An easy DIY recipe, this homemade vanilla lotion contains only six ingredients. A homemade body lotion to help nourish dry skin. Made with natural ingredients this DIY body lotion works well on your legs especially- and it’s perfect for kids (it also makes a thoughtful spa gift.
Making my own beauty products is something I love doing. Given, I don’t use a lot of products anymore (no make-up over here), for the ones I do use I love knowing what’s in them and being able to tweak as necessary.
This homemade vanilla lotion is a simple DIY recipe (like my all-time favorite chocolate peppermint lip chap) that I’ve been using for a while. It’s easy, hydrating, and quick to whip up!
Benefits Of The Homemade Vanilla Lotion
Chemical-free
Cost-effective
Simple to make
Far more nourishing to the skin
DIY body lotion tends to be more hydrating than conventional store-bought because they’re all-natural.
Furthermore, since my skin has adjusted to natural products I find that traditional products only dry it out. Those products contain harsher ingredients than my skin is used to and thus they don’t work as well.
Besides this, since our skin absorbs what it comes into contact with, I strive to make sure it encounters the best possible ingredients- which is why I always have DIY lotion on hand!
Ingredients In The Homemade Body Lotion
I’m a fan of simple- so this homemade vanilla lotion contains minimal ingredients. I chose to use shea butter for this homemade vanilla lotion recipe because it’s so hydrating.
Though, here’s a list of my favorite butter bases and what properties I use them for specifically.
The same goes for the oils in the DIY lotion. I use jajoba oil for this vanilla body lotion but almond, apricot kernal etc would work too. So use what you have.
You don’t need a stash of hundreds of ingredients to make DIY skincare recipes. If you’re new to DIY beauty products and stuck on where to spend your money, check out a list of ten ingredients to make tons of DIY projects here). and here is where you can grab them.
Texture Of The Homemade Vanilla Lotion
The purpose of this DIY vanilla lotion is to really hydrate the legs. Thus, it does seem bit greasy at first. I use homemade body butter with beeswax a lot as well in my skincare routine. However, I tend to make those a bit more firm where you have to massage the body butter in.
This homemade body lotion is less firm and thus it seems more oily. This is one of the reasons why it’s so great on your body and not your face.
How to use the vanilla body lotion: rub the lotion into your legs/body as you normally would. Then, give it a few minutes to absorb before putting on clothes.
Tight clothes immediately after using a homemade lotion recipe will result in grease stains *said from experience*. As a result, this homemade vanilla lotion is ultra-smooth and it’s the oils that make it so hydrating for your skin.
Creating The Vanilla Scent: Bean or Essential Oil?
You’ll also notice that I use vanilla bean in this homemade body lotion recipe versus an essential oil. I always try to use the exact item for the scent when possible. While I adore essential oils, they are potent and I’m not an aromatherapist.
That said, there’s another reason for this…
When I first started making my own homemade products I really wanted to re-create that “French vanilla” smell from store-bought products (you know the one I mean!).
But you can’t.
When I looked more and more into vanilla essential oil it became harder to find a pure grade one. Eventually, I wondered why and it’s because the vanilla can’t be outsourced into an oil like most other plants.
Meaning, most vanilla essential oils you see for sale are not pure grade oils. They have to use something artificial. For some reason, this devastated me haha (#hippieproblems much??).
So instead, I went back to basics and just started infusing the lotions with the actual vanilla bean. Keep it simple and all that.
Pro Tip: you can still rock this DIY body lotion without any vanilla! The vanilla is simply there for scent purposes and not for the lotion itself. If you don’t have any on hand, no problem! Just omit it. Never let the essential oils or scent in a DIY recipe hold you back from making it.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
Double boiler
Mini whisk
Mini mason jars
Not Into DIY? Here’s What To Do
If making your own body lotion is still a bit overwhelming (even though this is literally three ingredients) or if you’re just too lazy to make some this second. Grab the almond vanilla body butter from Primally Pure.
It smells effing AWESOME and Primally Pure uses only natural chemical-free ingredients. Seriously, I can pronounce and buy them all. #win If you do end up on their site, use mamabear10 to save yourself 10% off your entire first order!
Easy Homemade Vanilla Lotion
An easy DIY recipe, this homemade vanilla lotion contains only six ingredients. A homemade body lotion to help nourish dry skin. Made with natural ingredients this DIY body lotion works well on your legs especially- and it’s perfect for kids
Keywordhomemade vanilla lotion
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
1 day
Total Time1 day 30 minutes
Servings1 small jar
AuthorFit as a Mama Bear
Equipment
Double boiler or mason jar
small mason jars to store
Mini Whisk
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Coconut oil measured solid
1 tablespoon shea butter
1.5 tablespoons beeswax
1 tablespoon jojoba oil
¼ teaspoon jojoba oil
1-2 vanilla bean 20 drops vanilla essential oil
Instructions
In a heat-proof jar or double boiler, combine all ingredients except vanilla.
