Making Lotions Tips and How-Tos

Learning  to make lotions  is a great way to  expand your horizons in the "make-your own, arena. How to make  lotion is a handy skill, and very useful to know. Making Lotions  is not a hard thing to learn when you have the right ingredients and the know how, and have a few tips to help  you get started.

What's the difference between a lotion and a cream?  Both lotions and creams are made by combining different ingredients together, like water, oils and emulsifiers together. Both are to soothe and hydrate dry skin, but there are differences. Lotions are typically more water than oils. Lotions tend to be a little "lighter" and less oily than creams too. Creams tend to have more moisturizing ingredients, like oils or butters, than lotions, so they are a little "heavier," but may be more moisturizing  too.

Start Making Lotions and Creams - Some basics

Starting with basic supplies, and  tips about getting started.  You will need a good scale that measures at least ounces and preferable grams.  The only way to make a good lotion is by weighing ingredients.  You also need basic measuring cups and some heat safe bowls. 

Preparation - Completely clean and sanitize the area you will be working in. Clean and sanitize all of the utensils and bowls, cups, etc. You do not want to do any mixing or formulating until  the work area and your utensils and even your packaging is spotless, clean and sanitary.

Ingredients: Lotions have three basic parts- the water part, the oil part, and the emulsifier part. The emulsifier is used to combine the basic ingredients, the water and the oil(s) to make the lotion. The emulsifier(s) are very important. It will greatly determine the feel of your lotion depending on the proportions of each ingredient, and the type of emulsifier chosen and of course the oils used. About emulsifiers. Some formulations (recipes) you see will only have one emulsifier. For long term stability, and to make a better quality product, it is best to have 2 emulsifiers, the primary one, and a co-emulsifier or secondary emulsifier.

Additives to the recipe can greatly affect the feel and performance of  your lotion too. You can add basic things like glycerin that will add a little more moisturizing, or you can add allantoin powder for its properties, or any number of other beneficial things. Other common additives are thickeners, exfoliants like pumice or Jojoba beads, and colors too.

Simple Lotion recipe (Makes about 12 Oz)

2.0 Oz or 57 g Emulsifying Wax

4 Oz / 113 g Glyceryl Stearate SE (Self Emulsifying)

3 0z / 85 g Mango butter (you can choose another butter)

4 Oz / 113g Almond Oil

8 Oz / 226 g deionized or RO water*

Fragrance oil (as needed)

Colorant Optional - as needed/ desired

A good broad spectrum preservative @ 0.5% or per manufacturer's directions ( Germaben II is recommended)

INSTRUCTIONS (this recipe below is an expanded larger volume amount of the recipe in the linked video. And we usually do not reccomend using a microwave, as is depicted in the video. The microwave in the video is a very small watt one. If you do use a microwave, use it on the lowest setting. Best to use a double boiler though)   

LINK TO VIDEO HERE 

• Boil the water for 10 minutes minimum. You will need to boil a little more than needed to compensate for the water that evaporated.
• Combine the Emulsifying wax, Glyceral Stearate SE, the mango butter in to a heat safe bowl and gently melt these ingredients together in a double boiler. Gently blend them together with a spatula in yoru heat safe bowl. (Do not boil the ingredients. Just heat them gently.)
• Add your pure, boiled, DI or RO water. Warm up the water a little to help it all blend together.
• Next add the Almond oil. Again, if it is warm it is easier to blend in and will not begin to make the lotion quite as fast.
• The lotion should thicken quickly, and should start to be a nice consistency as you mix. Some people use spatulas and hand blend it quickly. Some us hand mixers on low. Cover the container so it does not splatter if you use an electric blender! Stick blenders really help to thicken and get the lotion nice and creamy and smooth. Add a fragrance oil. Just a few drops to get started. You can adjust this amount later as needed.
• Check the temperature and add your preservative if the temperature of the blend is below the point recommended by manufacturer, usually below 140 F. Pulse/ Blend the lotion again.
• You can adjust the thickness of this lotion easily by adding or subtracting the amount of the Glyceryl Stearate SE.
• You could also try substituting out the Glyceryl Stearate SE or a little of the Emulsifying wax for the BTMS 50 or Varisoft EQ 65 for a different feel
• Divide up your fantastic new lotion in to your preferred (clean & sanitized) packaging! DONE!
• Congratulations - you made a LOVELY LOTION!