Making your own handmade lotion for the first time can be intimidating. If you’ve never made lotion before, I would recommend using a tried-and-true recipe to get a feel for the process. You can find a variety of recipes here. Once you have a grasp on the basics, you may be interested in formulating a customized lotion recipe. It can be tricky to know how much water, oils and emulsifiers are needed to create a stable product. The great thing about creating a lotion recipe is that you can customize it to be the texture you love.
The first thing to understand when making your own lotion is the basic ingredients. Lotion is created by combining oils and water with an emulsifier. The texture of your lotion will depend on the proportions of each ingredient and the type of emulsifier and oils. Additional ingredients such as glycerin, thickeners, fragrance and color can also be added. Typically body butters do not contain any water and are made completely out of oils and butters. To see lotion making in action, check out the How to Make Lotion from Scratch video below.
Usually the main ingredient of a lotion recipe is water. Water typically makes up about 70-80% of a lotion recipe. Using more water results in a thinner and lighter lotion. Oils and butters are usually used around 10-25% of the recipe. Using a larger percentage of oils and butters in the recipe will usually result in a thicker heavier lotion. The type of oil and butter used also plays a huge role in the lotion texture. For example, adding a lightweight oil like sweet almond oil gives lotion very different properties than adding cocoa butter. Below are some of my favorite lotion-making oils and butters. Keep in mind you are not limited to this list of oils and butters; these are just some of my favorites. =)
You can make lotion with a wide variety of oils and butters; which one you choose depends on what consistency and benefits you’d like the lotion to have.
Lotion Making Oil and Butters
- Sweet Almond Oil: Lightweight and odorless, sweet almond oil is a great option for lightweight lotion recipes. It has a rich concentration of oleic fatty acid and linoleic essential fatty acids, making it a skin-loving addition to any recipe. In lotion, it leaves skin feeling hydrated and non-greasy. A great alternative to sweet almond oil is apricot kernel oil. Find sweet almond oil in this recipe.
- Avocado Oil: A mediumweight oil, avocado oil is nearly odorless and colorless. It is easily absorbed in the skin, making it a popular choice for lotion and creams. It contains a large amount of oleic acid which contributes to its conditioning properties. Find avocado oil in this recipe.
- Shea Butter: Soft and moisturizing, shea butter gives lotion a slightly thicker consistency. As a heavier butter, it leaves skin feeling somewhat greasy but it is quick to absorb into the skin. Find shea butter in this recipe.
- Sunflower Oil: High in vitamin E and oleic fatty acid, sunflower oil is both lightweight and moisturizing. It does tend to leave a slightly more greasy feeling in lotions than other lightweight oil options, like sweet almond or avocado. Find sunflower oil in this recipe.
Emulsifiers are typically used around 10% or less in a lotion recipe. An emulsifier is key to creating a successful lotion. The emulsifier binds the water and oil together. The last thing you want is for the oils and water in your lotion recipe to separate. Various emulsifiers have different binding strengths and properties, so it’s important to consider which emulsifier is best for your recipe.
In addition to emulsifiers, there is another category of products referred to as co-emulsifiers. These ingredients are not meant to emulsify oils and water on their own, but will help to stabilize an existing emulsion. Co-emulsifiers often help to thicken products as well. A recipe does not require a co-emulsifier, but they often create a more stable and creamy product. Below are popular lotion emuslifiers, co-emulsifiers and their properties.
Emulsifiers and co-emulsifiers bind together water and oil to create lotion that will not separate.
Popular Lotion Emulsifiers
- Polawax Emulsifying Wax: This waxy material is usually used between 3-6% of the total weight of your recipe. Manufactured by Croda (Polawax), this wax comes in the form of white pastilles. This product is a proprietary blend of ingredients.
- Emulsifying Wax: Emulsifying wax is a generic version of the popular Polawax Emulsifying Wax. It is made of Cetylstearyl Alcohol and Polysorbate 60. This wax comes in a mixture of pastilles and irregular waxy flakes. This is a great choice if you like your product to have a nice “slip.”
- Bio-Mulsion Wax: This wax derived from olive oil is a great natural alternative for Polawax. Normal usage rates are between 2-8% of the total weight of your recipe. This emulsifier comes in the form of medium off-white flakes.
- BTMS-50: This emulsifier is vegetable based, and is recommended to be used at 1-15% of the total weight of your recipe. BTMS-50 contains a large percentage of conditioning agents (Behentrimonium Methosulfate), which makes it a good choice for hair care in addition to skincare. It comes in the form of white pastilles. BTMS-50 is also capable of emulsifying silicone. BTMS-50 tends to add a less greasy feel to lotions than other emulsifiers.
Note: Polysorbate 80 and polysorbate 20 are popular emulsifiers as well, but we do not recommend using them as the primary emulsifiers in your lotion recipes. Instead, polysorbates are commonly used as fragrance and essential oil solubilizers.
Co-Emulsifiers
- Cetearyl Alcohol: Cetearyl alcohol helps to thicken and stabilize emulsions. It is a mixture of fatty alcohols consisting mostly of cetyl and stearyl alcohols. It is oil soluble and should be added to the oils in your formulation. For creams and lotions, it can be used anywhere from 2-30%. In some liquid soap formulations, cetearyl alcohol can also be used as a surfactant booster.
- Stearic Acid: This cost effective co-emulsifier is often used to thicken lotion and other emulsified products. Stearic acid is derived from vegetables, and can also be used to harden soaps at a rate of .5% of your oils. For lotions and creams, it’s recommended to be used around 2-5%. The more you use, the thicker your product will become.
- Cetyl Alcohol: This co-emulsifier can be used to create a thicker texture in lotions and emulsified products. Normal usage rates are between 3-5% of the total weight of your recipe. Similar to stearic acid, many believe it imparts a slightly more emollient feel to formulas.
Water & Alternative Liquids
In addition to choosing the oils, butters, emulsifiers and co-emulsifiers, you also have the option of alternative liquids and special additives. Typically, lotion is made using distilled water. Water can be swapped with other water based liquids like aloe vera liquid or rose water. One liquid I do not recommend using in lotion is milk. Using milk in lotion is very similar to placing milk out on the counter. If you were to leave a carton of milk on the counter, it will go bad eventually. The same will happen to the milk in your lotion. If you do choose to use milk in your lotion, I would recommend storing it in the fridge and expect a shelf life of about 4-8 weeks, even with a preservative. While a preservative in your lotion will prevent mold and bacteria from growing, preservatives do not protect against rancidity, such as spoiled milk.
Colors & Additives
Special additives in your lotion recipe include ingredients such as extracts, additional humectants (ex: glycerin), colors and fragrance. To read more about extracts, click here. All extracts found at Bramble Berry are oil soluble, so we recommend adding them to the oil phase of your lotion. The suggested usage rate is about 3-5% of the total weight of your lotion recipe. Keep in mind that adding extracts does add a small amount of extra oil to your lotion recipe.
LabColors are great for adding color to your lotion recipes. In the Rose & Aloe In-Shower Lotion, Fuchsia LabColor gives the lotion a light pink hue.
To give your lotion a hint of color, we recommend using water-soluble LabColors. They are easy to mix into lotions and creams, and do not leave streaks on the skin. If you haven’t used LabColors before, check out this post to find out how to dilute and use them. Skin safe micas, oxides and pigments can also be used, but don’t work great as they are oil-soluble and can leave skin streaky with color. This can be used to your advantage if you are trying to add a hint of color to your skin, as shown in the Bronzing Lotion Recipe.
