Cooling Aloe Vera Peppermint Lotion

Are you sunburned or just feeling hot this summer?  Try this lotion recipe to cool off after being in the heat—you will love how it feels! Since coconut oil and peppermint essential oil have demonstrated a low level of SPF protection during testing¹, you may even use it to help prevent a sunburn.

Cooling Aloe Vera Peppermint Lotion

Servings: Yield = 1 1/4 cups of lotion | Time: 15 minutes active; 45 minutes inactive | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients & Supplies:

• 1/4 cup beeswax pellets
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup aloe vera gel
• 10–20 drops peppermint essential oil
• 12 oz. PET Jar

Instructions:

1. Place the beeswax in a medium-size glass dish. Melt in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan filled with an inch of simmering water (creating a double boiler). Heat until almost completely melted.
2. Add the coconut oil to the beeswax, and finish melting.
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature (about an hour). NOTE: You can wrap the glass dish in a towel and place it in the refrigerator (35–45 minutes) or freezer (10–15 minutes) to speed up the cooling process.
   Note: Some glass dishes can break if the temperature change is too drastic. Use caution. Wrap a towel around and under the dish; then let it cool first in the fridge before placing it in the freezer. The towel keeps the glass from touching anything really cold.
4. Once cool, add the aloe vera gel and peppermint oil, and mix together with a handheld or stand electric mixer for a few minutes until well incorporated and fluffy.
5. Place lotion in a 12 oz. PET Jar or other wide-mouth jar.
6. Store at room temperature (65–72 degrees) or in a refrigerator. Coconut oil turns to a liquid state at 76 degrees Fahrenheit and your lotion will become very runny.

This recipe was adapted from GI 365 | Gourmet Innovations.²

Sources:
¹In vitro sun protection factor determination of herbal oils used in cosmetics (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140123/)
²GI 365 | Gourmet Innovations (http://gi365.info/lifestyle/cooling-aloe-mint-body-lotion/)