Last January, we whipped up a super-decadent body butter to help counteract that harsh northern Ohio winter air. It’s a nice thick lotion (similar to lotions you can buy online) that can make even the driest of hands smooth again, and against my better judgment, I even called it body butter for the ladies.
But part of what makes it work so well can also make it a bit of a hassle to use. It contains a lot of coconut oil, which is great for skin, but takes a while to be absorbed. It’s perfect for applying right before bed, but not perfect if you’re trying to knit or practice calligraphy.
So if you’re looking for something a bit lighter for the summer months, or just want to drink your coffee without dropping the mug, here is a great homemade lotion (non-greasy and moisturizing) alternative for you! This one’s made with shea butter and almond and jojoba oils, which are much more easily absorbed. And of course, it doesn’t contain anything you can’t pronounce, unless you’re adding helichrysum or ylang-ylang essential oils, or you’re like me and prefer to say jojoba with a hard “J” sound. (To learn more about the amazing benefits of essential oils, see my Essential Oils page!)
Homemade Lotion Recipe
This homemade lotion recipe is quite simple, and doesn’t require any fancy equipment.
You’re just going to melt some shea butter and a little oil (not coconut; jojoba oil is a moisturizing, quickly absorbed oil). I do this by resting a small metal bowl in a pot of water on the stove, then heating until it’s all melted. This is basically a homemade double boiler, but I don’t own an actual double boiler, and I like to keep pots and pans separated based on whether I use them for food or non-food items.
Let it cool – when the edges are starting to solidify, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and blend on high speed until it’s fairly creamy. I find that it’s easier to mix if it’s too solidified as opposed to too liquidy. If it’s your first time, it may take a try or two to figure out the right time to whip it, but if you mess it up, you can always remelt until it’s soft enough to whip again – no worries!
Scrape into a glass jar and let it cool for a little while longer. I store this at room temp, and it lasts for months with no issues. Your homemade lotion may soften up slightly if it gets really hot out, but is still fine to use.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shea butter
- 2 Tbsp oil (I used 1 Tbsp each of almond oil and jojoba oil)
- 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oils (I used lavender and rosemary)
Instructions
- Melt the shea butter and oils together. I make an improvised double-boiler by resting a small stainless steel bowl in a small saucepan of water - this way I don't have to be pouring stuff back and forth. If you prefer, you can just melt it in a pan over low heat.
- Put the bowl in the fridge to cool for 10-15 minutes, just to the point that the mixture starts to solidify and become translucent. You don't want it to fully harden or you'll have to start over.
- Add the essential oils.
- Using a handheld mixer, mix until it becomes creamy (a minute or two).
- Transfer to a small jar.
Whether they’re dealing with a cold winter or playing in the dirt all day, your hands can take a beating. And while it doesn’t feel (or sound) quite as luxurious as the body butter, this non-greasy moisturizing homemade lotion is easy to whip up and will still leave your hands feeling happy regardless of what they go through!
Interested in more homemade goodness? Clean up your entire routine with this toothpaste, deodorant, lip balm, shaving soap, and shampoo.
This looks like a nice muxture. I had to laugh at the comment about dropping your coffee cup. That seems to be the problem I have with any kind of moisturizer: My hands are never idle long enough (30 seconds) to absorb it. And this is why the thumb on my right hand is always where the skin cracks in the winter. I resorted to buying some of those irritating cotton gloves to wear for awhile at night when I go to bed so I can put coconut oil on my hands and it won’t immediately get transferred to my sheets.
Kristin, my husband has horrible hands especially in winter, he found these help him more than anything, use a good lotion and wear these instead of the cotton gloves, they make a world of difference, I’m sure other places have them, but he ordered his here- https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/pamper-me-reg-soothing-gel-gloves/1042354116?Keyword=gloves
I Made this lotion and did everything as insructed but after I mixed it with the hand mixer when I went to put it in my jar it was hard.
Sorry you’re having problems! Did you let it sit for a while after mixing? You should mix just when it starts to solidify and turn translucent – if it’s too liquidy it won’t work, and if it’s already too hard, it may not mix well.