Preservatives
Don’t forget to add a preservative to your lotion! This step is important. Because lotion contains water (and usually a very high percentage!) it’s likely to grow mold and bacteria. A preservative is an anti-microbial solution that helps to prevent mold from growing in your products. While it’s possible to make lotion without a preservative, it won’t last very long. Within weeks, you will find mold and bacteria growing in your product. If you prefer to stay away from preservatives, I would recommend creating a oil based balm (like this one) that does not contain water, and thus does not require a preservative. Click here to learn more about using preservatives in your products. In addition, this blog post by Susan Barclay-Nichols of Point of Interest! is full of information.
Ready to get started making your own lotion recipe? Below is a general recipe guideline that’s ready for you to customize! This general formula creates lotion with an average weight and texture. But remember: the kind of oils, butters and other additives you use will play a huge role in how your lotion will feel.
Lotion Recipe General Recipe Guideline:
70 – 80% – Distilled Water
3 – 5% – Stearic Acid (or other co-emulsifier)
3 – 6% – Emulsifying Wax (or other emulsifier)
Add the rest in of your choice of oils and butters
To this add:
.5 – 1% – Preservative (Click here to learn about preservatives)
.5% – Fragrance
Remember, just like any bath and beauty project, making your own lotion all depends on personal preference. The recipe above is a great place to start, but it’s just screaming to be tweaked with your favorite ingredients. It can sometimes take a little trial and error to find the perfect formula for your skin type, but that’s half the fun.
What are your favorite ingredients to use in your handmade lotion?
Aloha!
I’m an avid maker of beard butters balms and waxes and am now in massage school so I wanted to makmake my own massage therapy lotions.
I primarily use mango butter and Hawaiian bees wax in my beard care products so I’d like to use the mango butter instead of Shea. Is that a problem?
Also I was wondering what you though about borax as an emulsifier? Mahalo.
Yes, you can use mango butter instead of shea. It’s a bit more firm so your lotion will have a slightly different consistency. You may want to make a small test batch to see what you think. If you want it a bit softer, you can add more of a liquid oil like avocado or sweet almond.
Mango butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mango-Butter-P3221.aspx
Avocado oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
Sweet almond oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sweet-Almond-Oil-P3205.aspx
We’ve tried borax and beeswax as emulsifiers without a lot of luck. The lotion had a really thick and sort of clumpy feeling. You may experiment with it to see what you think. We’ve had the best luck with e-wax and BTMS-50.
Hi, I’m trying to make a pain relieving lotion using DMSO and Arnica Montana. Can I use the DMSO as the water part and Arnica Montana Oil as the oil part?
was thinking…
60% water
10% each of DMSO, Arnica Oil, and Carrier oils
5% emulsifying wax
3% Stearic Acid
1% each of preservative and essential oils
Thoughts before I spend the money would be greatly appreciated.
We haven’t worked with those ingredients, so I’m not entirely sure how they’d work in lotion. You may want to contact the manufacturer to learn more, or ask some of the crafters on teachsoap.com/forum.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I use arnica regularly in a salve for pain/bruises, but I’d absolutely leave it out of a lotion. Arnica carries significant risks of bleeding, liver damage, and more in large quantities . . . such as slathering it over your entire body.
My lotion recipe has failed. I have made this before and it was wonderful, my customers rave about it and its literally my best selling product. I made a large batch, which I always make large batches so thats nothing new, but for some reason its not rubbing in right. It starts to absorb into your skin and then it gets all nasty and blotchy and you have to massage it in extra for it to fully resolve. Its annoying the crap out of me because I don’t know whats wrong. I first reheated it to make sure it was fully melted and emulsified, added a bit more stearic and ewax to help thicken it because It was thinner than usual. I have done that twice, second time I fully reheated it to 70c and let it cool back down and now I have to add more preservative. I just don’t know why it gets all blotchy. The cooled lotion is creamy and beautiful but when you rub it on all that beauty flies right out the window! Please help me!
Hmm, I’m not sure why that’s happening. Did you change anything in your recipe? Can you tell me more about what’s in it? How old are your ingredients? Let me know and I’ll help you troubleshoot.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hy
What happens if you dont add co-emulsifier?
Is it a must to add it?
Co-emulsifiers help the lotion stay mixed together, and stearic also helps thicken the recipes. We recommend them to stabilize your emulsions and ensure everything stays together.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hi,I want to make a 100g of lotion,but i want to add some whitening additives,and powdered botanicals…,whitening powders like glutathione,beta arbutin.,mulberry extract powder,beta carotein..etc…but I don’t know at what phase I will add them and what quantity too…please can you help out..thank you.
We haven’t worked with those products so I’m not entirely sure. I would recommend asking the manufacturer if they’re water or oil soluble. If they’re water soluble, you can add them in the water phase, and if they’re oil soluble in the oil phase. You may also be able to add them once the oil and water is emulsified. You may also want to ask about usage rates for the products.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Last year I used this article to formulate my lotion recipe which was too thick to work as a lotion, it is however a great body butter, how can I thin out my recipe without sacrificing the creamy texture I currently have or have my lotion separate. I use Ewax at 4.5% of my total weight of 8 fl oz and 1% stearic acid of the total.
How much water are you using? You can increase the water up to 80%, although the lotion does tend to be pretty thin at that amount. Also, what oils/butters are you using?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
My water is at 73% glycerin at 3.35%, I use shea butter, grapeseed oil and jojoba oil.
Perfect, thank you. I would recommend increasing the water to around 75-76%. That will thin the recipe out nicely, and because you have shea butter in there it will retain that nice creamy feeling. If you find you want it more creamy, you can increase the water to around 77% and also increase the stearic acid to 2%. Stearic acid helps thicken the lotion and give it a nice “fluffy” feeling, and increasing the water more will prevent it from getting too thick.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Could I substitute the distilled water for goat milk? How could a incorporate goat milk in this recipe to make goat lotion?
We don’t recommend using milk in lotion. Using milk in lotion is very similar to placing milk out on the counter. If you were to leave a carton of milk on the counter, it will go bad eventually. The same will happen to the milk in your lotion. If you do choose to use milk in your lotion, we recommend storing it in the fridge and expect a shelf life of about 4-8 weeks, even with a preservative. While a preservative in your lotion will prevent mold and bacteria from growing, preservatives do not protect against rancidity, such as spoiled milk.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
love all the information helps a lot ! I love meadow foam seed oil and avocado oil! 😍Love and Light
Glad to hear that! Thank you for reading. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Also for my water can I make a tea? Like a chamomile tea and use that as my water or will that ruin my shelf life of my lotion?
🦋
Using tea in lotion can shorten the shelf life. It may turn your lotion brown, or it may mold. It’s best to use distilled water or another liquid like aloe vera. Learn more about formulating lotion here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-create-homemade-lotion-recipes/
Aloe vera liquid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Aloe-Vera-Liquid-P3704.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I tried making my own lotion recipe using your percentage guidelines. I let it sit to cool and it formed a ‘skin’ on top. How can I prevent that from happening?
It is normal for the lotion to form a skin, especially because it sits for a few hours without a cap to prevent condensation. All you need to do is carefully remove that skin and the lotion is ready to use. You can use some tongs or just use your hands.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
HI
Thanks for lovely informations
Is it ok to mix natural oil like sunflower and mineral oil in making lotion?
You can do that in your recipe. You can use mineral oil at the same amount you would oils like sunflower.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Great post, thank you! Question, if I want to create a bigger batch, do I go ahead and multiply the ounces by the total amount I want to create? I am very new to this. Thank you so much. Love your site.
