Homemade Shimmer Lotion (Bronze Recipe)
There is a particular kind of pleasure in a lotion made well — one that softens the skin, catches the light just so, and feels, somehow, like a small daily luxury rather than an afterthought. This is that lotion. Nourishing butters and oils come together in a silky emulsion, finished with a whisper of shimmer for a soft, all-over glow. No glitter mess. No sticky residue. Just beautifully soft, luminous skin, and the quiet satisfaction of having made it yourself.
Servings: 300 grams
Cost: $5
Ingredients
- 222 grams Distilled Water
- 12 grams Vegetable Glycerin
- 18 grams Hazelnut Oil
- 15 grams Mango Butter
- 15 grams Emulsifying Wax NF
- 12 grams Cetearyl Alcohol
- 1.5 grams Liquid Germall Plus (preservative)
- 4.5 grams Fragrance Oil
- Cosmetic Mica Powder
Instructions
- Mix water phase Combine the distilled water and vegetable glycerin in a heatproof container, and heat gently over a double boiler.
- Heat the oil phase In the same double boiler - but in a separate container, combine the hazelnut oil, mango butter, emulsifying wax NF, and cetearyl alcohol. Heat over the double boiler until fully melted. Heating them both on the same double boiler ensures they are roughly the same temperature. (Which is very important when making lotion).
- Combine Once your oil phase is fully melted, pour it slowly into the water phase. Immediately blending continuously with your immersion blender. Blend for a minute or two, until the mixture turns opaque and creamy — a lovely transformation to watch.
- Add the cool-down phase Once below 122°F (50°C), mix in the fragrance oil and Liquid Germall Plus, blending until fully incorporated.
- Add your shimmer Once the lotion has noticeably thickened, mix in your mica powder. Adding it here, rather than earlier when the lotion is still thin, is precisely what keeps it beautifully suspended rather than settling at the bottom of the jar.
- Bottle it up After the mica is mixed in, transfer it into your sanitized bottles or jars. Let it cool and set fully before sealing. It can be difficult to get into the bottle once thickened, I suggest using a pipping bag. Saves sooooo much time!