How to make Lotion.

Lotion is another of those natural bath products that you can make yourself. The basics are water, oils, and wax. A little more luxurious lotion would still have water, then specialty oils like jojoba, rose hip, apricot kernel, and grape seed. Wax could either be beeswax or vegetable wax, generally called stearic acid wax and emulsifying wax. From that base, you would add your scent using all natural essential oils. One of the negative aspects of making lotion from scratch is that is has a short life span due to the rancidity of the water. There are some natural life extenders for lotions, called rosemary oil extract (not rosemary essential oil) and grapefruit seed extract. In short, the directions are:

- warm up the oils either on the stove or microwave, not too hot.
- add the waxes so they will melt into the oils.
- when those are blended with no wax lumps,
- slowly start adding the warmed water.

You will want the water to be approximately the same degree as the oil/wax blend. If the water is too cool, it will cause your lotion to start setting, which isn't the end of your lotion, just heat up the water a little more.

Using a wisk is far better than a fork or spoon, but in the beginning, I used a spoon and the lotion was fine.

Proportions are approximately 75 % water, 20 % oils, and 5 % waxes. You'll find that when you have the ability to create your own lotion, you can make it as thick or thin as you want. My most popular lotion at my store was one that absorbed quickly, within a minute of applying, you could turn a door know without slipping. This lotion also had a high water content in order to create this type of lotion. It's the waxes and oils that take some time to absorb. Once you start making your own lotions, you can't go back, just like soap.