Whatever product we put all over our skin, I want to be straightforward and natural. Basic and homemade doesn't mean boring or any less decadent though.
With a few simple ingredients, and 15min, you can custom create nourishing lotion, gentle enough for little ones, yet sturdy enough for tough cold dryness or old mud caked gardening hands. The natural oils soothe and hydrate, while the bees wax gives a calming protective touch.
Below is a standard base recipe, a perfect place to start. After are a few ways to fancy it up.
Base Ingredients:
1/2 cup organic bees wax pellets (found in several health food stores, and on Amazon)
2 cups body oil (I love NOW Solutions Almond or Jojoba oils)
1/2 cup coconut oil
*When our son was little I didn't add any additional essential oil as his baby skin was so tender. Then, at two and a half, I add a few drops of lavender and chamomile, maybe 4 stops, rather than 8.
Steps:
Over low gentle heat, or in a double boiler, melt the bees wax, and the coconut oil (if solid at room temp).
Once melted add in the body oil, and any essential oils if using (see notes below).
Add into either a stand up mixer, or a blender for emulsifying. I find it easier to clean a stand up mixer afterwards than a blender, that being said, a good blender does emulsify a bit better if you really want butter soft luxury.
Whisk or blend, starting on low at first, then going to high until the mixture is opaque and starts to thicken.
Pour into jars. This makes either four 8oz jars, or 2 pint jars. Once cooled, screw on the lid (by waiting for it to cool completely you don't have to worry about any condensation getting trapped inside.)
This is a sweet little gift for the gardeners in your life (mother's or father's day), or those with dry skin living in dry climates.
Enrichment Possibilities:
***Essential Oils can add not only a lovely aroma yet some sweet calming or enlivening possibilities. For example, lavender and chamomile are calming, where as a little rosemary or citrus (lemon or sweet orange) are uplifting scents. My favorite though is rose. About 8 drops of oil in total per batch give or take intensity preference.
***It's important to use high quality essential oils. Sadly, companies can advertise with all sorts of words, regulation free, and are not required even to fully list all a product contains. It can read "lavender oil and other natural ingredients" and in truth be maybe 5% real lavender and 95% filler. I recommend Doterra as a company. They are safe, there are no fillers ever, and they are sustainability minded, viewing their products in a true wholistic way. You can also find other good oils at some health food stores, Doterra is by no means the one and only. It's worth asking someone who works there to point you in the best direction. Real essential oils are more costly, yet you only use 8 drops a batch remember, so one little bottle lasts a good 6 months. All in all it's worth it.
