Learn how to make nourishing, homemade, PUMPABLE lotion using pure, natural ingredients with this simple and easy to make recipe.
I am absolutely, completely, totally addicted to lotion. Whenever I wash my hands for any reason, I need to put on lotion or else my hands feel like they’re so dry that they’re going to turn into sand paper!
I suppose this habit began because I’ve always lived in a dry state (well except when I went to college in Florida; but I was still just addicted to lotion there). It might also be partially influence by my grandfather. He hated lotion (thought it was too girly) so his hands were always dry and they’d crack and bleed. He honestly did not care, but I decided I’d try avoiding that by slathering on the lotion he didn’t like.
All Natural Pumpable Lotion
However, as I have strolled along the natural path, I’ve come to discover that commercially purchased lotions, just like SO many other things, contain ingredients that aren’t any good for or even detrimental to the body.
So I began to play around with oils and wax to create my own lotion. The first result was my Homemade Coconut Oil and Shea Butter Lotion. This lotion is SUPER moisturizing and quite thick. I love using it on the rougher spots such as my heels or my elbows. However, this lotion is too thick to put in a pump bottle for convenient and frequent application.
Well, after I started making my Homemade All-natural Oatmeal Diaper Rash Cream, I learned the benefits of oats when applied externally to the skin. Besides assisting in preserving the skin’s natural barrier function and removing any unwanted oils and dirt from the pores, oats also contributes in moisturizing the skin.
The way I use oats in my diaper rash cream, however, cannot be done in a pumpable hand lotion (at least logically I don’t think it could). What I do for the rash cream is grind it up very finely. But for pumpable lotion, it seems like the granules of ground up oats would get stuck.
So I tried using oat infused aloe vera juice instead. And it has been working very well!
Skin Smoothing
After having used this homemade lotion for several weeks, I have noticed that my skin is very smooth and soft. It feels great! Plus I love that the pure ingredients are nourishing for it.
You can use essential oils in this recipe if you’d like. They can add extra nourishment or scent. My favorite combination for this lotion is to use almond oil for the liquid oil and add about 30 drops or so of orange essential oil. YUM!
Healing Herbs
If you’d like to, when you create the oat infused aloe vera juice, you can also add some dried herbs or dried tea to it! Just keep in mind that whatever herbs (or essential oils for that matter) that you add will affect the smell/scent of the lotion. Here are a few (not all) ideas (there are TONS of benefits for each, so I recommend researching them before deciding which to use if you haven’t already):
- calendula
- chamomoile
- comfrey
- echniacea
- green tea
- lavender
- lemon peel
- marshmallow root
- orange peel
- rose
- violet
- yarrow
When adding the herbs, add about a tablespoon along with the oats. You can also infuse your oil(s) up to 6 weeks before making this recipe with your choice of dried herb(s) for a stronger infused lotion.
UPDATE: I’ve recently discovered that this lotion is also awesome to use as shaving cream!
NOTE: This recipe was revamped (improved) after lots of great information from my super awesome readers in early 2021.
Homemade All-natural Pumpable Lotion
Ingredients
- 1 cup
aloe vera juice (you'll end up using ½ cup of it after it has infused with oats) - ¼ cup old fashioned oats
- dried herbs or tea, optional (see post for ideas)
- ½ cup
almond oil (olive or jojoba work too) - ½ cup
coconut oil - 3 tablespoons
(1½ oz.) beeswax , shredded or chopped into small pieces (or use pellets) - 1 tablespoon
raw honey - 1 tablespoon
vitamin E oil (good for the skin and is also a natural antioxidant, helping it to last longer) - 2 teaspoons
leucidal liquid SF, optional (acts as a preservative to keep it safe to use and mold free) - 2 teaspoons
arrowroot powder, optional (reduces greasiness and assists in skin's absorption) - essential oils of choice, optional
Instructions
- Put the aloe vera juice, oats, and any dried herbs you'd like to infuse the lotion with in a bowl. Cover and allow to soak for 24 hours at room temperature away from direct sunlight.
- Run the oat infused aloe vera juice through a clean tea towel over a bowl and squeeze out the liquid. Discard or compost the oats.
- Measure ½ cup worth of oat infused aloe vera juice (if there's not enough, add more aloe vera juice until there is). Set aside.
- In a glass bowl, place the almond oil, coconut oil, beeswax, and honey. Heat over a saucepan with shallow simmering water (making a double boiler). Heat until completely melted.
- Allow the oil mixture to cool down until it touchably warm, but no longer hot.
- Stir in the vitamin E, leucidal liquid SF, arrowroot powder, and any essential oils
- Pour the ½ cup oat infused aloe vera juice into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- While running a handheld or stand mixer on low, slowly (in a very thin, slow stream) pour the oil mixture into the oat infused aloe vera juice. Whip until thickened, fluffy, and lotion-looking.
