Homemade lotion

[Hinotori]

Anyone have any good lotion recipes?

I tried one tonight.

So the lotion recipe I found is a bit different than most of the store ones. More oily, but I can actually use this unlike the body butter. The added water helps put a thinner layer that actually soaks into my skin.

I can smell the shea butter in it, but it's covered enough that the lotion doesn't fully smell like old dolls. I don't mind this so much. Next batch I'll add some scent oil. The rosemary oil doesn't cover it enough. Maybe some citrus.

Calendula tisane, calendula and comfrey extracted in almond and olive oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, beeswax mixed with borax and lecithin as an emulsifier, lanolin, jojoba oil, castor oil, rosemary essential oil, vitamin E, tea tree oil

Only took me 4 hours to make it. Sigh.

Going to stick one container in the freezer to see what that does to it. Shelf life is only 6 months, so if freezing doesn't harm it, that will extend it much longer

 

[Hinotori]

I have these thin muslin cloths that were sold as dish towels at a discount store. They are more than twice the size of any dish towel I've ever seen. They work great for jelly making and for straining curd when I make yogurt cheese.

Mom said when she was young that grandma would keep and use the old worn out sheets to strain jelly.

I think any thin cotton would work.

 

[Hinotori]

Homemade emulsifier wax
80% beeswax
10% borax
10% liquid lecithin

Melt wax then add lecithin and borax. Stir until well mixed.
Must be made fresh. Does not keep


Lotion
2 parts liquid oil
1 part solid oil
1 part emulsifier wax
4-6 parts water, herbal infusion, aloe vera juice, or other water liquid
1 drop rosemary essential oil per 110 milliliters (4 oz) total liquid
1 milliliter vitamin E oil per 240 milliliters (8 oz) total liquid

All items must be at the temp to keep beeswax melted while mixing. I used mason jars in pans of low simmering water.

Heat liquid oil. Add solid oil until melted. Mix well. Add emulsifier. Add Vit E and rosemary oil. Using mixer, slowly add water until it comes together at consistency a bit more liquid than desired. Will thicken as it cools.

Pour into containers.


My too thick batch has 3 cups of water. I used a very strong calendula infusion. I used almond and olive oils that I oil extracted calendula and comfrey in ahead of time. I used a teaspoon of castor oil in my liquid oil mix.

 

[Hinotori]

That would be a body butter or balm. Lotions are emulsions of water and oil. Oil to water ratio differentiates between lotions and creams. Butters are still good things and very helpful.

My skin doesn't do well with butters. Too much oil for my type. That's why I'd been searching high and low for actual lotion recipes.

Mom has very dry skin so I make her body butter. Well technically I guess I make her salves as I infuse herbs in the oils I use. It's done wonders for her. It's also helped my young niece who carries a small container with her for the patches she gets that no doctor prescribed or OTC product helped at all. It's not a cure but she's at the age where she started being body conscious and the patches not being visible made her happy.

The lotion I messed up that doesn't have enough water turned out to be wonderful. Ive been trying to recreate it. It works on my eczema flare ups like nothing else. It cleared up the thick dry patches on Moms elbows that she's had since high school. I think she almost cried over that. She does have to keep applying it so it didn't cure it, just dealt with symptoms. Needless to say, the last few jars are hidden in our freezers.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

These were bone dry. So... one of these days, I'll strain them, and continue on to make some salve out of them.

 

[Hinotori]

I never leave plant material in my lotions. It's all strained infusions.

You can use fresh herbs. I personally wouldn't try for the long extraction time like I usually do with dried.

For jasmine flowers I'd try using warmed oil (not so hot you can't touch). Usually it's 24-48 when you start warm. Test a small amount, it might cook off the wanted fragrance. Then try cold extraction. Scent can be lost by drying so have to be careful.

I'm going to test around with honeysuckle next year as the plant should finally produce enough flowers.

A warning on that recipe I gave. It uses rosemary oil as a preservative. The scent of rosemary oil will cover most things. If you don't use rosemary oil, you'll need to buy a commercial preservative or use the lotion within a week or so and watch for mold. Just scale the recipe and make small batches then.

 

[Hinotori]

Basic foot/hand scrub is 1 cup sugar, 1/2 to 3/4 oil, and a few drops of desired essential oil. Add smallest amount of oil and mix, then add more until desired consistency.

It's good for exfoliating dry hands. I pat dry after rinsing scrub off and then wait for the oil to soak in.

You can use salt for a harsher scrub. I find that too much for my hands but have used it when my feet have gotten bad from going barefoot and just with sandles outside.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Cheese cloth is a very loosely woven fabric, you can see space between the fibers. I use 2 or 3 layers of it when I am staining anything, just lay it in the funnel and pour your liquid through it. I tend to spritz it with water before using it as it reduces the amount of juice I loose to the fabric soaking it up.

 

[Britesea]

I have used thin muslin with good effect for straining. It filters very well, and it's strong enough to squeeze the herbs to get every last drop of goodness out of it.

Here's an article with several inexpensive DIY food dehydrators:

DIY Dehydrator - 6 Methods of How to Build a Homemade Dehydrator, Electric & Solar

Read this article and learn 6 methods of how to build a DIY dehydrator at home, two types, solar and diy electric food dehydrator.

dehydratorlab.com

 

[mindfulmarket]

Does anyone have a better recipe for a lotion? I tried the one before, seems like my skin is not compatible, I somewhat need a more neutral Ingredient. thanks!

Homemade Lotion Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup almond oil or jojoba oil (or any other liquid oil)
2. 1/4 cup coconut oil.
3. 1/4 cup beeswax.
4. 1 tsp vitamin E oil (optional)
5. 2 TBSP shea butter or cocoa butter (optional)
6. essential oils, vanilla extract, or other natural extracts to suit your preference (optional)

And to add more up... Everything in this recipe is pretty much optional

Homemade emulsifier wax
80% beeswax
10% borax
10% liquid lecithin

Melt wax then add lecithin and borax. Stir until well mixed.
Must be made fresh. Does not keep


Lotion
2 parts liquid oil
1 part solid oil
1 part emulsifier wax
4-6 parts water, herbal infusion, aloe vera juice, or other water liquid
1 drop rosemary essential oil per 110 milliliters (4 oz) total liquid
1 milliliter vitamin E oil per 240 milliliters (8 oz) total liquid

All items must be at the temp to keep beeswax melted while mixing. I used mason jars in pans of low simmering water.

Heat liquid oil. Add solid oil until melted. Mix well. Add emulsifier. Add Vit E and rosemary oil. Using mixer, slowly add water until it comes together at consistency a bit more liquid than desired. Will thicken as it cools.

Pour into containers.


My too thick batch has 3 cups of water. I used a very strong calendula infusion. I used almond and olive oils that I oil extracted calendula and comfrey in ahead of time. I used a teaspoon of castor oil in my liquid oil mix.

Thanks for sharing your recipe for homemade lotion! I love the idea of making my own skincare products.