Make Your Own SPF Body Lotion!

UPDATE: This recipe I used lasted 3.5 months. It kept very well during that time.

First off, I need to explain that my recipe for body lotion is not FDA approved, and I make no claims that it will prevent skin cancer.

That said, I use two types of sun "blocking" ingredients: zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide--both in powder form. I use these because after researching, it seems that both of these ingredients are less harmful than other sunscreens out there. Anyways, I had them on hand from another project for which I bought them, so. . .into my lotion they would go.

If you want to make your own lotion, you don't have to use all the ingredients that I used. I just had them in my supply from my soap making and other little projects. Basically, if you want to make lotion, you need to have some kind of solid oil or butter and some liquid oil. Make sure to use about two to three times as much liquid as you use solid. You could even use different ingredients from what I used, so don't be afraid to experiment. Just keep in mind that if your ingredients need to be refrigerated or will likely spoil, your lotion won't hold up very long.

I am the kind of person who goes through lotion (SPF especially as I wear it every day) way too quickly, so this is why I decided to make my own. I just bought this five cup glass jar at a yard sale, so I could make lotion that would last me several weeks.

What I used: beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, pure aloe gel, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and one bottle of Bath and Body Works lotion (I'll explain why).

Whatever oils and butters you use, make sure to melt the hardest ones first. I cut up about a bar and a half of beeswax and melted it in the microwave for two minutes.

I cut up some cocoa butter and added it to the beeswax and melted it for another two minutes.

I had an already open jar of coconut oil, and I added some shea butter to it. I melted those together for about a minute.

You can see my two jars here. I forgot to mention: I wanted the jar to be big enough I could fit my hand into it. Also, I wanted it to be big enough so that I could actually make the lotion in it. This would cut down on cleaning and also cut down on product loss. The coconut oil jar I just ended up throwing away, so I didn't have to clean that one either.

Then, I added the coconut oil/shea butter to the bigger jar.

Then, using the now empty coconut oil jar, I added about 5T of zinc oxide and 5T of titanium dioxide. (I read that a good ratio for SPF is to add about 1-2T of either z.o. or t.d. to 8oz. of lotion. Since this jar is 5 cups, and 1 cup is 8oz., that is why I added 10T of the powder.)

I then filled the jar with grapeseed oil and avocado oil and stirred it up.

The jar is not quite full yet!

Okay,...this is not DIY, but I get lotion every Christmas and I hate to waste it. . .so I added the rest of an already opened bottle of Japanese Cherry Blossom lotion from B&BW. In my mind, maybe there are preservatives in this lotion that will help my DIY lotion not to go bad? I dunno. It smells good at least.

Waste not, want not.

The container still wasn't full, so I topped it off with organic aloe gel.

Then, I got out my immersion blender and blended it all up right in the jar!

The finished jar. Because it is squarish, it fits in my bathroom drawer quite nicely. I wanted to keep it out of direct sunlight, just so it keeps better.

It feels so great. It's a little greasy at first, but after about an hour it really absorbs into the skin and my skin feels super soft all day. Even my hands still feel soft. . .and I wash them like every five minutes!

The End!

Make Your Own Eye Cream

I am really excited about this eye cream. I've been using it for a while now before bed and it's really good. It keeps my skin really supple and non-wrinkly, and because it is kinda waxy, it keeps my skin moisturized even after I've washed it off the next morning. If you have really oily skin, I think this would still work for you because natural ingredients tend not to mess with your ph balance. Try it and see!

There is really only one step to this process if you followed my last two blogs (especially the one on making lip balm). All three processes took me 20 minutes total to do. To bring you up to speed, I suggest going here.

How to Make Your Own Eye Cream:

After following the directions on my last blog, all you have to do is add a table spoon of honey. I suggest using local honey as it helps your tolerance to pollen allergies. Honey is what changes the consistency of our lip balm into a cream, and honey is really good for you and your skin. If you are allergic to honey then use olive oil:

This step is optional, but you can add another fragrance if you like. I added lavender because it smells good with mint, and also it's good for your skin:

Stir it up and pour into a small cosmetic jar:

Put it in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Spread it on your eyes with your fingers in small massaging circles.

Things to remember:

1. The reason I did green tea and coffee bean butters is mostly because I knew I'd make this eye cream last and both of those butters have anti-aging properties.

2. Coconut oil and honey are anti-bacterial. Probably the others are too, but I know those two are for sure.

The End!

Make Your Own Stretch Mark Eraser

The next three posts are a triptych of sorts. You can make all three in about 20 minutes, which is what I had one day between engagements. The first thing I made was a "Stretch Mark Eraser," then lip balm (Am I allowed to call it chapstick? Isn't that a brandname?), and finally eye cream.

These are the ingredients you will need:

Cocoa Butter - Helps skin elasticity and fights stretch marks.

Coconut Oil - Antibacterial and skin softening.

Coffee Bean Butter - Fights sun damage and wrinkles.

Green Tea - Fights sun damage and wrinkles.

Beeswax - Thickening agent and good for skin.

At least 6 lip balm containers.

(I've way over simplified what each ingredient does, 

but at least you get some idea of why I got each of them.)

You can find these ingredients and containers on Amazon and eBay. If you've been reading my posts, you will know that I already had the coconut oil from this post. I'm not posting the prices, because the prices are kinda random. I just searched for the cheapest ones that are the purest and from sellers with decent feedback. Usually, raw butters like these are cheaper the more you buy, but you don't need a whole ton of them. Obviously, the green tea and coffee bean butters are the most expensive, which is why my containers of such are smaller. My rule of thumb is not to go over $10 per ingredient.  I also knew I'd be using all these ingredients again for other products I want to make, so I bought the amounts accordingly.


How to Make a Stretch Mark Eraser:


I've read that other bloggers attempting this sort of project either had a double boiler or did a make-shift one on the stove. I decided since I didn't have a whole lot of time that I would use my trusty hot pot. While the water was boiling, I grated about a tablepoon and a half of beeswax. (The beeswax is actually for the lip balm and eye cream, but you might as well use your time wisely):

When the water started to boil, I added about a tablespoon of cocoa butter to
a small Pyrex measuring cup:

I put the measuring cup into the boiling water and waited for it to melt:

It only took a few minutes:

Then I poured it into two lip balm containers:

This is what the finished product looks like:

The last step is to put it into the freezer or refrigerator for an hour or so until it's hard.

Things to remember:

1. One heaping tablespoon of butter will fill two lip balm containers.

2. You could probably melt a tablespoon of cocoa butter in the microwave instead of a double boiler if you're really pressed for time.

3. Beeswax is super waxy and a pain to grate, so only make this for yourself 

and people you really love.

4. Instead of rubbing the "stretch mark eraser" directly onto your stretch marks (which can stretch them even further), consider rubbing the cocoa butter into your palm and pressing what comes off onto your delicate skin.

5. You could just scoop the cocoa butter right out of the jar and press into your skin, but if you want to keep your cocoa butter sterile, I suggest making these little "erasers."

6. I've had little stretch marks since I've been losing weight and mine are getting smaller after a few days of using this stuff.

Now to making lip balm....