Customize Your Homemade LotionI made lotion this past winter just using oils from the kitchen. It worked great! In the winter. Before the coconut oil melted at 76 degrees. Now it’s liquid olive and coconut oils.
I have a problem rubbing liquid oil onto my body–it’s a texture thing.
So with a couple more ingredients, I’ve been experimenting making homemade lotions–beautiful, creamy white lotion.
If you look on the back of a lotion bottle, the manufacturer has already given you all (or most!) of the information you need to make your own.
All you need is water, glycerin, oils, fragrance (if you wish), a preservative (if you wish), and emulsifying wax.
Emulsifying wax is created when a wax material (either a vegetable wax of some kind or a petroleum-based wax) is treated with a detergent (typically sodium dodecyl sulfate or polysorbates) to cause it to make oil and water bind together into a smooth emulsion. You’ll find it on your ingredient list as a form or combination of cetearyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, PEG-150 stearate, and steareth-20. On the lotion above, it’s listed as glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, and cetearyl alcohol.
I found a basic lotion ratio recipe at Soaper’s Choice, my bulk oil supplier.
1 part Emulsifying Wax
6 parts Oil
2 Parts Glycerin
12 parts water
Fragrance or essential oil to your desired scent level
Now you just need to plug your favorite oils and fragrance into that ratio recipe and you’re left with a customized homemade lotion…for much less than you’d pay at your favorite store! I used Olive Oil with Victoria’s Secret Fresh & Clean Fragrance Oil.
Heat the emulsifying wax, oil, and glycerin until wax is barely melted. I just zapped it in the microwave for a minute.
Cool to 110-120 degrees.
Add distilled water and fragrance.
Blend with stick blender, mixer, or blender on low until texture is lotion-like. I used a stick blender with quick on and off spurts. You want to use a deep enough bowl so the blender is immersed and allows the lotion to “grow”. It comes together like homemade whipped cream.
It is the consistency of a pump-bottle lotion.
Pour into a container. I’m using recycled baby food jars. If you use the ratio as the recipe itself (1 ounce Emulsifying Wax, 6 ounces Oil, 2 ounces Glycerin, 12 ounces Water), you’ll end up with 24 ounces of lotion or 4 6-ounce baby food jars.
You could make separate fragrances with each of these if you leave the fragrance out when you’re mixing it together, divide the lotion into separate bowls, then mix in the fragrance of your choice.
The lotion will thicken as it cools. At room temperature, it’s a cream consistency.
Want to know how much 24 ounces of lotion cost me to make? With the oils I purchase from Soaper’s Choice and Victoria’s Secret Fresh & Clean Pink from Wellington Fragrance, the total cost was $2.78. For 24 ounces of a thick cream lotion! That’s roughly a $23 savings…just sayin’.
Here's the full recipe and printable!
Fresh & Clean Cream
- Time:
- Yield:
- 24 ounces
Ingredients
- 1 oz Emulsifying Wax
- 6 oz Olive Oil
- 2 oz Glycerin
- 12 oz Distilled Water
- 1/2 oz Fragrance or Essential Oil
Preparation Instructions
- Heat the emulsifying wax, oil, and glycerin until wax is barely melted and cool to 110-120 degrees.
- Add distilled water and fragrance or essential oil.
- Blend with stick blender, mixer, or blender on low until texture is lotion-like.
- Pour into container.
Hi Cindy,
What a wonderful post! I also like e-wax for lotion making instead of the beeswax, your instructions and photos are wonderful. Thank you!
We made this at the CiTR retreat. It is heaven in a bottle. So creamy and silky. I can’t wait to try it at home. Thanks for all the great posts and recipes.
I always love your posts, they are clear, concise and so easy to follow.
Thanks for this recipe! I was wondering if you measured by volume or wieght?
You’re welcome, Courtney. I measured this by weight. But you could do volume…as long as everything is measured in volume. It’s all ratios, 1 part of this, 6 parts of that. Have fun! It’s a wonderful lotion!
I have a question… Can you use a favorite perfume or cologne to scent the lotion? Or does it have to be oil?
What is the shelf life of this lotion?
I made a lotion from a different recipe (coconut oil, almond oil, beeswax, glycerin) and it turned out super greasy! I really don’t want to waste the 16 oz jar that I made. Do you have any idea what I could do to make it less greasy? Like reheat and add more water? Or more beeswas? I’ve even seen arrowroot in some recipes.
Hi there, can you recommend a substitute for the glycerin?
Try using another oil or more of one that you’re already using. Glycerin was added in for extra moisturizing, but that can be handled with an oil
Can natural beeswax pellets be used instead of emulsifying wax?
You can use beeswax…it MAY separate over time. You could try whipping it like crazy to help the emulsification along, too. HTH. Give it a try
Your lotion looks amazing! I was wondering if I used coconut oil of it would stay that consistency? Thanks!
It shouldn’t have any problem I wouldn’t think!
HELP!!!! I made this lotion and followed the directions but its nothing but foam and will not get smooth like lotion. Do have any idea how to fix it?
Sorry so late getting to this…
Did it settle back down to lotion? Did you use a stick blender or a mixer? Beating air into the lotion may create foam, but I would think it will settle down.
Your photos are awesome and so professional-looking!!! Did you take them yourself? Thanks for the lotion recipe. I don’t like putting oils on my body either, because I feel like it greases up my clothes.
All photos are mine
Thank you!
Making this today! Thank you so much for sharing. My step children have super sensitive skin. I’m constantly buying lotions that either don’t help, or they don’t like the way it feels. I already make my own soap and laundry detergent. This is just more money I can save. And I have all the ingredients right here. YAY! Super excited to try it!
My only question is;
Have you ever had any issues using FO instead of EO as far as skin reactions go?
April, I hope it turned out well for you!
Yes, some people do have reactions to FO. But then some people have reactions with EOs if they are allergic to the plant being used. Those people that normally have reactions to scents (AND it may not be the scents at all from non-homemade products!) test it first.
Turned out great! Next batch I’m going to experiment with some different oils. Can you tell me;
What is the average shelf life of this recipe? I’m thinking of ordering an all natural preservative, I just want to keep it as inexpensive as possible.
Thanks,
April
Yay!
Well, let me start by saying…anytime you introduce water into a recipe (any recipe), it is the beginning of organisms being able to grow. Moisture and warmth are the perfect setting. Just like canning food, start with sterilized tools you are using and jars you are keeping the lotion in. I keep mine in the fridge in the summertime! That takes the warmth factor out of the equation. And it feels good
I have had this lotion keep very well for 6 months using sterilized tools and jars and keeping it in the fridge.
Thanks so much! I’ll let you know how the next one comes out. Any opinion on using potassium sorbate as a preservative? The research I’ve done shows Vitamin E is a natural preservative, as well as grapefruit seed extract. I would love to give this lotion as gifts, but don’t want it going rancid on them. (or me) Thanks for sharing this recipe and all of your advice!