Shea Body Lotion

At first, the thought of making homemade creams intimidated me. Once I found the motivation to do this however, I have found that it is actually much easier than it seems. The hardest part is gathering the supplies and ingredients.

Supplies needed:

• Pyrex measuring container
• Glass jars to store the lotion
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Hand stick blender
• Stainless steel mixing cup  (Some hand stick blenders come with plastic mixing cups. However, it is better to use one that is stainless steel since you’ll be working with hot liquids.)

It is a good idea to keep these supplies dedicated solely to making creams and kept separate from food.

Here is a recipe that I have found to be very moisturizing and great for dry skin.

SHEA BODY LOTION

• 1 cup Shea butter
• ½ cup of Almond oil* (or Grape seed oil for an almond allergy and/or sensitive skin)
• 1  cup Distilled water or Rose water
• ¼ cup grated Beeswax or Beeswax pellets
• 20 drops of Essential oils (optional) 

1.     Place the shea butter, beeswax, and almond oil (or grapeseed oil) into a Pyrex measuring container.

2.     Put the Pyrex container into a pot of simmering water and let the ingredients melt together. When they are completely melted and mixed, take them off the heat.

3.     Carefully pour the liquid mixture of oil and melted beeswax into a stainless steel mixing cup and allow to cool to room temperature. If you want to quicken the cool-down process, place the mixing cup into a bowl of ice water.

4.     Slowly add the distilled water and essential oils and blend with a stick blender until well blended.

5.     Put into a glass jar. Since these ingredients are fresh and no preservatives are used, it is best to store in the fridge and use within six months. Since this lotion is refrigerated, it is very cooling to the skin when applied.

* One great aspect of making your own creams is that you can change the ingredients to tailor to your skin’s needs.

Almond oil is commonly used. However, for those with nut allergies and/or sensitive skin, grape seed oil is a great alternative. Both almond oil and grape seed oil are light and do not leave a greasy residue.

Jojoba oil helps alleviate inflammation and is quickly absorbed without leaving a greasy residue. It is best used in combination with another oil rather than as the main oil.

If you want the lotion to be thicker, try using coconut oil or avocado oil. Any combination of these oils can be used according to your skin’s needs.

For those with nut allergies, I have read that many people with nut allergies tolerate shea butter (Shea butter comes from an African nut tree.). However, if you do have a reaction to shea butter and/or want to err on the side of caution, cocoa butter is another option. I use both cocoa butter and shea butter, but I find shea butter to be more moisturizing than cocoa butter.

If you are interested in using cocoa butter, here is a recipe that I like:

Whipped Body Butter

Additional notes:

This particular recipe yields one 16 oz. (pint) glass jar + one 8 oz. (half pint) glass jar. Target has some great glass jars to store your creams, and they come in different sizes too. Amazon.com also sells these glass jars in larger quantities.

Shea butter, almond oil, and beeswax are available at Brambleberry.com and amazon.com.

I have found jojoba oil and grape seed oil from Trader Joe’s at a decent price. Amazon.com also sells jojoba oil. Distilled water is usually found in supermarkets.

The Big Boss Hand Stick Blender works great, which is also available at amazon.com.

Store your remaining ingredients in a cool, dry place. If you live in a hot area, you may want to refrigerate them. Each of the oils, butters, and beeswax differ in the shelf-life, so be sure to check on them.