The easiest way to resize a recipe is to first find the percentages of the recipe (like the general recipe guideline above). If you don’t know the percentages, you can add up all the ingredients in the recipe to get the total weight. Then, divide the individual amounts in the recipe by that total weight. For instance, if the lotion weighed a total of 10 ounces, you would divide the water amount of 7 by 10 to get 70%.
Once you have all the percentages, you can resize the recipe any way you like. Just multiply those percentages by the new recipe weight to get your individual amounts.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is vitamin e oil necessary or just an extra?
Vitamin E oil is optional. We add it because it feels great on the skin and helps extend the shelf life of the oils in the recipe. The recipe will still feel really nice on the skin without it though. Learn more about vitamin E here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-vitamin-e-oil/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi. I made a lotion with a pink color. I followed and used exact measurement. I mixed it pretty well. I waited couple hours to cover each jar so the heat can escape and would not condensate. But When I was about to cover, the top layer is darker pink than the rest of the lotion below it; the color separated, making the top layer darker. I used Phenonip as preservative. Why did the color separated? Do you think the preservative separated as well? So I stir my mix in each jar, and the color looked fine again. Do you think it is still bad mix since the top color layer separated. Is that a sign that the preservative did not work? Await and Appreciate your response.
I’m thinking the lotion may be separating, which is why that top layer is darker. How long did you stick blend your mixture for?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi! Thank you for all the great information. I need your help. I made a batch of lotion last night. I smelled it this morning, and it had a sharp alcoholic smell. What could have caused it? I used about 48 oz distilled water, 2.56 oz stearic acid, 3.20 oz silky e-wax, shea butter, sweet almond oil, coconut oil. I added optiphen plus as preservative. The fragrance I used has 6% vanilla content, so I added 19ml fragrance, and 9.5ml vanilla color stabilizer for lotions. Everything was sterilzed. I left the tops off the bottles all night in well vented area. Not sure what happened. Any help would be appreciated.
I’m not entirely sure why the lotion has that smell! Nothing in your recipe has an alcohol smell. I would recommend leaving the caps off another day or two to see if that smell goes away. Let me know if it does!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Do you sell anything that you make?
We don’t sell the soap or other products you see here, but we do sell the supplies to make them on BrambleBerry.com! You can also find lots of great handmade soap on Etsy.com. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I used the information in this blog to make a coconut cream deep conditioner and it was amazing… I love reading these blogs it has helped me so much with my creations!!!
Oh that’s awesome Tjana, so glad to hear that! Sounds super moisturizing. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello! I have a question – how to weigh 1% preservative? I have liquid optiphen plus and I want to make body lotion 200ml.
Thank you 😊
To find that amount, multiply the total weight of the product by 1%. So, 200x.01. That will give you 2 mL. 🙂
You can measure that out easily using droppers: https://www.brambleberry.com/Droppers-With-Suction-Bulb-P3802.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi!
I made my own lotion using the guidelines for the lotion recipe. It is taking my lotion an EXTREMELY long time to form. I am getting scared that it may be that way all together. And the lotion that has formed is very thin and drying. Do you have any advice to make it solidify faster while also making it more nourshing and thicker? If not, are there any recipes that you recommend me to use?
Hi Kristen! What are you using to mix the lotion? We have found stick blenders work best. They get the lotion emulsified in just a few minutes. 🙂
Black Stick Blender: https://www.brambleberry.com/Black-Stick-Blender-P5245.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I used a stick blender, but I wasn’t sure how long to blend it.
Depending on the recipe, it takes about 5 minutes of stick blending to get the lotion to emulsify. It does feel pretty long, but that ensures the oil and water mix together thoroughly. Is it fully mixed now, just on the thinner side? Or do you notice pools of oil through your bottle? Temperatures can also help! Do you know what temperatures your oil/waxes and water were before mixing? Thanks for answering all my questions. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can you remix the lotion after it has cooled? My batch has separated and is really runny. Is it ruined?
You can remix it! Heat it up slightly (no hotter than 140F). Then, stick blend a few minutes until it emulsifies. I like to leave the lotion in the bowl for 5-10 minutes afterward to see if it stays together. If not, stick blend a few more minutes. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made my first lotion last week using your info!! So very helpful! I used a nice assortment of oils as recommended and my lotion is beautiful with one exception.
It has little hard undissolved grains of some sort. I put Shea Butter in it and may have heated it too warm but these little things are much too hard to be Shea butter in my opinion.
I also put in stearic acid but I have a feeling that it didn’t melt down properly even though it looked like it had melted.
So my question is, can I reheat this stuff or do I just live with the lotion and try again for something better next batch?
Hi Mary!
Glad you’re enjoying your lotion! Those grains are typically due to the shea butter, but can also be temperature related. What temperature was your water and oil/wax mixture? The reason I ask is because if the water is too cool, it can solidify the butter and wax in your lotion, causing those grains. Let me know and I’ll help you troubleshoot. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Yes, you can reheat your lotion. I’ve done this many times for many reasons. Did you use beeswax?? I did that ONCE. After it firmed I had little pebbles all thru it 😄😄
I like Stearic Acid especially in my CP Soap for H ardning the bars. One thing that I have noticed is every balm & whipped butter that I used Stearic Acid in feels really gritty. I made the same formula without Stearic Acid and there was no grity feel or little sand like bits in it at all.
I thouroughly melted the Stearic Acid priorvto use, but when it cools it gets gritty. I would like to know what to use to fully emulsify the Stearic Acid in lotions and butters. It seems the lye in CP soap breaks down the grit. I like the thickness and stability Stearic Acid adds, as my whips dont “fall flat” but remain formed as stiff peaks. I just wish it wasnt gritty. Nothing worse than rubbing on a product like smooth & creamy lotion full of grit.
Stearic acid has a high melting point. If it’s not fully melted, it can get a gritty feeling. I would recommend heating your oils to around 160-180F to ensure it’s fully melted. Then, make sure your water is around that same temperature before it’s added. If it’s too cool, it can cause the stearic acid to harden. Then, make sure to blend your lotion for at least 5 minutes. That will ensure everything is nice and smooth. 🙂
Stearic acid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Stearic-Acid-by-weight-P4210.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi – I use stearic acid and emulsifying wax in my face cream. It has thickened nicely, but I believe it has a mousse consistency. Is it due to the air bubbles? What am I doing wrong? How to reduce that and get a rich creamier consistency? Please advice.
Just to add to this, I used 36% oil in this anhydrous cream.
Hi Barb! Does the face cream feel foamy at all? If so, it may be air bubbles. If not, is it just more thick? What percentage of stearic acid and e-wax did you use? I can help you troubleshoot. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi Soap Queen
I am in Tanzania, and the emulsifying wax we have here is either Ionic or anionic. Can you please recommend me what to use?
Our emulsifying wax is non-ionic, so I would recommend using that! 🙂
Emulsifying wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Emulsifying-Wax-P4896.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
What essential oils can I use in this recipe and how much?Thanks!
You can use any essential oil except citrus, cinnamon or clove! Those essential oils can cause irritation in leave on products. Essential oils like lavender, rosemary or eucalyptus will work well. 🙂
Find all our essential oils here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Essential-Oils-C157.aspx
Use our Fragrance Calculator to find out how much to add to your batch: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi!
Somewhere, I read that borax is a very good co-emulsifier. So, I formulated my own lotion recipe. I am currently using borax and beeswax as my emulsifiers and co emulsifiers. I use 20gm of Olive Oil and Ricebran Oil each, 15gm of beeswax and 10gm of borax with 140gm of water. I am following the procedure properly and the lotion is getting made properly with a good consistency. For some reason, the borax crystallises after a few days. It forms small crystals that can be seen with the naked eye.
