The random number generator pulled numbers 6 & 30 this morning. Congratulations to Patricia and Harriet, I’ve already contacted you! You will be getting a great package in the mail from Mountain Rose Herbs soon so you can try making your own homemade lotion!
Thank you to all who entered and suggested homemade body care things they’d like to learn how to make. Although I didn’t do an official count it looked like body butter and shampoo where some of the top items. Now tell me, is body butter like a thick lotion? I don’t think I’ve used a body butter before. And lip balm was a popular suggestion too. What do you think, is lip balm the same as chapstick, but in a little tin rather than in a tube? Maybe lip balm should have a little colorful tint, I want to work on that. As you can tell I stick to the basics when it comes to body care, soap, lotion, chapstick. I guess this warrants a trip to a body care store for a little research, doesn’t it? That may be the perfect thing to do on this rainy weekend.
I think it would be fun to learn how to make an actual shampoo, rather than a baking soda wash, too. I’ll be your guinea pig, how’s that? I’ll try it out and let you know how it goes.
One of the best suggestions on things to make came from two people: Mascara! I don’t know if it’s even possible to make your own. For me, if I could only pick one item of make up to wear, it would probably be mascara. The cheap stuff is gross and the ‘natural’ seeming kinds are so very expensive for something you really should replace every couple of months.
Another suggestion that popped up often was how to make soap. I’ve made soap a handful of times and I need to make another batch, so I’ll photograph the process for you. I’m far from an expert in the subject, but as with everything else, I try and make it simple for myself and if I can make it look simple for you, it will be motivation enough to try. Soap leads me to another thing many of you wanted to try, which was body wash. Unless you can tell me an honest benefit of body wash, I say don’t use the stuff. About three years ago, maybe four, I read an article on npr (can’t find it now!) that talked about how body wash is so highly popular these days and asked what happened to good ol’ soap. Turns out the big soap companies realized that they could make body wash, which is mainly water, for so much less than they could make soap and could also market it for a much higher price tag, which meant a lot higher profit margin for them. So body wash got pushed out there big time. They market body wash as being a sexy thing, which is totally true when you watch the commercials, right? But it’s just watered down soap! There are plenty of moisturizing, good for the skin soaps, just use those. Soap is sexy.
Above is a new lotion/salve concoction I’ve been working on with calendula/rose petal/nettle/helichrysum flower infused oil and with sea buckthorn oil. Very fun! Still needs to be perfected, but its luscious. Almost as sexy as soap. Have a great weekend!
I would absolutely LOVE to find a recipe for mascara, it’s pretty much all I use, besides my homemade face powder (made from cocoa–it’s on my blog) and some chapstick (matter of fact, a friend made some for me from YOUR recipe that I use sometimes, btw!). Mascara would be awesome!
Mascara? I’ve made it with aloe gel and activated charcoal. It’s black, but not lengthening or thickening. Would love a better recipe. And a way to store it.
Really? That sounds interesting. Did you apply it with a mascara brush? I think I’ll try this! Thanks Gina!
I came across this recipe. Is it what you did? http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/11/natural-homemade-mascara.html
Congrats to the winners!!! I was really hoping my number/name would be picked!!!! Very interesting about “body wash”….I think I have to agree with what you shared. I also agree that soap is very sexy!! And I’d love the receipe for the picture on the bottom of the post; once you perfect it of course! ; )
Thanks!!
Darby
Yes, I’d say that body butter is a thicker moisturizer than lotion. My whipped butter has a shea butter base that makes it thick, rich and creamy. When I think of lotion, I think of a moisturizer that is a bit runny. I think of lotion as a liquid whereas body butter is more of a solid, but it does melt when you apply it to your skin.
The ingredients in that pot look amazing. Amazing. I cannot even fathom a homemade mascara. Let’s get on this yes?
I also have a confession. I’ve been secretly trying the no shampoo thing. My hair looks *awesome*. I am totally hooked on this blog. Thanks for all the cool stuff you share.
Congrats to the winners!
This “make your own lotion” is just the kind of playing around that lead me to creating my own company. Now I can’t stop! …be careful!
To me, body butter is what I get when I make the beeswax lotion. It has a butter-like texture, as opposed to lotion, which is thick, and ‘runs’. Lip balm? I don’t equate it to what we get in a tube (although I like Burt’s Bees), but more what you would find in a small tin, applied with the finger… As for shampoo, I’m currently using a hand-made shampoo that is in a bar, simply rub it on your hair a few swipes… it’s really good, and I’d love to make something like that…
To me, body butter is thick and lotion is thinner. I think there is a technical definition somewhere but that’s how I define it.
