A Homemade Liquid Lotion Recipe
Want an easy to make, all-natural lotion that quickly absorbs into the skin?
While we all love thick body butters, sometimes you need something you can quickly slap on before getting into your day.
This pumpable, DIY natural lotion is wonderful for the body and can be made with 4 simple ingredients. Here's my favorite, all natural homemade liquid lotion recipe.
How to Make this Homemade Liquid Lotion Recipe
Making your own lotion only requires a few ingredients. And it's even easier to turn them into a liquid lotion! Let me walk you through the ingredients and supplies you'll need to make a pumpable, DIY natural lotion!
Note: this recipe was adapted from “The Boreal Herbal” by Beverley Gray. She shares some amazing skincare recipes in her book and I highly recommend it for all my northern readers!
Ingredient 1: A Liquid Carrier Oil
To make your own lotion, you'll need a liquid carrier oil for the base. I prefer to use a thinner, less sticky oil in my recipes. Often I use food-grade avocado oil (you can source it at your local grocery store). If you have very sensitive skin, apricot kernel oil is an excellent choice (this bottle will make you one batch of lotion).
Because it's so good for the skin, I'll occasionally add a bit of jojoba oil to the mix.
Ingredient 2: Unrefined Beeswax
In this recipe, beeswax acts as a natural thickener. You should be able to source 1 lb (454 gm) bars through your local beekeeper. If so, you'll need either a knife or a stainless steel cheese grater dedicated to the sticky task of shaving off bits of wax. I prefer the grater, primarily because grated beeswax melts the fastest!
If local beekeepers aren't an option and if you don't want to deal with beeswax bars, you can get natural, unrefined beeswax pellets here. If you use pellets, you'll have to measure them by weight, which means you need to use a small, kitchen scale whenever you make your skincare products!
Ingredient 3: Unrefined Shea Butter
Shea butter is a thick, sticky substance created from the nuts of the shea tree. I like to add just a wee bit to my liquid lotion because it helps with the texture and also adds extra nourishment to the skin.
You can get 1 lb of unrefined Ghana shea butter here!
Ingredient 4: Distilled Water
Last but not least, you need distilled water to make your lotion recipe! But wait. There's a myth floating around out there about water in lotion recipes. And I want to take a moment to address it!
Many people will tell you that if you add water to a skincare product, you also have to add preservatives to keep things from molding.
This is true of recipes with very high water content. But in this particular lotion, water content is low and the oil content is so high, so the oil acts as a natural preservative all on it's own.
Trust me on this one. I've kept bottles of liquid lotion on the shelf for over 4 years and I've never had issues with mold or any other "growth" in the lotion.
So don't be afraid to use water!
Equipment for Making Homemade Liquid Lotion
To make this recipe, you need 2 basic pieces of equipment. Don't worry! It's not complicated and chances are, you already have these things on hand!
The first thing you need a double boiler for melting wax and shea butter. You can make your own by setting a tin bowl on top of a small pot of water. Or you can purchase this small double boiler that rests on top of any pot so you can gently melt the goods.
Don't try melting beeswax over direct heat, because it may catch on fire.
And the second piece of equipment you'll need? A kitchen blender! To create this lotion, you have to whirl the ingredients together at high speed to emulsify the water and oils.
Note: I have not tried making this recipe with an immersion blender, but I do think it would work. If you try, please let me know how to went in the comments below!
A Natural Homemade Liquid Lotion Recipe
To make your own homemade liquid lotion, measure out the following ingredients or grab the printable recipe at the end of this blog post.
You'll need:
- 1 C of liquid oil
- 1 Tablespoon of shea butter
- 0.20 oz (5.6 g) grated beeswax or pellets
- ¼ C distilled water
- optional: 15-20 drops of your favorite, skin-supporting essential oil (frankincense, anyone?)
Step by Step Direction for Making Liquid Lotion
Add water to the bottom portion of your double boiler, filling it 3/4 full. Place it on the stove top. Turn the stove top burner to medium-high. You don't want the water to boil; just keep it hot.
Grate beeswax if using a bar and loosely measure out 2 1/2 tablespoons. Gently tap the wax down as you go or better yet, go ahead and weigh out 0.2 ounces or 5.6 grams.
If you're using pellets, weigh your wax. Add it to the top portion of your double boiler.
Also measure out and add 1 tablespoon of shea butter. Place the double boiler on top of the pot of water and leave things to melt.
After the wax and shea butter have melted, measure out your liquid oil and also add it to the top of the double boiler. The wax will partially set up, but don't worry! It'll soon melt again.
When everything has once again turned to liquid and is still warm, pour the contents of the double boiler into your kitchen blender.
