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Breastmilk Lotion Recipe

This breastmilk lotion recipe is great for eczema, and easy to make!

Breastmilk Lotion Recipe

The idea of rubbing breastmilk on your skin may seem a little unconventional, and I’ll be honest – I found it a little off-putting when I first heard about it. However, that was before I was a breastfeeding Mama who couldn’t bear the thought of dumping out milk. It was also before I knew how amazing breastmilk is. I mean seriously, they don’t call it liquid gold for nothing!

Maybe you have an oversupply, or you drank a couple glasses of wine and don’t feel comfortable feeding your baby, but you still had to pump. Or maybe you’re looking for a homemade remedy to keep eczema at bay. If you have some extra milk around, I highly recommend using it to make lotion.

I was convinced that breastmilk is magical after it healed Marshall’s clogged tear duct when he was 5 days old. His eye was swollen shut and I could barely stand to look at his sweet little face. It filled me with so many emotions that I had never experienced before and I was a complete wreck over it, as silly as it sounds. My sister-in-law is a mother of 3, and when she suggested that I put a tiny amount of breastmilk in the corner of his eye, I listened. I kid you not, the next day, it was almost completely healed. I did it once more, and the swelling and “goopy-ness” was gone the following day.

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Ever since then, I’ve been obsessed with finding and experimenting with things you can do with breastmilk, from milk baths to popsicles to diaper ointment. You name it, I’ve tried it. I’ve even applied it to pimples and tiny cuts, and nine times out of ten, it helped! It’s my understanding that the “magic” ingredient is the Lauric acid, which is a component of breastmilk, that has antibacterial qualities. There is a ton of much information out there about the healing qualities of breastmilk, but I’ll leave that for you to research so we can get on to the lotion recipe. Just know that there are so many things you can do with breastmilk, all of which I will probably share at some point.

My son developed eczema when he was about 6-months-old. It seemed to pop up out of nowhere, taking over his entire chest and stomach, and eventually moving to his back. We took him to the doctor of course, where he was prescribed hydrocortisone cream. Between the hydrocortisone and this breastmilk lotion, his eczema has been so much better.

I want to make this very clear: I am not suggesting you use this lotion instead of the medicine your doctor or pediatrician has prescribed to you. This lotion is meant to be used in between the medicine or cream applications, and to prevent the eczema from coming back. If it starts to come back, follow your doctor’s instructions.

When my son’s eczema was still pretty mild and we hadn’t even seen the pediatrician yet, I actually tried applying this lotion to the dry spots to see if it would clear them up. IT DID NOT. I was extremely disappointed, and we took him to be seen the very next day. I had the misconception that applying this breastmilk lotion would be enough to completely heal his rash. What’s important to note here is that lotion typically won’t fix these problems. But they certainly do help.

What I love about this recipe is, although it might not heal eczema, it can keep you from having to apply medicine as often. Marshall takes enough as it is, so any time we can cut down on applying hydrocortisone, it’s a good day!

 Check out my recipe for The Ultimate Homemade Diaper Cream

Breastmilk Lotion Recipe

Breastmilk Lotion

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I experimented with coconut oil and grapeseed oil, making two different batches to see if there would be a difference in consistency or effectiveness. The coconut oil one seems to be slightly more beneficial, but it also comes out harder. It really didn’t feel like a lotion at all. I had to dig a little chunk out and let it melt on his skin as I rubbed it in, while the grapeseed oil batch looked and felt pretty much like your typical lotion.

I liked it both ways, and I will be making some more soon with my freezer stash! Vitamin E is great for your skin, and essential oils have so many different benefits, so you can change it up according to what you’d like to focus on! I chose lavender essential oil, for it’s calming effect and lovely smell, but you can use whatever you like. Just don’t overdo it, especially if you plan on using this lotion on your baby. You can store the breastmilk lotion in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 months! Crazy, right?

Like most moms, I’m almost always busy, so I ordered the materials on Amazon, which I’ve linked below for your convenience. All of these are available on Amazon Prime (as of 8/21/17), so you should receive them in a couple of days.

 Organic White Beeswax Pellets

Breastmilk Lotion Ingredients

4 oz Mason Jars (Set of 12)

Breastmilk Lotion Ingredients

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil


Breastmilk Lotion Ingredients

Grapeseed Oil

 

Breastmilk Lotion Ingredients

100% Pure Vitamin E Oil

 

Breastmilk Lotion Ingredients

There you have it! My recipe for breastmilk lotion. I played with the ratios a couple of times, and this is definitely the best version the recipe. I use it on myself occasionally, and my husband tried some on a small rash on his leg as well, and it eased the itching sensation. I’m hooked! I hope you found this helpful, and if you’re using it on your baby, I hope it helps their rash!

A friend of mine wrote an awesome article with 10 breastfeeding hacks for new moms. I really wish I would have found it back when I was breastfeeding. I’m glad I have it saved for baby #2! 

