DIY Coconut Oil Lotion

Today we will be making what I affectionately refer to as "Beach in a Jar".  This creamy oil mixture has the smell of the beach without being an overwhelmingly coconut scent and it goes on like buttah.   This mixture is NOT a typical lotion that you might put on your hands.  Rather, it is a thick oil that is perfect for your skin after a long bath, or perhaps even while AT the beach.  I love to take a little dab of it for the back of my neck or forearms where I can smell that deliciousness all day long.

Portions of my post have been previously published on Crafts Unleashed.

Let's start at the beginning though, shall we?

You will only need a few basic supplies for this DIY luxury.

Scented Creamy Oil Mixture:

• Day at the Beach Scent
• Olive Oil (check your pantry!)
• Coconut Oil (Costco carries a big tub or you can find it from Amazon RIGHT HERE)
• Mixer (Stand or Handheld)

Your Jars:

• Small Quilted Jars with Lids
• Baker's Twine 
• White muslin, burlap, scrap cloth, etc
• Cute little life preservers (It is the BEACH!)

Let's hop into the kitchen shall we?  This simple little mixture takes no more than 5 minutes to whip up and is the perfect chore to do while waiting for the pasta water to boil.  Warm up 2 cups of coconut oil in the microwave, just 10 seconds at a time until it goes from a solid to liquid.



Add the oil to the mixing bowl with about 1/2 a cup of olive oil and 15-20 drops of your fragrance oil.  Start the mixture off on the lowest setting, otherwise the liquid oil will go EVERYWHERE.  You want to incorporate a lot of air into the oil, so as soon as the oils have mixed and start to cool, go ahead and crank up the speed a few notches.  Keep it whipping until it looks like this:

UPDATE: Some people have had problems getting the mixture to harden up, particularly in the summer when room temperatures are warmer. 
The key is to COOL the coconut oil down if it is too liquid and to use a smaller amount of olive oil (less than 1/4 cup) or more coconut oil (up to 3 cups).  

Once creamy, you will want to carefully ladle the mixture into your little jelly jars.

Once you have filled the jelly jars, I just let the bowl sit out for the evening instead of washing it.  The smell is pretty divine :)

Onto packaging...I used the Cappuccino Baker's Twine Mix for my jars, pairing the black with the red life preservers and the darkest brown with the navy preservers.

Aren't they cute?  They come 2 to a pack and the pack is under $1.50.

When adding your topper to the jar, simply cut a circle of muslin, burlap or scrap fabric about 1 inch wider than your lid.  

I tie the string around the top rim very tightly, then slide it down over the lip of the lid to secure.

Simply trim up any loose edges, attach the life preservers with 2 little stitches (or hot glue!) and get ready to enjoy the beach!

 If you liked this tutorial, then you might enjoy the BOOK!

Make your own coconut oil.

Gather your own sea salt.

Grow your own grapevines for wreaths.

Give gifts naturally grown and crafted from your backyard garden.

Each chapter focuses on a plant or groups of plants and how to grow them in your home garden.  Then, gather up those natural ingredients and get crafting! From lavender wreaths and hypertufa planters to lambsear angels and pickled tomatoes, there are projects for beginners on up!

Crafting with Nature is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, POWELL's! (!!!!)  Booktopia (Australia!), IndieBound, Alibris, Glose.com, The Book Depository and Walmart.com.  Books are also rolling out to retailers and libraries, so check for them there. 

 If your library does NOT have it yet, this is why you should talk to your librarian!

Want more for free?

For ALL the DIY projects here at the Nest, 

check out the 'for DIY folks' page and click on any link to see that particular post!