Zero Waste Body Lotion

Zero Waste Body Lotion

This lotion is vegan, moisturizing and a great addition to your skin care routine. It’ll take a bit of time to make, so definitely set aside at least two hours to complete this project. One of those hours will be waiting for the lotion to solidify in the fridge/freezer, but still. Definitely do this DIY when you don’t have much planned for the day ahead.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 tablespoons of shea butter (or cocoa butter)
• 1/3 cup of coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of sweet almond oil
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable glycerin
• 3 tablespoons of rose water
• 25 drops of essential oil (I used rose essential oil)

Note on packaging: If you can’t find something package free while shopping for these ingredients, it’s not the end of the world. Often times, it can be hard to find DIY ingredients completely package free, unless you have access to them at your local bulk food store. Opt for paper, glass or aluminum packaging whenever possible. If you have to go with plastic, choose the biggest bag or container you can find. Plastic bags can be recycled at your local plastic film drop off location.

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can make your own using a glass bowl and a small pot. Just boil some water in the pot, place the glass bowl over it and add all the ingredients into it. The heat from the boiling water will melt everything – just be sure to reduce it to a simmer once the glass jar is above it so the water doesn’t bubble over.
2. Once all the ingredients are melted, set the glass bowl aside. Once it’s cool enough to touch, put the glass bowl into the fridge (or freezer, if you want to quicken the process) and wait until your mixture is set. Just don’t forget to check up on it. You want to leave it in the fridge or freezer for about an hour, or until it’s completely solid. Stick your finger in the middle of it and see if it will hold the indentation – that’s a good way to check if it’s ready.
3. Now proceed to whip your body lotion using a hand mixer or stand mixer. You can also use an immersion blender (which is what I did). You’ll need to whip it for about 10 to 15 minutes until it gets a nice, creamy consistency. It should look a bit like whipped cream. Every once and a while, you might have to use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape down the sides and make sure everything gets nice and mixed.
4. When it’s a whipped cream-like consistency, stop and add the essential oils of your choice. I personally went with rose essential oil, just because I used rose water in this recipe (and I’m a sucker for roses), but feel free to follow your nose on this one. Give it one final mix to make sure the scent gets blended in.
5. When you’re ready, transfer your zero waste body lotion into the jar or container of your choice.

Storage: I recommend storing this in a glass bottle or jar of some sort – either a mason jar or a weck jar works nicely. I used a flip top clamp jar. You can even store it in an emptied out plastic container with a pump, if you prefer that. Store it in a room temperature location out of direct sunlight. It should last you a few months!

It’s really easy to use this body lotion. Just scoop a little bit onto your finger and rub it onto your skin.  Make sure to rub it in well so your skin absorbs it. A little goes a long way.

You can use this on your hands, legs, arms, etc. Everywhere, really. I haven’t tried it on my face, just because the oils used in this lotion are a bit heavy, but I’m sure you could.

It’s not super greasy or anything, thanks to the rosewater, but if you want an even less greasy lotion, I definitely recommend adding more rosewater to this DIY. Still, I’m content with the amount I added.

If you’d like to share this with someone else, but don’t want them dipping their fingers in, consider leaving out a little wooden scooping spoon of some sort near the lotion. Not only will it look cute, but it’ll keep things sanitary.

Me on the other hand? I’m keeping this all for myself. If I feel like sharing, I’ll probably just smear it onto the person’s arm.

I really love how nourishing this natural whipped body lotion is. My skin really seems to like it so far, and I just know this is going to be a life saver come the cold months ahead. Not sure about you, but my skin always gets flaky and starts to crack in winter. Ugh.

So far, I’m loving it though! It also makes my skin smell really good, which is always a plus.

Would you try this zero waste body lotion? Not into DIYs? Here’s a list of zero waste lotion options you can purchase!

Want more zero waste beauty products? Try my zero waste lip balm recipe or my zero waste lip and cheek stain.

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