Homemade Moisturizer with Cocoa Butter & Shea

Just got done making a lovely homemade moisturizer! My husband and I are expecting our first child, and I wanted to make a moisturizer I can use daily to help prevent stretchmarks. Okay, I must admit I tried making homemade body cream last winter (without researching anything) and it failed miserably! If I had done my research, I would have known that all lotions need an emulsifier (to bond the water with the oils) and stearic acid (to thicken the cream). So my first attempt was not pretty.

Several homemade moisturizers call for beeswax because it's a natural emulsifier, but I just ordered emulsifying wax and stearic acid from wholesalesuppliesplus.com, which is where I order my soap making supplies. It was much cheaper than beeswax.

A moisturizer that is less than 50% water is considered a body cream. I used this ratio:

Water - 55%
Oils - 38%
Emulsifying Wax - 4%
Stearic Acid - 3%
I believe that adds up to 100%...

I didn't worry too much about making the measurements perfect. Here's the recipe I used.

• Just over two cups of water
• 1.5 cups combined oils, consisting of mostly cocoa butter, a scoop of shea butter, and a splash of sweet almond oil (see, not very scientific!)
• ~3 Tbs. stearic acid
• ~4 Tbs. emulsifying wax

Keep in mind this recipe makes close to 40 ounces of moisturizer.

Melt all the oils in a pan on low heat, stirring continuously.

Place water in a blender. Once the oils are melted, add them to your water and blend on low for several minutes. Add a few drops of essential oil or fragrance oil if you desire. Quick note: Essential oil is natural, fragrance oil is synthetic.

It takes about an hour before it becomes a creamy consistency. As it cools, it thickens.

If you won't be able to use it up within three months, store it in the refrigerator. One final note, I'm always curious about the cost of homemade versus store-bought. Homemade doesn't always come out cheaper but sometimes it does. I compared my cost per ounce to that of Suave Cocoa Butter with Shea Lotion.

Homemade Cocoa Butter with Shea - 15.2 cents per ounce
Suave Cocoa Butter with Shea Lotion - 16.6 cents per ounce

Am I saving tons? Nope. But there's something satisfying about knowing every ingredient in my lotions and soaps.

Garden Mulch: A Lifesaver!

My garden is in full swing, and I'm going to have my hands full this summer with food preservation! Although it will be much work, I'm looking forward to harvesting and canning/freezing/dehydrating the bounty! We had a fabulous Spring, but now we are entering a bit of a drought, so we're having to water our gardens in southern Illinois. I recently heard an interview on the radio with a University of Missouri Extension Master Gardener. He said it is better to water your garden early in the morning rather than in the evening. The reason for this is so water doesn't hang on your foliage all night, which can increase the likelihood for disease. If you water in the morning, the sun will dry the leaves, which makes for a happier plant. Good to know!

I am always trying to learn new things to become a better gardener. Last year I began mulching my garden with newspaper and straw. I was hesitant to put newpaper in my garden, but boy, was it a time saver when it came to watering and weed pulling! I will ALWAYS mulch my garden from now on. Here are some of the benefits:

1.) Newspaper and straw/leaves/grass clippings help hold moisture in the soil, so less watering is needed.
2.) When the mulch breaks down, it helps contribute to a nutrient rich, organic soil. Do it year after year and watch your soil change!
3.) No weed pulling or spraying! The newspaper keeps sunlight from getting through for those pesky weeds.

So, this is my commercial for mulching. It takes a little work, yes. But I will gladly take one day of work over many days of chopping weeds and watering. Plus, I'm improving my soil!

Here is a photo of a mulched tomato plant from my garden. Simply place a layer of newspaper or magazine pages on the ground, then cover with straw, leaves and/or grass clippings. No tilling, no weeding, no spraying, less watering!