Homemade Pregnancy Stretch Mark Lotion

Now that I am almost 5 months along in my pregnancy, my belly is starting to grow rapidly.  I love using essential oils and have been wanting to make lotion for a long time now.  Since I'm nowhere near a store to buy a lotion for my belly, and I have a stash of essential oils on hand, I figured it was the perfect time to learn to make it myself!  I couldn't find a full recipe exactly like I wanted, so I ended up developing my own recipe based on two other recipes.  The first is a recipe in The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood.  This is an excellent book on how to use essential oils.  The recipe I drew from in this book (on page 213 if you have the book) was for a massage oil specifically for pregnant women targeting stretch marks.  However, I wanted more of a lotion than a massage oil so I found a stretch mark cream recipe online (http://www.savvyhomemade.com/homemade-stretch-mark-cream/) and combined the two.  Here is my recipe.

Ingredients:

•  3oz coconut oil
•  3/4oz beeswax, grated
•  3/4oz cocoa butter
•  3 tbsp. sweet almond oil
•  6 tbsp. water
•  2 tsp. vitamin E oil
•  3/4 tsp. lavender essential oil
•  3/4 tsp. tangerine essential oil
•  1/2 tsp. lemon essential oil (this oil may be irritating to the skin so make sure you aren't sensitive to it before you use it)

Directions:

• In a small sauce pan melt the coconut oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, and almond oil on low heat.
• When oils are completely melted, mix in water vigorously until oils and water are combined and smooth
• Remove from heat and continue to mix oil and water until mixture cools to room temperature and is a creamy consistency
• When the mixture is room temperature stir in vitamin E oil, lavender, tangerine, and lemon essential oils thoroughly
• Store lotion in a dark glass container or clear glass container.  If you use a clear glass container be sure to store your lotion in a dark place.  My lotion fit perfectly into a half pint canning jar.

(For pictures of the process go to the lotion recipe link listed above.)

After using this lotion for only a few days I already love it!  It really soaks in and moisturizes my skin.  I even use it as a hand cream.  It does leave a slight waxy residue, but I don't mind this at all.  Another nice thing is that it doesn't wash right off your hands like some store bought lotions do.

Before you use any essential oils, make sure you research which ones are safe to use while pregnant.  Here is a website that lists which ones may be dangerous: http://www.essentialoils.co.za/pregnancy.htm.  You may notice that I have used two oils on this list in my recipe: almond and lemon.  However, I used sweet almond oil not bitter, which is listed, and lemon is only listed as a possible irritant.  I know I am not sensitive to this oil.  Use your own discretion when making lotions for yourself.