cocoa butter lotion face

DIY HOMEMADE LAVENDER LOTION RECIPE WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

This DIY Lavender Lotion Recipe is Light, Creamy, and Made with Natural Ingredients like Shea Butter and Lavender Essential Oil.

Switching to all-natural skincare can feel expensive, especially when you see the price difference between Burt’s Bees lip balm and regular chapstick. I thought there was no way I could make it work long-term on a budget!

But here’s the good news: making your own beauty products like body butter, lip balm, and even baby wash is super easy—and often cheaper than store-bought versions!

Most commercial lotions are packed with chemicals, fragrances, parabens, and preservatives, which aren’t exactly the ingredients you want soaking into your skin. Making your own lotion with ingredients you know and trust is a much better choice!

I personally struggle with dry hands, especially in the winter (and all year since we don’t have a dishwasher). This lavender lotion has become a key part of my nighttime routine to help me unwind after a long day.

It’s also great for my kids—rubbing it on their legs and backs helps them relax and get ready for sleep, as the calming scent of lavender is perfect for sweet dreams.

Prefer a solid option? Check out my recipe for homemade lavender lotion bars!

What You Need To Make Homemade Lavender Lotion

Ingredients:

  • White Beeswax Pellets – Beeswax helps reduce the greasy feel of your lotion while still locking in moisture, leaving your skin feeling soft and hydrated.
  • Shea Butter – Known for its skin-softening, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties, shea butter is a fantastic choice for homemade skincare. If you prefer, you can substitute it with cocoa butter for a slightly different texture and scent.
  • Almond Oil – This oil has healing properties that make it great for acne and skin blemishes. If you don’t have almond oil, jojoba oil or olive oil are good alternatives.
  • Vitamin E Oil (optional) – A teaspoon of vitamin E oil adds extra healing power to your lotion, making it great for dry or sensitive skin.
  • Lavender Essential Oil – The star of this recipe, lavender essential oil, provides a calming, natural scent perfect for a relaxing lotion. I recommend this particular brand for DIY skincare because it’s both strong and affordable.

Supplies:

  • Electric Mixer – You can use a blender, food processor, stand mixer, or a hand mixer with a bowl to blend the ingredients into a smooth, creamy lotion.
  • Double Boiler – Alternatively, you can create a double boiler by placing a glass bowl on top of a saucepan with an inch or two of water in it. Heat the water over medium heat, and add your ingredients to the glass bowl to melt.
  • Glass Container – Use a glass jar or container to store your finished lotion. Make sure it’s airtight to preserve the freshness of your homemade product.

How To Make This Homemade Lavender Lotion Recipe:

Melt – In a double boiler or a glass bowl placed over a pot with a few inches of water, heat the almond oil, shea butter, beeswax, and vitamin E oil (if using) over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until everything has melted and there are no solid bits left.

Whip – Once the oils have melted and cooled slightly, transfer the mixture to a stand mixer or use electric beaters. Whip the mixture on high speed. Slowly and gradually add in the water, continuing to mix until the lotion becomes light and creamy.

Add the Essential Oils – Once all the water has been incorporated and the mixture turns bright white and fluffy, add 30–50 drops of lavender essential oil. Continue whipping to fully combine the scent into the lotion.

Tips For Success:

To Use: This homemade lavender lotion is safe for most parts of your body, but it’s best to avoid sensitive areas like your face or eyes. If you experience any irritation, discontinue use immediately.

To Store: Store the lotion in a cool place, like the refrigerator, in an airtight glass jar for up to 3 months.

Variations: Lavender pairs beautifully with other essential oils like orange, lemon, vanilla, and grapefruit. You can experiment with a blend of these oils, but make sure the total amount doesn’t exceed 50 drops.

Substitutions: If you don’t have almond oil, you can easily substitute it with jojoba or olive oil in this recipe.

About This Lavender Body Lotion Recipe

All-Natural Ingredients
This lotion is made with completely natural ingredients, making it a great choice for even sensitive skin types. No worrisome chemicals here!

Easy to Make
You can make enough lotion to last your family all winter in just 15 minutes—no complicated steps required!

Super Cheap
The ingredients cost only a few dollars, which is a fraction of the price of store-bought all-natural lavender lotion. And even if it seems a bit pricey the first time, you’ll have plenty of leftover ingredients to make multiple batches.

