In my previous blog posts on how to use and take benefit from Aloe Vera and how to care for this wonderful plant, I’ve promised some recipes to make your own moisturizing and soothing lotions with Aloe gel. Additionally, homemade Aloe Vera gel is very easy to make! Moreover, I have a lot of plants in and around my house, but if you do not have the supply at home or your plants are not of age to harvest them yet, you can use store-bought 100% pure Aloe Vera gel.
Aloe Vera is the secret to a healthy and young looking skin. The lotions work wonders on sunburns or dry skin and help the healing process of wounds. You can apply them safely on a daily basis, especially if you were out in the sun or an air-conditioned environment for almost the entire day.
So, go ahead and give one of those recipes a try. Moreover, they’re easy, quick and like most homemade natural cosmetics won’t cost you a fortune and they are free of skin-damaging chemicals such as parabens.
Almost all base lotions are made out of water and oil (2:1 ratio), emulsified with beeswax. Instead of water, we are going to use Aloe Vera gel to give the lotion a skin-boosting punch. Further, you can store the lotions in the fridge to improve its shelf life.
Why You Should Consider To Add The Following Ingredients To Your Homemade Lotions
Coconut oil
To begin with, coconut oil is known for its moisturizing properties as well as for its beautiful fragrance. Like Aloe Vera, coconut oil can be used to heal various skin problems such as eczema. Keep in mind that coconut oil is a solid mass below 76°F (25°C), so if you want to make use of coconut oil for its exceptional moisturizing properties mixed it with liquid oils before using it in your lotions.
Cacao or Shea butter
To make your lotion even more nourishing and smoother, I like to add cacao or Shea butter to my recipes. Both show great results in chapped areas. So, I mostly use those in my winter lotions.
Cocoa butter has a beautiful rich chocolate fragrance whereas Shea butter is completely odorless. So, if you’re planning to make a fragrance-free lotion or you wish to add essential oils, I would advise using Shea butter instead of the cacao butter which has a strong aroma and will blur the scent of your essential oils.
Glycerin or Honey
Both are humectants, and they enhance the moisturizing properties of your lotion and will give you an additional protection by binding the moisture onto your skin. So, if your skin is really dry from the sun, cold weather or air-conditioning, glycerin or honey are an excellent natural way to enrich your lotion. But be careful not to add too much or you’ll end up with a sticky lotion.
Essential Oils
If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you know that I’m a huge fan of essential oils. Not only for their beautiful fragrance but their benefits as well. So, go ahead and personalize your lotion with your favorite scent or add some of them to help you fight dry or greasy skin, acne, eczema, etc. Moreover, jasmine, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, rose, and lavender are all good examples of essential oils for an aging and dry skin.
Additionally, if you’re going to use essential oils, add a few drops to the watery substance (in our case to the Aloe Vera gel) prior to mixing them with the beeswax and oil.
Moreover, if you want to add a mixture of essential oils, first check if their fragrances are compatible. Add them to separate cotton buds and hold them together under your nose to see if they work well together.
ALSO READ: My Top 10 Essential Oils and Their Benefits
Vitamin E or C
These can be added to preserve the Aloe Vera gel or your lotion naturally. Moreover, aloe Vera gel oxidizes quickly, so adding vitamin C and E will help you to preserve Aloe gel in your refrigerator for a longer period. However, you can use the capsules or the oil.
Further, for every cup of Aloe Vera gel, blend or mix 2 grams or ½ teaspoon vitamin C (if you’re using tablets crush them into powder) and 1 gram or ¼ teaspoon (1600 IU) vitamin E together with the gel and pour into a sterilized container. If placed in a refrigerator it will keep at least one month.
Scroll down for my favorite DIY lotions with Aloe Vera gel.