- Pour the lotion into a pastry bag (as used for cake decorating) or a plastic zip bag (snip off a corner after filling). Squeeze into an empty lotion bottle. Alternatively, just put it in a glass jar.
- With the preservative (leucidal liquid SF) in it, you can store at room temperature (75° Fahrenheit) or less for two weeks or longer (how long depends on where you live, humidity, altitude, etc.). To ensure it will last longer, you can keep it stored in the refrigerator (though it will lose it's pumpableness if you do this).
Great recipe with fairly easy to find ingredients! I also love the concept of oatmeal water. Can’t believe I never thought of that myself! 😉
Looks amazing- I definitely prefer lotion from a pump. Can’t wait to try this!
Hmm, this is very interesting – never heard of using oatmeal water before, but I’m loving it! Pinning this for sure and can’t wait to try it!
So cool! As soon as I get some time on my hands, I am going to try this out. Thanks!
Mine did not whip up and I followed your directions to a T can you help me out? Any ideas
Hi, Erin–left a reply on your comment, once you respond I’ll try to help you trouble shoot.
I follow pretty much the same recipes the only ingredient used differently was I used 1 cup of rose water in the recipe instead of oatmeal water and it’s too thick to pump out and now a day later there’s excess water coming pumping out.. it seems like the water separated from the oils.. ugh! What can you suggest I do to save this lotion?
Water and oil don’t mix this the separation however I found that I was able to add the oatmeal water slowly (a little at a time) to the ‘fozen’ oil mixture while mixing. I didn’t use all of my oatmeal water, I had a lotion with a nice consistency and water that pooled on the side. I simply poured that off. I hope that helps!
Now, can someone tell me what to add to cut down on the oily feel? My first thought is to add more beeswax. Thoughts??
Add glycerin and it will help bind the water to the other ingredients 🙂
Same thing happened to me. It was a watery separated gloppy mess after I combined the water and oil mixtures. I left mine in the freezer for the 15 minutes and it was already getting quite solid. Don’t the water and the oil mixture need to be relatively the same temperature in order to mix? I wonder if my freezer cooled it too far past the room temp of the water. Either way it didn’t work for me. Not at all. Now I have to try and get this mess off my mixing bowl and everything else I used. Pretty bummed out right about now!
🙁 I’m so sorry, Amy. I don’t know what to tell you. It has worked very well for me three times in a row. Where do you live? The only thing I could think of is the humidity or altitude might be affecting it differently.
I think the secret to this lotion is the coconut oil, I have made this and turns out great every time( buy the granule coconut the pressed kind, I buy the Spectrum kind) also added lemon grass oil and substituted for avocado oil,it was amazing lotion.
How long did this Recipe last, any preservatives needed?
Is it possible you are using fractionated coconut oil where you should be using refined or unrefined?
Glycerin will fix your issue 🙂
It’s like a liquid-y mess 🙁
It’s pretty liquidy at first, but once it cools it thickens up. Did you let it cool? Also, where do you live (like what is the altitude, temperature so I can help you trouble shoot)?
How long will this lotion last before it goes bad and is the beeswax the emulsifying agent in this lotion thanks in advance
D
Without the vitamin E, it only lasts like a week unless you refrigerate it; with the vitamin E, I’d say about 2 to 4 weeks. And yes, the beeswax is the emulsifying agent; be careful not to over-whip it though because some of my readers have had trouble with it breaking. 🙂
I used the Vit E oil and followed directions, used a pump bottle and loved the lotion…but after about 2 weeks it started growing mold on top and I had to throw it all out. It makes a large amount that would be difficult to use up in 2 weeks, so maybe use a smaller pump bottle and refrigerate the rest??
You need to use A preservatives so it can last longer
Great. Can you suggest a preservative or two worth trying? How long will they last?
I ended up with a watery mess too….live in Indiana. Maybe we’re using too much water….the recipe is a little confusing on the oatmeal water. It says to soak the oats in 1 cup of water but then in step 3, it refers to measuring 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) and setting aside. Since you can’t get more water out of it than you started with, I’m wondering if it should be 1/2 cup (4 ounces)? Please clarify. Thanks!
*GASP!!!* I didn’t even notice that! Thank you SO much for pointing it out! I made the edit. I really hope that’s all the trouble was! I’m SO sorry, everyone!
no worries….I assumed as much when it wasn’t working out. Looking forward to my next batch with the correct measurements. And, I was able to salvage the first batch by draining most of the excess water off. I still find water gathering in my bottle but can work around that on this batch. Other than that, I’m loving it so far. I’ve been hoping to be able to find something that works well enough on my skin in the winter that I can replace my commercially bought product that works so well (but is full of who knows what). Thanks!