Plus, leftover beeswax can be repurposed to make baby lotion, beeswax candles, or lip balm!

Moisturizing
Each ingredient in this lotion is naturally hydrating and healing, perfect for dry skin.

Creamy
This homemade lotion is light and creamy, melting into your skin without any greasy residue.

Easy to Customize
Lavender essential oil blends well with many other oils. Try adding a few drops of chamomile, vanilla, lemon, grapefruit, rose, geranium, or orange essential oils to create your own signature scent!

FAQ About This Homemade Lavender Lotion Recipe

How Many Drops of Lavender Oil Should You Put in Lotion?
It’s generally recommended to use 12 drops of lavender essential oil for every ounce of carrier oil, body cream, or lotion. Since this recipe uses about 4 ounces of oils, I typically add between 30 and 50 drops of lavender oil to achieve a pleasant, fragrant scent.

How Should You Store Homemade Lotion?
To extend the shelf life of your homemade lotion, store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. When kept in the fridge, it can last up to 3 months. Plus, essential oils should be stored away from direct sunlight to preserve their potency, so the fridge is the perfect place to keep your lavender lotion fresh and aromatic.

Is This Lavender Lotion Safe to Apply to Your Face?
This lavender lotion is made with all-natural ingredients, so it should generally be safe for use on your face, as long as you avoid your eyes and nostrils. However, to be on the safe side, it’s a good idea to do a patch test first. Apply a small amount of lotion to a spot on your cheek, and wait a few minutes to see if any redness or irritation develops before using it more liberally on your face. This will help ensure your skin reacts well to the ingredients.

CONCLUSION


Making your own lavender lotion is a simple, cost-effective, and natural way to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. With ingredients like shea butter, almond oil, and lavender essential oil, you can create a luxurious, moisturizing lotion without the worry of harmful chemicals. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s also highly customizable to suit your preferences, whether you want to add other essential oils or create a thicker or lighter texture.

By making this homemade lotion, you’ll save money in the long run, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing exactly what’s in your skincare products. Plus, the soothing lavender scent is perfect for relaxation, making it a great addition to your nightly routine.

Store your lotion in a cool place, and it’ll last up to three months—so you can enjoy soft, nourished skin all season long.

3-INGREDIENT DIY FACE MOISTURIZERS

In this post, I’ll walk you through some of the simplest and most effective DIY face moisturizers. I’ll break down the basic ingredients you’ll need to effectively moisturize your skin, and guide you through the steps to apply them in the most beginner-friendly way.

This post won’t cover DIY oil-and-water emulsions, like creams or lotions. While making a cream is not particularly complicated, I wanted to create a beginner-level guide with recipes that anyone—regardless of experience—can easily follow (even if you can’t boil an egg).

Though creating a cream can range from simple to more advanced, it always requires some special tools, a proper emulsifier to mix the water and oil phases, and a preservative. Since creams can be more involved, and not everyone wants to deal with all of that (honestly, I don’t always either), I’ll save that for a separate post.

Here, I’ll explain the difference between hydration and moisturization (and why you need both!) along with an easy way to achieve both without making a cream. After that, I’ll share the 3 most effective hydrators, followed by a simple recipe for creating a customized nourishing oil moisturizer tailored to your skin type.

You’ll only need 3 ingredients (one of which might even be water!) for your DIY face moisturizer.

MOISTURIZING VS. HYDRATING (& WHY YOU NEED BOTH)

The terms moisturizing and hydrating are often used interchangeably, but they actually refer to different things.

Hydrators are ingredients that add water to the skin (known as humectants). They help to plump the skin and keep it feeling supple. On the other hand, moisturizers are ingredients that provide emollients (oils) to the skin. These oils help smooth the skin and lock in hydration.

All skin types—dry, normal, and oily—need both hydration and moisture. Skin types are defined by the amount of sebum (natural oils) they produce, but regardless of sebum production, skin can still become dehydrated if it loses too much water.

Even if your skin is hydrated, if it lacks a proper protective barrier (meaning the skin’s natural oil production is insufficient), it can feel dry because the water will evaporate.

Hydrators and moisturizers can be separate products, or they can be combined into one. For example, a cream or lotion blends both water and oil phases, providing hydration (water) and sealing it in with moisture (oil).

However, you don’t need to go through the trouble of making a cream or lotion to create effective DIY face moisturizers.