Basic Aloe Vera Lotion
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Aloe Vera gel (fresh, preserved with vitamin C or E or store-bought if you don’t have your own supply)
- A teaspoon vitamin E oil
- ¾ ounce grated beeswax or beeswax pellets
- ½ cup sweet almond, jojoba or grapeseed oil (or any other vegetable oil of your choice, I like to use almond, jojoba or grapeseed oil because they are fast absorbed by the skin and will give you a non-greasy feeling)
- A tablespoon cacao butter or shea butter (optional)
- 10 drops of essential oils of your choice (optional)
How To…
- Wash your hands and workspace to avoid contaminations.
- If you’re using fresh material, harvest the Aloe Vera gel from the large succulent base leaves. Moreover, split the leaves down in the middle and open up. Further, scoop out the gel with a spoon or knife until you’ve got 1 cup.
- Melt the grated beeswax (beeswax is edible, so I use my regular hand grater and wash it with hot water afterward) and oils in a double boiler or pan over low heat.
- Combine the Aloe Vera Gel, vitamin E oil, and essential oils in a bowl
- Pour the melted oils into a blender or use mortar and pestle. I prefer to use a blender because it has a smoother result. Allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature. It is very important to cool down the mixture before adding the Aloe Vera. Both mixtures must be at about the same temperature in order to prevent separation.
- Start blending at low speed and add the Aloe Vera mixture slowly and continuously (a mixing bowl and hand-held electric mixer can also be used). Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure all ingredients are well mixed together.
- Blend until you’ve got a smooth, uniform lotion.
- Pour the lotion into a clean and, preferably, sterilized jar.
- You can store the lotion in the fridge to make sure It’s spoilage-free for at least one month.
Coconut Based Aloe Vera Lotion
Ingredients
- Half cup filtered water
- ½ teaspoon borax or sodium borate (water-softening agent)
- 10 drops of essential oils of your choice
- ¾ cup Aloe Vera gel (fresh, preserved with vitamin C or E or store-bought if you don’t have your own supply)
- Half cup organic coconut oil
- ½ cup of vegetable oil of your choice
How To…
- Wash your hands and workspace to avoid to contaminations.
- If you’re using fresh material, harvest the Aloe Vera gel from the large succulent base leaves. Moreover, split the leaves down in the middle and open up. Further, scoop out the gel with a spoon or knife until you’ve got 3/4 cup.
- Heat the filtered water and borax on a stove until just boiling and remove from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Furthermore, heat the coconut and vegetable oil in a separate pan until the oil liquefies. Remove from the stove and let it cool down.
- Pour the cooled coconut oil in a mixing bowl or blender and add the filtered water slowly and under continuous blending or stirring. Both must be at the same temperature to avoid separation.
- Add the essential oils to the Aloe Vera gel, Stir well and add to the coconut-water mixture and stir thoroughly or blend well until you’ve got a smooth looking lotion.
- Pour the lotion into a clean and, preferably, sterilized jar.
- You can store the lotions in the fridge to make sure they’re spoilage-free for at least one month.
Aloe Vera And Cucumber Lotion
Cucumbers are so rewarding to use in facial masks or lotions. The firm and tighten the skin and reduce water retention. They can help you to reduce swelling and puffiness around your eyes.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Aloe Vera gel (fresh, preserved with vitamin C or E or store-bought if you don’t have your own supply)
- A cucumber
- ½ cup organic coconut oil
- ½ cup of olive oil
Preparation
- Wash your hand and workspace to avoid to contaminated your lotion.
- If you’re using fresh material, harvest the Aloe Vera gel from the large succulent base leaves. Furthermore, split the leaves down in the middle and open up. Scoop out the gel with a spoon or knife until you’ve got 1/2 cup.
- Juice or blend the cucumber
- Heat the coconut oil with the olive oil on a stove until liquefied and let the mixture cool down.
- Pour the cooled coconut oil and olive oil in a mixing bowl or blender and add the Aloe Vera slowly. Both must be at the same temperature to avoid separation. Stir thoroughly or blend well until you’ve got a smooth looking lotion.
- Pour the lotion into a clean and, preferably, sterilized jar.
- You can store the lotions in the fridge to make sure they’re spoilage-free for at least one month.
