How to Make Magnesium Lotion
This recipe for magnesium lotion comes from Healing With God's Earthly Gifts: Natural and Herbal Remedies.
Many of us are deficient in magnesium. If you are deficient you may have headaches, loss of appetite, nausea, restless legs, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, depression, high blood sugar, muscle cramps, or vomiting (among other things).
One great way to get magnesium is through a magnesium bath, but time for a bath is not always easy to find. So, a magnesium lotion is a great option for supplementing magnesium naturally.
It's great for babies and young children as well as adults. Many report better sleep once they begin supplementing with magnesium. Magnesium lotion is also helpful in soothing sore muscles and easing headaches.
Making magnesium lotion was much easier than I expected. It took less than 15 minutes!
How to Make Magnesium Lotion
Here's what you need:
- 1/2 cup double-strength magnesium oil (make your own with 1 cup magnesium flakes and 1/2 cup water – instructions below)
- 1/2 cup(approx. 3 ounces) olive oil (where to buy olive oil)
- 1/2 cup unrefined shea butter (approx. 3 ounces) (where to buy Shea butter)
- 2 tablespoons beeswax (where to buy beeswax)
You will also need:
- Heavy jar (like a canning jar)
- 2 four-ounce jars (these blue jars are lovely, but any 4-oz canning jars will work).
- Blender (this is my favorite blender)
Note: I think it would be nice to add essential oils to this lotion. I have not tried it yet. But I think 10 drops of lavender essential oil would work well. You probably want to use less for babies.
Instructions
Step One:
Heat 1/2 cup filtered water to a steam (not boiling).
In a heavy duty jar (like a canning jar) add the magnesium flakes. Pour the warm water over the top and stir (or put on the lid and shake) until dissolved.
You will not use all of this oil in the recipe, only half of the oil. I have not yet experimented iwth preparing only half the oil, but I can't see why it would not work. However, the extra oil could be poured into a bath for one soaking treatment.
Step Two:
Add beeswax, shea butter to a saucepan and heat over low heat until melted. Add oil and stir to combine.
Step Three:
Let cool briefly and pour this melted mixture into a blender.
Note: We are about to mix the magnesium oil and beeswax/shea/oil mixture, and it is important that both oils be close to the same temperature in order for them to emulsify properly.
Add 1/2 cup of the magnesium oil to the blender.
Turn blender to low for a few seconds, then turn up blender until the lotion becomes white/opaque and thick.
Pour into jars and allow to cool.
Immediately pour hot water and dishsoap into the blender and blend to help clean.
I will admit that this recipe is one of the most difficult to clean up! It definitely takes some elbow grease and a good bit of hot water. If you have separate utensils and appliance for making body care products, use those!
To use:
For small children and babies, use 1/8 teaspoon. For adults, up to 1 teaspoon. Spread in thin-skinned areas.
This lotion will last for 3-6 months.
Would your rather buy magnesium lotion instead of make it?
The best magnesium lotion I've found is this one from the Magnesium Lotion shop. It was created by my friend, Tiffany, to help with her restless legs,
It is an excellent, all-natural lotion that doesn't itch or tingle the way some magnesium lotions do.
Plus, the ingredients are just like those you'd find in a homemade version (no weird stuff!). This magnesium lotion only has four ingredients: magnesium oil, apricot oil, mango butter and beeswax.
And the best part… it's affordable!
Pin this recipe:
Where can I get organic beeswax? What can I do with the block I have that isn’t labeled “organic”? Thank you for sharing your recipes, your site is my favorite.
Thank you for your kind comment, Teresa.
I usually purchase Beeswax from Mountain Rose Herbs or Amazon.
You could use your other block to make candles. It’s very easy (and fun). Here is a great tutorial: http://redandhoney.com/how-to-make-your-own-beeswax-tea-light-candles/
Hope that helps.
Just curious if the beeswax is necessary for this recipe. Could it be substituted with coconut oil, which is another solid oil?
Hi Jenna,
Coconut oil would produce a softer lotion. I’m not sure how well it would hold together since I have not tried it myself. Beeswax os great for hardening, emulsifying and thickening. If you are looking for an alternative to beeswax, you could try Candelilla or Carnauba wax. I wrote about those here: https://nofussnatural.com/beeswax-and-alternatives/
Stacy – this couldn’t have come at a better time! I woke up this morning telling myself I had to find something to help my 7 year old daughter sleep or I wasn’t going to be able to sleep! I think, sadly, that she suffers from insomnia. Ever since she was a baby she would have nights of just being awake for no other reason than being awake! As soon as I can afford all these ingredients I am going to make this for her. I did have one question: where do you apply the 1/8th teaspoon of lotion? I apologize if you have already mentioned that but I didn’t seem to see it.
If there are any other tips about helping children with insomnia that you could recommend I would appreciate it!
thanks so much!
tara 🙂
I think the torso or the bottom of the feet are good locations for applying this cream. The back of the neck would be a good spot too.
Sorry your daughter is having trouble sleeping. I know that can be extremely tough!
Wondering if anyone might know why the lotion a bit of a sting? Slight, and more when the area it is being applied is dry. I can’t imagine it being the lavender, or the calendula………..maybe the chamomile?
Magnesium oil often gives a tingly or slightly stingy feel when you apply it, but most people say this sensation is avoided when using the a lotion. Perhaps it’s an indication that you are particularly low in magnesium, or simply that your skin is super sensitive?
Also, I think latex sensitive/allergic people can have difficulty with shea butter. Perhaps substitute mango butter if this the case.
I’m not an expert by any means, but hopefully one of the above is the answer you’re looking for.
Lisa – when I first started using Magnesium Oil in spray form, it did sting. I used it on my chest at first and then switched over to my inner forearms and rub them together after spraying. The stinging stopped long ago – not sure if changing locations had anything to do with it but it was only a problem for a few days. Now it never stings. I use it for heartbeat irregularities and it has been a lifesaver!
You may consider giving her melatonin.it is a natural product and pediatrician approved.it is found naturally in our bodies. Google it and ask her doctor.it works very well.
Thinking I would like to use an infused oil, a combination of Almond oil, vitamin E oil, and Grapeseed oil, infused with dried Calendula, Lavender and chamomile rather than the olive oil. I think this would work great, and make the lotion even more therapeutic!
Sounds like a wonderful idea! Very relaxing.
Could you use Epsom Salts (Magnesium sulfate) instead of the Magnesium flakes to make the magnesium oil? It would be much cheaper, but not sure if it would work.
From what I’ve read elsewhere that will work, but it just won’t have the same level of magnesium in the lotion.
katie – thank you for your answer. i buy 100% magnesium oil in a spray bottle from the same company that makes the flakes. would you think it would work to use the oil – but maybe less than half a cup – instead? would it still whip up into a lotion if all other ingredients are the same?
Hi, I have a couple questions: wondering if I can use the magnesium oil I have instead of making it from the flakes?
I have the Ancient Minerals magnesium oil spray.
Are you actually using 1/4 cup of the magnesium oil in the recipe then? Oh and do you know how much magnesium is in this lotion per teaspoon, 1/4 of a teaspoon etc…?
Thanks,
Sara Blystra
I use a hand mixer when I use beeswax its easier to clean than the blender
Thank you for sharing will most certainly try it.
Hope you enjoy it!
I will let you know 🙂