As long as you whip it up for a minute or two, it should stay pretty gloppy and transfer into a jar with no problem, as long as you don’t let it sit in the bowl for too long (especially if it’s in a cool area). Depending on the room temperature, it will harden a little after you put it into the jar, but not so much that you can’t scoop it out with a fingertip.
Can olive oil be used …. or will that make it greasy? Sorry if this is dumb question, but what makes this a “non-greasy” lotion in comparison to a “greasy” lotion?
Yeah, I actually used some olive oil (infused with calendula) and it’s fine. Technically, I suppose it’s still “greasy” since it contains oil; maybe it’s more accurate to say that it’s more absorbent. Coconut oil tends to linger (not absorb as quickly into the skin), so swapping that out for a different oil and tweaking the ratios a bit make this absorb into your skin much faster.
I had the problem of having it soft when I put in jars but after a while it turned hard. Maybe it’s because I live in MN and the inside of house is anywhere from 58 degrees at night to 67 degrees during day. Gonna try putting jar in sink with hot water while showering and see it softens up.
I’m in Ohio, so it’s noticeably firmer during the winter here too. I can still scoop it out with a finger, but I usually let it sit in my hand for 10-15 seconds to soften up.
I see recipes for making lotion and some say use Olive Oil and some say use Extra Virgin Olive Oil … what is the difference in these two?
Technically, I think extra virgin is the first press, the ‘cream of the crop’ so to speak. It may make a difference in your salad dressing (a sharper olive flavor), but for lotion, they’re interchangeable.
How much does this make?
Super greasy. Don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Tried several types and all end up like I’m trying to use a stick of butter for lotion
Try adding a bit of cornstarch or tapioca powder..dry flow. It helps with the texture and greasy effect; )
a year late, but… I have started to add about a tablespoon of arrowroot powder – it helps alot!
I realise I am years late, but If be curious see other things (besides arrowroot powder) to add to this recipe to make it less greasy and more improved
Whats a bit of cornstarch mine still came out greasy
Is that really a question? Corn starch, is starch made out of corn, find it in your local grocery store. I however use Arrow root powder. It has a very soft consistency and helps the lotion soak into your skin a bit easier. Find that in bulk sections of a health food store, or I believe bob’s red mills makes it, you can find it online as well, or numerous other places. Good luck.
I think she meant, what’s “a bit” of cornstarch in reference to the post above, not “what is cornstarch?” No need to be condescending 🙂
Stephanie, in reply to your question, I’m not sure what “a bit” is, as I don’t add it to mine, but I’d probably start with 1/2 or 1 Tbsp and go from there.
I know what cornstarch is im not DUMN wow it says if it’s greasy add a bit of cornstarch read the question before u answer thanks
Well, it is oil-based, so it will be inherently greasy. It should absorb pretty quickly though and not linger on your skin for too long. If all else fails, it’s probably more economical to just use butter 🙂
“Well, it is oil-based, so it will be inherently greasy” so it isn’t “Non-Greasy”! :o)
(fix the title) i tried it and it is super greasy!!!
Can you use 10-15 drops of just one esstenial oil?
You can use whatever you’d like, it whatever amounts you want! If you just want a slight scent, maybe 5 drops will work. If you need something stronger, go ahead and do 10-15 drops each of a couple different things. Totally up to you – it won’t break the recipe if you don’t do exactly 10 drops!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now. I love it. The batch I made yesterday had some peppermint and rose essential oils and just a couple drops of orange. The coconut oil, (I use organic refined) as you mentioned, does leave the skin a bit greasy, even after given time to soak in and rubbed in further. I usually use it after the shower and before bed and wake up to super soft skin! To try and limit the greasy feeling, I exchanged half of the coconut oil for almond oil, and was quite pleased with the results. Since I love it so much, I want to preserve the shelf life, so I broke a few capsules of vitamin E liquid to the mix because it acts as a preservative. I also put 5 or so drops of rose hip oil, as it has anti-aging properties. Thank you so much for this recipe, I’ve tried many before it and have not been nearly as pleased. Lavender orange was also a combo I used that smelled delicious. to make it more manly you could probably add sandalwood, or some other third ingredient.
does this stay somewhat solid without being in a fridge or does it melt easily?