I have absolutely no clue why this is happening. Can you please help?
Regards
Sahil Doshi
We tried a borax and beeswax mixture and didn’t have a lot of luck. We found it created heavy lotion and formed clumps. Sorry about that. I would recommend using e-wax or BTMS-50 instead! We find they emulsify the lotion without crystallizing. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks for the great article. If you want to add colloidal oatmeal, clay, or cocoa powder to your recipe, at what stage would you add it? And would you mix it with water first, then mix it with the lotion mixture, or would you add the powder to the lotion mixture? Thanks!
Hi Art!
I would recommend throwing in those additives when you add your fragrance and preservative (after your water and oil phase are emulsified). The colloidal oatmeal and cocoa butter you can mix right in with your fragrance or essential oil. That will help them mix in easily! For the clay, I would recommend mixing it with a bit of distilled water (1 teaspoon of clay in 1 tablespoon of water is a good place to start). After you’ve added them, stick blend for a minute or two to fully combine. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi! I made a large batch of lotion intended to be a muscle rub–using various oils, distilled water, aloe and beeswax–along with essential oils and my lotion has separated. I was just reading about the emulsifiers—is there a way to save my lotion by adding more emulsifiers? Ive already invested a lot of $$ in it.
Thank you!!
Hi Heather!
You may be able to save that batch! I would recommend heating your current lotion to about 130F. Don’t heat it much hotter, or it may degrade the preservative. Then, heat the emulsifying wax. You’ll want to use that at 3-6% of the total weight of your recipe. Pour the melted e-wax in and stick blend for at least 5 minutes. You may need to stick blend for quite awhile. I’m not entirely sure if it will keep it emulsified, but it’s definitely worth a shot! 🙂
Emulsifying wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Emulsifying-Wax-P4896.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
First of all I want to thank you for this site and all the wonder and helpful recipes, information. This is all very new to me and it is overwhelming but finding your site and videos have been a savior of my sanity at times. It is great to see someone empowering others to create products.
With that being said I was curious in your recipes I see that you use fragrance oils I was curious if I can use organic essential oils instead and do I adjust the amount if so. I will be making lotions, body butters, body scrubs, lip balms, and lip scrubs.
Thank you for your time.
You’re very welcome Maryann! So glad you’re enjoying the blog. 🙂
You can definitely use essential oils in your products. We love the smell they add to handmade recipes. You can use our Fragrance Calculator to find out usage rates for your products: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
For leave on-products like lotions, certain essential oils aren’t recommended. Citrus essential oils are photosensitizers and can be harmful to the skin. Make sure to read the descriptions of each essential oil before adding it to your product.
Essential oils: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
For lip balms, only certain essential oils are lip safe. You can find a list of those essential oils here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-flavoring-oils/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Excellent post and thank you so much for such a great site!
I notice you guys talk about Aloe Vera liquid but not gel. Are they interchangeable or should I stick with the liquid when making lotion?
Thanks!
You’re welcome Meghan, glad you’re enjoying the site! When you first cut an aloe vera plant, the liquid is very thick and gel like. However, as it sits, it will turn into a thin liquid. This is what we use in our lotions! If the aloe is still in gel form, that usually means it has additives like thickeners. We don’t recommend that gel because the additives can do odd things in lotion. We definitely recommend a liquid instead. 🙂
Aloe vera liquid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Aloe-Vera-Liquid-P3704.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
The last few batches of lotion I made turned my skin white as I rubbed it in then absorbed to clear. What causes this to happen? Am I using too much e wax? Thanks.
Hi Lori!
It may be that the lotion isn’t absorbing into the skin very quickly! Can you tell me what you used in your recipe and how much? I’ll help you troubleshoot. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi Kelsey, thanks for responding. The general recipe I have been using is a half cup of various oils and butters to 2 cups of water or sometimes green tea. 2 tablespoons BTMS 50, 1 tbl regular e wax and 1/2 tbl Stearic acid, approximately 3 teaspoons essential oil mixture and a teaspoon of optiphen. The oils change depending on what I have. Perhaps I should go by weight instead. Is it possible to have too much e wax in the mixture?
We generally recommend about 3-6% e-wax. If there’s too much e-wax, the lotion can be thick, greasy and not absorb into the skin. That may be what’s happening to your recipe! I would recommend weighing all your ingredients to see how much e-wax you’re using. If it’s a bit too much, you can decrease it to around 3-4%. That should help the lotion absorb. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have the same experience with ready mix bases (esp the lotions, both Aloe Lotion Base and Basic Lotion Base and also the Shea Body Butter that I got from you (www.brambleberry.com). The lotions first go quite white as I rub them into the skin and then they become clear and they actually absorb quite well.
What causes that? Can I add anything that will make it go on more “clear”?
If you replace distilled water with aloe vera in lotion recipe how long will the lotion last – about?
It will have the same shelf life as a recipe made with water! Our aloe liquid contains a preservative, which helps protect against mold and bacteria and ensure a longer shelf life. So, how long the lotion lasts depends on what oils you use. If you use hazelnut oil (shelf life 3 months), the lotion will last 3 months. If you use avocado oil (shelf life 1 year), the lotion will last 1 year. 🙂
Read more about the shelf life of products here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/shelf-life-bath-products-ingredients-rancidity-vs-mold/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
This may be the lotion recipe I was looking for! My mom fell in love with an Epsom salt lotion she purchased at the store but the manufacturer stopped making it. I have been looking for a water-based lotion that might work as a replacement. Would it be possible to dissolve Epsom salt into the water and add that solution to the recipe and, if so, at what ratio would you recommend? The directions on the Epsom salt bag recommends 1/2 cup Epsom salt to 1 quart of water for a soaking solution. Should I start with that ratio?
Hi Sandra!
We haven’t tried using salt in lotion, so I’m not entirely sure! I read a few tutorials online and they say to dissolve the salt in distilled water and use that in your recipe. I would recommend giving that a try in a small test batch!
You can also use sodium lactate! It’s a liquid salt that helps attract moisture to the skin. You can add it up to 4% of the weight of the recipe. We like to add it into the oil phase. Learn more about using sodium lactate in this Rose and Aloe In-Shower Lotion tutorial: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/rose-aloe-shower-lotion/
Sodium lactate: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sodium-Lactate-P5127.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’m still trying to understand why most people who make goat milk lotion has a longer shelf life. I want to incorporate goat milk into my lotion, but after reading some of the post I’m not sure what to expect especially after I have seen goat milk products on the shelf. What do you recommend I do?
Hi Toni!
I’m not entirely sure why that lotion has a longer shelf life! We have experimented with goat milk lotion, some batches mixed with water and some with 100% milk. Each time, it spoiled within a couple weeks. We did find it lasts a bit longer in the fridge, but none of our batches lasted longer than 6 weeks. We don’t recommend it in lotion for that reason. You can add other alternative liquids though! Rose water and aloe liquid feel really nice. 🙂
Rose water: https://www.brambleberry.com/Rose-Water-P3840.aspx
Aloe vera liquid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Aloe-Vera-Liquid-P3704.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’ve made many, many batches of goat milk lotion and after 6 months, it still has not become rancid. I do pasteurize the milk (to 145 degrees) first, and I use phenonip (at 1% of the recipe), so that might be helping…
I made a lotion that, for me, is a little to thick and the scent is to strong. After you make your lotion and it has been in a bottle for a few days can you dump it back into a double broiler and add ingredients to double the batch (making the scent lighter) and add something to thin it out? Would the ingredients mix together or do you need to make an entire new batch?
Hi Anne!
