Making your own handmade plastic pump head lotion for the first time can be intimidating. If you’ve never made lotion before, I would recommend using a tried-and-true recipe to get a feel for the process. You can find a variety of recipes here. Once you have a grasp on the basics, you may be interested in formulating a customized lotion recipe. It can be tricky to know how much water, oils and emulsifiers are needed to create a stable product. The great thing about creating a lotion recipe is that you can customize it to be the texture you love.
　　The first thing to understand when making your own lotion is the basic ingredients. Lotion is created by combining oils and water with an emulsifier. The texture of your lotion will depend on the proportions of each ingredient and the type of emulsifier and oils. Additional ingredients such as glycerin, thickeners, fragrance and color can also be added. Typically body butters do not contain any water and are made completely out of oils and butters. To see lotion making in action, check out the How to Make Lotion from Scratch video below.
　　Usually the main ingredient of a lotion recipe is water. Water typically makes up about 70-80% of a lotion recipe. Using more water results in a thinner and lighter lotion. Oils and butters are usually used around 10-25% of the recipe. Using a larger percentage of oils and butters in the recipe will usually result in a thicker heavier lotion. The type of oil and butter used also plays a huge role in the lotion texture. For example, adding a lightweight oil like sweet almond oil gives lotion very different properties than adding cocoa butter. Below are some of my favorite lotion-making oils and butters. Keep in mind you are not limited to this list of oils and butters; these are just some of my favorites. =)
　　Lotion Making Oil and Butters
　　Sweet Almond Oil: Lightweight and odorless, sweet almond oil is a great option for lightweight lotion recipes. It has a rich concentration of oleic fatty acid and linoleic essential fatty acids, making it a skin-loving addition to any recipe. In lotion, it leaves skin feeling hydrated and non-greasy. A great alternative to sweet almond oil is apricot kernel oil. Find sweet almond oil in this recipe.
　　Avocado Oil: A mediumweight oil, avocado oil is nearly odorless and colorless. It is easily absorbed in the skin, making it a popular choice for lotion and creams. It contains a large amount of oleic acid which contributes to its conditioning properties. Find avocado oil in this recipe.
　　Shea Butter: Soft and moisturizing, shea butter gives lotion a slightly thicker consistency. As a heavier butter, it leaves skin feeling somewhat greasy but it is quick to absorb into the skin. Find shea butter in this recipe.
　　Sunflower Oil: High in vitamin E and oleic fatty acid, sunflower oil is both lightweight and moisturizing. It does tend to leave a slightly more greasy feeling in lotions than other lightweight oil options, like sweet almond or avocado. Find sunflower oil in this recipe.
　　Emulsifiers are typically used around 10% or less in a lotion recipe. An emulsifier is key to creating a successful lotion. The emulsifier binds the water and oil together. The last thing you want is for the oils and water in your lotion recipe to separate. Various emulsifiers have different binding strengths and properties, so it’s important to consider which emulsifier is best for your recipe.
　　In addition to emulsifiers, there is another category of products referred to as co-emulsifiers. These ingredients are not meant to emulsify oils and water on their own, but will help to stabilize an existing emulsion. Co-emulsifiers often help to thicken products as well. A recipe does not require a co-emulsifier, but they often create a more stable and creamy product. Below are popular lotion emuslifiers, co-emulsifiers and their properties.
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