Lotion recipe framework

theFeeLion

Hi lovely people! :love:

I thought I would leave this here for anyone who likes or would like to make their own lotion :D

I use this recipe as the framework for any moisturiser that I make. I love it because you can make eeny-weeny batches or enormous ones! :cool5:

This recipe will give you an oil-in-water emulsion.

1/4 part emulsifying wax
1 part oil
2 parts water

Oil phase:
Melt oil and wax together.

Water phase:
Heat water to the same temperature as the oil and wax mixture.

Cooling phase:
Slowly add the water to the oil while mixing.
Once combined leave to cool. It will thicken a bit as it cools.
Once cooled add preservative and any essential oil you like.


Some notes on this:

- antioxidants are NOT preservatives. They will only halt oxidation, they won't have much, if any, effect on bacterial, fungal, or viral growthso you will need to store the lotion in the fridge if you want it to last more than a week or two. If it changes colour, smells different, or grows something do not use it anymore.

- beeswax is NOT an emulsifier. I made this mistake when I started out and ended up with a weird split mess, so I went and bought some proper emulsifying wax and never tried the beeswax thing again. It is possible to use it BUT you will need to add something else (like lecithin maybe?) to get you lotion to emulsify.

- I like to use Aloe gel (with its own preservative) or hydrosols for the water phase. These will help the lotion to last a bit longer (I have some lotion that I made using lavendin hydrosol six months ago that still seems to be going strong!) If you want to uses tisanes or anything like that just keep in mind you will need to refrigerate the finished product and use within a couple of weeks.

- you can combine butters with the oils if you want for a thicker consistency and more nourishing effect. Beeswax can also be added to help with thickness.

- if you are working with heat sensitive ingredients it is best to heat them as little as possible or add small amounts at the end of the cooling phase.

- If you want to have multiple oils or waters I change it to 1 part emulsifier, 4 parts oil, 8 parts water :D


I would love to hear what people think or if anyone has a variation on this :)

I'm also happy to answer any questions :D

Happy lotion making! :love:
 

Nemia

Thank you! I'll try this recipe. I made many oil-only cosmetics (shea butter, different carrier oils, etheric oils) over the last years but I didn't start mixing water and oils yet, I'm afraid it will spoil. That looks like a good recipe to start, thank you!
 

theFeeLion

Thank you! I'll try this recipe. I made many oil-only cosmetics (shea butter, different carrier oils, etheric oils) over the last years but I didn't start mixing water and oils yet, I'm afraid it will spoil. That looks like a good recipe to start, thank you!

Try making a teeny batch first. I think the first one I did was about three teaspoons worth! Lol.

Excuse my ignorance but what are etheric oils?
 

Nemia

Essential oils. Sorry, languages are jumping in circles in my head.
 

theFeeLion

Essential oils. Sorry, languages are jumping in circles in my head.

Oooh lol I think I like the sound of etheric oils better :D
 

celticnoodle

Thank you for sharing this recipe! I'll see if I can get all the items to try and make it. :)
 

theFeeLion

Thank you for sharing this recipe! I'll see if I can get all the items to try and make it. :)

Let me know how you go :) if you need any help with oil selection for your skin let me know :)