I would recommend making a separate batch of lotion that is unscented and has a higher water content. Then, gently heat the batch that’s too thick and mix in the new batch of lotion. Don’t heat it higher than 140F or the preservative can degrade. Stir them together well. You may even try stick blending to see if that helps. I would definitely recommend testing out a small portion of the lotion before mixing the whole batch to see if it separates or does any other odd things. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi
What recipes can i make with CB-135 Soy Wax , ? I know i can make melts, Scented Candles, Massage Candles & lip balms, but what else??
Other ingredients i have: Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic She Butter, Coconut Oil, skinsafe fragrances, soap skin safe liquid (blue,teal, Magenta, Deep purple & Red) Sweet Almond oil, Castor Oil, Olive Oil, whitish yellow beeswax pellets (from aussie soap supplies)
Pink Himalayan Salt (coarse & fine), Grinded oats, powderized relaxing tea leaves, Dried Lavender Flowers -Grinded, Powderized Adzuki Beans, Minerals (from Spa Bar Kit Aussie Soap Supplies)
Clamshell cavities, Maxi Tubes, Clear Liop balm Pots, Massage bumps Spa Bar Mould tray, 2x 4 oval mould tray, 3x small guest soap moulds – 1 5cmx1.5cm (square & round, square silicone block moulds. I also have Red Heart Candle Jars, red round votive jar, Clear Votive Jars
Soap M&P Bases i have: Goats Milk, Aloe, Cocoa Butter, Low sweat Clear.
I have approx 15 dye blocks & 4x Pigment colours that i just add a little Glycerin to mix.
I use a double boiler method – i find this method easy for me
Everything iv made is on my facebook business page
Chillaxing Melts, Candles & Body Products.
Can you help me with some recipes that contain everything above plz
Sounds like you have ingredients to make soap, lotion, lip balm, candles and more! We have tutorials for all those products here on SoapQueen.com. I’ll link those below. 🙂
Melt and Pour Soap: https://www.soapqueen.com/category/bath-and-body-tutorials/melt-and-pour-soap/
Candles: https://www.soapqueen.com/category/bath-and-body-tutorials/home-crafts/
Lotion: https://www.soapqueen.com/category/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/
Lip Balm: https://www.soapqueen.com/category/bath-and-body-tutorials/lip-products/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can I add goats milk powder to the lotion? if so, how long will it last the lotion? thanks for sharing
Hi Marianella!
Powder milk performs the same way as the liquid goat milk. Once its mixed with liquid like water, it rehydrates and shortens that shelf life to a couple weeks or so. We don’t recommend using liquid or powder milk in lotion. You can add other moisturizing ingredients though! Shea and avocado butter both add a creamy, luxurious feeling to the lotion. 🙂
Shea butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Shea-Butter-P3220.aspx
Avocado butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Butter-Solid-P3207.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’m confused after reading your note about not using goats milk in lotion. There are many goats milk lotions on the market here in my town and many seem to last as long as a year. Online, I’ve searched and found people selling goats milk lotion with as much as 9 oz of goats milk/9oz of water and then all the base oils, preservative, etc. After reading this, I’m fearful of it! Yet so many seem to have success with it. Have you ever tried goats milk in lotion? What makes you say that it will not last or will go bad? Just trying to get a grasp on different experiences as I do some trials. Thanks!
We have experimented with goat milk lotion before! We have tried it mixed with water and as 100% of the liquid in the lotion. Each time, it spoiled within a couple weeks. We did find it lasts a bit longer in the fridge, but none of our batches lasted longer than 6 weeks. I’m not entirely sure why other recipes last longer! I would recommend making a small test batch with the goat milk to see if it works for you. You may find you like the way it feels in your lotion. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have done some experiments and research also. The recipes I’ve seen use about max 1% goat milk powder and a strong preservative such as phenonip. I made a small test batch of a recipe this way. I have seen no indication of spoilage, so far and I made it several weeks ago. I would never add something like this to my product line without sending it out to a lab to be tested- I’ll keep everyone posted if I do. I’m not sure whether irs worth the trouble to add it to my product line or not. I’m still deciding.
Most commercial lotions that claim to contain goat milk that I’ve seen actually have goat milk extract, or only a very small amount of goat milk.
Thanks so much Barbara, let us know how long the shelf life is! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello!
your site is very imformative. I was planning on making a lightweight lotion with powdered rice bran and licorice root extract. Do you have a premade recipie that I can slip in these 2 ingredents?
etc: i have oily skin xs
eh nevermind ill just buy one of your bases
The lotion bases are a great option! For the powders, I would recommend mixing them with your fragrance/essential oil and adding them that way. That will help prevent clumping. 🙂
Lotion bases: https://www.brambleberry.com/Lotion-Bases-C16.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, thanks for your post. I’ve tried the lotion and it turned out fantastic. My question is; must I use Stearic Acid in every and any lotion recipe? And Is German plus Preservative also as good for lotions, soaps and scrubs?
Hi there!
Stearic acid is technically optional in lotion! However, it does help thicken the lotion and also helps emulsify it a bit. If you leave it out, you may want to add a bit more emulsifier like BTMS-50 or emulsifying wax. You may also want to add water on the lower end to help make the lotion thicker!
Also, we haven’t done a lot of testing with Germall Plus, so I’m not sure how well it works as a preservative. You may want to make a small test batch to see how it protects against mold and bacteria.
Germaben II works great in lotion and scrubs! Also, you don’t need a preservative in soap because it has a pH level that doesn’t allow mold to grow. 🙂
Read more about preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi soap queen !
thank you for your amazing recipes,i tried mostly all of them,they are excellent !
when I tried this recipe it emulsified pefectly at the begining ,but after adding the preservative it turned to something like a liquid foam.. what shall I do to fix it ?
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes Lisa! 🙂
For the foam, I’m wondering if it may be extra air. If air gets whipped into the lotion, it can create a foamy texture on top. Did you notice your stick blender making any odd noises, or notice any bubbles when you turned it on? Let me know and I’ll help you troubleshoot!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I see that Lisa never replied to this but I just tried to make my first batch of lotion and the same thing happened to me. It pretty much just seems to be liquid froth. However, my preservative was added in at the very end of the water phase. The mixer definitely did cause a lot of foam…but I’m not sure if that’s the only problem.
Foam is usually caused by air being whipped into your recipe. In our tests we’ve found preservatives don’t cause that foaming! Is your stick blender fully submerged in your lotion when it’s on? Let me know! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Do you happen to know if I could use powdered goats milk in a melt and pour Sosp recipe and if so at what %. Thank you so much!
Hi Amanda!
We don’t recommend adding goat milk powder to melt and pour. It has already turned into soap, meaning the milk powder will rehydrate and shorten the shelf life to 4 weeks or so. It may also be tricky to mix in fully. Instead, I would recommend using our Goat Milk Melt and Pour Base! The milk was added before it turned into soap, meaning the milk is now soap and the shelf life is a year or so. 🙂
Goat Milk Melt and Pour: https://www.brambleberry.com/SFIC-Goat-Milk-Melt-And-Pour-P3184.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello,
Love your website, its so full of information! Thank you for sharing. I’m very new at lotion making..just wondering if its advisable for me to substitute liquid milk with milk powder in lotion making? I really want to try making milk lotion. Thank you!!
Hi Nadya!
Thank you, so glad you love the website! Powder milks perform the same way as liquid milk. Once they’re mixed with liquid, they rehydrate and shorten that shelf life to a couple weeks or so. We don’t recommend using them in lotion. You can add other creamy ingredients though! Shea and avocado butter both add a creamy, luxurious feeling to the lotion. 🙂
Shea butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Shea-Butter-P3220.aspx
Avocado butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Butter-Solid-P3207.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Would milk powder in oil to make a balm or cream be ok? Or would that be the same as using water?
