DIY Essential Oil Body Lotion & Butter Recipes

DIY Essential Oil Body Lotion and Butter Recipes You'll Actually Use

If you've ever flipped over a store-bought lotion and struggled to pronounce half the ingredients, you're not alone. Making your own DIY essential oil body lotion and butter at home is easier than you think — and the results are genuinely luxurious. With just a handful of natural base ingredients and a few drops of your favorite essential oils, you can create personalized skin care that smells incredible and feels even better. Let's dive into everything you need to know to get started.

Why Make Your Own Essential Oil Body Products?

Commercial lotions often contain preservatives, synthetic fragrances, and fillers that offer little real benefit to your skin. Homemade versions let you control exactly what goes on your body. You choose the carrier oils, the butters, the scent, and the consistency. Many people who make the switch to DIY body care find they prefer it so much they never go back to store-bought options.

Essential oils add a beautiful aromatic dimension to homemade lotions and butters. Beyond the scent, different oils have been traditionally associated with various skin-supporting properties — making them a popular choice among natural beauty enthusiasts. Just remember: essential oils are not medicine, and any skin concerns should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.

Essential Ingredients You'll Need

Base Ingredients

• Shea butter — rich and deeply moisturizing, great for dry skin
• Coconut oil — lightweight and popular for its skin-softening reputation
• Beeswax — adds thickness and helps lotions hold their shape
• Jojoba oil — a liquid wax that closely mimics skin's natural sebum
• Sweet almond oil — light, silky, and suitable for most skin types
• Emulsifying wax — needed if you want a true lotion (water + oil blend)

Essential Oils to Consider

• Lavender — one of the most popular choices for skin-care blends; many people love it for its calming scent
• Frankincense — traditionally associated with skin health and widely used in natural beauty routines
• Geranium — floral and balancing, popular among those with combination skin
• Wild Orange — bright and uplifting, a favorite for energizing body butters
• Roman Chamomile — gentle and soothing, popular for sensitive skin formulas

doTERRA offers all of these oils in their pure, tested form. Products like doTERRA Lavender, Frankincense, and Wild Orange are particularly well-loved by DIY enthusiasts because of their consistent quality and aroma.

Simple DIY Body Butter Recipe

This whipped body butter is rich, fast-absorbing, and wonderfully scented. It makes a great starting point for beginners.

Ingredients

• ½ cup shea butter
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup sweet almond oil
• 20 drops doTERRA Lavender essential oil
• 10 drops doTERRA Frankincense essential oil
• 10 drops doTERRA Wild Orange essential oil

Instructions

1. Melt the shea butter and coconut oil together in a double boiler over low heat.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the sweet almond oil.
3. Allow the mixture to cool in the fridge for about 30–45 minutes until it begins to solidify around the edges but is still soft in the center.
4. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the mixture for 5–8 minutes until fluffy and light.
5. Add your essential oils and whip for another 1–2 minutes until fully incorporated.
6. Spoon into a clean glass jar and store at room temperature away from direct sunlight.

Tip: If your home is warm, store the body butter in the fridge to keep it from melting. It typically lasts 2–3 months when kept cool.

Easy DIY Essential Oil Body Lotion Recipe

Want something lighter? This lotion uses emulsifying wax to create a true water-in-oil emulsion — silky, non-greasy, and easy to spread.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup distilled water (or rose water for a floral touch)
• ¼ cup jojoba oil
• 2 tablespoons emulsifying wax (e.g., BTMS-50)
• 1 tablespoon shea butter
• 15 drops doTERRA Geranium essential oil
• 10 drops doTERRA Roman Chamomile essential oil
• 5 drops doTERRA Frankincense essential oil
• Optional: ½ teaspoon Vitamin E oil as a natural preservative booster

Instructions

1. Heat the water in one container and the jojoba oil, emulsifying wax, and shea butter in another — both to approximately 75°C (167°F).
2. Slowly pour the water into the oil mixture while stirring continuously.
3. Stir consistently as the mixture cools — it will begin to thicken and turn white.
4. Once cooled to below 40°C (104°F), add your essential oils and Vitamin E oil.
5. Transfer to a clean pump bottle or jar. Use within 4–6 weeks.

Safety note: Because this lotion contains water, it can grow mold without a proper preservative. For longer shelf life, consider adding a broad-spectrum cosmetic preservative according to manufacturer guidelines.

Blending Tips for Beginners

Keep Your Total Essential Oil Amount Safe

A general guideline for body products is to keep essential oils at 1–2% of the total formula. For a 100g batch, that's roughly 20–40 drops total. Always do a patch test on a small area of skin before applying a new blend all over.

Scent Families That Work Well Together

• Floral + Earthy: Lavender, Geranium, Frankincense
• Citrus + Herbal: Wild Orange, Peppermint, Rosemary
• Warm + Spicy: doTERRA Cassia, Cardamom, Vetiver

Choosing the Right Base for Your Skin Type

• Dry skin: Shea butter and avocado oil are richly nourishing
• Oily or combination skin: Jojoba or grapeseed oil absorbs quickly without clogging pores
• Sensitive skin: Sweet almond oil and Roman Chamomile essential oil are popular, gentle choices

A Note on Safety

Essential oils are potent and should always be diluted before applying to skin. Some oils are not suitable for use during pregnancy, around young children, or for people with certain medical conditions. If you have any health concerns or existing skin conditions, please consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting a new skin-care routine. Essential oils are not a replacement for medical advice or treatment.

Start Saving on Quality Essential Oils Today

The quality of your essential oils makes a real difference in your DIY recipes. Using a pure, unadulterated oil like those in the doTERRA lineup means your products smell better and your skin gets the full benefit of each ingredient.

The great news? You don't have to pay full retail price. By joining doTERRA as a Wellness Advocate, you unlock wholesale pricing — saving 25% on every order. It's a straightforward process: click the link below, choose to enroll as a Wellness Advocate, and you can start shopping at wholesale prices immediately. Many people find the savings pay for themselves quickly, especially once you start making your own body care products regularly.

Whether you're just here to grab a few oils at a better price or you're curious about sharing doTERRA products with friends and family, enrolling through our link is the fastest way to get started and save from your very first order.

Ready to upgrade your DIY body care routine with premium essential oils at wholesale prices? Click the link to enroll as a doTERRA Wellness Advocate and start saving today.