Organic Body Lotion – You Can Make What You’re Not Getting in Stores

"Organic Body Lotion," is a claim that you will see on many labels when you visit your local drug or department store. However, is an "organic" product really what you are getting? Cosmetic manufacturers can claim that a product is organic when it has at least 70% organic ingredients. That 70% organic ingredients is great, but what about the other 30% of the ingredients? A third of your product can be made up of artificial fillers and preservatives!

So, finding an organic body lotion is more difficult than it initially appears to be. The skin is the largest organ in the body, so finding skin care products that are free of harmful ingredients is crucial. The following are some synthetic ingredients to avoid in your lotions: Parabens; Diazolidinyl Urea; Petrolatum; and Propylene Glycol. These ingredients collectively may cause hives and eczema; disrupt your body’s own ability to moisturize itself; cause contact dermatitis; and cause allergic reactions. Just what you would want to avoid by using a product labeled as organic!

Organic body lotion with real organic ingredients may be difficult to find, or if you are lucky enough to find some excellent products be ultra-expensive. Luckily, you do have an alternative available. You can make your own lotions and skin care products at home. You’ll save money, and be assured as to what is really coming in contact with your skin.

Organic body lotion is really not that difficult to make either. If you can handle melting some oils like Shea butter or jojoba oil with a wax, such as beeswax, and pouring some water slowly into your melted mixture while stirring with a stick blender, you have the skills to make lotion. A key to making great lotion is to have all items used for making lotion sanitized before use to avoid contaminating the finished lotion with microbes. While you will need a preservative if you make a batch of lotion that you would like to keep more than a few days, there are some great natural alternatives available. Essential oils used in your lotions have anti-microbial properties and you can also add Vitamin E which is a great natural anti-oxidant and preservative. Grain alcohol, such as high-proof vodka is also an effective preservative.