its shelf life.
- As you can see in the process photos, I add the lotion to a plastic bag, cut the corner off, and squeeze the lotion into the bottle. The lotion is a little thick to use a funnel, so the bag helps get it into narrow-mouth containers.
- Discard your lotion if you notice any change in its texture, color, or smell.
- It’s always a good idea to perform a patch test before using a new skincare product. Rub a little lotion into your inner arm and watch for adverse effects before continuing use.
- Store this lotion in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight to maximize the shelf life.
Adjusting the Recipe
As mentioned above, you can substitute different fats in the recipe, but you want to make sure your percentages are the same.
Here are the calculations; in case you want to switch something out, you will know how much you need. I use the Brambleberry Lotion Estimator.
- Liquid 7.8 ounces, 68%
- Oil or fat 2.52 ounces, 22%
- Emulsifier 0.6 ounces, 5%
- Co-Emulsifier 0.5 ounces, 4%
- Preservative 0.1 ounces, 1%
- Essential oils, optional
Essential Oils for Homemade Lotion
If you decide to add essential oils to your goat milk lotion, you will only need about 15-20 drops. Essential oils are very concentrated, and it doesn’t take much to scent your lotion.
You can add in a blend of oils or use a single oil. A few of my favorite oils to add to lotion and my homemade whipped body butter are lavender, frankincense, chamomile, and geranium.
If you have sensitive skin, you can leave out essential oils altogether or try lavender oil. I actually have a pump lotion recipe that’s fragrance-free. I let the natural scent of shea butter be the fragrance!
Wax Emulsifier for Homemade Lotion
Emulsifiers are binding agents that mix the water and oils together. They are often found in face moisturizers, cosmetics, and lotions. I share more about the best natural emulsifiers in my post on the topic.
The added wax emulsifier will help the lotion last longer, as it will prevent the oil and water from separating and forming mold. You can use beeswax, but I find it to be too thick for this lotion. I prefer to stick to lighter waxes to keep that smooth, creamy texture.
FAQs
Just like making cold-process soap, making lotion needs to be precise, but it isn’t hard once you get the hang of it. You will definitely need a digital scale to make sure all of your measurements are correct.
Yes, a preservative is important for water-based lotions to have any sort of shelf life. Even with distilled water, the lotion won’t last long if it doesn’t have a preservative. Oil-based lotion does not need a preservative, so you can always make a homemade body butter instead!
I’ve only tested this recipe with Geogard 221, but you can certainly experiment yourself. Pay attention to the recommended concentration of your preservative and adjust the amount as needed. You’ll also want to adjust the pH to fit what is required for your preservative.
It’s been tested for at least a month, but it will likely last even longer! If you notice a change in its appearance, color, or smell, discard it and make a fresh batch.
Related Recipes
- Homemade Tallow Lotion
- Homemade Hand Cream
- DIY Shea Butter Lotion
- Homemade Body Cream
- Homemade Face Moisturizer
- DIY Night Cream
If you made this Goat Milk Lotion Recipe or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Goat Milk Lotion Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Digital Scale
- Meat thermometer
- Double Boiler or small saucepan
- Half gallon mason jar for mixing
- Storage container Squeeze bottle, pump bottle, or wide mouth jar
Ingredients
Oil and emulsifier phase
- 1.8 oz shea butter
- 0.72 oz jojoba oil
- 0.6 oz emulsifying wax
- 0.5 oz cetearyl alcohol
Water phase
- 7.8 oz distilled water
- 0.12 oz goat milk powder, (≈1%)
- 0.36 oz glycerin
Cool down phase
- 0.1 oz Geogard 221
pH adjustment
- citric acid solution*, only if needed to reach pH ~2-7
Instructions
- In a double boiler or a small saucepan over low heat, melt shea butter, jojoba oil, emulsifying wax and ceteraryl alcohol. Once melted, stir well and remove from heat.
- In a separate saucepan, heat distilled water, goat milk powder and glycerin to 160°F.
- Add the melted oils to a tall-sided, heat-resistant container. Slowly add the water and goat powder mixture, pulsing with the immersion blender until emulsified. about 40-60 seconds. Allow it to cool to 130°F before moving on to the next step.
- Once cooled to 130°F, add your preservative and blend well with the immersion blender. about another 2 minutes.
- Continue to pulse the lotion with the immersion blender every couple of minutes until the lotion begins to set.
- Check pH level. If it’s over 7, adjust until it’s within 2-7 pH (see notes on adjusting pH).
- Transfer to an airtight container and allow to completely cool before securing the lid.
Video
Notes
- In one container, dissolve 20g citric acid in 20g distilled water.
- In a separate container, measure out 1g of lotion and add 9g of distilled water.
- Mix well.
- Dip the pH test strip in the lotion and water mixture.
- If it is above 7, add a squeeze of the citric acid and water mixture to your main lotion container.
- Mix well.
- Then repeat steps 2 to 3 as needed until you get your lotion in the correct range.
- Be sure to sterilize all equipment and work surfaces before beginning, to prevent bacteria from getting in your lotion.
- Don’t use tap water in your lotion! Distilled water is very important to ensure your lotion is free of bacteria and other impurities that can affect its shelf life.
- As you can see in the process photos, I add the lotion to a plastic bag, cut the corner off, and squeeze the lotion into the bottle. The lotion is a little thick to use a funnel, so the bag helps get it into narrow-mouth containers.
- Discard your lotion if you notice any change in its texture, color, or smell.
- It’s always a good idea to perform a patch test before using a new skincare product. Rub a little lotion into your inner arm and watch for adverse effects before continuing use.
- Store this lotion in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight to maximize the shelf life.
I had read that the goat milk needed to be pasturized and that this could be done at home.
I think it was to keep it from going bad so quickly. I wish I could recall where I read this. The article suggested powdered goat milk. Kinda takes away the true natural way!
If all I have is goat milk powder can I mix this with distilled water to make the 9.6 ounce amount is that going to work? Thank you.
Hi! I want to use this as a face cream but my skin doesn’t do well with coconut oil. Can I replace the coconut oil with grapeseed oil or will that make the lotion too liquid-y? Thanks so much!
I would suggest using jojoba oil or sweet almond oil as a substitute.
I’d like to make a thicker cream rather than a lotion. How do you recommend augmenting this recipe? Exclude the water?