Homemade Lotion (with coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter and essential oils)

In an effort to reduce my family's toxic load, I started using natural products around the home and for hygiene/beauty. If I can make something, I will try. This is my favourite recipe for home-made lotion. It's very easy to make and all the ingredients are natural. Essential oils have so many health benefits. If you have specific issues that you wish to address, do a little research and find out which oils would be beneficial for you to add to your lotion.

I love the smell of the frankincense oil. It's a little spicy and goes very well with the other oils I used. It took me awhile to add this one to my collection because it was on the pricier side (about $30), and it appears to be a popular one. I had to visit a few stores before I found a bottle. I ordered my butters from Canwax. It's a good source for Canadians to order supplies to make their own bath and beauty products. 

You can add whichever essential oils you like, just make sure they are pure oils. Essential oils can be expensive, but they are worth the investment. They last a long time depending on what you're using them for. I use Aura Cacia oils most of the time. They are available at the health store (Healthy Planet in Toronto), well.ca and on Amazon.

For this recipe I used the following essential oils.

Frankincense

anticancer, immune booster, good for pain and inflammation.

Vanilla

antioxidant, antibacterial, antidepressant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory.

Myrrh

antiseptic, anaesthetic, anti-tumor, anti-parasitic, antioxidant, wound healing.

Lavender

antimicrobial, antioxidant, neurological health, manage diabetes.

Cinnamon

antibacterial, anti-diabetic, anti-fungal, gut health protection, cancer fighting.

Dr. Eric Zielinski knows all about essential oils. Visit his website to learn about the health benefits of each oil, and how to use them.  

I have a bowl, whisk and spoon specifically for making lotions and potions. You can purchase measuring tools if you wish, but I usually just eyeball the ingredients.

Homemade Lotion

Makes 2 little pots

Ingredients

• 1/8 cup Shea butter
• ¼ cup cocoa butter
• ½ cup coconut oil, soft (not melted)
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder (optional)
• Vanilla oil (30 drops)
• Cinnamon oil (2 drops)
• Lavender oil (5 drops)
• Frankincense oil (10 drops)
• Myrrh oil (10 drops)

Directions

1. Place the butters in a small heatproof bowl over a small pot of water. Bring the water up to a simmer and reduce to low. The butters will start to melt.
2. Once melted, let the butters cool.
3. Now, whisk in the coconut oil and arrowroot powder. You should be able to whip it with a whisk. If it's too liquidy, you can place the whole thing in the fridge for a few minutes until it starts to solidify. Don't let it get too solid or you won't be able to whisk. It should be creamy like my picture.
4. The last thing you want to do is stir the oils in. You don't want to heat them up at all.
5. Divide the mixture between your little glass pots and store in a cool place. I have not had any issues with separation or melting. If your place is very warm, you may have these issues and may need to store it in the fridge.