Homemade Lotion Recipe

This homemade lotion recipe is made with all-natural ingredients like coconut oil and vitamin E oil to help moisturize and soothe dry, cracked skin.

I love to make my own skincare products. And the best part about DIY-ing skincare is that you won’t need a ton of ingredients to revamp your entire routine. I find that once you have things like coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, vitamin E oil, and essential oils on hand, you can make almost anything.

I have shared a homemade whipped body butter and a DIY face moisturizer on the blog already. Now I am excited to share this all-natural hand lotion with you. And best of all, it uses many of the same ingredients. Plus, you won’t need any special equipment.

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HOW DO YOU MAKE NATURAL HAND MOISTURIZER

I have been making whipped body butter for years, and I love it. It smells fantastic, it is made with cocoa butter, so if you like chocolate, you will like this stuff. It works great for moisturizing the skin, and it is the best for diaper rash and other skin irritations.

I wanted to come up with another version that is silkier and smoother, so I started experimenting. The outcome was definitely one to share, so here I am! This lotion can be used on the hands, feet, or body.

You will need a double boiler for this recipe, but don’t worry if you don’t have one. Using a glass bowl with a pot of simmering water underneath it works just as well. You will also need an immersion blender, this is optional, but it will really help make the perfect texture.

This recipe is as simple as melting a few ingredients together, mixing them with an immersion blender, and pouring it into a container. Anyone can do that, right?

WHY SHOULD I MAKE HOMEMADE LOTION?

I love that this lotion is made with all-natural ingredients. Most conventional lotions are full of harsh ingredients that can cause more damage than good. It is especially important to use natural lotions if you are putting them on your feet or underarms.

The bottom of your feet has the largest pores on your body, which allow them to absorb harsh ingredients faster. This is why doing a detox foot soak can be so beneficial. Using natural DIY shaving cream and homemade aftershave is important, too, because when you shave, you are opening up the pores and allowing more toxins into the body.

HOMEMADE LOTION RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons shea butter
• 2 tablespoons cocoa butter
• 1 tablespoon beeswax
• 1/2 cup fractionated coconut oil or any other carrier oil
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil (optional)
• 20 drops essential oils (see my suggestions below)

Water (if needed)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax into a glass bowl.
2. Set the glass bowl over a pot of water and bring to a boil to melt all the ingredients.
3. Remove the bowl from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. You don’t want it to cool long, as it will harden.
4. Add the fractionated coconut oil, vitamin E oil, and essential oils to the glass bowl.
5. Mix all the ingredients using an immersion blender. You can add a little water if needed.
6. Pour the lotion into an airtight container for storage.

NOTES: You can substitute for rose water in this recipe. Also, it is best to use filtered water or distilled water to extend shelf life. I personally didn’t add any water and liked the consistency.

If you don’t have both cocoa butter and shea butter on hand, just substitute the other for the one you do have. It will still make the same consistency as lotion.

If making this lotion for a child, dilute it further by using 10 drops of essential oils instead of 20.

ESSENTIAL OILS FOR HOMEMADE LOTION RECIPE

You can use a blend of essential oils or a single oil. My all-time favorite essential oil for lotion is lavender. I love the way it smells, the calming effect it has, and how it is so soothing to the skin.

If using citrus essential oils, remember that they are photosensitive and shouldn’t be used when in direct sunlight.

• Wild orange
• Lavender
• Rose
• Frankincense
• Patchouli
• Roman Chamomile
• Lemongrass

HOMEMADE MOISTURIZER FOR OILY SKIN

If you are making this lotion recipe for someone with oily skin, consider choosing essential oils from this list.

• Tea Tree
• Roman Chamomile
• Lemon
• Lavender
• Geranium

DIY MOISTURIZER FOR DRY SKIN

If you are making this lotion recipe for someone with extra dry skin, consider choosing essential oils from this list.

• Myrrh
• Frankincense
• Peppermint (This one smells fantastic with the cocoa butter; think thin mints! )

For more skin care recipes, check out these anti-aging serums and sugar scrubs. Both of which use several of the same ingredients.

HOW LONG WILL THIS LOTION LAST?

If you add water, this lotion won’t last as long as a moisturizer without water. To extend the shelf life, you can store it in the refrigerator. However, when it is stored at a cooler temperature, it will harden and not be pumpable.

If you decide to store it in the refrigerator, be sure to place it in a wide mouth mason jar to make it easier to scoop out.

You can also consider adding a preservative into the recipe or making a smaller batch at a time.

WHAT CARRIER OIL IS BEST TO USE IN LOTION?

I am using sweet almond oil in mine because that is what I had on hand. You can also use fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil. Learn more about all the carrier oils and what benefits they have, and then decide which one will be best for your skin type.

I hope you enjoyed this post; check out these other skincare recipes.

• DIY Foundation
• Homemade Body Butter for Glowing Skin
• Goats Milk Lotion Recipe
• DIY Hand Cream
• DIY Hand Mask

5 from 7 votes

Homemade Lotion Recipe

By Laura Ascher

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Active: 15 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

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This homemade lotion recipe is made with all-natural ingredients like coconut oil and vitamin E oil to help moisturize and soothe dry, cracked skin.

Equipment

• Double boiler (or saucepan)

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Ingredients 

• ▢ 3 tablespoons shea butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cocoa butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon beeswax
• ▢ ½ cup fractionated coconut oil or any other carrier oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil, optional
• ▢ 20 drops essential oils
• ▢ Water, if needed

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Add shea butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax into a glass bowl. 
  
• Place the glass bowl over a pot of water and bring to a boil to melt the ingredients. 
  
• Remove the bowl from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. You don't want it to cool long, as it will harden. 
  
• Add the fractionated coconut oil, vitamin E oil, and essential oils to the glass bowl. 
  
• Mix all the ingredients using an immersion blender. Add water if needed.
  
• Pour the lotion into an airtight container for storage.

Video

Notes

You can substitute rose water for the water in this recipe. Also, it is best to use filtered water or distilled water to extend the shelf life.

Please note, if you do use water, you will need to add in a preservative.

You can use all cocoa butter or all shea butter if you don't have both on hand. It will still make the same consistency of lotion. 

If making this lotion for a child, you can dilute it further by adding in 10 drops of essential oils instead of 20. 

Tried this recipe?Mention @our_oily_house or tag #ouroilyhouse!

This recipe is for your own viewing pleasure and is not meant for healing purposes. Readers must perform their own research and tests before making any recipe.