Hi Amber!
Milk powder doesn’t mix into oil very well, it tends to float on top. We recommend mixing it in distilled water to rehydrate it. Once it’s mixed with that liquid it will be like liquid milk and will shorten that shelf life to 4 weeks or so. We don’t recommend adding it to balms or cremes. It works great in cold process soap though! 🙂
We used it in the Goat Milk and Oatmeal Cold Process Soap for a nice creamy feeling: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/goat-milk-oatmeal-cold-process-soap-tutorial/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Powdered goat milk: https://www.brambleberry.com/Powdered-Goat-Milk-P4933.aspx
I like to make my own personal lubricant, so I use vegetable glycerin, sweet almond oil and coffee flavoring syrup that is sugar-free to add flavor to it. I also add some water to it, so I need a good emulsifier for these to mix together. Do you have any suggestions for proportions of these ingredients? and what do you recommend for an emulsifier?
Hi Angela!
I think emulsifying wax will help your mixture stay together! We like to use it at 3-6% in the recipe to help mix the oil and water. 🙂
Emulsifying wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Emulsifying-Wax-P4896.aspx
I would also recommend a preservative, as water can cause mold and bacteria to grow. I would recommend Optiphen or Phenonip at .5-1.5% of the recipe. Read more about preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have used the same recipe for lotion for the past year. The last two batches I made, however, badly separated with a layer of hard, unincorporated oils on the top and good lotion beneath. The first time I assumed I hadn’t emulsified it well. The second time, I blended it well past the point I have in the past and even cooled it in the refrigerator to try to prevent separation to no avail. What could be happening? I use fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, ewax, and stearic acid emulsified into fresh goat milk. Like I said, I’ve been using this exact recipe for the past year successfully. Ideas?
Hmm, I’m not entirely sure what’s happening! Have you started getting the ingredients from anywhere new? How old are your oils? What temperatures are you using? Let me know and I can help you troubleshoot. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Everything I’m using is from Brambleberry and less than 6 months old. All have been stored in cool, dark storage in the house. I heat the goat milk on the stove to around 180 F and the oils I haven’t ever checked until after emulsification. It usually reads around 145-150 after 10 minutes or so of emulsification and that’s when I add the Optiphen. I’m at a loss, but not completely discouraged. I don’t have time to play every day, but I do plan to try a few things this weekend: Increasing the liquid, and increasing the Ewax.
I have to admit I’m a bit stumped! Sometimes if the liquids are too cool, they can cause the wax to harden and separate. However, yours are nice and warm, so I’m not sure why they’re separating! What percentage liquid and e-wax are you using? Thanks for answering my questions. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hello am happy with this blog, i finally purchased all the ingredients that you mentioned in this recipe of lotion making, but the only problem is that i bought propyl paraben as my preservative but it is in powder form, how can i go about that? is it possible to dilute it into liquid form like yours, if possible what is the good formula to do that? because i don’t how to use it in it’s powder form. help me please
Hi Mukasa!
So glad you’re happy with the blog! We haven’t used that preservative before so I’m not entirely sure how to add it. I would recommend contacting the manufacturer to see if they have more information. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Very interesting post!!!
But why dont you recommend using polysorbates as primary emulsifiers for lotion making???
Hi Alex!
Polysorbates work really well for emulsifying fragrance or carrier oils into liquid products. However, they don’t emulsify well in lotion. Lotion needs something a bit heartier like emulsifying wax to get everything mixed in well. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Polysorbate 20: https://www.brambleberry.com/Polysorbate-20-P3212.aspx
Polysorbate 80: https://www.brambleberry.com/Polysorbate-80-P4438.aspx
Hi, can I please ask for some help?
I am relatively new to making lotion and have been using the “how to make lotion from scratch” recipe with great success however, I’m struggling with my batch size. I want to make enough lotion to fill 5 of my 200ml bottles but can’t seem to get my head around the calculations to adjust the recipe.
Any help would be most appreciated
Kind regards
Geoff
Hi Geoff!
You can resize this recipe using percentages! To find out the percentage of all the ingredients, first add up the weight of everything in the recipe. For instance, in this recipe: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/make-lotion-scratch-soap-queen-tv/
The recipe weighs 24.4 ounces total. Finding the percentage of the ingredients uses division. So, the recipe calls for 18 ounces of water. The 18 ounces divided by 24.4 is 74%. Then, you can continue that process with each ingredient!
Learn more about finding percentages in the Soapy Math post: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/math-soapers/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hello! I’d like to make body cream that’s super thick and luxurious. When I researched making a cream I read that when ur doing a water in oil recipe u need a different emulsifier than a oil in water recipe. is this correct? if so what type should I use?
Hi Maggie!
I think a great option is a whipped butter. Whipped butters usually have just a few ingredients and don’t need water or an emulsifier. They’re ultra moisturizing, and great for dry areas like elbows and feet. I’ll include some whipped butter recipes below. 🙂
Whipped Avocado Butter: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-make-whipped-body-butter-on-soap-queen-tv/
Whipped Champagne Shea Butter: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/12-days-christmas-whipped-champagne-shea-butter/
Whipped Coffee Butter: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/whipped-coffee-butter-tutorial/
Whipped Amber Bronzing Butter: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/whipped-amber-bronzing-butter/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank u soooo much. At least I know now that I haven’t just lost my lotion making touch! I’m gonna purchase a bottle right now!
You’re welcome! 🙂
hello I’m in serious need of some aid from the pros. My name is Maggie and I’m from Wisconsin. I’ve been making lotions, scrubs, soap, etc for awhile now and everyone’s favorite lately is the 100% coconut. I’ve been working on a line of all 100% CO but I can’t make a good lotion to save my life (not body butter!)!! is there some reason why I can’t get the right consistency? help!
now I’m positive it has something to do with the coconut oil, I just did a batch of all olive oil with the same exact measurements and it turned out fine. I’m thinking maybe I should try the fractionized coconut oil (I always forget if the fractionated is the one that stays hard or the one that stays a liquid at room temp-but u know what I mean!)
Hi Maggie!
A lotion made with all coconut oil may be a bit tricky. Because it’s solid at room temperature, it can make the lotion really thick and stiff.
I think using fractionated coconut oil would be a great option! It’s liquid at room temperature so it will give the lotion a softer consistency overall. It’s also lightweight and non-greasy. I would try a small test batch just to be sure, but I think that’s a good idea. 🙂
Fractionated coconut oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/CaprylicCapric-Triglycerides-Fractionated-Coconut-Oil-P4957.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello!
I just made a few batches of lotion last week following your basic recipe and I LOVE it.
I do have a question about making larger batches. In order to do so, is it as simple as doubling or tripling the ingredients in the measurements that are already listed in this recipe? I only ask because I tried to split 2 of my test batches into thirds ( so I could try out more fragrance oils ) and the final product was not as good as it was with the batches that I made where I followed the recipe exactly.
Thank you so much for your help!
Hi Melanie!
That’s awesome, so glad you love the lotion!
You can definitely double or triple this recipe if you like. When doubling the recipe, it’s important to keep all the percentages of ingredients the same. For instance, if the recipe has 6% emulsifying wax, I would recommend double checking when you increase the recipe size to make sure it’s 6%. 🙂
To find out the percentage of each ingredient, add up the weight of everything in the recipe. For instance, in this recipe: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/make-lotion-scratch-soap-queen-tv/
The entire weight of the recipe is 24.4 ounces. Finding the percentage uses division. So, if the recipe calls for 18 ounces of water, 18 divided by 24.4 is 74%. Then, you can do that with each ingredient!