If using vanilla bean, slice the bean and scrape out the vanilla into the jar. Then, slice the bean into smaller pieces and place it in the jar.
Place the jar into a small pot of water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir often until everything is melted and combined (about twelve minutes). Let sit in boiling water for another ten-fifteen minutes to infuse vanilla.
Remove from heat. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small glass jar. If using essential oils, add the oils now and stir to combine.
small glass jar with homemade lotion and a small mesh sieve on top straining vanilla bean
Let sit on the counter for twenty-four hours to harden.
This homemade vanilla lotion helps keep your skin hydrated and soft in colder months. Thanks to the jojoba oil it helps prevent skin from drying out and it deals to use on your legs. This vanilla body butter is an easy DIY project that makes for great, thoughtful gifts.
Can you use vanilla extract instead of vanilla essential oil?
You can absolutely use vanilla extract instead of essential oil. However, I actually prefer to use the essential oil because it’s more natural and pure. Plus, vanilla extract is pretty expensive. If you do want to make homemade vanilla extract, here’s a great article to get you started (at least the steps I’ve used).
Does this homemade body lotion contain coconut oil?
Yes! The ingredients above (except for beeswax and jojoba oil) contain some coconut oil. Again, I prefer to use shea butter and beeswax over coconut oil because they are more nutritious for your body and as a result, work better for skincare. However, if coconut oil is just too expensive for you or if you have really sensitive skin try using it in place of beeswax or jojoba.
How long do homemade body lotions last?
Your homemade body lotion should last 3-4 months in a timely manner if stored in a cool, dry place. However you can also keep it for up to a year too (although this is less likely). I like to make large batches of body lotion for the winter time when skin tends to be drier and require more moisture than in other seasons.
Can I add vanilla extract to my body butter?
You can absolutely add vanilla extract to your body butter. The reason I only use the vanilla beans is because you get more benefits from it. Specifically anti-inflammatory benefits. This homemade vanilla lotion recipe is designed to infuse the skin with all kinds of good nutrients that help moisturize and prevent dry skin.
Can I make this DIY body lotion in a slow cooker?
Yes! You can do this if you want a warmer way to melt the ingredients together. Simply combine all your ingredients into a small slow cooker and heat on low for about an hour, stirring often until everything is melted and combined.
Will vanilla extract irritate skin?
This is a rather controversial topic when it comes to extracts. Vanilla extract, like many others, are full of alcohol. Honestly, you have to be careful with it. Alcohol is drying and irritating to skin and in high concentrations can cause burns and rashes on your body. I only recommend adding vanilla extract if you use the essential oil version because the oils tend to be gentler on skin than the extracts do.
How can I make my homemade body lotion thicker?
You can substitute beeswax for another ingredient like shea butter or coconut oil. Shea butter has a higher melting point and thus provides a thicker consistency in lotion form than coconut oil does.
What are the ingredients in this vanilla body butter?
Here’s a breakdown of all the ingredients. If you want to get even more detailed about any of these ingredients you can check them out on the full recipe page.
Shea Butter: Shea Butter has been used for centuries by indigenous people and medicine men in Africa, and is now found throughout the world. It contains vitamin A, which promotes healthy skin and hair growth. What’s more, it has benefited those with eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis because it soothes sensitive skin without causing an allergic reaction.
How do you make homemade vanilla lotion?
This homemade vanilla body lotion recipe is pretty simple to follow. You have to stick with the suggested quantities above. The only tricky parts are melting the beeswax and shea butter into a smooth consistency and blending it all together. If you want nice, smooth lotion you’ll need to use an electronic whisk instead of a traditional one.
Can you add vanilla extract to body oil?
You can absolutely add vanilla extract to the body oil. Actually, I think this would work great if you’re looking for a nice, even more luxurious skin oil recipe that’s still natural and chemical free. You could even use a jojoba oil or vitamin E base and then just add vanilla extract as the primary ingredient.
Can you use vanilla essential oil in lotion?
You can certainly use the essential oil in a lotion rather than a warm tonic oil like I did. However, if you’re looking for an even more luxurious recipe that’s kind to your skin, trying the body butter would be my suggestion!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and that it inspired you to make something similar. I love natural products and try to use them as much as possible. I also love making my own natural products because I can control what ingredients are in them and know that they’re safe for my sensitive skin. I hope you’ll consider trying out this homemade vanilla lotion, or at least using some of the ingredients in this recipe. Vanilla is really great for your skin! It’s a natural anti-inflammatory and contains antioxidants that promote natural collagen production. If you have any other questions about the ingredients let me know in the comments below.
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