Making Lotion from Scratch

Like making cold-processed soap, crafting lotion is an exact science.  It all begins with your oils and butters – knowing exactly the properties you want your lotion to have will guide you to the best possible ingredients.  When I craft my lotions (and really, whenever I craft any of the products for my business), I always think about what I would absolutely use. I will not make a product that I wouldn’t use.

I always prefer a lotion that’s a little thicker, but quickly absorbed; one that won’t leave your skin greasy.  I opt to craft lotions with avocado oil and mango butter because each of these oils contains high levels of antioxidants, but are also non-comedogenic and fast-absorbing.

I also like strongly scented lotions in clean or fresh scents; I want to be able to smell my hands in an hour and still smell the fragrance.  I usually choose fragrances that have some kind of lavender inside the mixture because if I am wearing the fragrance all day, I want it to be soothing, calming, and something my nose won’t get sick of.

Distilled water is the main ingredient in all lotions, but I like to mix water with aloe vera juice. It adds an additional level of moisture and is both calming and soothing to dry, cracked skin.

Finally, I consider all of the additives. It’s imperative to use a preservative because anything made with water has the potential for the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria; a preservative keeps the product both fresh and safe. I also use stearic acid because it makes the lotion light and fluffy, otherwise it would become more like a heavy cream. Emulsifying wax is essential to bind both water and the oils, otherwise, the product would separate. The right amount of e-wax is tricky, and even with it, sometimes natural lotions can be a little liquidy on the bottom – if it’s only a little, not to worry, just give the bottle a good shake, open it up and mix,  then close and shake again.

Check out the video below to see how I craft lotions:

If you have any questions about how we craft our lotions, please feel free to leave a comment!  (Unfortunately, we are not able to answer recipe questions as our recipe is proprietary to our own formulation.)