Make sure the lid is firmly secured, turn the blender on and measure out ¼ C distilled water. Slowly pour water in through the lid's funnel. After all the water has been added, let the machine run for 15-20 seconds.
Turn off. Use a spatula to scrape down the lid and sides of the blender. If using frankincense essential oil, now is the time to add it! After doing so, give your lotion another 15-20 second whirl and presto! By following this natural homemade liquid lotion recipe, you just made your own healthy skin moisturizer!
Bottling and Storing Your Pumpable DIY Natural Lotion
I recommend keeping this lotion in a pump bottle, both to preserve it's life and to make things easier on yourself! You can use an old pump you have on hand or purchase one online.
Pour the warm lotion into your bottle and let it cool without a lid so it doesn't condensate. Seal and store for 1-2 years.
Directions for Using this Natural Homemade Liquid Lotion
Because this lotion is primarily made of oils, a little bit goes a long way! When apply it to the skin, you only need a light layer, just enough to make the skin feel moist. Because it is light and natural, it can be successfully used on the body and face.
A Homemade Liquid Lotion Recipe
Materials
- 1 C liquid carrier oil (avocado or sweet apricot kernel)
- 1 Tablespoon shea butter
- 0.20 ounces (5.6 g) grated beeswax or pellets
- 1/4 C distilled water
- 15-20 drops skin-friend essential oil (optional)
Instructions
- Add water to your double boiler until 3/4 full of water.
- Warm the water under medium-low heat and put top portion of double boiler in place.
- Prepare and measure beeswax into double boiler, along with shea butter.
- Warm over medium-low heat to gently melt the butter and beeswax
- Once melted to liquid, add your oil to the beeswax and shea butter.
- Warm all three together until everything is once again liquid (the wax may partially set up with the addition of cool oil).
- When liquidized, pour the the warm goods into your kitchen blender.
- Cover the top with a lid, then measure out your 1/4 C distilled water.
- Turn the blender on and slowly pour water through the lid's opening.
- After all the water has been added, run the mixer for another 15-20 seconds to emulsify the ingredients.
- Using a small funnel, pour the warm lotion into a pump bottle.
- Let cool with lid remove (to avoid condensation).
- Cap and store for up to 2 years in a moderate-temperature home or bathroom.
I have been using this recipe for a few years now and love it!! I generally use Avocado Oil because I always have it but when I plan ahead I’ll use a mix of avocado oil, Jojoba, Apricot Seed Oil or another good quality oil. It’s fail proof and our whole family uses it.
I would like to try this recipe. I just have A couple of questions can use olive oil and almond oil and do you have to use distilled water or can you use bottled filtered water?
Yes, you can use a mix of any liquid oils (we call them carrier oils in the DIY skincare world). You can use bottled water. The key is make sure it's very clean, so it doesn't introduce contaminants to the lotion so it lasts longer on the shelf once made. 🙂
Just wondering if there are other options for the carrier oil? I don't have either of the ones you suggest but cold get them (was just hoping to make it today). Thanks:)
You can use any type of liquid oil, other than castor oil (it's too thick and won't absorb into the skin).
I just made this recipe with exact measurements. I am using a nutra bullet. It is extremely liquidity. I tried adding a bit more beeswax but no change. Is there a way to fix this?
Let it cool and it will set up a bit more!
I have let it set but still very runny. Is it supposed to be thick or thin?
It is thinner than normal commercially produced lotion that has high water content. If this stuff was really thick, it would take forever for your skin to absorb it because it's nothing more than fats, oils, beeswax and a tiny bit of water. Try it and see if your skin does well with it. 🙂
So I made the recipe, like I said to a T- I mixed it in my nutribullet blender at high speed quite a bit - Did everything exactly. I poured them and let them sit which it is separating. I took it all out and immersion blended it at top speed for awhile and it looked like it helped some. It looks blotchy in thickness. I'm about to tamper with it and add a touch more beeswax to it and see how it goes - If it gets too thick all ya gotta do is add a little more liquid oils and tiny bit more water. Sometimes it just takes time to figure consistency. They've been sitting for over an hour in a 70 degree room.
I've made the recipe to a T. Except of course added in my typical classics to all of my products, infused botanicals, used my infused sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and hemp oil, touch of raw honey, oil of oregano, and GSE. I'm waiting for it to set up in the bottle. I weighed the beeswax to exactly .20 also. I'll comment back to let you know how it goes, as I have over a dozen products in my line but lotions is one thing I've struggled with (mostly because of the water thing). I'm a pro at body butters and this was a breeze compared to it.