Hi there,
I’m about to make this, but notice that while the ingredients list calls for 1 cup water to soak the oatmeal, the directions call for 1 1/2 cups oatmeal water. Is this a typo? Could this be why others had trouble with it being too liquidy?
Thanks so much!
Someone else just pointed this, out too! I’m so slow! Thanks for finding this error. I hope that’s all that was wrong. If you do wind up making it, please let me know how it does. And I’m sorry if it messes up again. 🙁
No problem, mistakes happen! Before I saw the previous comment about the typo, I went forward and made the recipe with 1 cup of water. While whipping it, it was so watery and it occurred to me that it’s probably supposed to be 1/2 cup oatmeal water. I fixed it by pour out the excess water (some of it just wouldn’t mix with the oils), then whipped some more. I am actually very pleased with the result! I had trouble getting it into my pumpable bottle – I tried microwaving and pouring through a funnel but it was still too thick. So I’ll try this recipe again with the 1/2 c water and maybe it will pour well. Thanks for the recipe! I’ll be sure to repost your recipe on my blog in the near future!
ps – I used 1/2 c. coconut oil, 1/4 c. olive oil, and 1/4 c. grapeseed oil and vitamin E for preservation. Next time I’ll try with part shea butter.
Sounds great, thanks for sharing, Sara! And I would LOVE the share, but please don’t put the whole recipe up on your website–a link would be great. 🙂 I’ll try to return the favor. 🙂
The way I get my home made lotions and conditioners in a bottle is, I take a zip lock freezer bag, put product in it, them snip one of the corners off and squeeze it into the bottles. I use an old credit card and set the bag on the table and squeegee with the card to squeeze every last drop out of the bag. Then just toss the bag in the trash when I’m done…easy peasy
Hi, Do you know if you can get beeswax at Kroger or Walmart and what about buying the vitamin E. at the pharmacy is that okay? I can’t really order anything right now so that is why I am asking these questions.
Thanks Jessica
I doubt you’d be able to find beeswax at either of those locations, but it wouldn’t hurt to look. 🙂 And the vitamin E in capsules works just fine, it just takes more effort to use because you have to burst the capsules (but I have done it this way before).
Why can’t i see the recipe?
Could be a loading issue. Or if you’re in Internet Explorer, some versions don’t HTML5 websites, but any other browser should work. 🙂
do I whip the mixture together while it’s cold/hard from being in the fridge?
I whip it as I’m making it (just go slow, a KitchenAid or other stand mixer is an energy saver) until it reaches room temp.
Did you take the recipe down?!? I can’t see it and I need to make more lotion!
Nope, the Ziplist plugin I use for my recipes went down because of WordPress’s upgrade, so sometimes it works, sometimes not. :-/ They should have an update today or tomorrow and that’ll fix it. Sorry!
Am I the only one whose lotion smelled like stale beer??? It was very yeasty smelling and just gross.I followed all the directions and used the same ingredients. I had to throw the whole batch out.
Lol, that’s awful! First I’ve heard of it. That sounds like one of the ingredients might have been old (like turning rancid, maybe the coconut oil?). Not sure. Mine has always come out smelling mildly like coconut or whatever essential oils I put in it.
Can u leave out the honey if your allergic? Will the recipe still work??
It will, yes. The honey’s just there for it’s nourishment. You could try using shea butter or cocoa butter instead. It may not have the exact same effects, but still be nourishing. 🙂
I’ve made it 2 times and it went off pretty quick. First time I didn’t put a vitamin e and it was off in a week. So I ordered vitamin e and made it again and it still went off in 2-3 weeks. Is there any solution to make it work better?
Thanks!
Hi, Alena! Thanks for the question. 🙂 The way I’ve dealt with this (especially in summer) is make the lotion in much smaller batches so that I use it all up before it has a chance to go rancid. Another way would be to try adding more vitamin E oil. And another which I recently learned about is adding some rosemary extract as it is a strong antioxidant and will help prevent it from going rancid so fast. I have yet to try the rosemary method, but will probably do so as soon as I can as it sounds pretty promising. Let me know how it goes if you try this. 🙂 Have a great day!
Have you tried making solid lotion bars instead? They are the same thing, but (well, solid…) melt with the temperature of your body. As long as you don’t leave them in your car, direct sunlight, on the oven, etc. It works great! This was the first product I made for my spa business. You can also change the ratio of ingredients depending on where you live to make the bars more firm & withstand the heat better! Best of luck!
