Women of color have always had to deal with “ashy issues”…elbows, hands and knees, especially in the cold winter months. How about a solution that not only eliminates the ash but also is a do-it-yourself project that you can concoct in the comfort of your home!
Like most women, we want to smell good and feel soft. The store bought lotions I tried were a temporary solution and soon, I found myself dry again. Research and my always-crafty mind brought me to this eye opening idea: MAKE MY OWN LOTION!
Now it sounds more intimidating that it is. And I had to go through a trial and error phase but am now at the point that I have “mastered” lotion making for my personal needs…and you can too! What I love most about this is that you can customize your lotion to smell anyway YOU want and feel comfort in knowing that you know where it came from and what's really in it!
I am a major fan of the Nag Champa scent (origin: India) and have burned the Satya Sai Baba Nag Champa Incense in my home for several years.
Nag Champa is a rich, earthy, yet sweet aroma typically used for meditation. Doing some looking online, I saw there were several sites that made a Nag Champa fragrance lotion but the price was a bit steep. That’s when I discovered & researched the do it yourself recipes to make lotion. Then I found some sites that sell the Nag Champa fragrance. Now I was on a MISSION!What started out as an idea (homemade lotion), quickly turned into a change in my daily beauty routine. Here is all you need to make lotion:
½ cup of Sweet Almond Oil
¼ cup of distilled water
1 T of grated beeswax
1/8 t of Borax powder
fragrance or essential oil of your choice (optional)
Combine (dissolve) the Borax and distilled water. Set that aside. Heat the sweet almond oil and beeswax together (I fill a pot with water and place the smaller pot with the oil & wax in that pot…think “double boiler”). Heat until the wax is almost melted. Remove from heat. Heat the borax/water mixture (I did it in the microwave for about 35 seconds) until almost boiling. Slowly pour the borax/water into the oil/wax while stirring with a wire whisk. The mixture will thicken as it cools.
**I sporadically whisk the mixture throughout the cooling process…checking it every 10 minutes or so, whisking for about 2-3 minutes, letting it rest for 10 minutes, then repeat the whisking. I also add my fragrance when the lotion is thicker vs. while it is still hot & thin in consistency. Fragrances added too soon, tend to lose their potency**
The mixture that is still on your whisk, utensils, pot, etc. doesn’t have to go to waste! Run yourself a hot bath & pace these utensils and your pot under the running water for a soothing, luxurious, scented bath. Waste-not, want-not, I say!
Once your lotion has cooled, pour it into any clean/sterilized bottle or container and enjoy!
Helpful tip:
Apply lotion after a shower/bath while your skin is still a little damp!
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