Hi! I’m not usually one to comment but I’m trying this recipe out for the first time and I can’t figure out what I’ve done wrong. I’ve followed the recipe exactly and I feel like I’m going crazy 😂 my “lotion” is very green and liquidy and when I put it on I can feel the water - so I know the problem is that it’s not properly emulsified, but what can I do to fix this? I have used my immersion blender (I don’t currently own a regular blender). I have a small blender that attaches to my immersion power stick and that didn’t do the trick either.
How quickly is it meant to emulsify?
It sounds like you aren't getting the same emulsifying results as you would with a high speed power blender. It only takes about 30 seconds of slowly adding water to the blender for it to all set up together. You could try warming a small portion of it on the stovetop, add and melt the same amount of beeswax to it again, then VERY slowly pour the warm oils/wax into your cold stuff while running the immersion blender the entire time.
But I don't know if it will actually work with the immersion blender or not. I've never tried! Also, the green color comes from the oil you use. Olive oil in particular will give you a green tone as opposed to lighter oils that make a yellow lotion.
Good luck!
I have been reading reviews and I am a little confused..... Is it .2 ounces of beeswax or .02?
Like I outlined in the printable recipe and in the post, it's 0.20 ounces (or 5.6 grams) of beeswax. Because you want a liquid lotion, it takes very little to thicken. Especially with the shea butter helping out! 🙂
Can I use Aloe Vera gel instead of water?
I've never tried substituting aloe vera for water. I don't know if it would keep long term or not. Let me know if you try!
I just read this somewhere else… that you can use half distilled water and half aloe vera. Distilled water is the key. You want ALL the chemicals and minerals out of the water….
I was excited to try this as most recipes are for butter which goes hard in winter. I followed this to the letter but the lotion is so thick it won’t come out of the pump bottle I’ve used. Really disappointing.
It sounds like you used too much beeswax in your lotion. Did you weigh out .20 ounces of beeswax?
Yes, followed the recipe exactly! It was still a nice moisturiser, just too thick to pump.
Then I'm so sorry I can't help, because I'm not sure what happened! Usually, folks get the beeswax ratios off and that results in a lotion that is too thick to pump.
Hello. I am a small business, and I am looking to add lotions to my line of all-natural skin care products. I really like this recipe and was wondering if Naturally Refined Shea Butter is acceptable? I use it in my body butters and love it but don't know if you would work for this recipe. Thanks for your time.
Shea butter (refined or unrefined) will work. Unrefined is just healthier and a bit more natural! 🙂
I look forward to making this! Is it ok to use grapeseed oil?
All I have to say is...use oils that are good for the skin! I've never tried grape seed oil. I tend to stick with avocado or almond oil. 🙂
I haven't attempted recipe. I have a few recipes that I use but am looking for something a little lighter that would be good in a serum bottle. I don't want a serum or a thick lotion but something in between. I notice that it says this will last for 2 years. The 3 years that I have been making cosmetics and body products, I have been taught that recipes with water in them need a preservative due to the fact that water can grow bacteria. 100% oil & butter recipes don't require a preservative. How can this last for 2 years with no preservative?
This is definitely thicker than a serum, but it isn't a thick, creamy lotion either. If you have an excessive amount of water, yes, you need a preservative! But when added in minimal amounts (as with this recipe), preservatives aren't necessary. I know this is contrary to what most people are told. But I've been making skincare products and this particular recipe for nearly 10 years. When stored in a pump bottle (so your hands dont touch the lotion and leave bacteria behind), it'll last more than 2 years on the shelf. 🙂 Like I mentioned in the post, this recipe is a spin off of Beverly Gray's original. She's been successfully making and selling skincare for years, and this is the water to oil ratio she uses for her recipe, without preservatives! Only I have slightly more oil in the mix 🙂
Can I use the spout or flip cap closure?
Yes, for sure! I've done this and it works well!
Reason for lasting 2 years is using distilled water and not tap water
HI. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I would like to try it. Do the beeswax pellets make it feel sticky? I used to make beeswax candles and it was just too much stickiness for me. It was difficult to clean up supplies.
Thank you,
Hi there!
The beeswax is so minimal, this lotion isn't sticky and absorbs into your skin quickly (unlike body butters and such). It's my favorite because you can slap it on and get going with your day. 🙂
HI... question!!! Do you have to use a blender? I would hate to use my kitchen aid blender and then not be able to get it clean properly to use for other things. I have already ruined one pot. Can one use an hand blender or mixer? I love this recipe...... but the blender is scaring me off
thanks for your help
You need high speeds to properly emulsify the water and oil, and I've only ever used the blender. I've been making this recipe for years and have never had any problem with leftover residue. This lotion leaves the inside of your blender a bit oily (as it would with homemade salad dressing) but is easily cleaned out with soap and hot water. Sorry I cant speak to other kitchen appliances...I've just never tried anything else!