Special Recipe

I love experiments. Working it out, making it better, trying again. Research it, look it up, gather supplies, try again. That's exactly what I've done with my lotion recipe! 

I've had dry hands (and dry skin in general) since I was little. I remember them being so dry in the winter that they would crack and bleed. But I take all the blame, my mom tried to get me to put lotion on ALL THE TIME, but I would forget or just choose not to. Fast forward to working in a hospital, washing and sanitizing my hands all day really takes a toll. I would try so many different lotions from the store, even special ones, but I would always be looking for better. None of them were amazing, and I wanted amazing. 

Enter Pinterest. DIY lotion. You know what I'm talking about, the recipes are everywhere! I tried some of them and they were okay. I liked them. But I could do better. ** side note: maybe always wanting better isn't a good thing. What if I already have the best?** Anyway, in this case, wanting better led me here. To some great lotion that keeps my hands soft and also completely clears Eli's eczema (when we put it on. It's not magic lotion, you do have to actually use it for it to work).

Made this batch yesterday!

Sara's Lotion
1 oz beeswax
2 oz shea butter (or other solid oil)
1 oz cocoa butter (or other solid oil)
3 oz liquid oil (olive, almond, jojoba, etc)
1 T honey
2 oz glycerin
2 oz aloe gel (NOT the green stuff!)
10 drops vitamin E
15 drops essential oil(s) of your choice

**All of these measurements are by weight, except the honey, vitamin E and essential oil.

• Melt the solid oils and wax together over a double boiler, just until melted. Note: shea butter will get grainy if it is over heated or heated to long. Trust me, I know. But if this does happen, it won't destroy your lotion, it will just feel gritty instead of smooth and silky.
• Take the melted oils/wax off the heat and let cool slightly (I wait until I can see the edges barely start to solidify, they should easily dissolve if you stir it back together). Place the bowl on your scale and zero it. Start slowly blending with your hand mixer as you drizzle in the liquid oil. Everything you add from this point on should be at room temperature, so it will further cool the melted oils/wax and help solidify everything in the end. Slowly drizzle in each ingredient while blending, pausing to check the weight of each item as needed.
• After everything is mixed together, it should look like my picture above. Good job! Now just scoop/pour into jars or containers and let it cool the rest of the way. For me, it makes about 12-14 ounces, maybe a little more. 

When it cools, it is fairly solid but melts when rubbed in your hands. If you would like it more liquid, you can try adding more 'liquid' oil, but it might also make it feel more greasy (I consider 'solid' and 'liquid' oils to be whatever it is when at room temperature). This is just what works for me! Each ingredient is there for a specific reason, each has a use. Some help draw in moisture, others help seal in the moisture, some help heal, some help prevent damage. The essential oils I choose to use are the same way; they all have a purpose. The standard ones I use are lavender, frankincense and tea tree. They are all gentle on small children, but help heal and keep skin free of infection (especially for itchy eczema). 

I could expound and go into even more detail on ingredients and procedure for making the lotion, but really, you just have to try it for yourself! What works for my skin may not be the best for yours. Find the best for you! And if you have questions or I can help in any way, please ask!

PS - I like the ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs. They are consistent and good quality. I haven't always bought my supplies from there, but I've started to, just because they are so good and the prices are comparable to others I've ordered from.