I try to hydrate and drink plenty of minerals (including salt water), but sometimes my skin needs a little more hydration. This aloe vera lotion softens dry skin and leaves skin feeling moisturized. It works great as a body lotion or a face lotion. Even better, it contains just a few simple ingredients!

This moisturizing lotion combines organic aloe vera gel, rich shea butter, and nourishing almond oil. All without the parabens, sulfates, and dimethicone found in many store-bought skin care products.

Aloe Vera Body Lotion

As the weather gets cooler many of us find our skin gets drier. Living in a humid climate I don’t have this problem as much anymore. However, sometimes my skin needs some light hydration. While I love lotion bars and this homemade lotion for intense nourishing, this aloe lotion is great when you want something lighter.

Aloe has a similar feeling to glycerin in skin care recipes, but it doesn’t feel quite as sticky. It absorbs well into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling. If you’re using fresh aloe from a plant, this lotion will only last a week or two before it goes bad. Aloe vera gel sold in stores and online is preserved and will last longer, up to 6 weeks.

Skin Benefits of Aloe Vera

I keep an aloe plant in my home because I love them so much! Not only are they great for treating burns, but they work well for other skin irritations. You’ve probably used aloe vera gel at some point to soothe a sunburn.

Aloe barbadensis leaf juice is rich in nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and antioxidants. It also helps our skin create hyaluronic acid and boosts collagen production to keep skin firm and wrinkle-free. Aloe helps skin be more elastic and supple so it “bounces back.”

Ingredient Options

This lotion can also be used as a face cream. It can work well for those with acne or eczema too, depending on the exact ingredients you use. Oils like olive and avocado oil are great for dry or more mature skin types. If you’re prone to acne or want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, then adding some rosehip seed oil is a good choice. I prefer sweet almond (non-greasy) or jojoba, which mimics skin’s sebum and sinks into the skin nicely.

I use shea butter for an extra rich feel, but it’s optional. You could also use cocoa butter or mango butter instead. Cocoa butter is more intensely moisturizing, while mango butter is very light and absorbs fast.

Preserving and Storing the Lotion

Vitamin E helps the oils from oxidizing as fast but will not preserve the lotion. If you want to use a natural preservative you can add some Leucidal complete to slow microbe growth. With the preservative, it should last for several months in the fridge.

As always, be sure to keep in a cool, dark place away from direct light and heat. Bathroom counters in moist bathrooms are not the best place! And only use clean fingers to apply.

Try making homemade non-toxic sunscreen too.

Have you ever made your own lotion before? Leave a comment and let me know!

If you’re still using store-bought lotion there are super easy natural alternatives that are fun to make! This DIY lotion recipe has three basic ingredients and only takes ten minutes to whip together.

The basic recipe is an ultra-moisturizing water-free version that lasts for years without preservatives. While lotion is technically a formulation of water and oil-based skincare ingredients, this one is oil-based. It feels more like a body butter and is great for dry skin.

Homemade Lotion

I discovered years ago that I could use natural ingredients to make my own skincare products and I haven’t looked back since! From homemade lip balm to whipped body butter I love making my own. Lotion bars were one of the first things I made and I’ve branched out to other kinds of lotion too. This version uses unrefined coconut oil, almond oil, and shea butter to nourish skin deeply.

Most lotions use emulsifying wax to blend distilled water and carrier oils together. It can be tricky to do at home. Plus it requires preservatives to keep it from going bad! This DIY lotion skips that problem by eliminating the water. You can further extend the shelf life by using vitamin E. This antioxidant helps oils not go rancid as quickly.

Choosing a Carrier Oil

I use sweet almond oil for the carrier oil since it’s a middle of the road oil. It’s not as heavy as coconut oil, but it’s more moisturizing than something like grapeseed oil. You could replace it with whatever liquid carrier oil you prefer. Jojoba, olive oil, or avocado oil are also good options.

This lotion is ultra-moisturizing and more oily than water-based lotions so you won’t need to use as much. It also has a longer shelf life than some homemade lotion recipes. All the ingredients are already shelf stable and no water is added.

Custom Lotion Making

Once you master the base recipe, have fun customizing your lotion to your skin type, skin conditions, and desired scent!

There are endless variations, but some of my favorites are:

• Baby Lotion – Infuse the oil with dried calendula and chamomile before making the lotion.
• Cooling Muscle Rub – Add peppermint, wintergreen, and ginger for sore muscles.
• Anti-aging Face Lotion – Use argan oil and add lavender and patchouli essential oils.
• Lavender and Vanilla Lotion – Add a few drops of lavender and a little natural vanilla extract.

Essential Oil Safety

So how many drops of essential oils should you add to your DIY lotion? It depends on the essential oil and your preference. If you add the optional shea butter, 45 drops of essential oil will be a 1% dilution. A 2% dilution is generally considered safe for skincare products like lotion.

If you like a really strong scent you could double the amount (to 2%). Or if you prefer a lighter scent or have more sensitive skin, you could cut the amount in half (or even less!). I avoid using essential oils on little ones, especially babies.

Certain oils like wintergreen, cinnamon, and lemongrass are harsher and need to be used in smaller amounts. Others, like grapefruit and lime, are phototoxic. Some of my favorite skin-friendly essential oils to use include:

Don’t Want to Make It?

If you want healthy lotion but don’t want to make it or don’t have the ingredients there are some good store-bought options. These lotions have clean ingredients and help hydrate thirsty skin:

Other Homemade Lotion Recipe Variations

There are lots of ways you can make your own lotion at home. Here are some more lotion tutorials to try:

Ever made DIY lotion before? How did it go? Let me know below!