Ever read the ingredients on the back of your lotion bottle?
Looking at the lotion bottle I used to use I see the following ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Pantolactone, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid.
Why does moisturizer need so many different things, and how do they affect my body?
Skin is permeable, so that Ceteareth-20 goes right on in... and then it ends up who knows where in the body. Yikes! I’m always skeptical of “safety” claims because I believe the big corporations can buy whatever safety claims they desire. In any case, I enjoy being my own “fact-checker” and discovering things for myself.
I've done quite a bit of due diligence research, and I find myself seeking more of a DIY, from-scratch lifestyle. After bending my brain over the ingredients in my lotion, I finally decided to make my own!
How do I make homemade lotion?
Easily! This recipe is for tallow lotion, so you need beef fat to get tallow. Mix olive oil with tallow over the stove, allow it to cool, add in essential oils, whip with a hand mixer, and you’re pretty much done!
How do I make tallow?
Get beef fat from the store or from your local farmer. Put it in the crockpot on Low for 6 to 8 hours; then break up the chunks throughout. The liquid is the tallow. Once most of the fat melts, strain the liquid through a cheese cloth to remove impurities. Place in the fridge to cool and become a solid. Examine the solid for impurities. If there are none, move forward with making your lotion products. If there are impurities in the liquid, repeat the crock pot process.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted beef tallow
2 tablespoons olive oil
20 to 50 drops of essential oil (I use lavender)
Directions:
**1) Melt the tallow gently in a pot over low heat. Add in the olive oil, turn off the heat, and place in the fridge to cool completely.
- Once cooled and solid, add in the essential oil and whip together with a handheld mixer until fluffy.
- Spatula into a jar and enjoy!**
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