Note:Â for better preservation, sterilize your glass jar or container for 15-20 minutes in boiling water.
Have fun making your own lotions at home and be surprised of its healing benefits. You can change the recipes and experiment with other ingredients. Keep in mind that almost all lotions are made using a 2:1 ratio of water and oil. The lotions can be used on your hands, face or body to moisturize and nourish or soothe skin irritations, (sun)burns and insect bites.
Check out this basic recipe without a water phase for a lotion that will keep longer.
Ever made your own body lotions? How did it go? Feel free to share your thoughts, tips, and experiences with us in the comment box below.
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Thanks for reading. I hope this information was helpful. Until next time!
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Amy Goodrich
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Crazy cat lady, life and food lover, certified biologist, and holistic health coach.
Thank you so much for this information. I wasnt able to produce the consistency I wanted.
You may always add some more beeswax or shea butter to make the lotion more consistent. That’s the great thing about those homemade lotion, you can personalize them to your liking 🙂
Love the simplicity of these.
Thanks :°)
You’re welcome! Make sure to sterilize your jar before you store them, that will keep them spoilage free for a longer period, especially when stored in the fridge.
Hello, i make my own sunscreen and I am thinking of adding aloe vera gel (homemade with vitamin E). currently I do not refrigerate my sunscreen, but if I were to add the Aloe gel (1tbsp) only, would I have to refrigerate? Or will it survive with the vitamin E? I do add beeswax to my sunscreen as well. thanks
Hi there!
I always store mine in the fridge or in a cool dark place for up to 6 months… make sure to sterilize the jar you use and use filtered water. Vitamin E oil is great for preserving, especially if you work as clean as possible and sterilize your jar and avoid microorganism from the start. You could store it out of your fridge but don’t think it is going to last for 5-6 months then. check out my previous blog post on how to make sunscreen with aloe vera. http://www.body-in-balance.org/home/how-to-make-your-natural-sunscreen-at-home/
Good luck and take care!
Amy
Thank you so much Amy!!
You’re welcome! Here to help and feel free to contact me again if you have more questions or remarks 🙂
I’m trying to make a moisturizer/toner by combining aloe vera gel and vegetable glycerin – what ratios would you recommend using for the two? And do you think it would be effective?
Hi Joel,
Actually you can add glycerine oil in a 1:1 ratio, but i often use less. I have made a simple lotion with rosewater and vegetable glycerin oil in a 1:1 ratio in the past and served me well. But in other preparations that have other ingredients I often add around 1 to 6 teaspoons for its added moisturizing effect. I prefer to use more of sweet almond, jojoba or coconut oil in combination with butters and or beeswax to make it more creamy. But i guess a simple lotion/toner with aloe and glycerin can work.
Make sure if using aloe gel to sterilize your jars and touch with clean hands. If you store them in the fridge they keep longer. The more oil you add the more it helps to improve shelf life. Also add vitamin E or grapefruit seed extract for better preservation.
Good luck!
These are great! I’ve been making my own face salves and lotions for awhile now but I know when you add water elements or aloe they will spoil somewhat quickly.
I know you said that if you keep them in the fridge, they will keep for months, but if they weren’t in the fridge, how long do you think a lotion with aloe would keep for? My lotions made with oils and water lasted about 2 months if not in the fridge, would it be the same or would the aloe tend to go rancid more quickly?
In the fridge you could keep them longer, especially if you add natural preservatives such as vitamin C and E, and use sterilized materials. Also the more oil you add the better it will preserve. It could be that the lotion changes color though… this is an oxidation process that turns aloe gel from white-transparent to a more yellow-ish transparent gel.
Thanks for your recipie. I made he first one and the gel just wouldn’t combine with the wax. Should I have used emulsifying wax? If so how much?