Is it possible to try adding citric acid to help preserve the lotion? I have used it in hair care that I’ve made to make it last longer. Just a thought
i’d rather not use coconut oil. Can i do a straight swap with shea butter or maybe half shea and half cocoa butter?
Sure, give it a try and let me know how it goes. 🙂
I loved this recipe and made a little extra to be able to have enough in multiple bathrooms and at work. My hands felt great after just a few uses. It whipped beautifully, etc. My only problem is that by the time 2 weeks were up, even with using vitaminE, all my small bottles had molded. Do you have any suggestions to help prevent this? Is this likely due to the water?
Hi, Cindy! I don’t know if you ever received my previous reply. I’ve been switching to a new host so there were like two versions of my website in existence at that time until I was completely transferred. I had responded before, but now it’s showing me your comment unapproved and my answer nowhere to be found. :-/ Le sigh. Anyway, to re-answer–it may very well be weather and where you live. I personally live in a dry state so my lotion will last around a month before molding. The more humid and lower in altitude you are and hotter you are the quicker it’ll start to turn. You could try increasing the amount of vitamin E oil and see if that helps. Otherwise, I’d just make smaller batches that can be used up in that time frame or store it in the fridge overnight or when not in use. You could maybe even try freezing that, but that might change its consistency (haven’t tried it but it sounds interesting, lol).
TJ,
Thank you so much for the reply. I had not received the original response. I am considering making a much smaller batch this time and using homemade magnesium oil as a replacement for the water. I’ll let you know my results. I am hoping this will help with the molding too since the magnesium should made the water not so perishable.
I just stocked up on GSE and VitE, so I will add a little extra.
~Cindy
It seems like it would take a whole bottle of vitamin e capsules to equal one tablespoon. I have used only two or three capsules for creams in the past. I heard that grapefruit seed extract works to preserve things but not sure if I would still need a tablespoon or just 10 or so drops. Can you help me figure out a way to preserve this or how many pills I would need? Thanks so much! :)))
Hi, Cindy! Sorry for the super late reply. My website’s been transitioning to a new host so I’m really behind on everything! I buy the vitamin E oil in a bottle, not as capsules, so I’m not sure. It’d also depend on the size of the capsules. You may just have to squeeze them into a measuring spoon till you get enough or save yourself the trouble and buy a bottle of just liquid E. You could try grapefruit seed extract, but if you research it, that is not a natural product at all, so it would depend on your preference.
Also, some of my readers have been having trouble with using vitamin E to extend the lotion’s shelf. Like it works for a couple weeks then starts to mold. So I’d say (and this will depend on where you live–I happen to live in a pretty dry area so my lotion lasts about a month before molding) make it in smaller batches and/or store it in the fridge to extend it. Otherwise, there really isn’t anything all natural and healthful that I’ve thus far found that makes it last longer, unfortunately. 🙁
How is this oiliness of this lotion. Any lotion I’ve made in the past wih Shea and coconut seems to be too oily?
I’d say it’s more creamy than oily. But I know that I don’t always notice that “oily” feeling. I have a friend that does and can’t stand any hand lotion or cream except the bars. You can try making a miniature batch (like quarter it) at first to see if it’s a consistency you like. 🙂
Sarah,
The oily feel is somewhat subjective. I don’t think it is, but I’ve been using homemade lotion for a long time. In fact when I use store bought lotion I hate the feeling! 🙂 I did find it was a tad sticky with the honey, although the honey has great properties. I’ve decided that making smaller batches is the way to go so you can alter recipes to fit your personal preferences/needs.
Cindy
First -Thank you for the recipe! I’ve used it several times over the past year and have had good, if a little inconsistent, results. I use the lotion nearly every day as a post-shower full body lotion and a batch will last me about 45-60 days. I usually make the shea butter version. Some tips that may help others –
Without the oatmeal this will last much longer, up to a couple months. I love the properties it imparts, but mine went off too quickly both times. Now I just use distilled water.
Warming the water slightly can help it emulsify with the wax/oils. Mine will still usually get little pockets of water separation, but it’s still far better than sticky store bought gunk.
I use wide mouth pint mason jars with the plastic lids for easy storing and scooping – a batch makes one for the bathroom and one in the fridge for later. I have tried pump bottles and squeeze bottles for this and it hasn’t worked well for me, since the finished product is too thick and/or breaks.
Replacing a bit of the water with pure aloe vera gel is a great way to get some added nourishment.
thank you this was very helpful.
Thank you!l for confirming what I thought. Use without oatmeal. Mine started smelling now no oatmeal and lasts for months
I made it about three weeks ago. I found it to be kind of dry feeling but was getting used to it. Then I started to notice a discoloration, upon further investigation I realized it was molding. I had to throw both bottles which I had purchased away along with the lotion. It turned out to be a fairly expensive piece of trash.
