How to Make Natural Lotion for Eczema

Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema is a condition that’s both unappealing, as well as uncomfortable. It’s characterized by itchy and red skin, and often makes an appearance in children and young adults. Medical evidence suggests that there is no permanent cure for eczema, a nasty problem that tends to periodically flare and become a nuisance.

The good news is that even if there is no cure for it, you can keep it under control. There are treatments and self-care measures that you can turn to in order to alleviate some of that itching and to give your skin a better appearance. Like homemade natural lotion specifically designed for the skin condition.

Why Make Natural Eczema Lotion?

When you have atopic dermatitis, one of the main recommendations is to keep your skin moisturized. This means that twice a day, you should apply creams, lotions, or other ointments that can help your body trap moisture, preventing your skin from being dry. Those that suffer from eczema typically have dry skin, and most of them make the mistake of using harsh soaps and deodorants that remove the skin’s natural oils.

This can happen with a lot of store-bought skincare products, unless you’re aiming for something natural; a non-toxic body lotion. However, natural products tend to be more expensive than the average, and since people with eczema need plenty of moisturizing, they could end up spending a lot of money on stuff like that.

But what if we showed you how easy it actually is to make your own natural lotion for eczema with just a few ingredients, and in the fragrance of your choice? Then you could literally save your skin and moisturize it with a product you know is safe, because YOU made it.

What You’ll Need:

There are many different variants to help you create the very best natural lotions for eczema. However, we’re going to give you the ingredients for a classic recipe, one with a fragrance that everybody loves: lavender. For this recipe, you will need a series of ingredients that go into the lotion itself, as well as a series of tools that you probably have lying around the kitchen. That being said, for this simple lotion recipe, you’ll need:

• ½  cup of shea butter
• ½  cup of coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of raw honey
• 40 drops of lavender essential oil
• 5 to 10 drops of tea tree essential oil
• Clean bowl
• Saucepan for double boiler
• Wide-mouth mason jar, or other bottles for you to store the lotion in
• Hand mixer (optional, if you don’t like to mix by hand with a fork)

Alternative: If you don’t want to turn on the stove, the double boiler method can be replaced with microwave melting. However, we don’t recommend melting the ingredients in the microwave, as you don’t have the same luxury of stirring the ingredients whenever needed. To do so when using a microwave, you would have to currently stop it, take out the hot bowl, mix the ingredients, then put it back inside. The whole process takes longer and is quite inconvenient.

Tip: You can replace the lavender and tea tree essential oils with others you fancy more. However, unless you know your way around mixing fragrances, don’t use more than two essential oils at once, and never more than 50 drops in this particular recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step One: The double boiler

• The double boiler method is also known as the bain-marie technique and is based on melting ingredients by placing them on top of a heated water recipient.
• Grab a saucepan and fill it halfway with water.
• Light the stove on medium-high heat and place the saucepan with water on top of it.
• When the water starts to heat up, put a clean bowl inside the saucepan. This is how we’ll melt your ingredients.

Step Two: Melting the ingredients

• Inside the clean bowl you’re using for the double boiler method, place the coconut oil and shea butter.
• Allow them to melt, slowly mixing with a clean spatula or spoon to make sure the two ingredients blend together.

Step Three: Add the honey & oils

• When the ingredients have melted, add the honey and allow it to melt as well. If need be, use the spatula to mix everything together.
• When the honey is incorporated into the homogeneous liquid mixture, add the tea tree oil and lavender essential oil. Mix them all together using the spatula.

Step Four: Let cool

• Turn off the stove, remove the bowl with the mixed ingredients from the hot water and allow them to cool.

Step Five: Mixing the lotion

• Once the mixture has started to cool off, you will notice it will begin to solidify. Some of you might be tempted to put it in the freezer, but we advise otherwise. If you do so, the mixture will solidify too much for you to move on to the next steps, so you will have to melt it all over again. What you need to continue is a mixture that’s thick, but still liquid enough.
• The next step involves mixing vigorously, which will change the texture of the recipe.
• You might be better off working with a hand mixer, because it gives you more freedom of maneuvering and more control over how the end product will look like. Personally, I just whip it by hand. Mix the lotion for a few minutes. You should notice the solution gaining a lighter color and should also notice that it has a creamy appearance.
• What you’re aiming for is a mixture that has a lotion consistency. This implies mixing until the desired consistency is reached.

Step Six: Containers & Storage

• Once the lotion is right where you want it to be, grab the clean mason jar or whatever other containers you plan on using.
• Pour the lotion inside the container and label it accordingly.
• The lotion can be stored at either room temperature or in the refrigerator. The latter option is better during the summertime, when room temperatures might be higher than average.

Bottom Line

Making your own natural lotion for eczema is an absolute breeze. Even if it may take an hour to complete a batch, the steps are super easy to follow, and the ingredients you need are very inexpensive. However, before smearing the product all over your skin, remember to patch test: apply the lotion on a small part of your skin and see if there’s any negative reaction.

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