Content

• Ingredients
• The quick and easy method
• The comprehensive method
• To step
• Method 1 of 2: The quick and easy method
• Method 2 of 2: The Comprehensive Method
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities
• The quick and easy method
• The comprehensive method
• Possible ingredients

Body lotion is simply the emulsion of water and oil through a waxy agent. Why pay so much money for something that you can easily make yourself? The end result is a unique and beautiful gift to give away - if you don't want to have it all for yourself! Be creative! Here is the guide that will help you!

Ingredients

The quick and easy method

• 2-3 tsp. (30-45 g) distilled water (or aloe vera gel)
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) oil (grape seed, coconut, jojoba oil, etc.)
• 2 tsp. (30 g) beeswax
• Vitamin E oil or capsule
• Essential Oils

The comprehensive method

• 625 ml of distilled water or aloe vera gel
• 1/2 tsp (pinch) cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. (pinch of) citric acid
• 1/2 tsp. potassium sorbate (if available)
• 1 tsp. (5 g) of your chosen herbs
• 1 tea bag of your choice
• 140 ml of oil with a few drops of essential oil added
• 5 tsp. (75 g) emulsified wax or shredded beeswax
• 1 tsp. (15 g) stearic acid
• 1 tsp. (5 g) honey
• 1/8 tsp. (small splash) vitamin E oil or rosemary extract / essential oil

To step

Method 1 of 2: The quick and easy method

1. Gather your ingredients. Every body lotion is different (which explains why there are so many types available in stores) and you just can't go wrong. To make this basic brew you will need:
   • 2-3 tsp. (30-45 g) distilled water (or aloe vera gel instead)
   • 1/2 cup (115 ml) grape seed oil (or coconut, jojoba etc.)
   • 2 tsp. (30 g) beeswax
   • Vitamin E oil or capsule
   • Essential oils (a few drops are enough)
2. Melt the grape seed or other oil, the beeswax and vitamin E oil in a saucepan over low heat. Do this slowly so you don't burn your ingredients. Patience will certainly lead to a better outcome in this case.
   • Some say it's better to use a double boiler than a regular saucepan - having one is a good safe way to melt your ingredients.
3. When the ingredients are almost melted, remove the pan from the heat. Place the mixture in a large glass bowl. Don't wait too long for this - if your mixture boils over you run the risk that it won't solidify properly.
   • Don't worry about your pan; you can clean it with soap and water. Put it in soapy water now so that you don't have to scrub later or remove the dirt from the dishwasher.
4. Add the water or aloe vera gel. If you want a thick buttery consistency, add less than the amount of water prescribed here. Mix the ingredients with a hand blender until your fragrant concoction thickens.
   • Rose water is also a good substitute for distilled water if it suits the fragrance you're after. It is available at the drug store or over the Internet.
5. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes. It takes time to thicken and solidify. You don't have to cover the mixture or move it to a cool place - just leave it on the counter and move on to something else.
   • When the 15-20 minutes have passed and your lotion has taken on the correct substance, you can put it in a glass bottle or other bottle or jar that is suitable for this. Label and wrap it so that you have a personalized and valuable gift!

Method 2 of 2: The Comprehensive Method

1. Select and collect the ingredients you need. While the steps outlined below describe a procedure for making a body lotion, you can omit / add / replace ingredients as needed. For this version you need the following:
   • 625 ml of distilled water or aloe vera gel
   • 1/2 tsp (pinch) cinnamon
   • 1/2 tsp. (pinch of) citric acid
   • 1/2 tsp. potassium sorbate (if available)
   • 1 tsp. (5 g) of dried herbs selected by you
   • 1 tea bag of your choice
   • 140 ml of oil with a few drops of essential oil added
   • 5 tsp. (75 g) emulsified wax or shredded beeswax
   • 1 tsp. (15 g) stearic acid
   • 1 tsp. (5 g) honey
   • 1/8 tsp. (small splash) vitamin E oil or rosemary extract / essential oil
2. Quickly bring the distilled water or aloe vera to a boil. Once the liquid is bubbling, you can put the pan on a medium heat. Add the cinnamon, citric acid, and potassium sorbate (if you have it - it's not required).
   • Once it is resolved you can add a tsp. of your selected herbs and add a tea bag of your choice. When everything has simmered on a medium heat for 10 minutes, turn the heat to a low setting and let it simmer for another half hour.
3. Get started with your oil blend. Put 150 ml of your chosen oil, 5 tbsp. (75 g) emulsified wax or shredded beeswax (6 tbsp. If you don't have stearic acid), 1 tbsp. (15 g) stearic acid (2 if you want to thicken the body lotion), 1 tsp. (5 g) honey and about 1/8 tsp. Vitamin E oil or rosemary extract / essential oil in a small saucepan.
   • Don't worry about mixing just yet, that's to come. You now have other things to do!
4. Once your spice mixture is ready, start boiling water in a pan. You can also use the low water in your au bain marie pan. Drain your spice mixture into a large mixing bowl while squeezing all the juice from the herbs and tea bag.
   • You are going to put all the ingredients in this bowl so make sure it is a very large bowl!
5. Once the water is boiling, carefully place the small pot of oils in it until all the wax has melted. Not a second more! The last thing you want is to boil over your brew. Stir the mixture often and don't let the oil get too hot - that's why the au bain marie pan is here. When you reach this point, remove the pan from the heat.
   • Keep an eye on the bowl although it takes a long time and you may feel like you are watching paint dry. You have to stay there to stir and to make sure nothing goes wrong.
6. Start by mashing the spice mixture while slowly adding the oil mixture. Be careful: this stuff can cause burns! It's okay if you let the mixes cool a bit but they should be hot when you mix them. Mix them for two minutes.
   • Although you can do this with the immersion blender, you run the risk that your blender will not be the same after this, so if you are attached to your blender, it is better to leave it out.
7. Continue to mix and stir with a rubber spatula to get all the bubbles out. Add a maximum of 1 drop of essential oil per 1/2 cup of your mixture. The mixture will be watery until it cools and solidifies. So don't worry if it looks thin.
   • Wait one or two hours before pouring the mixture into a bottle. Otherwise, it might be too hot, causing the bottle to melt or leaving many bubbles in the mixture. Use a funnel so that you can pour easily.
8. Finally, keep the bottles of body lotion in the fridge until you need them. The body lotion according to this recipe can be kept for up to 3 months outside the refrigerator under normal conditions. Do not leave it in the hot sun or direct sunlight as that is a recipe for body lotion 112.
   • Body lotion recipes are there to perfect yourself. If you are not 100% satisfied with this recipe, keep trying until you have the recipe that is perfect for you.

