DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Lotion- The perfect (and SAFE!) ratios of essential oils to have you rolling in the season's most favorite scent!- Scratch Mommy

DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Lotion

DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Lotion (perfectly scented, perfectly concocted for beautiful and radiant skin)- Scratch Mommy
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You know those annoying pumpkin spice fanatics who come out of the wood work every October? Yes, I’m one of those. While I won’t be getting any pumpkin spice lattes from that mainstream coffee shop that shall not be named, I WILL be indulging in plenty of homemade pumpkin spice goodness! This DIY pumpkin spice body lotion recipe is a fun way to indulge and nourish while enjoying the seasonal scent.

No Pumpkin in Pumpkin Spice!?

You may be surprised to know that there actually isn’t any pumpkin in this lotion. Now, Scratch Mommy Founder Jess created her own edible (and sexy!) pumpkin body butter recipe which you can find here, but the lotion recipe you will find below relies on essential oils for scent. Pumpkin in itself is actually pretty bland tasting, and the familiar pumpkin spice scent we’ve grown to know and love really doesn’t have much to do with pumpkin either. Try a slice of pumpkin pie without any cinnamon, clove, or nutmeg and you’ll see what I mean!

And since pumpkin is a food, it won’t last long in a lotion with water unless there’s a ton of preservatives. Yucky preservatives are completely against the so-non-toxic-you-can-eat-it skincare guidelines here at Scratch Mommy. You won’t find any in Scratch Mommy Founder Jess’s Pronounce Skincare line either. So, if you’d like to add pumpkin, then try Jess’s edible body butter, and make sure you store it in the fridge and use it within a few weeks.

Some Familiar Favorite Raw Ingredients

If you’ve tried your hand at natural DIY skincare before, then you’re probably familiar with the skin nourishing benefits of shea butter, beeswax, and sweet almond oil. These three are staples in my skincare routine for their versatility and non-toxic simplicity. If you want to try different carrier oils or butters you can read all about choosing carrier oils and choosing body butters in these two Scratch Mommy posts.

I’ve also added rosehip seed oil to this lotion, which isn’t as widely used as many other carrier oils, but is actually pretty amazing. Rosehip seed oil is considered a dry oil, because it absorbs into the skin so quickly. It can be too drying if it’s used on its own, however it’s nice to combine with heavier oils to help reduce the greasy feel that some homemade skincare products can leave behind.

DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Lotion- The perfect (and SAFE!) ratios of essential oils to have you rolling in the season's most favorite scent!- Scratch Mommy
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Skincare and Essential Oil Safety

This is important…let’s talk about the essential oils in this recipe here for a minute. Since the essential oils used in this DIY pumpkin spice lotion recipe are considered “hot” oils, they can cause skin irritation if used in large amounts. Contrary to popular belief, there is no one size fits all dilution for skincare products. Yes, there are general guidelines, however each essential oil has its own maximum dilution guidelines for skincare based on where and how it will be used. For example, lime essential oil can only be used in a lotion at .7 percent, but if you put it in a soap, then you can safely use a whopping 25 percent!

This recipe keeps the total amount of essential oils at about 1.3%, which is fairly low for a skincare product. Ginger can be safely used in a lotion at 5%, but we’re only using it at .33% here, so we’re well within safe limits. Actually, all of the essential oils here are being used at or below their safe limits.

NOTE: It is very important that you use cinnamon leaf essential oil in this recipe. I cannot stress this enough! Let’s talk a bit more in depth about cinnamon essential oils down below…

In Search of ‘the Real Deal’

Cinnamon bark isn’t safe for pregnant women, and it’s much more irritating, so even a small amount can cause burning on the skin. And please don’t pick up a cheap bottle of cinnamon from Amazon or your grocery store either. Cassia smells exactly the same as cinnamon, but it’s much cheaper to produce.

Dishonest companies or oil brokers dilute their cinnamon with cheaper cassia, which is okay if you’re using it in your diffuser, but cassia is NOT safe to use on the skin unless it’s in super tiny amounts that don’t exceed .05%. Even this popular brand was found to be selling adulterated cinnamon, and it wasn’t just one batch. It’s important to use a brand where you can view the actual GCMS reports (preferably done by a 3rd party) and see the purity for yourself. You should be able to request these from the company directly.

**If you want more recipes that use the IFRA skincare safety guidelines, then be sure to check out my e-book, Body & Skin, DIY bodycare gifts. The gingerbread lip scrub is one of my favorite recipes in there, and all of them make great gifts for the holidays, just be sure to keep some for yourself!

**No time to DIY it? Then head over to the Pronounce Skincare Shop where Scratch Mommy Founder Jess offers totally non-toxic Lavender-Infused Lotion, Body Butters, Face Foundation, Aftershave Spray, Deodorants, her popular Total Face System, and many more other items, all handcrafted with certified organic ingredients that you can actually…pronounce!

Okay, are you ready!?? Here is my easy (and beautiful!) DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Lotion Recipe!

DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Lotion- The perfect (and SAFE!) ratios of essential oils to have you rolling in the season's most favorite scent!- Scratch Mommy
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DIY Pumpkin Spice Body Lotion
Author: Jamie Larrison
Instructions
  1. In a small, heat safe glass bowl combine the sweet almond oil, shea butter, beeswax, and rosehip seed oil. Place this over a small saucepan partially filled with boiling water to create a double boiler.
  2. Gently stir the mixture, just until melted with a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before stirring in the essential oils and vitamin E oil.
  3. Pour the oil mixture into a *very* clean blender, and place the pitcher in the fridge for about 20 minutes, until it looks opaque and thickened, but it’s not solid. You want it to be the consistency of room temperature butter.
  4. Place the pitcher on your blender and turn it onto a medium low speed. Very sloooowly drizzle the distilled water in the top using a glass measuring cup. If your blender has a lid that allows you to just remove the center part, then do that.
  5. Once all of the water has been drizzled in, then increase the speed to medium and blend for an additional 20 seconds. Immediately pour your creation into a glass container and store away from light and heat. Be sure to use it within a few months, always apply with clean hands, and keep your lid tightly secured when not in use.
Recipe Notes

NOTE: This is a body lotion and should not be used on the face, as it can cause some sensitivity.

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