Learn more about finding percentages in the Soapy Math post: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/math-soapers/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you so much, Kelsey!!! That makes perfect sense.
I do have one more question, that might seem like a no brainer.
If I am making multiple batches of lotion with the same ingredients (including fragrance oil) do you recommend sanitizing all the equipment in between each batch? Or is wiping the excess lotion off with fresh paper towels sufficient?
Thank you again for your help!
You’re welcome Melanie! 🙂
I would recommend wiping that bowl out, spritzing it with 99% isopropyl alcohol and wiping again between each batch. That should keep it nice and clean!
Sunday Night Spotlight: 99% Isopropyl Alcohol: https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-99-isopropyl-alcohol/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello i like this blog post how to make homemade lotion.I want to make homemade face lotion/moisturizer i want to use the ingredients
Distilled water,Aloe vera juice,BTMS,cereal alcohol,apricot kernel oil,jojoba oil,unrefined shea butter,carrot seed extract and preservative how can i calculate my recipe in % i like to work with % not in oz its easier for me for facial lotion and creams at what % i have to use the liquid.
Hi Sandeep!
I believe Anne-Marie has been working with you on YouTube and answered recently! I’ll paste the answer below so you can see it:
We have a helpful post that talks about how to figure those percentages out! See the Soapy Math post here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/math-soapers/
And this post talks about what percentage to add each ingredient at in your lotion: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-create-homemade-lotion-recipes/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi. m from INDIA. m interested to learn all ur beautiful products. its really nice , the way u explain is too gud. do u conduct any workshops. pls do let me know.
thanks
Hi Navya!
Thank you, glad you like the blog! We have a YouTube channel you may like with free tutorials on cold process soap, perfume, etc. You can find those videos here: https://www.youtube.com/user/soapqueentv
If you make it to the Bellingham area, our retail store Otion has lots of fun classes as well. 🙂
http://otionsoap.com/soap-making-classes/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi I just made my first test batch of lotion and it seems pretty runny and when I poured it, it has a froth on the top. It also started to separate. I put it back in my bowl and mixed again, but still seems real watery. I used the above suggested usage rates.
80% water
5%stearic acid
5% e wax
8%oils (mango, coconut oil (76), apricot oil)
1%germanban 2
1% fo
All supplies were purchased through brambleberry. Please help
Hi Alyssa!
Your recipe sounds great, all those amounts are just right! I’m thinking that recipe needs more stick blending. With lotion, it can take several minutes of stick blending to get everything fully emulsified. What I like to do is blend that lotion for several minutes, then let the bowl sit for 5 minutes. If I notice any separation, I like to blend for another couple minutes to ensure everything is fully mixed. 🙂
Also, a lotion with 80% water will be on the thinner side! We usually add water at 70-80%. The 70% water amount makes slightly thicker lotion, and the 80% makes slightly thinner lotion. It will also thicken as it cools down!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can soy wax be used as an emulsifier?
Hi Larissa!
While soy wax may thicken the lotion, it won’t help it emulsify. Emulsifying wax is a mixture of Cetylstearyl Alcohol and Polysorbate 80, which are emulsifiers that help mix the oil and water together. Soy wax doesn’t contain those ingredients, so your lotion will separate. We definitely recommend emulsifying wax! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
i have read a article on soap queen tv but i can’t find anymore how to determine your product final price or how to calculate the cost of your products if you can link that for me please
Hi Sandeep!
Absolutely! You can find the post on how to price your products here: http://www.soapqueen.com/business/guest-post-pricing-products/
There are also some helpful posts on pricing products on Teach Soap! I’ll link those below. 🙂
How to Price Your Cold Process Soaps: http://teachsoap.com/2012/03/27/pricing-your-cp-soaps/
How to Price Your Melt and Pour Soap: http://teachsoap.com/2012/03/06/pricing-your-melt-and-pour-soaps/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
what is the difference between optiphen and optiphen plus and optiphen ND which is best if i want to use one of a kind preservative in all my lotions ,scrubs,creams, face cream and face mud mask and also paraben free which one is the best to choose optiphen, optiphen plus or optiphen ND
Hi Sandeep!
Optiphen works best in oil based products, like scrubs and lotions, while Optiphen ND and Optiphen Plus work best in water based products, like toner and cleaner.
I think Optiphen would be the best choice for you! It’s paraben and formaldehyde free, and works in a wide variety of products like lotions, scrubs, creams and masks. You can add that at .5-1.5% of the total weight of your recipe. 🙂
Optiphen: https://www.brambleberry.com/Optiphen-P3682.aspx
Learn more about all the preservatives we offer and how to use them here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello
This article is fantastic, can I make this recipe an oil free lotion? should I add glycerin or sodium lactate instead the oils?
Thanks a lot
Hi Maria!
We have an awesome oil free lotion you may like! It’s great for people with oily skin. You can find that recipe here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/oil-free-lavender-face-lotion/
The recipe has cyclomethicone, sodium lactate and isopropyl myristate. It feels great on the skin. You can also add glycerin if you like, but I would recommend adding it around 3-5%. More than 5% and it can give the lotion a slightly sticky feeling. 🙂
Liquid glycerin: https://www.brambleberry.com/Search.aspx?k=liquid+glycerin
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello do you have lotion recipe for very dry skin i have tried the handmade lotion recipe from soap queen tv my lotion came out great very thick which i like but it wasnt oily enough for me even though it was very thick lotion but wasn’t oily enough my body skin is really dry please if you give the % of oils and waxes how to create oily kind body lotion do reply me thank you
Hi Sandeep!
I think a body butter would be perfect for you! It is made up of just oils and butters, so it is very moisturizing and will get you that oily feeling you’re looking for. They’re also nice and simple to make, and don’t need a preservative because they don’t contain water. I’ll include some links below. 🙂
Easy Whipped Shea Butter: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/easy-whipped-shea-butter-2/
How to Make Whipped Body Butter on Soap Queen TV: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-make-whipped-body-butter-on-soap-queen-tv/
Whipped Amber Bronzing Butter: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/whipped-amber-bronzing-butter/
If you prefer lotion made with water, you can decrease the amount of water to get a thicker product! Lotion recipes call for 70-80% water, so you can go on the lower 70%. To make up that difference, you can add more oils to the recipe.
It may also help to use a heavier oil, like olive oil. It’s very moisturizing on the skin, and absorbs a bit more slowly than a lighter oil, like sweet almond. 🙂
Olive oil pure: https://www.brambleberry.com/Olive-Oil-Pure-P5246.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Great Information! I have made all sorts of body / hand / foot creams that exclude any water content. However, I am looking to start my own company and sell skin care. I am trying to research the best preservatives to add to lotions and other products containing containing water. The lotion (or any product) has last 12-24 months without any kind of bacteria or mold growing.
What would you recommend? Do I need just ”one” full spectrum preservative? I’m trying to go as natural as possible, but I know I cannot risk any contamination or bacterial growth to the product.
Thanks!
Hi Jessica!
That’s a great question! I think Optiphen would be your best bet. It works well in scrubs, creams and lotions, and it’s paraben and formaldehyde free. It can be used at .5-1.5% in your products.
Read more about Optiphen and other preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
This video also has a lot of in-depth information about preservatives in lotion: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/make-lotion-scratch-soap-queen-tv/
To ensure your lotion has a nice long shelf life, we recommend using a preservative and fresh oils with nice long shelf lives. For instance, olive oil lasts 2 years, meadowfoam oil lasts 3 years, and jojoba oil has an indefinite shelf life. All of those oils would feel great in your lotion, and would help prolong the shelf life.