Yep, if you’re used to store-bought lotions, this one takes getting used to because of it’s natural composition. And, yes, I’d stick to making small batches. Depending on where you live (humid, lower altitude areas are the worst), it can mold pretty quickly. That’s too bad you threw away the bottles. 🙁 I’ve always been able to wash out and reuse mine. Been using the same pump and bottle for about 2 years now. 🙂 I do keep a close eye on it and as soon as it appears to be going bad (takes about 4 weeks where I live–I’ve figured out how much I go through during that time though, so I typically don’t have much if any waste), I wash the pump and bottle.
Some of my readers and a few of my friends who make this lotion store it in the fridge so it lasts a bit longer (one friend who lives in the same town keeps hers for 6 weeks by storing it in the fridge).
And I am working on an improved version of the pumpable lotion that will hopefully last longer, especially for those readers who live in the more humid/sea level climates. 🙂 I have a couple friend down south by the coast that are helping me test it.
How many drops of essential oils total would you recommend using?
Depends on the oil, it’s application (like whether you’re adding it to help with blemishes, for the smell, etc.), your sensitivy. I typically stick to about 10 to 15 drops of lemon essential oil. 🙂
Any suggestions for scents other than essential oils?
Extracts maybe like vanilla, almond.
Decided to make this today and wished I hadn’t waited so long to make this!!! I cut the ratios by half (yield 6 oz of lotion) and followed the instructions to the exact “T” and it turned out just like a typical lotion!! I did some light dish washing and my hands didn’t feel dry like it normally would have.
Thinking of giving this recipe at try – pumpable lotion. Can I use Steel Cut Oats instead of Old Fashioned Oats?
Never tried it that way, but if you could give it a try let me know. 🙂 Seems like it should work fine.
Hello,
I am about to embark on this recipe with a few of my own twists. First, I used steel cut oats to make my “milk”. I lightly boiled the oats in a pan with some water until soft then ground them in a blender. I then strained them through two different grades of mesh strainers from larger gaps to smaller. Finally I strained it through a reusable coffee filter. This took forever seeing that the holes in the mesh are all but microscopic but stirring helped to move it along. What resulted was a very nice and thick oatmeal milk that had no chunks whatsoever. This is worth the process because you get all of the benefits of the oatmeal without the gritty feel. I am using shea and cocoa butters as well as coconut, jojoba, argan, carrot, and Jamaican black castor oils and a few Tbsp of beeswax. Actually, the list goes on further but my point is that most recipes like these have room for playing. I have an organic skin care business so I have all of these ingredients and more on hand. I have never tried using oatmeal in a recipe before so I have my fingers crossed that this works and does not separate like others have claimed. I am going to let my oil/wax cool a bit at room temp but I feel that with past experiences blending the water with the hot oils allow them to fuse better. As to not kill the properties of the essential oils I will add them once the mixture has cooled some. Another new thing for me will be the addition of a preservative called Preserve Eco. It has been considered to be safe world wide, and though I purposely skip preservatives in my deodorants and salves that I sell in stores on online, I am looking to make a less greasy lotion as Christmas gifts for friends and family and the best way to do that is with the use of water. After extensive research I have found that Vit E , grape seed oil, citric acid and others will not do the trick safely and extensively.
Thank you for the recipe! I am going to get at it and I will report back on the results!
Lynette Foxen
~Foxen Organics
Well guys, it came out beautifully! I started out trying to fuse it hot with with the oatmeal milk and wax/oils but lost my patience so I put it in the fridge to solidify it more. It is important that it is blended before it is sent off to cool. My immersion blender quit on me so I pulled out my trusty hand mixer I have dedicated to skin care alone. I kept the mixer flush with the bottom of my pan and did not have any issues with air bubbles. I will say that it was kind of difficult to mask the oatmeal scent but in the end I came up with a lovely orange cream scent that is light and delicious! I am excited to package this wonderful lotion in my cute little Mason jars with their pumps and lids. I know my friends and family are going to love it!
Thank you again for the inspiration, TJ!
U know, I think it is a good idea to replace water with herbal infusion- which is a glorified name for simple strong tea of any kind. I saw many women use strong green ,chamomile or other teas to replace water in natural skincare recipes…- adds therapeutic benefits an a bit of color…
Dear TJ would u let me know how shelf stable this lotion is?
Does it stay fresh long or not since there are no preservatives?
Is it oily or light?
Thank you!
HI! I find it pretty light, but I like oily, deeply moisturizing things, so you may have to try it to see if you like it. 🙂 If you read through the comments above, you’ll learn a lot about lotion making! I’m working on a revised recipe that omits the oatmeal water in order to make it more shelf-stable. It varies based on where you live, humidity, altitude, and so on, for how long it’ll last before molding.
