This DIY lotion is similar to my summer Coconut Oil ‘Day at the Beach’ Jars, but a little more substantial, yellow in color and smells like fall itself. The base oils are coconut oil and shea butter (pictured) found at bulk food stores, specialty groceries or online. I buy mine at Amazon or Costco. The rest of the supplies for this DIY lotion can be ordered quickly online at Consumer Crafts.
Supplies needed to make your own pumpkin shea butter DIY lotion:
- Fragrance Oil – I used Pumpkin Spice, but Walk in the Woods or even Baked Apple Pie would be nice for fall! You will need 20-25 drops.
- Large Amber Canning Jars or Small Quilted Jars (Just $1.00!)
- 2 Cups Coconut Oil (approximately)
- 8 oz Shea Butter
- Stand Mixer
- ***Seen in Tutorial photos — Twig Pumpkin and Large Burlap Ribbon
The process:
The process for this DIY lotion is slightly more involved than my previous tutorial, but similar. You start with the solid coconut oil (about 2 cups) and shea butter (8 oz) and melt it down very slowly. DO NOT BOIL. I use my microwave and go 10-30 seconds at a time until the solids turn mostly liquid. The mixture looks gross at first until the two oils completely mix and air is whipped into the concoction.
See those chunks of shea butter? They are very soft from being melted, but not completely liquid. That is fine. Better slightly solid than to go too far and boil the oil. Let your mixer go on level 1 or 2 until:
The mixture starts to take on a uniform yellow color with small bits of shea still visible.
When the mixture just slightly holds to a spoon, you can bump up the mixer speed to 3-4. Keep increasing the whipping speed as more air incorporates into the mixture and it becomes less sloppy and liquid.
It will take 10 minutes or more to get this whipped icing type consistency for your DIY lotion. If you want the mix thicker, you can add some more liquid coconut oil at this point along with your 20-25 drops of fragrance oil. Whip to incorporate. Dispense the mixture into your jars and allow it to “harden up” a bit over the next couple of days.
This loose recipe will make one large canning jar and three smaller jars. You could make a ton of the smaller jars as gifts! Note that the color is slightly “lemony” in the clear jars, so I like using the amber jars to give the pumpkin shea butter DIY lotion a bit more “fall” feeling without adding coloring.
Enjoy!
More Project Ideas
Pumpkin Spice Stencil Tote
Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub Recipe
Homemade Whipped Body Butter
DIY Pumpkin Spice Hand Soap
Pumpkin Spice Lip Balm Recipe
Homemade Push-Up Lotion Bars
Pumpkin Spice DIY Bath Salts 
Fall Home Decor Craft: Painted Acorns
Rustic DIY Pumpkin Topiary Tutorial
Faux Succulent Pumpkin Centerpiece
Hey y’all! I’m Amy Renea, a freelance photographer and writer based out of Hershey, PA. I spend my days chasing children and chickens around the back yard, sipping on dandelion tea and munching on sweet potato chips. Come visit the Nest for All Seasons to learn more about my food, photography, DIY designs and modern garden living! www.anestforallseasons.com
Would you perhaps know that if I put pumpkin spice (like actual cooking powder) in instead of the fragrance oil, if it would still turn out the same?
Sorry Brooke, we are not sure if that would work or not.
Hi Amy!! I made a batch of your lotion and the next day everything had liquified. I was wondering if I had done something wrong with the process. The bottles were accidentally left in our car overnight and we weren’t sure if that was the problem? The product finished great and we really enjoyed it until then.
Hi Chris! The lotion can liquefy when it gets warm…perhaps your car was hot from the sun? I don’t know the exact temperature, but around 80 degrees or so will melt it. If the oils separated, the mix wasn’t whipped enough. If it is liquid, but still one consistency, stick it in the fridge and it will harden right back up! I keep mine on shelf in my living room…room temp, but on a darkish bookshelf. Hope that helps!!
Hi, quick question- When you say let it ‘harden up’ do you leave the lids off, or do you seal them up? I’m going to try this soon!
Thanks!
Lids on! They do not have to be sealed as a canned food would be (in boiling water, etc), just screw the lids onto the top. Leaving them open to the elements won’t harm the product, but will create a “skin” on the top layer that you don’t want.
Sounds like you have lot’s of fun, I too have 6-8 chickens but kids are all grown up. Keep chasing !
The pumpkin Shea butter and the pumpkin bath salts are great ideas!! I’m looking forward to making them both !! Not only for myself but for friends as well. I know they are going to love them! Thanks for the recipes!! Fall is my favorite season:)