A homemade body lotion that is easy to make, luxurious, and non-greasy yet deeply moisturizing with a hint of vanilla scent from natural essential oil.
Body lotion is, without a doubt, one of the hardest personal care products to find in a non-toxic formulation.
Sadly, nearly all organic brands I’ve examined are a no-go from a safety issue. The most common offending ingredient is synthetic fragrance, a risk for hormone disruption.
Consider yourself warned.
“Organic” is VERY lax when it comes to personal care products!
Skin Absorbs Two-Thirds of Contaminants
You do not want to be slathering anything with hormone-disrupting chemicals on your body.
It is guaranteed that a good portion of it will absolutely end up in the bloodstream.
A study published in the American Journal of Public Health looked into the skin’s absorption rates of chemicals. It demonstrated that the skin absorbs an average of 64% of total contaminants. (1)
Not surprisingly, the “profits over safety” personal care industry has responded by “fact-checking” this study as a myth. 🤡
However, considering that many medications are based on skin patches, the largest organ of the body … the skin … as a porous vehicle for toxins to get into the blood is a fully accurate portrayal.
Truly Safe Commercial Lotion Is Costly
Once you realize the dangers of skin lotions with even a single chemical ingredient, switching over to the few nontoxic creams and lotions on the market poses another challenge.
They are, for the most part, quite pricey, typically costing around $3-5 per ounce!
The solution, in my view, is to make it yourself.
And, it is quite easy to do, as it turns out!
I really think you will be delighted with the results.
Secrets of the Best Homemade Lotion
The secret to my favorite method for a DIY deeply moisturizing yet non-greasy homemade body lotion is using mango butter and jojoba oil.
The fats you choose to make your homemade lotions and creams make a big difference to how it feels on your skin.
In addition, the mixture I use below includes chamomile herbal tea. This improves skin absorption rate and provides extra skin emollient benefits.
By comparison, substituting the mango butter with shea makes for a far greasier lotion.
Substituting the jojoba oil (my favorite) with coconut oil or olive oil produces a similar slickness to the skin.
Homemade lotions that do not include water or herbal tea in the ingredients are also quite greasy. The thick texture is more reminiscent of a moisturizing salve than a lotion!
Where I live in humid Florida, quick absorbability and non-greasy feel on the skin is a must.
I hope you enjoy this formulation for homemade body lotion.
I tried a number of different variations before settling on this one as my favorite for the best combination of moisturizing effect, non-greasiness, enjoyable scent, high absorbability, and overall feel on the skin.
If you absolutely have no interest in making your own, this vanilla body cream is the closest thing to it that you can buy.
Hint: This makes a thoughtful and classy homemade gift!
Homemade Vanilla Body Lotion
A homemade body lotion that is as easy to make as it is luxurious and deeply moisturizing with a hint of vanilla scent from natural essential oil.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup jojoba oil
- 1 tbsp mango butter
- 1 tbsp beeswax pellets
- 2/3 cup filtered water
- 1 chamomile teabag
- 1/4 tsp vanilla essential oil 20-30 drops
Instructions
-
Combine the beeswax, jojoba oil, and mango butter in a double boiler or medium sized stainless steel bowl set inside a large pot with hot water.
-
Melt the beeswax and mango butter in the oil until just melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
-
While the oils are slightly cooling, steep 1 chamomile teabag in 2/3 cup of hot filtered water for 5 minutes.
-
Remove the tea bag and pour the chamomile tea water into a one pint, wide mouth mason jar.
-
Pour the warm oils into the mason jar with the tea water. Add the vanilla essential oil.
-
Using a handheld blender, emulsify the oils and water together. This is best done by placing the immersion blender on the bottom of the jar and blending constantly for 30 seconds. Then, slowly raise the blender through the mixture while it is still blending (be sure to hold the jar with the other hand!).
-
When you reach the top of the mixture, turn it off. Repeat every 5 minutes until the mixture is cooled and turns white. I usually do this 3-4 times total. Hint: It's a bit like making homemade mayo!
-
Spoon the lotion into amber colored lotion containers. I use these (glass is best, but for safety in the bathroom with ceramic tile, I use plastic).
-
This lotion is shelf-stable at room temperature and lasts for months.
(1) Your Skin: It Absorbs!
Would adding tallow for the fat make an ok lotion?
I haven’t tried that, but it might work just fine 🙂
Thank you for sharing your recipe! Instead of making lotion, I simply rub almond oil into my skin every day. I am thinking this may be a little more advantageous due to the more nourishing elements of straight almond oil into the skin. However I am curious to try your lotion recipe. I have made my own lotion before using someone else’s online recipe which included shea butter and after a few months the lotion morphed into a greasy glop that couldn’t even be washed off. I appreciate your sharing of what worked for you.
I am not a fan of shea in lotion unless it is a small amount with other less greasy fats like mango butter.
Thank you Sarah for this recipe. Another tried and true cream for the skin if someone does not want to make their own is Nadina’s creams. (www. Nadinascreames.com) The creams are pure and made with simple ingredients, coconut oil, aloe vera and beewax and essential oils . That is it !
A good moisturizing lotion ( less pricey) is Tropical Traditions. (www. healthytraditions. com)This is made with purified water, coconut oil, organic jojoba oil, emulsifying wax (non soy), grape fruit seed extract , virgin palm oil and organic essential oils. These are my favorites that I wanted to share.
Thank you for sharing these nontoxic options!
What do you think about adding Leucidal liquid SF as a natural preservative/probiotic?
I’ve not tried it myself. If you want a preservative, vitamin E oils would work, but there is enough in the jojoba oil already in my opinion. Not sure you would need a probiotic. The skin naturally has a protective microbiome as long as you don’t strip it away with soap. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/showering-correctly/
Gifts! Could I multiply the recipe without issue?
Not sure. I’ve only made one batch at a time.
I was thinking the same thing with using our bees wax from our hives. I have made candles so far with our own bees wax and coconut oil and will try making homemade deodorant, but I had not thought of making lotion. Good idea. I also really like Egyptian magic lotion, although it is pricey. I usually ask for it at Christmas or my birthday.
I’m curious to try this lotion recipe, but I would like to know how it can be kept shelf stable for months without molding with no refrigeration when it contains water?
Mine lasts very well shelf stable for at least two months during summer here in Florida.
Would this be safe to use on my pregnant belly?
I would be comfortable doing this myself.
Hello! Thank you for this recipe!
I’m not familiar with mango butter but thanks for providing a source. I do have shea butter on hand. Do you think that would work? Love your articles – you have been a Godsend in so many situations. Thank you and keep up the good work!
Shea butter will work for this recipe, but the lotion will feel a bit greasy on the skin.
Thank you for the kind words 🙂
I have beeswax from bees kept on our property, may I use that instead of pellets (haven’t ever used them)? Also any other essential oils I might use?
I’m not sure as I haven’t used beeswax straight from the hive to know if the consistency turns out the same.
I haven’t tried any other essential oils but use whatever you would like!