By Laura Gordon
It never occurred to me to make my own body lotions and creams until I began reading about the harmful carcinogenic effects of using petrochemicals on the body. Our skin is our largest organ. Not only does it eliminate waste through sweating, it also absorbs what is put on it. Sadly if you look at the list of ingredients in lotions and creams sold in grocery and drug stores you will see a list of hard to pronounce chemicals with petroleum based products as the filler.
Not so good, but it’s winter which is particularly harsh on our skin causing it to be dry and rough as well as cracked and painful, especially our hands and feet. What to do? – particularly for the feet since as massage therapists, we like to add reflexology to the massage session. After doing some research on the internet I have discovered a fabulous foot cream that can be made in the comfort of your own home with few ingredients that are easy to find in your local health food store.
The following is the recipe (from http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/02/a-recipe-for-handmade-peppermint-foot-cream/) for homemade peppermint foot cream. I am here to tell you there is nothing quite so enjoyable as a peppermint foot cream massage for the client and the therapist!
Ingredients:
0.5 ounces cocoa butter
2 ounces Shea butter
1 ounce coconut oil
0.25 ounces avocado oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
1/4 teaspoon tea tree oil
1/4 teaspoon essential oils of peppermint
10 drops essential oils of lavender
Directions
1. Melt the two butters and the oils together over low heat on the stove, or in a double boiler, until just 
melted.
2. Mix well, remove from heat (allow to cool a bit), and stir in the remaining ingredients.
3. Whip by using a stick blender or hand mixer. Then pour into storage container (i.e. a sterilized recycled lotion jar).ol and harden completely for 24 hours (up to 48 hours). You may speed up this p
4. Allow to cool and harden completely for 24 hours (up to 48 hours). You may speed up this process by placing the cream in the refrigerator. Note: For a thicker cream, double the amount of cocoa butter or add 0.25 ounces of beeswax.
5. Massage into feet
Now that you’ve looked over the recipe, give me some ideas you have of other essential oils to use to make a luxurious foot cream for you and your clients. What healing properties do these essential oils have that make them desirable to use on feet?
I can’t wait to try this, I’m headed out to the store tomorrow to get the ingredients. Thank You so much for sharing, this will make a foot massage so much more enjoyable for the client and me.
Ah!! This is perfect! I have started using lotion after every shower but I hate knowing that there are awful chemicals in it. I am definitely going to use this recipe soon! Thanks Laura!
Very nice recipe! I bet this will help so much more after a nice scrub treatment.
I can’t wait to try this. I am planning on getting the ingredients this week. Work on feet is bothersome to me, but if the smell is pleasant then I am sure it would be more enjoyable.
I love this because the fact i have such sensitive skin and hate using many scented lotions because I brake out from many of them. With making my own will help prevent a brake out in the future.
Wow!! can not wait to try this. That is so true how many dangerous chemicals are in certain creams and lotions now. I had no idea how much damage I was causing by trying to hydrate. Awesome blog as always 🙂
I have a very close friend that makes her own body lotion and soap and it is amazing. I have been trying to get her to show me how for a long time.
This is really great! I think I have everything I need at home to do this. I have made soap a few times and the ingredients are some what similar!
Great idea, Laura, I already have several of the necessary ingredients on hand.
Will give this recipe a try. Thanks.
My wife has been looking on pintrest.com for a good lotion recipe and has been experimenting with a lot of different mixtures. I just showed this one to her and she’s excited.
I would like to try and mix this for myself. Thank you!
Wow Laura what a great article. I have been looking for a good foot cream for my dry feet for so long and nothing ever seemed to work for me. I so cannot wait to try this! Thanks for the recipe.
Love this! I already liked the “make your own scrub” blog that was also posted. I didn’t notice all the crazy chemicals they were putting in lotions until I started this MT program. I’m much more cautious when picking out things that I’m going to put on my body. I’m going to try this soon!
Where is a good place to find these ingredients in the Tulsa area fairly cheaply? I love the idea but am unsure of where to find a few of the components. I issues with hand lotions (especially ones that have alcohol) and was looking for a great replacement. The idea of making my own is wonderful!
I am all for using all natural products on my skin to avoid using harmful stuff on it. This is something i am willing.
I love this!!I have been looking at making my own products to give away for gifts to my clients at certain times of the year or special occasions.And I love peppermint!!
I have heard bad things about lotions bought in drug stores, but I still buy them because I thought that the organic stuff was “too expensive” or I felt like making my own would be “too hard.” I am very excited to try this. These ingredients are going on my grocery list. I think this would also be very nice after a salt or sugar scrub to the feet. Can’t wait!
I’ve always wanted to try and make my own body soap and lotion. I am willing to try this, to make my skin and feet and hands feel amazing and never use anything else. Love the article. Thanks Laura!!!!!!!
I’ve always wanted to try and make my own body soap and lotion. I am willing to try this, to make my skin and feet and hands feel amazing and never use anything else. Love the article. Thanks Laura!!!!!!!
While I love the smell of peppermint there are some other oils that I would choose. One is lemon and/or orange because these two come from the peels themselves and have very powerful anti-microbial properties that destroy pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi. I would also choose clove and/or cinnamon because they have the greatest antioxidant density.
Two oils I like to use on my skin already are coconut oil, and olive oil. They are both really good for your skin and great at promoting better elasticity.
For the past year, I have been interested in herbs and organic foods to my health but one thing I have not been able to do is find something to help with my skin allergies. What I like the most is that the ingrediants are all natural. Now…the biggest test is rather or not it will last, keeping me from having so apply it more than once a day.
Since so many ppl are interested in making something in this blog here is another foot cream idea or is it the same one?
Handmade Peppermint Foot Cream
Gather the Ingredients
-0.5 ounces cocoa butter
-2 ounces Shea butter
-1 ounce coconut oil
-0.25 ounces avocado oil
-1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
-1/4 teaspoon tea tree oil
-1/4 teaspoon essential oils of peppermint
-10 drops essential oils of lavender
http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/02/a-recipe-for-handmade-peppermint-foot-cream/
I can’t handle very many smells so I would probably stick to the good ole Lavender essential oils.