Could you possibly soak the oats in the liquid ingredients and for go the water altogether? Then you don’t have anything that can mold?
You could try it. 🙂
Sara, Have you tried alternate liquids? If so, how did it compare to the water?
I am allergic to all flower smells is there another essential oil I could use besides lavender? Last time I was around lavender I ended up in the E.R. rescue inhaler didn’t work.( :,-( ) thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Hi, Nadine. I could see orange or lemon essential oil doing well in this recipe. 🙂 Always use precaution when using essential oils because, yeah, you never know when you might have a reaction. 🙂
I can’t wait to try your recipe for pumpable lotion. I have been trying to find a recipe that actually pumps for about two years. I have successfully made some beautiful creams, balms and salves. A couple tips, I always use distilled water. Another tip, I always sanitize utensils and jars with alcohol. This is different than the long process of sterilizing. The alcohol evaporates quickly taking with it the bacteria. I have only lost the remnants of one batch of cream after three months. Thanks
Hi TJ,
I have celiac and cannot eat or use wheat products, therefore I cannot use the oatmeal ingredient for this lotion. Can I substitute quinoa flakes for oatmeal to make this lotion?
Hi, Catrina. Sure, go ahead and give it a try and see how works. Let me know how it goes. 🙂 Have a great day!
Catrina, There seems to be a lot more gluten free products available now a days. You’ll pay for it since it has to be processed in an allergy-friendly facility, but I’ve seen gluten free oats at many stores, to include Wal-Mart.
Hello,
Wondering if instead of oatmeal water you could just grind the oatmeal into a flour and use it like that?
Hi Micky. I believe the lotion would be gritty if you added the oatmeal as flour. If you really want to skip the water all together you could go ahead and experiment by melting 6 tbsp oil with 1/2 tbsp beeswax. Once melted add 1 tsp of flour and mix thoroughly. Check for consistency once completely cooled. This will allow for you to have an idea of what it will feel like without wasting a lot of expensive ingredients. If you like it you could proceed as planned but you will want to increase your oils to make up for the loss of water, though. I would add an extra cup.The end result will be more like a solid salve if enough oil isn’t added. The lotion may have a greasy feel with the lack of water to help thin it out. If you research you can find oils with a less greasy feel. Grape seed and jojoba are two good ones.
Please let us know how it goes. I hope my response helped!
Im using mason jars with pump tops instead of a normal bottle. It scoops in there easier.
Where do you get pump tops for mason jars??
I usually get them off of Etsy. 🙂
I don’t know about everyone else, but I had a hard time finding pumpable lotion recipes, this is the one that kept coming up, but I didn’t have oatmeal and I also didn’t want to wait so many hours before I was able to make it! Anyway….I made it! I love it, and with some substitutions because Mr. I-THINK-Im-Allergic-to-Coconut, it still came out very well. I’m going to make one specifically for me with the coconut oil. Since TJ suggested that Shea could be used for 1/4of the codonut oil, that’s what I did. And the other 1/4 was grapeseed oil. For the half cup of oil I used EVOO because that’s what I had a lot of at home, and I am so pleased with the results!! I added rosemary and lavender but the scent is really overpowered by the Shea butter….which is not necessarily a bad thing. But I’m mad at myself because of I would have went out and got the oatmeal I would not have found another recipe online…which sucks!! I’m still trying to fix it while I enjoy this deep, rich, penetrating PUMPABLE lotion!
This is the first pumpable homemade lotion I’ve seen that I thought I might like to try. Thank you for sharing it!
Did you ever follow up with a more shelf-stable pumpable lotion?
Nope, not yet. It’s in the developmental and testing stages. 🙂
I made a small batch and it turned out perfect. I used half Shea butter and half coconut oil and substituted 1/4 of the almond oil with calendula oil to promote healing.
It’s showing to add vit. E. But in the instructions it doesn’t say when to add the vit. E oil! So when do you add the vit. E oil?
I made this and it turned out great at first. At the end of the first week, all of the water separated and the lotion became very thick and I could no longer pump it. It worked beautifully in the beginning, and I did whip it until all the water was emulsified. Any thoughts as to why this happened and what I can do differently so that the water doesn’t separate from the lotion? Thank you!
If you leave out the oatmeal water will it mold? I’m not sure what gets moldy in the recipe.