The blog “Swifty Crafty Monkey” has fantastic tutorials for creating recipes for body butters, lotions, and creams. It’s really worth the time it takes to read.
I don’t use body wash, I use my own homemade soap. I find it to be less irratating. I actually have a post on my blog detailing how I went about making it too!
I know when I said lip balm I was thinking how I wanted to make your chap stick. The idea about the tin saves me trouble ordering the plastic tubes :).
As far as things you haven’t posted… I’m curious about turning your lotion into sunscreen.
My husband and I use two things in our shower… bar soap and baking soda. This is more then enough! Okay, well we have a little exfoliating scrubby thing made out of some sort of plant, I can’t remember, maybe hemp… but that’s it. And we come out squeaky clean and feeling great every time!
After making my own body butters and lotions and all of my research, lotions usually have water in them whereas body butters don’t. Lotion is runny and you can pump it out of a container or squeeze it. HOWEVER, we were in Hawaii and bought some “lotion” from a wonderful vender. Anyway, his “lotion” although wonderful and I’d love to reproduce, is really a cream.
Chapstick is a brand name of a lip balm. I think anything that moisturizes your lips is a lip balm (stick or tin). I was surprised that you called yours Chapstick! Home-made mascara sounds awesome-I’m allergic to most.
Another good reason to stick to bar soap and skip the body wash – preservatives! ANY product that has water added – and it does not matter if the water is part of a stand alone ingredient like aloe vera or a botanical hydrosol – water added means the formula has to have preservation addressed because otherwise potentially dangerous bacteria will grow. Bar soaps don’t need preservatives – they are chemically a ‘salt’ and so are naturally self preserved!
I made the mascara with the activated charcoal and aloe gel. I had fun trying but to no avail
The mixture did not stay on my eyelashes. I added a tiny bit of thickner,(Xanthum Gum). It just made it thick but STILL would not stick to my eyelashes. Plus, it didn’t seem to dry so whenever I checked, it would just rub right off onto my fingers. I used a couple of different styles of clean brushes from my mascara tubes. It didn’t seem to matter. Anyone with any other ideas??
Also, I want to thank you for your recipe’s! I have made the lotion and lip balm and LOVE them!!! I’ve used different essential oils to scent them and can’t say enough about it all! <3 Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
P.S. Can't wait to try the "no shampoo" thing with Arm and Hammer . . . hee hee . . . .
I like the idea of making your own lotion, I have mixed herbs with lotion that I have bought at the store, but I have not taken the step to make my own lotion from scratch. I will have to experiment! There used to be a show on the BBC that was all about making your own shampoo and other health products at home, I think that making your own skin care products would be very satisfying!
I made your hand lotion last night and just LOVE it! I’ve been making my own creams for a while now, with limited success and, living in Bermuda, find that they usually separate. Not this one! So easy to make, I loved stirring as it was setting, very therapeutic! Am waiting with baited breath for your soap recipe – I have scoured the internet for lye free soap recipes, and whilst they’re out there, they haven’t really pushed any buttons with me. I have finally, after 17 years, successfully grown lavender which is in bloom right now and would love to incorporate some in a homemade soap. So hurry!!! Thanks for this wonderful site
Hi,
I am so grateful for this gift of Mountain Rose Herbs! Made my first batch of Homemade Hand Lotion last night and, though it wasn’t a complete success-a little water did not emulsify, but I think I simply did not pay close enough attention to the temperatures. These ingredients are wonderful and my friends and I will be well-taken care of in the lotion department.
This winter I made beeswax lotion using your recipe for Christmas presents, using beeswax from my own hives (here in Maine). It was so rewarding and popular, and I am so happy to have this new lotion project to add to my repertoire.
Thank you!
Harriet
My husband and I also prefer to use bar soap, it doesn’t dry out our skin the same as a “bodywash” usually does. I haven’t tried to make homemade lotion yet, but I have made a whipped shea/cocoa butter combo that has been awesome to use this winter, it just melts right in to your skin. No-Shampoo is great! FYI: “Chapstick” is a brand-name and lip balm is the generic name for what ever you might use to keep your lips moisturized. 😉
I have to tell you that I often use body wash or bath gels on a bath pouff in a good lather to shave. Then I don’t have to buy shaving cream.So I think it’s a good enough reason to make it, or rather I’d make it cause I’d use it.