Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Make your own Bath and Body lotions!

Okay.  I admit it.  I am a Bath and Body junkie!  I love, love, love all things Bath and Body.  And for the most part, I make fairly savvy buys.  I only purchase lotions , body sprays, body scrubs, etc... when they are on sale.  But even shopping only on sale, they can still be pricey.

Several years ago, I figured out how to get Bath and Body-like lotions without the price. You can buy unscented lotions all over ebay and the internet and mix them with essential oils and/or scents.    Although some of the homemade lotions are great, they too can be pricey.  Then one day while I was at the dollar store, it hit me.  Most dollar stores carry runny, unscented lotions.  And the price is great.  Only a $1!! You can often get a huge bottle for one buck!

So I started combining essential oils (You only need a few drops) with dollar store lotions. OR if you want to go cheaper (and I did) you can find Concentrated Fragrance Oils all over Ebay.  There are tons of fragrances especially those that Bath and Body carries.  Many of the fragrances start for as little as $6.00 for 1 ounce.  That one ounce will make around 4 or 5 bottles of lotion which makes your cost between $2 to $2.50 per bottle of lotion!Maybe even cheaper!


 I mix the two ingredients- the lotion and the fragrance oil- in a separate container--usually a Glad container that I don't care if it gets thrown away. I use a couple of capfuls of fragrance but you may only want 1 cap or you may want 3.  Use whatever strength you like your lotion to smell. Just remember the more fragrance you add, the runnier the lotion will be.   If the lotion is too runny (and most are) I add cornstarch to the mix until it thickens.  That's right, cornstarch!!  I don't have an exact amount.  Play with it.  It works!  Then using a funnel , I transfer the new lotion mixture to an old Bath and Body lotion bottle I have washed OR use lotion bottles you can get online or at craft stores. 


And you're done!  For pennies on the dollar , you get great smelling lotions fancy enough for any Bath and Body junkie!!

3 comments:

  1. If you want to make it even more of a luxury, for every 2 cups of lotion add 1/2 cup of coconut oil (it will have to be liquid form when you add it). When it cools, it will be even thicker, but will absorb well and not be greasy at that small combination. I use the regular, less expensive coconut oil for this instead of the extra virgin / cold pressed and there is no scent. I love mine and my skin is very soft - Hubby loves it!

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  2. Sweet unscented almond oil would be another good add.

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