Combine butter and milk products together to make a moisturizing cream for the body. The most moisturizing and emollient-rich butters come from nuts, such as shea and cocoa butter. When choosing a milk product to use, choose liquid or powdered milk. You do not have to use milk from cows, sheep or goats. Experiment with using almond, rice or coconut milk with the recipe below. Beeswax allows the lotion to thoroughly coat the skin and turn the consistency of the lotion into a body butter.
Heat 1/4 cup water in the double boiler to a gentle boil.
Combine the ingredients listed above with the exception of the essential oils. The recipe above calls for 3 tbsp. of oil. You can use one oil alone or combine several different oils for maximum effect. Some oil choices include almond, coconut, olive, sunflower and jojoba oils. Choose an animal milk such as cow's, goat's or sheep's, or use a plant or nut-based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
Melt the ingredients slowly in the double boiler, stirring frequently with a spatula until completely melted.
Allow the lotion to cool for a few minutes before adding up to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil or oils. This is an optional step used to scent the lotion and add extra properties to the blend.
Decant the lotion into a glass or plastic jar and allow it to cool completely before using.
Warning
Essential oils are not recommended for pregnant women, elderly individuals and small children.
References
- "Natural Beauty From The Garden: More Than 200 Do-It-Yourself Beauty Recipes"; Janice Cox
- Mother Earth News: Make Your Own Lotion
Writer Bio
Nicole Carlin is a registered yoga teacher. Her writing has been published in yoga and dance teacher training manuals for POP Fizz Academy. Carlin received a Masters of Arts in gender studies from Birkbeck University in London and a Bachelors of Arts in psychology from Temple University, Philadelphia.