Beginner Guide to Lotion Making
How emulsions work, what ingredients you need, and how to make your first batch
Lotion is an emulsion — a stable mixture of oil and water held together by an emulsifier. Making lotion from scratch is more complex than soap making: you need to manage three phases, maintain temperature during processing, choose an appropriate preservative, and test for stability. But it is absolutely accessible to beginners with the right ingredients and process.
What an emulsion is
Oil and water do not mix on their own — they separate into layers. An emulsifier is a molecule with one end that attracts oil and another end that attracts water. It positions itself at the oil-water interface, surrounding tiny oil droplets and keeping them suspended in the water phase (in an O/W emulsion). The result is a smooth, uniform product.
O/W vs W/O
O/W (oil-in-water): Oil droplets suspended in water. Feels light; absorbs into skin; most lotions and creams are O/W.
W/O (water-in-oil): Water droplets suspended in oil. Feels richer and more occlusive; sunscreens and cold creams are often W/O.
The four essential ingredients
| Ingredient type | What it does | Beginner recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Emulsifier | Holds oil and water together | Polawax or BTMS-50 at 5–7% |
| Water phase | The liquid base | Distilled water at 60–75% |
| Oil phase | Provides emolliency and occlusion | Sweet almond, jojoba, or shea at 15–25% |
| Preservative | Prevents microbial contamination | Optiphen or Germall Plus at manufacturer-recommended rate |
No preservative = unsafe product
Optional but useful additions
- Humectant (glycerin at 2–5%): Attracts moisture to skin; adds slip and a soft feel.
- Thickener (cetyl alcohol at 1–3%): Adds body and creamy texture to the oil phase.
- pH adjuster (citric acid solution, lactic acid): Sets finished pH to 4.5–6 for most skin-compatible products.
- Fragrance or essential oil (0.5–2%): Added at cool-down to preserve volatile components.
- Antioxidant (vitamin E / tocopherol at 0.1–0.5%): Extends oil shelf life; added to oil phase.
A simple first lotion formula
| Ingredient | % | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Distilled water | 73.6% | Water phase |
| Glycerin | 3.0% | Water phase |
| Sweet almond oil | 12.0% | Oil phase |
| Emulsifying Wax NF (Polawax) | 5.3% | Oil phase |
| Shea butter | 3.0% | Oil phase |
| Cetyl alcohol | 1.0% | Oil phase |
| Tocopherol T50 (vitamin E) | 0.1% | Oil phase |
| Optiphen | 1.5% | Cool-down (below 40°C / 104°F) |
| Fragrance or essential oil | 0.5% | Cool-down (below 40°C / 104°F) |
Total: 100%. This formula was verified in LotionMath. It produces a light, fast-absorbing body lotion with good slip and a non-greasy finish.
Basic method
- Sanitize all equipment with 70% isopropyl alcohol and allow to air dry.
- Weigh water phase ingredients (water + glycerin) in a heat-safe beaker. Heat to 70–75°C (158–167°F).
- Weigh oil phase ingredients (oils + butters + emulsifier + cetyl + vitamin E) in a separate beaker. Heat to 70–75°C until all solids melt.
- When both phases are at the same temperature, pour the oil phase into the water phase slowly, stirring constantly.
- Stick blend in short pulses until the emulsion is smooth and begins to thicken.
- Continue stirring while cooling to below 40°C (104°F). Do not stop mixing until cool.
- Add cool-down ingredients (preservative, fragrance) below 40°C. Stir gently.
- Check and adjust pH to 4.5–6 using a diluted citric acid solution or lactic acid if needed.
- Package in a clean, sanitized container. Run a stability test before using on others.
Pro Tip