Hi Lana, if you have emulsifying wax you can use that, but normally when you let both mixtures come to the same temperature and then slowly add the water phase (or aloe mixture) in steps to the oily phase while mixing or blending constantly, it shouldn’t separate. As long as the water phase isn’t over 50% they should combine. You could always add 1/2 t borax or sodium borate which works as an emulsifier as well. The percentage of emulsifying wax usually begins at 5% of the total formula but can be used at a higher rate to create an extra thick lotion. Good luck!
I’m trying to make an all organic healthy facial moisturizer for my daughter, and I can’t get the ingredients to mix without separating. I’m using a formula that includes coconut oil (hard paste), aloe vera gel, jojoba, vitamin E, and lavender. I’ve mixed at room temperature. I’ve mixed with the coconut oil just liquified. I’ve mixed with a blender. I’ve mixed with a slow blender, a fast blender, a high speed mixer. I’ve put it in the refrigerator, but when it comes out it separates again. I’ve tried everything everyone has written about how to do this, but why am I not able to get these ingredients to stay together without separating. Maybe it’s the aloe vera that separates, but I don’t know for sure. Does anyone know how to get these ingredients to stay together in a smooth paste?
Do you add the watery phase (aloe vera) to the oily phase (coconut, jojoba) when they have more or less the same temperature? Also slowly add water phase to oily phase under constant stirring. Make sure to not use more 50% watery elements. You could use emulsifiers like borax or emulsifying beeswax as well. Good luck 😉
in the aloe vera n cucumber lotion,is it okay if i dont use cucumber? n is it still necessary to keep the mixture in the fridge even if i used olive,coconut oil n aloe vera only?
Hi Priya, You can leave the cucumber out if you want, but still keep it in the fridge though to preserve the aloe vera over a longer period. Have a great weekend 😉
Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe. I have tried to make this recipe, however I had a hard time emulsifying the aloe vera gel with the oil. I blended the mixture for a long time and it did not come together. Any suggestions? PS: I waited until the oil was cool and hard before combining the aloe vera with oil…. my question is…. is your oil mixture hard when you combine with aloe vera?
thank you :0)
Hi Cindy,
My pleasure. Making your own cosmetics is so much fun but always needs a bit of trial and error.
It is important to let the oil mixture cool a bit but it still needs to be a liquid (so about room temperature or lukewarm) and both need to be at about the same temperature. Slowly add aloe mixture to oil mixture and normally they should combine without any issues.
Please let me know if you still have some issues to see where it goes wrong.
Happy experimenting 😉
Hi mine separated can I remelt all of it and try again it’s been in the refrigerator will it mess it up if I remelt it. Just trying to save it without having to throw away. Any advice would help. Thanks Toni
Hi Toni. Yes you can try and save your lotion. Gently heat while stirring until the mixture is homogeneous. If you already added essential oils, you might need to add some extra as they are volatile and may evaporate while heating again; Make sure you don’t let they mixture get too hot. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Hi Amy,
I would like to make an aloe Vera moisturizer for my face. I have combination type skin so I need the moisturizer but I’m afraid some of the oiols may cause breakouts. What would you recommend to use ?
Hi Debbie,
I would recommend to use jojoba oil. It is the closets thing to our sebum and can penetrate deeper into the skin. Great essential oil to prevent/treat breakouts are lavender, tea tree oil, myrrh, and roman chamomile.
Have a great week,
Amy
Hi
Is it important to add beeswax to the aleo shea mix ? Cn it be omitted ?
Regards
Hi Kavita, you can leave it out and add a little bit more shea butter or coconut oil. Beeswax is added for a harder consistency. Good luck!
Hi Amy Goodrich,
I’m planting Aleo Vera from last three years in my garden. The purpose was to take the Aleo Vera juice as it is very healthy, but I couldn’t able to do it because of time constraint. Today I have to depart this house in two days. Before leaving I want to extract the juice and store in the big container which can’t be stored in the refrigerator. I ask your help to conserve it for two to three months as I’m receiving around 50 Aloe Vera plants. What I can add in the juice which can preserve it for two to three months without keep in the refrigerator.