Read more about oil shelf lives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/
Also, vitamin E oil is thought to help prevent oil rancidity. You can add that at 1-2% in your lotion as well. 🙂
Vitamin E oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Vitamin-E-Oil-P3200.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I love to use Cupuacu (Theobroma grandiflorum) Butter vs steric acid in my lotions and cremes. Containing almost 38% steric acid, It “cleans” up the label and adds a host of useful benefits for healthy skin.
If your recipe calls for steric acid and you want to determine the amount of Cupuacu butter to use instead just divide the % of steric acid required by .38. That will give you the % of Cupuacu butter needed to replace the steric acid.
Some of the attributes to of Cupuacu Butter include:
* Anti-Oxidants Protect against Environmental Damage
* Restructuring Activity on Tissues
* Natural Sun Protection
* Improves Skin Moisture Levels
* Improved Elasticity
* Anti-Inflammatory
This may not need to be said but it is a butter so include it in the total percentage of oils/butters used in your recipe.
Happy lotion crafting!
C
Thanks so much for your helpful suggestion! I haven’t worked with cupuacu butter but it sounds like a great ingredient. I’ll have to give it a try in lotion. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’ve watched that lotion video of yours but never started with trying to make a true-and-working lotion, and actually based on what I quickly read from this it seems like the first thing I made like this was a face/skin cream rather than a lotion. 😀 Regardless of that, it worked out wonderfully and even though I used a bit of water I didn’t need any preservatives and it stayed good for the whole time I used it, nearly a year! It really helped with my acne and controlling my oily skin, too! And as an absolute plus side it smelled like glogg with peppermint — I don’t like glogg at all but the smell was unique and wonderful, and my S.O. loves glogg so it meant lots of snuggles for me! 😀
So after that I’ve experimented with more different recipes and in smaller batches and my #1 tester is my sister who, ironically and conveniently enough, has a skin quite the opposite to mine as she has atopic skin, especially in the winter but still all year round. She also loves the sugar scrub I gave her as I made too much for myself, so none will go to waste either. :’D
Point being, making these simple little everyday things yourself can be SO much of a lifesaver! So thank you for sharing all the knowledge here so openly! :))
You are very welcome Reina, so glad you enjoy the post! Once you create the perfect lotion recipe, it is such an awesome feeling. Not to mention your skin is happy too! Also, don’t family members make the best testers? My sister has more soap than she knows what to do with. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Could I melt the ingredients in a pan if I don’t have a microwave? Or what would be the best method to do so without a microwave?
Hi Lisa!
A double boiler is a great way to melt the ingredients for your lotion. It creates nice gentle heat, so everything melts down nicely. 🙂
If you don’t have a double boiler at home, you can make one with this tool: https://www.brambleberry.com/Double-Boiler-Maker-Double-Boiler-Maker-P3796.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I love the tutorial. It’s a great refresher right before I get to making conditioner again, which lotion and conditioner have the exact see process. But something here stands out as odd. There are any types of preservatives available. Chemical, natural, etc. Within that, are further breakdowns for what they preserve against : antimicrobials and antioxidants. Antimicrobial preserve against microbes, while antioxidants preserve against oxidation that leads to rancidity. Needless to say, milk can be used, as it’s used in many commercial products. Just make sure you have a broad spectrum preservative system, which usually requires 1 or more preservatives used in tandem, that covers microbes AND oxidation.
Disclaimer : this isn’t meant to start are argument, because I know how heated this topic can get. I’m just providing information that’s been omitted to help other crafters who’d like to use milks in their products. That said, please keep negativity at bay. This is just my own opinion based on thorough research into the topic. It may not jive with others, and that’s OK.
Thanks so much for your comment Chris! In our tests and recipes, we’ve found milk lotion goes bad in just a couple of weeks. However, if you find a recipe that works for you, definitely stick to it! That’s what’s so awesome about making your own products – you can choose what goes into them. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’ve found that people with nut allergies are nervous about using my lotion with almond oil in it. Does the food allergy get triggered with a lotion with almond oil?
Hi Sonya!
That’s a great question! If you or a customer are allergic to nuts, you may want to completely avoid using oils created from nuts. While these oils are not being consumed, Food Allergy and Research Education says, “Tree nut oils may contain nut protein and should be avoided. Tree nut oils are sometimes used in lotions, hair care products and soaps.”
Read more about allergies here: https://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/tree-nut-allergy
It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so you may want to avoid potential allergens in your projects. If you are unsure if you should use oils derived from nuts in your products, contact your doctor. A great substitution for both sweet almond oil and hazelnut oil is apricot kernel oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Apricot-Kernel-Oil-P3206.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks for the great post – I love the idea of making lotion without water you stated ” Water can be swapped with other water based liquids like aloe vera liquid or rose water.”
If using one of these alternatives (e.g. aloe vera) in place of distilled water, do you recommend adding the preservative?
You’re welcome, so glad you like the post Brenda! 🙂
We do recommend using a preservative with rose water and aloe vera. However, our rose water and aloe vera already contain a preservative. Because of that, I would recommend adding .5-1% preservative to your lotion. That will help prevent mold and bacteria, and ensure your product isn’t overpreserved. Read more about preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Are the various emulsifying waxes interchangeable? If a recipe calls for “emulsifying wax” can you use BTMS 50 or any emulsifier, or does it matter to the recipe and the amount to be used?
Hi Michael!
They are! Typically, emulsifiers are added at 3-6%, and you can use whichever one you like. You can use the same amount the recipe calls for. Certain emulsifiers will have different properties. For instance, BTMS-50 adds nice conditioning properties to the lotion. If you’re substituting an emulsifying wax, you may want to make a small test batch to see if you like the way it feels. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
What is the best way to measure for lotion and soap recipes? Should I melt them down first or use a scale?
Hi there!
When making lotion, I like to measure out all my oils (except butter) and waxes on a scale, then melt them together. That way your oils and waxes are measured correctly, and melted down at the same time. Then, when those are melted, remove them from the heat and add your butter (if your recipe calls for butter). That melts it nice and gently, and prevents graininess. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is Argan Oil good for lotions? Thanks.
Absolutely! Argan oil has an amazing feeling – it’s lightweight and feels silky. I love it in lip and hair products too. 🙂
We used it in this Argan and Shea Lotion and it feels great: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/argan-shea-lotion/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Argan oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Argan-Oil-P5574.aspx
I love this post! Everything I need to know about lotions in one place! Thanks!
You’re welcome Martina! Thanks so much for reading. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I do a seriously good handcream that contains Active Manuka Honey and Avocado Oil (amongst other things) – works wonders for dermatitis, I sell a lot to hairdressers and nurses whose hands really seem to suffer. I use Avocado Oil in a lot of products, especially for irritated skin.
That sounds amazing! I absolutely love the way avocado oil feels. I’ll definitely have to make some avocado oil lotion for my hairdresser friends. I know their hands get really dry from all the color and repeated washing. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Avocado oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
Great post!!
I find olive oil to be a very underrated oil in lotion making, yet it’s so great for dry skin! Also pack it with humectants (within their recommended usage of course) for a really long lasting moisture that keeps ashy skin looking happy.
Thank you so much Mokhe, glad you like the post! Also, that’s a great suggestion. Olive oil is nice and moisturizing, and it’s also gentle on the skin. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Olive oil pure: https://www.brambleberry.com/Olive-Oil-Pure-P5246.aspx