Making Beeswax Lotion

Today was the day to try to make a full batch of lotion. I've made a small batch before. I just got some coconut oil, poured a smaller amount of grapeseed oil on top and heated it in the microwave. No measurements, just thinking about making coconut oil the consistency of lotion. It worked out great!! I added some lavender essential oil I had and voila! Lotion! Wifey loved it. It was just in a little espresso cup. She used it all in about a week.

Today I decided to make enough lotion for 2 half pint mason jars. Even though I know a pint equals16 ounces, I decided to use a measuring cup to get the exact volume of the 2 jars. I poured 1 and a half cups of water into the jars. My recipe, to follow, is for a cup of lotion, so it was pretty easy to add 50% more ingredients at the correct ratio and have the amount I needed.

As you get to know me, you will understand me when I say "It is never 'pretty easy' for me."! I put the beeswax and coconut oil in the jars and dropped them in a water bath to melt. I couldn't help but notice that the jars were almost full and I hadn't added the soft oils yet. Hmmmm, maybe the beeswax will melt down more. Somehow I had adjusted my recipe by 150% instead of 50% so I had twice as much beeswax and coconut oil as I needed for this batch. No problem! I found 2 more half pint jars and split the melted wax and oil between the four jars. Not too big a deal! My problem now was to figure out who to give the extra to!

When I poured the melted ingredients into the cold jars the beeswax solidified on the sides but I fixed that by putting the jars in the microwave and re-melting that part.

Next I added the soft oils, Aloe Vera gel and Grape Seed oil. They were both at room temperature and made a bit of a glob in the jars but with a good bit of stirring it all mixed well.

After the jars of lotion cooled a bit I added the essential oils. I get my essential oil from Native American Nutritionals and have always been satisfied with the products and customer service. If you are ever looking for a place to get some essential oils, call Paul or just send him an email if you have any questions. I made the 4 jars all a little different. I made one jar with Aligning essential oil blend. It helps keep a person grounded and focused on the task at hand. It's the one I will use the most. The next one was for Wifey, a combination of Lavender, Lemon and Skin Care blend. The two extra jars were scented with Love essential oil blend and Citrus Passion blend. You can read all about the different therapeutic benefits of these oils on Native American Nutritionals website.

 

Two of the jars separated a little, with a little of the liquid collected at the bottom of the jar. All I had to do was put them in the microwave and warm them up so I could stir them better.

This recipe should last at room temperature for about four months and in the fridge for about six months, maybe more. I put the extras in the fridge. Wifey and I both like this lotion recipe better than just adding enough grape seed oil to the coconut oil and stirring it all up! Remember "Put the lime in the Coconut"? Here's the recipe


John's Simple Beeswax Lotion
For one cup of lotion

1/4 cup Beeswax
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel
1/4 cup Grape Seed Oil
10 drops good essential oil (adjust to your liking)

I used the jars to melt and mix in.

Put the beeswax and coconut oil in the jar and place in a pot of water up to about 2/3 up the jar. Turn the heat on low to medium low and warm till all the solids have dissolved, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to low or just turn it off. Add the soft oils to the jars while still in the warm water and stir well. At this point I add my essential oils and mix well. Remember to use the amount that you like. I like a little milder than most people. Some people say to wait until the lotion is room temperature but I've tried stirring lotion at room temperature and it didn't work for me.

Remember, you can adjust these amounts to suit your needs. You might like a little less beeswax, so add the amount in coconut oil to make up the difference. Replace a hard oil with a hard oil (or besswax) and a soft oil with a soft oil.

I hope you all enjoy making this lotion. It is always better to make things at home.

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