CLICK HERE to read 10 Breastfeeding Hacks For New Moms

Breastmilk Lotion

Breastmilk Lotion

Breastmilk Lotion

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67 Comments

    1. Thank YOU for reading. 😊 I wish I would have produced too much milk! I always made just enough. Breastmilk is so amazing!

  1. This is such an amazing idea! I’ve used breastmilk in a bunch of ways and I never even thought of this! My little one has eczema and I do too so I’m definitely gonna have to try this!

    1. Milk baths are great too! 😍 I love the Lotion though too, and it’s crazy how long it can last!

  2. OMG I could have totally used this when I was breastfeeding!!! I had to buy that special RX cream (why can’t I remember the name?!) and it was like $50 for my poor cracked nipples. Breastmilk is amazing though, I agree! It can fix any of baby’s problems in a heartbeat <3 great post, sharing on Pinterest now!

    1. Thank you so much! 😍 oh my gosh, I remember having that problem too, especially in the beginning 😭 this would totally help! Thanks for sharing ❤️

  3. Breastfeeding did not work for me and daughter and it made me really sad. I am hoping that with my next child I am able to breastfeed for a while because of all the benefits. Hoping I will be able to use this recipe in the future 🙂

    1. I had my fair share of problems too 🙁 Breastfeeding is so difficult! Good luck to you! I hope my next go around is better too

  4. Great recipe! I’ve also used breastmilk to clear up pinkeye and clogged tear ducts in my babies but never thought of using it as a lotion! I did come across a tip for using it in a bath for babies with skin problems but there was no way I made enough milk for that haha!

    1. Thank you! 😍 yeah I never made a whole lot of milk either, but thank goodness this recipe called for such a small amount! 😊

  5. Hi! So I just finished making this and hoping it works for my toddlers eczema prone skin! Mine turned out more like waxy candle wax consistency tho and not the lovely whip in your photos. I used grapeseed oil…did I do something wrong? Not whip it long enough?

    1. Hi love! Did you use coconut oil and grape seed oil? Or just the grape seed oil?
      The recipe with coconut oil came out really waxy for me, but the grape seed one didn’t. I wonder if maybe you used just a little bit too much beeswax, because that could definitely make it super thick and waxy. I hope it helps your sons eczema!
      Thank you so much for the feedback ❤️ If you remake it, try using a little less beeswax and whip it longer ❤️ Let me know how it turns out!

      1. I just used grapeseed oil, but I have a feeling I overdid the beeswax by a small amount. It should still be good to use tho, right? Just a bit more greasy than fluffy? I will definitely be better with portioning next time…this was my first attempt at any type of lotion, it was fun! ❤️

        1. Yeah that beeswax is no joke! It should work! As long as you can get a little chunk out with your hands lol 😂 The coconut oil one was like that for me, it wasn’t really like a lotion at all, but it worked really well! It’s super fun isn’t it? I might need to play around with the recipe a bit, sometimes the batches vary, even with the same ratio 🤔 I hope it helps your son! ❤️

    1. Yes, especially the coconut oil one, because it got so hard. Once you get it on your skin, it will start to melt pretty quickly though 😊 But I know some baby brands make little spatulas for applying diaper cream, if you don’t want to get it on your hands.

  6. Hi. This is great. I just tried making but mine came out gritty- like it has little pieces in it and it doesn’t melt when applied the skin. I used grape seed oil. I whipped it a lot. Not sure if the beeswax was too hot when I added the milk. Any suggestions?

    1. How interesting! Well, the coconut oil batch was the one that melted on my skin, but the grape seed oil one should have been the consistency of a regular lotion. Was the milk room temp? I stirred the breastmilk in while it was still hot, so I don’t think that should have affected it.

      1. Hi! thanks for this recipe. I have extra milk stash that expired but I am not yet disposing it because I know it can still be useful until I foundthis recipe.
        Just want to know if I need to heat it over a stove or can I melt the beeswax with grapeseed oil in the microwave and then pour in the other ingredients? Thanks. 🙂

  7. This failed miserably for me. The beeswax wouldn’t mix into the milk. I ended up wasting milk. I halved the recipe just to try it out and I’m glad I did. Is it possible to make this or anything similar withOUT the beeswax?

    1. Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that! 😢 I’m not sure why it wouldn’t mix. My only guess would be that maybe the beeswax wasn’t warm enough or maybe you didn’t whisk it in slowly enough? It’s hard to say. The other day I was making a DIY diaper cream, and it wasn’t mixing properly, even though I was following directions perfectly. I tried letting the beeswax warm up longer on my third try, and it worked!
      I haven’t personally found a recipe without beeswax, but I’ll keep an eye out for you, and comment here if I find one 😊 I hope that helps, and I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you!

  8. I just made this and mine came out kind of watery and more yellow than your pictures… should I whip it more? I used grapeseed oil. Thanks!

    1. Hi Tessa 😊
      I would definitely try whipping it more! It’s a hard recipe to perfect, considering everyone’s breastmilk is different 😂 There’s always the possibility that yours had more hindmilk or something like that. 🤔 did you use white beeswax, and was your milk a little tinted at all?