Chesley
Just made this and it turned out beautifully. I added a tablespoon of vegetable glycerin and I subbed food grade aloe vera for the water, and it emulsified nicely – even better after I added extra aloe vera (so 1 cup total). Thanks so much for this recipe! I added 12 drops of the GSE to help it last longer – does anybody know how long the GSE helps it keep? I read a lot of commenters who said theirs molded. I got my GSE at the Vitamin Shoppe and on the bottle it says the ingredients are vegetable glycerin and grapefruit seed extract. No chemicals, unless they’re hidden? Also, I feel like the GSE gave a slight smell to the lotion, mildly chemical-like. Anybody else have this experience?
Update – mine spoiled within one week, despite the GSE. 🙁 I didn’t refrigerate it, but I’ll refrigerate the next batch for sure.
The recipe worked great for me. I’m 8 months pregnant and I’ve become so itchy from head to toe during my third trimester. I was contantly slathering on lotion that didn’t help. I love the way this lotion smells too. I found sweet almond oil at walmart. It makes the lotion smell like marzipan. I didn’t buy enough of it so I used 1/4 almond oil and 1/4 cup of olive oil. It turned out great. I plan on keeping mine in the fridge to make it last longer.
Can i substitute the water with coconut milk ?
Thank u for receipt. So great!!!
Hi…
Thank you for this recipe
I just made this lotion. Came out fine. I got a little more than 1/2 cup of oatmeal water, 2/3 c to be exact so I used a little more beeswax and a bit of stearic acid. In addition to the Vit E oil, I added some Calendula oil and Aloe Vera Oil. My essential oils were Tea Tree, Lavender and Lemon. I decided to experiment with this so I added a bit of Lily of the Valley fragrance oil. Wow this lotion feels great on my skin. It’s not greasy at all. Thank you.
I wonder if the tea tree oil would repel mold?
Instructions do not note when to add the vitamin E oil???
Please, please, please help me troubleshoot this lotion. I as well have a pool of liquid that won’t blend. I tried both room temperature after I let my over-hardened batch sit out overnight, and also after putting it back in the fridge for about 15-30 minutes. I tried adding just 1/8 cup of arrowroot powder, but no change.
It’s crucial I save this batch, because I tripled the recipe for my new bath and body business. I’m deep in the hole with no profits yet, and I also have a full $10 bottle of the root preservative in there (which according to their chart I don’t even think is enough!). So yea, I have a lot invested in this, and it would mean the WORLD to me if you could help me save it.
I recently threw away all that diy-make-your-own-cosmetic-stuff because I haven’t produced something for ages and a lot of the ingredients were not usable anymore.
So, just a few weeks ago I found my love for essential oils and came up with the idea (not to say obsession) to create a lotion for my hands and body.
Looking for a recipe with the few ingredients I had kept I stumbled upon your recipe and had all the ingredients here.
I used normal water instead of oatmeal water, added some Aloe Vera and preservative into it, checked the temperature of the melted oil and added the water with the same temperature.
I mixed it with an immersion blender, and stirred it by hand in the sink filled with cold water until hand temperature.
The result is amazing, smooth and soft and very rich. I can say a little will go a long way!
Cut long story short, having both oil and water the same temperature makes a huge difference.
Maybe this helps somebody having problems with the recipe.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Greetings from Switzerland
Christina
Hi Christina! Thank you so much for your contribution!! I made this a few years ago, and while it turned out wonderfully enough for me to hand it out in cute little hand pump Mason jars as gifts, I was humiliated to find that it separated after a few weeks then went bad!! I believe I used Preservative Eco as well. Please let us know how your recipe is holding up in a few weeks. It was so long ago that I can’t remember my own process to pinpoint where I went wrong.
Greetings from Minneapolis, Minnesota
Lynette
What perservstive did you use?
Made this lotion and love it. The only problem that I am having is when I put the pump in the bottle the straw cuts straight down through the lotion and won’t pump up the lotion. It seems as though my lotion came out to thick??
Any troubleshooting suggestions?
Have been looking for a softer lotion that didn’t need to melt slightly to get it into the skin like the usual butters – this is perfect! I used emulsifying wax and just kept whisking until it looked good. It did thicken slightly more after I decanted it into a wide necked shallow jar.
Recipe was easy to follow. It could have mentioned that the coconut oil used should be the type that you melt. Reading comments helped determine that. Consistency was thick like custard but not whipped. I figured that would be acceptable in a pump anyway. I added lime essential oil…mixed with the smell of coconut is heaven. I hope it works. Seems like the stuff I purchased at the salon was drying out my hands instead of moisturizing so I figure this has got to be 100% better and better for me anyway.
I have made this and love it. I used lime essential oil to mix with the scent of the coconut. My oh my. Better than those expensive spa skin products. Those actually dried out my hands. However, I would not recommend putting in fridge as I made enough to fill 3 average pump bottles (cobalt blue) and placed two in fridge but decided to bring one to my office. If you’re ok to heat for 10 seconds in the microwave it usually softens up enough to pump but it doesn’t stay that way and you have to keep doing it every week whereas the one that was never refrigerated is perfect after 4 weeks. No mold and stays pumpable. I love this lotion and will make it again – just a smaller batch.