Should stay nicely solid – I can’t vouch for the heat of midsummer Florida, but I haven’t had any problems with it here.
Thanks, I bought some coconut oil and tried to make a lotion following a Pinterest recipe, but as soon as you touch it, it turns to liquid and I;m in Ia, it’s been 50-60’s here, so I wondered. Thanks
Haha that’s what happens when I try to comment on my phone, early in the morning! I meant to post this under the body butter recipe. Sorry about that! 🙂
No problem, glad you like it! Some of those combos sound pretty yummy!
Do you know how many batches 1 lb of Shea butter would make? Thanks!
I don’t remember all my ratios from Home Ec class, but you should get at least half a dozen or so.
I just look up 2 conversion sites and they were close. Call 1/2 cup 100 grams so you will get 4 1/2 recipes from one pound of shea butter.
Can I re-use a plastic lotion bottle or a go toob for the non-greasy lotion, or is it too thick? Thanks.
If you intend to squeeze it out of something, probably not, unless you live in a really warm area. The lotion is soft, but not quite squeezable, unless it’s pretty hot out. You may be able to get it to work halfway decently, but it would be more effort than your typical liquid lotion.
I am not sure this can be considered moisturizer when there is no water or aloe base to it? This sounds more like body butter. I love the idea of less greasy though =)
Eh, I don’t know the technical definitions of lotion vs. body butter vs. moisturizing cream, nor am I that interested 🙂 If I were marketing it for sale, maybe, but I encourage people to call it whatever they like!
How much does this recipe make? I’m making it in bulk for Christmas gifts and need to know what sized jars to buy, preferably in mls.
Thanks!
When I make a batch, I usually end up with enough to fill a half-pint jar with some room left over. Not sure how that translates to mLs, but I’m sure you can harness the power of the Internet to find out!
When you say 1/2 a cup of shea butter, is that before it’s melted?
Can’t wait to try this!
Erin
Yeah – in all honesty, I just eyeball it, since it’s hard to measure a perfect 1/2 cup while it’s firm. If you melt it first, that would be fine too, if you want to be more exact. It’s not like water, so the volume will be the same liquid vs. solid.
I tried making this and thought I’d done it all as directed but after 45 mins of beating the mixture I gave up because it wasn’t even close to becoming a lotion. : (
Bummer! If it’s not starting to come together after 10 minutes, I’d let it sit for a minute and solidify a bit more, then try again. Beating it that long probably generates enough heat to keep melting it!
I’ve started using a half teaspoon of arrow root powder in all my body butters and lotions, it gives it a super silky feeling, as well as really aiding in the quick absorption/non greasy feel.
Sounds good – I’ll try it next time I make it!
What would you say is the shelf life of this lotion?
It takes me at least a few months to go through one, and I’ve never had any problems with it, so at least that long! It’s all stable ingredients, so it should last for significantly longer than that, but I can’t say for sure exactly how long that may be.
Hi! Do you need to store this in the fridge at all? Will it spoil if kept in the bathroom for a few months, where the temperature and humidity levels often change? Thanks!
I’ve always kept it in my bedroom with no issues – gets warm in the summer and cool in the winter, and I’ve never had any problems.
When exactly do you start mixing? I mixed it when it was starting to harden around the sides of the bowl a bit with the center still liquidy and then I put it in a container for a few hours. When I came back to use it, it was hard. I couldn’t even scoop anything out. Not even a finger full. Is it supposed to be that hard or is it supposed have that lotion-like consistency?
That sounds about right. Is your house really cold? The consistency varies with the temperature – it will never be a pourable product like store-bought lotion, but it should be fairly soft if it’s warm out.