  9. I am ridiculously excited to try this! I wonder if it will be a good lotion for acne..? Right now I use pure coconut oil as a face moisturizer, and that seems to help, so I’m excited to try this recipe! I’m also going to try it on the ONE little eczema patch that I ONLY get while pregnant and hasn’t gone away yet… and my husband’s elbows… I’ll report back with the results 🙂

    1. Oh my gosh, I bet it would help with acne. I used to put just straight up breastmilk on my zits and it really did help, so I bet this would be even better 😍 let me know if it works! Always be cautious with essential oils/other oils, you never know what might aggravate your skin, especially if it’s already breaking out 😊 do a test spot! 🙌🏻

  10. Have you ever tried doing this with previously frozen breastmilk that was defrosted? Or did you always use freshly pumped milk? I am especially curious because you know once milk has been previously frozen you typically have to use it within 24 hours. I wonder if it would also last 3 months in fridge in lotion form. Thank you so much!

  11. When you say 1 1/2 tsp beeswax, are you meaning 1 1/2 tsp of the pellets before melted? I’m excited to try this! Thanks for sharing!

  12. Great post! I still have a question though. Is it possible to get addicted to essential oils? I just started using them and there’s so much conflicting information. Thanks in advance for your answer!

  13. I have made this recipe 2 times now. Once with coconut oil and the second time I used 1/2 coconut and 1/2 grapeseed oil. The first time it hardened, and like you had, to break chunks off. But towards using it all, I realized ALL the breastmilk had trapped under the hardened beezwax/cocnut combo. This time in making it using 1/2 and 1/2 oils, it is more like lotion consistency but the breastmilk is still not wanting to mix. It is trapped under or on the sides of the jar. Can you help me find out how to fix this? Also, does it havd to stay refrigerated between uses?

  14. This exploded while making it! Please post more of a warning than “don’t over do it” when heating oil and beeswax. I have 2nd, possibly 3rd degree burns in my hand. Thank god my son didn’t get hurt!

  15. Hi, can I use expired milk for this recipe? And is it a must that we have to use it within 3 months?

  16. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I just finished my first batch. I’m waiting for the lotion to cool down.

    One question, on your recipe, it says 1.5 tsp if beeswax. Do you mean 1.5 teaspoon or 1.5 tablespoon? Many other recipe I found online uses tablespoon, and I wonder. My first batch is nearly cooled, but still watery.

  17. How long would this be good out of the fridge? I had to warm it up to be able to use it, the wax got too hard (I used all coconut oil).

  18. So I tried doing this with the Grapeseed Oil – and mine never really got that thick and when it cooled down it separated… I have seen other recipe’s that call for 3x the amount of beeswax. Do you think that could have been my issue, that I didn’t have enough beeswax?

  19. I just tried making this and definitely think I’m missing something, used coconut oil and whisked just like the instructions but it never thickened really and when I put it in the container to cool down the breastmilk settled at the bottom. So now I have a ton of coconut oil as lotion until I reach the bottom…. 🙁

  20. My milk keeps separating from the oil when I make it. I tried letting the beeswax get hotter the second time I did it, but the same thing happened. I’m using grape seed oil.

  21. My BM didn’t combine. It was still cold from being frozen. Maybe that’s why? Can I re-warm and get them to combine?

  22. This is such a great recipe. But I am wondering how it has a shelf life of 3 months without using a preservative. BM is about 90% water, and any water based lotions would need preservative to avoid growing bacteria.

  23. I am interested in making this. However I am concerned about the beeswax. Does it have spores in it that honey does that can cause botulism in infants?

  24. Hi! I’m making right now with thawed milk from my freezer. Did yours thicken immediately when whisking? Or does it get thicker as it cools? Mine is smoothly mixed, but it’s very liquid still. Just wondering if I need to keep whisking or if it’s time to put it in the jar. Was yours the consistency of lotion by the time you bottled it? Thanks!

  25. I don’t know what happened! I didn’t change anything, the first bottle came out really good and fluffy. And then over 8 bottles it started separating really bad. Then go to put it on and only liquid squirts out🤦🏼‍♀️ what did I do wrong??

  26. Hi I’m coming across this article years later. Do we refrigerate while mixture is warm, right after transfer to container?

  27. I haven’t made breast milk lotion before and I have frozen milk so can I use that or does it have to be fresh?

  28. does this recipe fit in the linked 4oz jar or does it fill 2? based on the amount of liquid needed, i’m assuming an 8 oz jar or 2 4 oz jars? thank you!

  29. Your recipe differs from every other one on the internet. I kept putting off trying it and kept making it the other way. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?! Yours is SO MUCH better. The less beeswax really makes a difference. Thanks for sharing beautiful ❤️

  30. I tried this recipe and followed to a T. I’ve had it in the fridge for the last two days and every time I go to use it the breast milk separates from the wax/vitamin E mixture! Have any ideas or tips for my next batch? Or can I reheat it and whisk it longer?

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