Thanks in advance.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi Neeraj, I would definitely blend it with vitamin E and/o. For every 1/4 cup of gel, add 500 mg of Vitamin C and 400 IU of Vitamin E. Lemon juice works too. However, aloe juice can, by my knowledge, not be kept for a long time. Even in the fridge it doesn’t last that long (abput 10 days) compared to the full leaf. Many companies use a special form of cold pasteurization or stabilization to keep it longer. Unfortunately, I don’t know what they exactly do with it. Freezing is the best way. Would you have a freezer you could use? Aloe juice can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months. Hope this helps! Good luck!
hi amy can I used aloe vera coconut oil and lemon juice
H Raissa, I have never tried the combination myself, but sure. Let us know how it turned out.
The mixture is not emulsifying. I may have added the aloe to quickly. Is there a way to save the lotion and make it smooth and combined? Right now the oil looks like strands in aloe.
Thank you for your help.
Did you slowly add the two mixture together while stirring? Also, make sure they have the same temperature. You can slightly reheat the mixture and stir well to save the mixture. Did you use coconut oil? As this oil solidifies below 25C or 75F, which may cause the strands.
i was actually researching how to make a cream / lotion for my dog she has extemely dry itchy skin ….im using aloe vera gel base and oatmeal extract i think its 500ml to 40 mls im hoping this saves me a heap of money lol do you have any recipes ?
Hi Robyn, I would try pure coconut oil. Coconut oil is safe for dogs and just as for humans, it works wonders on treating dry itchy skin. Take care!
hi amy,
these recipes are simply awesome. can you please tell me in what proportions should we combine honey, aloe vera and coconut oil to make a moisturizer. and also can you please tell me how long will it stay outside? ( we live in a tropical area, so the sun is most of the times shining on us and power cuts are very frequent)..
thank you in advance… 🙂
Same here! Especially since it is the hot season. Just had a power cut a few minutes ago. Luckily it didn’t last long.
Since you are going to use aloe vera you should store it in the fridge since it spoils quite fast. Honey is an excellent natural preservative, but the fridge should be the place to store it. As for proportions, I should give it a try myself. Making all natural skin care products is much of a trial and error process. Since coconut is liquid in the tropics, I would start with one cup of that and slowly incorporate the aloe gel until smooth and then honey to thicken. Have a great day and feel free to let me know if the experiment worked out!
Can I use vitamin E powder instead of oil in this?
Yes, you can. Vitamin E is added for its preservative properties.
Hi Amy,
Am trying to make my own whitening face cream.
I have the following ingredients:
Aloe vera
Vitamin c
Rose water
In what proportion should i mix them and what else do you think i should add.
Thanks
Hi Jennifer,
Since both rosewater and aloe vera gel are water-based, you should not run into any issues mixing both. Measures of both are adaptable to your preference. Take your aloe gel and slowly pour in rosewater until desired consistency. Do not make huge batches as this will spoil quite fast. Vitamin C is great to preserve the aloe gel. Keep the mixture in the fridge though! You could add some oil or shea butter, but that will complicate the process since you are mixing and oil and water. Make sure if using oil that both mixtures are at the same temperature1 Take care and good luck!
Hi I love your no nonsense recipes! I need to make a lotion for my daughter (38) who has stress related psoriasis. twenty years ago it was just on her knees, elbows, bits on her scalp, now with a demanding career, kids etc it is an awful red blotchy rash all over her body. I thought of using a calendular infusion instead of plain water, and add butters 50:50 like Mango and Cocoa with added Olive Squalane for extra absobtrion. can you recommend anything else please?
Coconut oil is always a great addition and psoriasis soothing essential oils such as tea tree, lavender, frankincense, myrrh and geranium essential oil which can bring relief to inflamed skin and support the healing process. Diet is very important too. Hope this helps. Take care!
How can we reduce or kill bitterness of aloevera gel? I made as per your guidance. And i used to apply it on my hands. But unintentionally when i eat or work in kitchen i make all things bitter.
That’s strange. Never heard anybody have the issues when using aloe on the skin that it makes everything bitter! If you apply the cream, make sure it is fully soaked into your hands before touching food.