Have tried using distilled water I know I’ve used it in other recipes it did make it last a little longer. Can I use Shea butter instead of coconut allergic to coconut.
I read in one comment someone uses “preserve eco” to preserve the lotion. Where were you able to purchase this. Thanks so much!!
I’m a visual person. Any time somebody can post pictures for each step or even videos would be absolutely awesome. That way I know what it should look like every step of the way.
Thank you. I will try this…
Omg!!!! Thank you!!!!
Just made it with jojoba oil & Young Living essential oils…. so creamy dreamy!!!! How long does it last before it goes south?
Xo,
Vessy Mink
Fabulous recipe. Mine didn’t mould even though i live in a hot and humid place. I kept it at least a month. I did swap in calendula infused olive oil in place of the almond oil and a little bit of shae butter because I had it lying around. I made a small batch and I totally loved it. Just about to make some more now!
Thanks.
Hi everyone! I’m a biological scientist who loves to my knowledge of science and herbal care to make beauty products for my family. I started doing this because I have a genetic disorder called Ehler Danlos Syndrome, which makes my skin very fragile and thin. My son and husband also have seasonal eczema.
I was reading through the comments about issues with the finished product going rancid. My personal solution, from experience and experimentation, would be to replace the water with Aloe Vera Juice. It will extract the Sativa (oat) compounds just as well as water, but is highly resistant to rancidity.
The science behind this is as follows:
Aloe vera juice is high in polysaccharides and acylated malic acid carbohydrates. These substances are often used in laboratory settings to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth.
Another positive point of using aloe vera juice is that it enhances absorption both in trans-dermal uses and intestinal uses of larger macromolecules.
This means that the skin’s absorption of the vitamin E, other vitamins, and minerals is increased as well.
Finally, while Vitamin E and rosemary essential oils do reduce microbial growth, they do not fully inhibit it. Using Aloe Vera Juice provides a high inhibition of microbial growth, and lends the much needed protection from rancidity. Shelf stability is increased to about 1 yr.
You can directly replace the water with aloe juice. Hope this helps!
Thank You!!! The aloe Vera juice I bought says to refrigerate after opened & use within 10 days but it will make lotion last up to a year? I did use the bee improvised recipe tonight & it turned out perfect just concerned about stability.
I loved this recipe and I added vanilla bean seeds so it smells scrumptious. Can I make this without coconut oil? I would like a lighter lotion. What oils do you recommend for a lighter lotion?
I love it, but being vegan, could I make it without the bees wax and the honey? What might work in its place?
Seems like an I retesting recipe but would be so much easier to substitute emulsifying wax for the beeswax to reduce breaking and a little preservative, like germall would still create a safe natural product.
Hi, I’ve just came across your recipe and will give it a go in the future. I’m hoping you can offer me some advice in the meantime. I have a hand cream which is excellent for very dry hands but wanted to use it in a pump bottle, I thought the consistency would be ok but sadly it’s too thick. Could you please offer any advice on how I can thin this down and without limiting its lifespan? I really hope you don’t mind me asking. Thank you in advance for any assistance.
Followed this recipe, but used what I had on hand. So 1/2 Almond Oil, 1/4 cup jojoba oil, 1/4 Shea butter, 3 Tb Beeswax, 1 TB honey. Added a tablespoon of vitamin e. Got most of those items on amazon. I refrigerated the oils and then brought it to room temp. I slowly incorporated 1/2 c or so of the oatmeal water and several drops of green tea essential oil. Turned out great! Will definitely make again!
I can’t wait to make this. I saw some message about a typo and am wondering if the recipe on this page is correct?
Hi there, can I make this without the vitamin e oil?
What’s the shelf life?
I have found many recipes being “homemade lotion”, but this is the only one that actually turned out more of a lotion instead of a butter. I do wish I could figure out how to make it less greasy .. I tried arrowroot powder but that isn’t seeming to work either .. any suggestions ?
I add arrowroot powder when I’m whipping the lotion it absorbs better and feels less greasy. Also I add natural preservative because any time you add water mold can grow
What preservatives do you add? I’d like mine to last a long time.
Hello,
I seen some comments from last year but just checking if there was any ways anyone has found to extend the shelf life! I made this lotion tonight and it came out perfectly. Wondered if using the aloe Vera juice & oatmeal is what causes it go not last as long…what can I replace aloe Vera juice with instead and I could omit the oatmeal to extend shelf life. Any other thoughts? Thank You!
What about colloidal silver for a preservative?