How to Make Non-Greasy Shea Butter Lotion with Just 3 Ingredients

I've been making homemade skincare for years, and here's the thing about DIY lotions: they work great, but they're usually greasy. Coconut oil and shea butter are amazing for your skin, but they leave that slick feeling that takes forever to soak in.

There's one ingredient that fixes that.

Arrowroot powder. It absorbs the excess oil and gives you that normal lotion texture you're used to from the store — without the chemicals.

Let me show you how to make this.

Main ingredients:

• 3/4 cup shea butter (I buy mine in cubes)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (regular, not fractionated)
• 1-2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

Optional:

• Vitamin E oil (a few drops)
• Lavender essential oil (10-20 drops, adjust for kids)
• Glass mason jar for storage

Tools:

• Double boiler (or a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water)
• Hand mixer
• Freezer

1. Melt the shea butter and coconut oil

Set up your double boiler. If you don't have one, put a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add the shea butter and coconut oil. Heat on medium-high until everything's melted.

Don't worry about exact measurements. I eyeball mine and it always turns out fine.

2. Chill the mixture

Take the bowl off the heat and stick it in the freezer for about 20 minutes. You want it firm enough that you can press your thumb into it and leave an indent — but not solid. If it gets too hard, let it sit at room temperature for a bit to soften.

3. Add your extras

Once it's the right consistency, add:

• A few drops of vitamin E oil
• 10 drops of lavender essential oil (or whatever you like)

If you're making this for adults, 10-20 drops of essential oil works. For kids, keep it between 5-10 drops. Lavender is gentle and good for sensitive skin.

4. Add the arrowroot powder

Sprinkle in 1-2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder. Start with one and add more if you want it less greasy. I like 2 tablespoons.

5. Whip it

Use your hand mixer and whip everything together. It'll turn into a light, fluffy texture that looks like regular lotion. Keep mixing until it's smooth.

6. Store it

Spoon it into a glass jar. Use glass — essential oils break down plastic over time. Keep it somewhere below 76°F because coconut oil melts. If you live somewhere hot, store it in the fridge.

If it does melt, just pop it back in the fridge or freezer, let it set, and re-whip it.

Shea butter and coconut oil are both incredible for dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, diaper rash — you name it. The arrowroot powder keeps it from feeling greasy so it absorbs like a normal lotion.

You're basically getting store-quality texture without any of the junk they add to make things feel nice. And it costs pennies per use.

• This lotion lasts a long time since there's no water in it. No preservatives needed.
• If the texture gets weird, just re-whip it. It'll fluff right back up.
• You can swap lavender for any essential oil you like. Frankincense is good for anti-aging, tea tree works for acne-prone skin.

That's it. Three ingredients, one bowl, and you've got a non-greasy lotion that actually works.