I tried the cucumber aloe recipe and it is just staying watery. Not sure if I did something wrong?
Even if you store them in the fridge? You could always add a little more coconut oil or stir in melted beeswax to get a harder consistency. Hope this helps!
Hi Amy, to avoid a sticky mess you warned us about not using too much glycerin or honey in our product. It would have been additionally helpful to your readers if you listed these ingredients in your ingredients table along with instructions on just how much to use.
Hi Michelle. Thanks for your feedback. As with many DIY cosmetic recipes the ingredients are not fixed. It is more a trial and error process to find the cream/lotion you like most. I live in tropical climate where coconut oil almost never is in its solid state so I add a little bit more beeswax. Some people like runny lotions others prefer a waxy lotion. Same goes for glycerin or honey. They are a wonderful optional addition for dry skin types, but like mentioned honey can make things very sticky. Add small amounts, stir and test on your skin until you have the desired consistency you like. Glycerin and honey can be added after you emulsified both water and oil phase.
Hi Amy,
I live in Dubai. Once I get the pure aloe Vera gel from the store, should I keep it in the fridge or is it fine to keep outside? Also should I add anything in the gel to keep it longer?
If you buy aloe vera in the store they usually have added the preservative for you. No need to keep it in the fridge though I prefer to keep it there as the cold adds an extra cooling effect to insect bites, burns, etc. Have a lovely day!
Good day Amir. How can I make my own cream with aloe vera, milk, honey and what type of milk can I use? Also can I add cucumber to it? Or what else will you advice me to add to it to give me a black shining skin?
Hi there! I wouldn’t add milk as it will spoil very fast. Even when kept in the fridge. Coconut oil, shea butter or cacao butter are also great products to get a beautiful shiny skin. Add your favorite essential oil and you are good to go! If you want to combine aloe and cucumber, go for the Aloe Vera And Cucumber Lotion I shared. Add some honey till desired consistency. Honey can make this lotion very sticky when you add too much. So add gradually! Hope this helps!
Hi Amy! Thank you for your advice in making homemade aloe products. I wanted to ask how long the lotions last if you DONT put it in the fridge.
Hi Mia, though I never tried so I can not tell you an exact amount of time, they don’t keep very long outside the fridge. Aloe vera gel oxidizes quite fast. This will make your lotion brownish. Take care.
Hi Amy,
I have made your basic Aloe Vera Lotion, with a small change instead of the Vitamin E oil i used Calendula oil. Used fresh Aloe, Grapeseed oil, Bee’s wax, Shea butter, no essential oils. I waited for the oils to cool (was starting to firm up) on blending together, finding it has separated.
I have a 2 year old, who suffers with 2 types of eczema, so i am looking for a lotion/cream that is natural as i need to apply it 2 – 4 times a day.
Many Thanks
Debbie
Hi Debbie, did both mixtures have the same temperature when you combined them? Also, did you slowly added the water phase (aloe vera mixture) to the oil phase under constant stirring/blending? For eczema, you can also use extra-virgin coconut oil or sweet almond oil with the addition of essentials oil safe for kids. These essential oils include lavender or tea tree oil. Adding honey to the cream is always a bonus too if you are not a vegan. Hope this helps.
HI
In your cucumber recipe you have one half cup of aloe vera, but in the directions you use one cup?
Thank you so much for pointing this out. In the directions, it should also mention 1/2 cup. Corrected. My mistake.
I made the lotion with the aloe gel, beeswax, joboba oil, vitamin E etc. and it is gritty. What did I do wrong?
I would like to make a body lotion using Olive oil, , coconut
Oil & Aloe Vera gel. Can you advise if this is possible and what quantity of ingredients I should use.
Hi Christine. I would use a 1:1 ratio of aloe vera gel and oil. Ex 1/2 cup aloe vera mixed with 1/2 cup of a mix of coconut and olive oil. To preserve longer add vitamin E and/or C. Good luck.