Tips

• Use 1 tbsp. emulsion or wax per 30 ml of oil and melt it.
• Use rose petals, blueberries, raspberries, citrus fruits and teas to add color or fragrance to the body lotion. Red currants, other flower petals, and teas work well in quick blends that last only a week.
• Never use more than 30% oil to make body lotion unless you like a shiny or oily look.
• If you add spices to the oil, let them simmer for at least 3 hours. And if you add herbs to water, do this for at least half an hour to 45 minutes.
• Always add about 0.5% vitamin E or 0.3% rosemary extract / essential oil to the oil, but not both. You then ensure that the oil does not turn rancid and yellow in the body lotion.
• If you use essential oils, you don't need more than 1 drop per 60 ml.
• 1% Honey is added to the oil as desired. It is good for your skin and improves the durability of the body lotion.
• To make the body lotion thicker, 1% - 2% stearic acid, xanthan gum or lecithin powder can be added. These are added to the oil mixture until dissolved.
• Potassium sorbate and citric acid work very well in body lotion if you add 3% of it and add a pinch of cinnamon. Add this to your boiling water at the beginning.
• The less water your mixture contains, the longer your mixture will keep. Try using a tea with a strong antioxidant or aloe vera instead of water. In any case, use distilled water and bring it to a quick boil before using.
• Keep everything as sterile as possible.

Warnings

• Do always a test if you put something new on your body because you never know in advance whether you are allergic to the substance.
• Do not use chalk or dyes that are added in foods. They are poisonous. Herbs, flowers, berries and tea contain excellent dyes.
• Do not use a microwave. The microwave changes the molecular structure of the ingredients, making them less good for your skin if they are at all after the microwave.
• Do not use cinnamon oil as it can irritate the skin. Use the powder.
• Do not add toxins to your body lotion. We are vulnerable to skin damage, especially from products like body lotion that are made to lie on your skin and soak into your skin without being washed off. Toxins go straight into your body to your blood and cells. In most cases, it would be even better to eat the toxins!
• Always be careful with hot liquid; burned skin is never fun.

Necessities

The quick and easy method

• Saucepan
• Au bain marie pan (if desired)
• Measuring cup and scales
• Large glass bowl
• Blender
• Spatula
• Bottles to put in the body lotion

The comprehensive method

• Au bain marie pan (or a small and large pan)
• Large pan
• Big spoon
• Small spoon
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups, cups and spoons
• Glass or a stainless steel bowl
• Blender
• Funnel
• Colander
• Bottles to put in the body lotion

Possible ingredients

• Aloe veragel or juice
  • You can use distilled water as a base, but with aloe vera your body lotion stays good for 3 times as long and feels better on your skin.
• Honey
• Shredded beeswax or emulsified vegetable wax
• Oil - one or a combination
  • A few types of oil you can try are coconut, apricot kernel oil and or jojoba. While there are many other suitable oils, you may not always be able to buy them from your local store. Grape seed oil spoils fairly quickly. Because glycerin can make your skin oily and shiny, it is useful to think in advance whether that is the effect you are aiming for. Avocado oil is not recommended in this case because it does not react well to heating.
  • Smell your oils. Some carry a strong fragrance that does not smell pleasant on your body.
• Herbs and teas that are very good for your skin.
  • Green tea, juniper, rose hip, red clover blossom, arrowroot, and sandalwood are a few good options. Choose a combination of herbs and teas that go well together.
  • Lavender and goldenseal root ensure that you can store your body lotion for a long time. Again: smell the herbs first and then decide whether you want to use them.
• Vitamin E oil or rosemary extract (to prevent the oil from going rancid)
• Stearic acid (this is optional and thickens the body lotion so you don't have to add extra oil)
• Cinnamon, citric acid and potassium sorbate (these ensure that your body lotion has a long shelf life)
• Your favorite non-toxic essential oil (optional)