Monday, April 16, 2012

DIY Moisturizer Recipes

Skin is our largest organ—adults carry some 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms) and 22 square feet (2 square meters) of it. This fleshy covering does a lot more than make us look presentable. In fact, without it, we'd literally evaporate.

I am experimenting with several DIY moisturizers.  I have sensitive skin so I'm pretty careful about what I use on my skin.  So far I haven't had any weird reactions and I am only using organic ingredients whenever possible.


Melt 1 tablespoon of Cocoa butter with 2 tablespoons of Jojoba in a double boiler over medium heat. Once it is melted, stir in 1 tablespoon of aloe Vera and stir until it is well mixed. This one is good for dehydrated skin.

One of my favorite sources for recipes has been Wise Bread.

Honey Lotion

5 tbsp emulsifying wax
1 tbsp liquid lanolin
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon honey
Instructions: Over medium heat in a double boiler, melt the ingredients until smooth.

Almond Lotion

1 tbsp vitamin E oil
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 oz grated beeswax
1-1/4 cups almond oil
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup water

Instructions: In a double boiler over low-medium heat, melt the beeswax with the almond and coconut oil. Let cool. In a separate container, mix the remaining ingredients. Using a whisk or blender, mix these ingredients into the beeswax/almond/coconut mixture.

Grapeseed Oil Lotion

Grapeseed is a lighter oil and won’t be as rich as the other recipes above.
3 tbsp beeswax (or emulsifying wax)
2/3 cup grapeseed oil (or mix 1/3 grapeseed and 1/3 olive oil)
2 tsp coconut oil
4 tbsp water
Instructions: In a double boiler over low-medium heat, melt the beeswax or emulsifying wax and add in the grapeseed oil and coconut oil. Mix everything well. Let cool slightly and blend or whisk in the water.

In all of the above recipes you can add in drops (usually around 15-20) of your favorite essential oils for a great-smelling lotion. (Lemon and lavender are some excellent options.)

You’ll want to store the lotions in a glass jar in a cool and dry place. They should last several weeks to several months depending on your climate.

6 comments:

Sarah @ Natures Nurture said...

Thanks so much for sharing this at Tiny Tip Tuesday! I'm really excited to try the cocoa butter one, but don't have jojoba oil. Do you think I could replace it with another oil like coconut or grapeseed? Thanks!

By the way, I've pinned this to my boards! :)

Mary Smith said...

I used coconut oil once and it worked great! Thanks for stopping by Sarah!

Unknown said...

This is a great post! Good research. I made my own moisturizer from shea butter, coconut oil and almond oil, but it's super oily. Is the first recipe like that, too, or is it less oily because of the aloe vera? Found you via Nature's Nurture!

Mary Smith said...

Sara, the aloe vera does make a difference. Most of my coco butter recipes are a bit greasy though.

Mackenzie said...

What a great idea! Thanks for sharing this! We'd love to invite you to join us at Saturday Show & Tell on Cheerios and Lattes! I know everyone will love this! Have a great weekend!
Mackenzie :)
http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com/saturday-show-tell-20/

Alexandra Yargeau said...

This is great! I found you on nifty thrifty Sunday. I have tried a few different natural skin care treatments, and find myself experimenting more and more. You seem to be a great resource!

You can find me at lavendersbluee.blogspot.com