On your search for a good body lotion, you come across more brands and products than one person can list. And although my personal requirements for a body lotion are not that crazy or special, it is not as easy as you think to find a suitable product.

Many body lotions contain ingredients that can be harmful not only to the environment, but also to you. Particulary big brands are known for the use of e.g. environmentally harmful soluble plastic compounds or petroleum.

This gave me the idea to try a self-made, waste-free body lotion with shea butter and coconut oil. My goal for a rich body lotion was to only use natural ingredients that are neither harmful to me nor the environment. Another goal was not to smell bad after using the body lotion (as I said before, my body lotion requirements are not impossible to meet).

Shea butter has numerous ingredients that have a moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effect. It has a high vitamin E content, which is why shea butter is particularly suitable for skin care. The shea butter is also said to have an anti-aging effect because it can counteract the formation of wrinkles and the aging process. Due to the ingredient allantoin, shea butter has an anti-inflammatory effect and has a positive influence on wound healing, which is why shea butter can also provide relief for dry and eczema-prone skin as well as skin diseases such as neurodermatitis or psoriasis. Shea butter is also effective for scars. The shea butter does not replace sunscreen, but it has natural sun protection.

Coconut oil is quickly absorbed into the skin, is moisturizing, nourishes and heals the skin. It has an antibacterial effect and promotes wound healing. Coconut oil is also a form of sun protection. In addition, the ingredient lauric acid can work against acne.

Long story short, here’s how I made my own body lotion at home!

What do you need?

  • 220g shea butter
  • 100g coconut oil
  • Volatile oil
  • Olive oil

Work materials

  • Blender
  • Spatula
  • Empty Container
  • 2 spoons
  • Large metal/glass bowl
  • Scale
  • Pot (for the water quench)

Step 1

Put 220g of shea butter, a dash of olive oil and 100g of coconut oil in a bowl and mix them with a blender. Make sure that the coconut oil is not liquid (if so, put it in the fridge for a few minutes). The mixture should have a relatively even consistency.

Step 2

Since the mixture is now full of small pieces of shea butter, place the bowl over a pot with boiling water until everything is liquid.

This is why you should use a metal or glass bowl as the water spout would not work with a plastic bowl.

After the mixture is liquid and all the little bits are gone, put it in the fridge for at least an hour. Note that the bowl will likely still be hot after quenching. So don’t burn yourself and use potholders.

Step 3

As soon as the mixture has cooled down, the next step is to whip it until it has the desired white color and is no longer as fluid as before. As this may take several minutes, please be patient.

Step 4

Now it’s time to add the last ingredient, the essential oil. In my case, I used the lemon kind. The lemon fragrance goes very well with the smell of coconut and gives me all the sunshiney feelings I want in summer.ime.

How much essential oil you need depends on the oil itself and your personal preferences. I would recommend adding only 15 drops to the mixture first, then stirring with the spatula and possibly adding more afterwards. This is the safest way to avoid getting an overwhelming or bad smell.l.

Step 5

Last but not least, the last step is to put the mixture in the empty container.

Personally, I used an empty shampoo container from Lush (an animal-friendly, vegetarian brand). But of course you can also just use an old glass container that is probably lying around anyway.

Now enjoy your brand new, self-made, zero waste body lotion! If you want to see a little video about how I made the body lotion at home, check out the zero waste highlight on our Instagram account!

Psst … it is also a great lip care product!