HOW TO PROPERLY MOISTURIZE YOUR SKIN

To properly moisturize your skin, you need to provide both water and oil. You can do this with a traditional moisturizer (a cream), or for a simpler approach, you can use a hydrating toner (water-based) followed by a nourishing face oil or fat to lock in that hydration, nourish the skin, and smooth it out.

Below is a list of the best and most convenient hydrators and moisturizing oils for creating easy DIY face moisturizers. To use, start by choosing a hydrator from the list to apply as a toner after cleansing your face. While your skin is still damp, apply the face oil of your choice (from the moisturizing oils section). Gently massage it in until fully absorbed.

For added benefits, you can use a quick lymph-draining face massage to help the oils absorb and boost circulation.

MOST EFFECTIVE DIY FACE MOISTURIZERS

THE METHOD

Step 1: Choose one of the hydrating ingredients from the list of hydrators below.

Step 2: Select your carrier and essential oils from the moisturizing oils list.

Step 3: Combine and mix both in your hands before applying to your skin.

Alternatively, apply the hydrator first and follow up with the oil mixture while your skin is still damp.

…and that’s it – easy DIY face moisturizers!

HYDRATORS

Hydrators are ingredients that draw water to the skin (humectants), helping to smooth out wrinkles and lines by plumping the skin. This is the first step after cleansing your face, ensuring your skin gets the hydration it needs.

Pick one of the following hydrators for your DIY moisturizer:

Hyaluronic Acid (HA)
HA is naturally produced by the body to retain collagen and boost hydration. It helps skin heal, prevents water loss, and plumps the skin. You can buy HA powder and make your own, which is often more cost-effective than store-bought products.

  • Basic HA Gel Recipe:
    • 1g of HA powder (approximately 1/4 teaspoon)
    • 100g/ml of distilled water (about 1/2 cup)
      Combine the two and let sit for several hours or overnight. Stir to create a gel, and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Glycerin
Glycerin is a powerful humectant that attracts moisture to the skin. It also helps restore the skin’s barrier function, protecting against irritation and water loss. However, it should be diluted, as pure glycerin can have a drying effect.

  • Basic Glycerin Hydrating Toner:
    • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) glycerin
    • 100 ml distilled water
      Mix in a glass spritz bottle and shake well. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera is both a humectant and a powerful skin healer, making it a great addition to your DIY moisturizer. It draws moisture to the skin and can be paired with other ingredients for deeper absorption.

  • How to Use:
    Apply a dollop of aloe vera gel directly to your skin, or use the inner flesh of a fresh aloe vera leaf to rub over your face and neck.

MOISTURIZERS

After hydrating your skin, you’ll need oils or butters to lock in that moisture and protect your skin’s barrier.

Basic Nourishing Face Oil Recipe:

  • 30 ml / 1 oz dark glass bottle with a dropper
  • Choose one or more carrier oils (see list below)
  • Add 6 to 12 drops (1% to 2%) of essential oils
    Shake well and apply half a dropper onto damp skin. Massage until absorbed.

If you prefer butters, melt a small dollop between your hands and apply after the hydrator.

Which Oils to Choose According to Skin Type:

  • Oily or Combination Skin:
    Use lighter oils to avoid clogging pores. Good options include tamanu, jojoba, grapeseed, rosehip, linseed, apricot kernel.
    Essential Oils: Lemon, basil, lavender, rosemary, tea tree, thyme.
  • Normal Skin:
    Opt for oils that are balanced, like pumpkin, almond, sesame, argan, jojoba, sunflower.
    Essential Oils: Lavender, geranium, chamomile.
  • Sensitive or Irritated Skin:
    Use soothing oils like jojoba, rosehip, linseed, or apricot kernel.
    Essential Oils: Chamomile, lavender, frankincense, geranium.
  • Dry Skin:
    Go for heavier, more protective oils and butters like olive, avocado, coconut, sweet almond, or any of the thicker butters (cocoa, shea, mango).
    Essential Oils: Chamomile, myrrh, sandalwood, clary sage.
  • Mature Skin:
    Focus on nourishing oils such as rosehip, argan, jojoba, tamanu, and pomegranate.
    Essential Oils: Lavender, frankincense, myrrh, cypress, neroli.

CONCLUSION

I’ve been using this DIY face moisturizer and it’s still my favorite. It offers endless customization and ensures that my skincare is always fresh and natural. I hope you find it as effective as I do!