Thanks for your recipe, Gabe. I made my very first “body butter” today with mango butter, good coconut oil, apricot oil, arrowroot and some “fresh cut grass” essential oil. smells like Heaven, but OMG! This must be how body builders “oil-up!” Ew. So I googled how to make a less greasy body butter and found your site. I look forward to trying yours and since I’m in South Carolina, I doubt hardening will be an issue. I hope it’s okay to use the mango butter I bought, tho. My husband would kill me if I buy one more ingredient to help us “save” money. lol. Can’t wait to read more here! Cheers! 🙂
Mango butter should work just fine! This one is still made with oil, so it will start out a little slick, but the almond oil absorbs a lot faster than coconut oil does – I put this on before bed every night, and within about 30 seconds, my hands are not greasy.
I’ve done a variation of this Without melting the shea butter at all. I scooped out the room temperature shea butter (6 ounces) and creamed it with my mixer, just like you would do butter for cookies. Then I gradually poured in the oil (a combo of dandelion-infused oil and some macadamia oil for extra lusciousness), about 6 ounces there too, and it whipped up nice and fluffy like frosting! It absorbs very well; some of the ladies in my essential oil group call it ‘body mousse’ instead of butter since it is a bit lighter. It would work in a squeeze tube, but not in a pump bottle, even with using more oil. Shea butter is just too stiff.
Also a note for those that still find it greasy – remember this isn’t a store bought water based lotion or cream. You don’t have to use a big gob of it to do the job. Try just using a fingertip full, depending on size it can cover you from hands to elbows; use less if you are only rubbing on hands. If you overdid it rub the extra on your knees or hair. HTH
For whomever said you couldn’t call it moisturizer – it is a moisturizer, but it isn’t a lotion; lotions and creams have a water or water-based ingredient; only matters if she was selling commercially. Even though it is a lighter texture, you could still call it butter, just like there is whipped butter in the food section – whatever floats your boat 😉
I find that is too much of a ratio of oil to beeswax that’s why they get hard. Should be at least 50 – 50
Hi I found your blog and pinned this lotion and just made it. It is so easy to make and I love it. I used Almond Oil and Grapeseed OIl.and Grapefruit and Vanilla essential oils. It is still a little greasy but not like the lotion I had made previously with cocoa butter and coconut oil. I will make this again. It absorbs nicely into the skin.
Glad you like it – it’s still oil-based, so it’s obviously still greasy as it goes on, but I do find that the almond oil absorbs much better than coconut oil.
Followed instructions, but it is very greasy. Whipped it a couple of minutes maybe, and went to put it in a jar. It became solid before it all went in. Love the idea, but not for me.
I followed and it’s all liquid and yellow.
Can you use Jojoba oil and Vitamin E oil? Also can you mix in the essential oils by hand instead of using a mixer?
Sure, jojoba and vit E should work fine. If you mix EOs in by hand, you’ll obviously want the mixture to be liquid enough that you can mix thoroughly. You can certainly add them after it’s cooled down a bit, mix by hand, then let it cool some more and use a mixer to finish it off. The reason for the mixer is to whip it up and incorporate air, which is what makes it not a solid block at the end – your hands won’t be able to move fast enough.
Hi, just made this for the first time. Is it possible to over whip this? It went from nice and creamy to solid in about one second 😨 and it is very hot where I am, so I don’t think the temperature had anything to do with it.. this recipe is also far more greasy than I was expecting (still hasn’t absorbed into my skin and it’s been over 10 minutes.) to make this less greasy can I just use more Shea butter compare to oil ratio, will it still whip together?
I also didn’t put any essential oils in for smell, but I think I’d like to, can I re melt and add some or do I have to wait until I make a new batch?
I don’t think it’s possible to overwhip – it will eventually cool off enough to solidify, so that’s probably what happened. You can adjust the shea to oil ratio a little; some people have also added a pinch of corn starch as well. If you want to add essential oils, you can remelt a little – doesn’t have to be completely melted, just soft enough to whip up.
I made this in New Mexico in the summer and while it looked nicely whipped before I poured it into the jars, it was hard after a few hours. Having to scrape it with a finger isn’t what I would call a lotion. I reheated it and doubled the oil, added 1/4 c. each of aloe vera gel and juice and it’s still rather hard. This is way too much shea butter for a lotion.
I also use these ingredients for my natural hair it works wonders