Rachel Sopak

Did you know the skin in the largest organ in the body? It absorbs anything and everything we put on it. Knowing what we are putting ON our body is just as important as what we put IN our body.

This is one of the reasons why I decided to clean up my skincare …and I couldn’t pronounce more than half the ingredients on the labels!

So, why make your own lotion?

Simply put, it’s more cost-effective, you can control what’s in it, and overall it’s healthier for the skin. It only requires a few simple ingredients and time.

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Which base butter should I choose?

To make the base of your lotion, here are the most common or popular base butters to choose from…

1. Shea Butter

Shea butter is a nutrient rich butter, packed with vitamins and antioxidants. It’s best used as a deep moisturizer to help with dry, itchy skin and helps maintain a healthy glow. Unrefined shea butter has a natural nutty/smokey scent, which is preferred if you want the maximum nutrients for you skin. Refined shea butter on the other hand, does not carry the nutty/smokey scent, but comes at the cost of stripping the inherent nutrients from the natural butter.

2. Mango Butter

Mango butter is a great substitute for shea butter if you aren’t a fan of the nutty/smokey scent; it’s unscented, allowing any scents you add to not be competed with. It carries the same benefits of antioxidants and nutrients for your skin, promoting elasticity and is not as heavy.

3. Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is a chocolate smelling butter that deeply penetrates the layers of skin to moisturize and improve elasticity. This nutrient dense butter is perfect for smoothing and diminishing the appearance of stretch marks, wrinkles, and scars.

Here is a simple recipe to make you own whipped shea butter lotion with just 4-ingredients.

Whipped Shea Butter Lotion Recipe

• 1/4 cup unrefined shea butter
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp beeswax pellets
• 20 drops lavender essential oil

Instructions

1. Using the double boiler method, combine shea butter, coconut oil, and beeswax. Melt over medium heat until homogeneous.
2. Once melted, remove from heat. Cover and place in refrigerator for 1 hour (or in freezer for 20-minutes). The mixtures should be cooled down to a soft firm consistency, not hard.
3. Add in lavender essential oil. (Do not add essential oils until the ingredients have cooled. Adding to boiling/hot temperatures can greatly diminish the therapeutic value or medicinal properties of the oil.)
4. Using a mixer to whip the lotion until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Pour or scoop into airtight jar or container for storage.
6. Let set for a few hours or overnight for a more firm texture before using.

Notes & Troubleshooting

• Don’t have a double-boiler, you can put a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water.
• Lotion is too oily for your liking, you can add 1tsp of arrowroot powder to the lotion during the whipping stage (add in slowly).
• Want to add in vitamin E oil, rose hip oil, or any additional oil of your choosing, it’s recommended to reduce the lavender essential oil to 15 drops, then add 5 drops of desired additional oil. This ratio will help the lotion to not be as oily.
• Store in an airtight widemouth glass jar for up to 12 months.
• Substitute shea butter with equal parts mango butter or cocoa butter.