How to Make Homemade Lotions

Lotion can be made at home.

Store bought lotions are full of unpronounceable chemicals and strange ingredients. If you want to use natural products, it is easy to make homemade lotions in your kitchen. Choosing bases, adding scents, and using specialty ingredients is easy when you make bath and beauty products at home. Read on to learn how to make homemade lotions.

Things You'll Need

• Clean bottle or jar
• 1 cup lotion base oil
• 1 tbsp. emulsifying wax
• 1/2 cup water
• Essential oil
• Food coloring optional
• Glass mixing bowl
• Microwave or stove top and pot

Instructions

1. Choose a lotion oil base that reflects what you want the lotion to do. Coconut oil is great for soft skin. Almond oil is lightweight and has very little natural smell. You can even use regular canola or vegetable oil to make a homemade lotion. If you intend to scent your lotion with essential oils, choose a lotion oil base with little smell of its own.

2. Pour one cup of the oil into a pot or microwave safe bowl. Add the tbsp. of emulsifying wax. Beeswax is a good all-natural wax to use. Melt these ingredients together and stir well. Stir in the water until the lotion reaches the consistency you like. Less water will create a homemade cream that is richer and thicker than the lotion.

3. Add your choice of essential oils or other fragrances to the lotion base. Essential oils are created by infusing flowers, herbs or other plant parts in clear oil for a length of time. Your choice of essential oils or other fragrances depends on your personal taste. You can also use aromatherapy oils such as lavender for relaxation or rose for a sensual experience.

4. Add color to your homemade lotion with natural vegetable and plant based food coloring or dyes. Add just a few drops of color to the lotion at a time until you reach your desired color. Matching colors with scents of lotion is a good idea--purple for lavender scented lotion or pink for rose scented lotion.

5. Transfer the homemade lotion into a clean glass or plastic bottle or jar. These can be purchased from craft stores or beauty supply stores. Use a funnel to get the lotion inside without drips or spills. To help your homemade lotion last a long time, store it in a cool, dark place.

Tips & Warnings

• Label your bottles with the type of lotion contained within.

• Use homemade lotions before they break down or get moldy.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish