Nothing feels better than lathering your skin in a hydrating lotion that makes your skin soft and moisturized. Often times, this feeling is short-lived because a lot of store bought lotions contain ingredients that inevitably dry out the skin, leaving it flaky. It’s a viscous cycle because the very product that intends to moisturize ultimately causes dryness. What’s up with that?
This is why we always recommend the simplest, natural ingredients for beauty products. Fragrances, synthetic dyes, and parabens can lead to itchy skin or a burning sensation. Additionally, some of the ingredients in commercial lotions can interfere with hormone production. Now, compare that to quality, natural ingredients that nourish the skin. In the case of the lotion in this article, we are talking about lemon essential oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, and a little bit of beeswax.
Sweet Almond Oil
Rich in vitamins A and E, potassium, zinc, proteins, and essential fatty acids, sweet almond oil makes the perfect addition to your skin care game. It’s a hypoallergenic oil and it works to deep clean your pores without clogging them. The vitamin E content helps to fight wrinkles as you age, and it also supplies the skin with the necessary amino acids that collagen requires to thrive.
Lemon Essential Oil
According to scientific research, lemon essential oil has astringent, antimicrobial, conditioning, anti-fungal, absorbent, and antibacterial properties. The antimicrobial and astringent properties of lemon essential oil can help decrease inflammation of P. Acnes bacteria, which causes inflammatory acne. The astringent properties also cleanse dead skin cells from the skin’s surface.
Shea Butter
Shea butter has a high concentration of vitamins and fatty acids that help moisturize and nourish the skin. Most dermatologists recommend shea butter because it works to protect the skin’s natural oils. Shea butter also works to enhance the skin’s collagen production, and it helps keep the skin hydrated by preventing it from drying out. The cinnamic acid in shea butter helps reduce skin inflammation, and it may even help the skin from mutating.
Beeswax
Beeswax is commonly applied to the skin to relieve swelling and inflammation, but it also enhances moisture. The vitamin A content and emollient properties help to lock in the skin’s natural moisture, but they provide breathability as well. When you mix beeswax with carrier oils, like sweet almond oil or coconut oil, beeswax helps to establish a protective coating on the skin. This helps to protect the skin from airborne toxins, factory fumes, or car exhaust, all of which contribute to premature signs of aging.
DIY Lemon Lotion
Ingredients:
- 1/8 cup shea butter
- 1.5 tablespoons sweet almond oil
- 1 tablespoon beeswax
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
Instructions:
- Add the shea butter, sweet almond oil, and beeswax to a heat-safe glass measuring cup with a pour spout.
- Pour an inch or so of water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil on the stove. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and place the measuring cup in the saucepan. Stir the mixture until the everything is melted.
- Carefully remove the measuring cup from the saucepan and stir in the essential oil. Pour the mixture into a glass jar, screw on the top, and leave it at room temperature for 24 hours. The lotion will firm up and then you can use it as frequently as you want.
