Make Your Own Magnesium Lotion and Oil
Many many moons ago, I created a magnesium whipped body butter. And oh boy. I can tell you that I have come a very long way in crafting homemade body care since then. Even though looking back at old posts is somewhat embarrassing, it also feels good to know that I AM learning and growing. That’s what life is about, right? So wherever you are in your journey of creating a healthier life for you and your family, I just want to take a second and say—WELL DONE. I pray you continue to grow and learn.
With that being said, I have an updated and much prettier looking magnesium lotion for you today. :) I have been using it daily at night and loving the results.
Why use magnesium lotion?
There are many reasons to use magnesium on the skin, but the reason I personally use it is because of my crazy Restless Legs. I’ve had them honestly for as long as I can remember. As a kid I remember kicking and kicking and kicking my legs at night in bed—because that’s what restless legs do. They cause the muscles in your body to feel like they need to move. They ache, they can twitch, they can feel like you have the creepy crawlies, and all sorts of not super fabulous things. Because of all those feelings it can cause you to wake up multiple times in the night causing sleep deprivation. Not cool. I already struggle with needing more sleep than the average person and having restless legs that wake me up at night certainly doesn’t help.
To learn more about the importance of magnesium (not just for Restless Legs!) check out the article I wrote here. And here is a great article specifically on Restless Legs from Dr. Axe.
Anyway, if you have Restless Legs, I’m so sorry! I hope this lotion can give you a little relief and calm those crazy legs down!
How to make magnesium lotion
The first step in creating your lotion is to make magnesium “oil”. OR you can purchase a ready made oil to eliminate that step. (Ancient Minerals is a reputable company.) I like making my own oil because it’s so much cheaper in the long run. The pre-made version is quite expensive and it seriously only takes a few seconds to make the oil. If you can boil water, you’re good to go. :)
First step: Magnesium oil
Making the oil is super simple. And yes, oil is a little misleading because magnesium is a salt, not an oil. But combining the magnesium with water creates a brine that is very oily to the touch. We use magnesium chloride as its best suited for transdermal application.
Ingredients
4 ounces of distilled water
4 ounces of magnesium chloride (see below where I purchase mine)
Directions
Bring the water to a boil. Measure out the magnesium chloride and place it in a small bowl. Carefully pour the hot water over the magnesium and stir until the salt is fully dissolved.
That’s it! Pour it into a glass bottle or spray bottle and it’s ready for use. You can either use the spray directly on your legs OR you can turn it into the lotion. Even though the oil is so much easier to make, I personally prefer the lotion. Both of them are sticky and itchy, but I find the lotion to be less sticky and itchy. So it’s totally personal preference.
Now onto the lotion recipe! And if you are wondering why we are weighing all these ingredients check out this post.
Second step: Magnesium Lotion
Ingredients
Oil Phase:
7 grams emulsified wax (this is NOT beeswax—which will not work in this recipe)
15 grams avocado oil
5 grams shea butter
Water phase:
68 grams magnesium oil
Cooling phase:
.5 grams vitamin E
1 gram preservative
1.5 grams peppermint essential oil (optional)
.5 grams eucalyptus essential oil (optional)
.5 grams roman chamomile essential oil (optional)
Directions
Measure out the emulsified wax, avocado oil, and shea butter and place them inside your double boiler. Heat them gently over medium heat stirring occasionally while they melt.
As those are melting, get out a second double boiler and place your magnesium oil inside. Place a tin foil lid over the oil so it doesn’t evaporate as you gently warm it. It doesn’t have to be hot, just warm. This simply brings it to a closer temperature to the oil/wax mixture, so when we combine the two they mix together better. I’ve had some flopped batches when I skipped this step because the cold magnesium oil caused separation to the hot oil/wax mixture.
Once everything is melted and heated through, remove them all from the heat.
Now it’s time to get our your immersion blender or milk frother if you have one. (I prefer the frother because this batch is a little too small for the immersion blender to do a proper job.)
VERY SLOWLY pour the warmed magnesium oil into the oil/wax mixture as you whip them together. I like to pour a little bit of the magnesium oil in, whip for awhile, add a little more, whip some more, etc.
This is the process of emulsification. Forcing water and oil to stay together. It’s pretty cool once you get the technique down! This is also why we use a special type of wax. It has properties that help hold the two together.
Once those have both been very thoroughly combined and everything looks like it’s staying together, you can measure out and add the rest of the ingredients. The essential oils are optional, but I have found that for some reason, this combination of oils helps to calm my legs down. If you have other oils you’d prefer to use, go for it!
Store the lotion in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Apply as needed.
How to use and things to note
To use
Scoop out a small amount from the jar and rub on the desired area
Massage into the skin until it's completely absorbed—sometimes this can take a little time to thoroughly absorb
It may tingle or sting at first because of the magnesium salt. It's best to not apply when you are too warm or your pores will be wide open. Also be sure to avoid any open wounds or cuts. The tingling does go away shortly, so hang tight!
If you do not like the sticky salty feel, allow the lotion (or oil) to absorb into your skin for about 30 minutes. After that time, you may wash off any remaining lotion.
This can stain clothing and bedding, so it's best to wear old clothes and make sure whatever area you’ve applied it to is covered before crawling into bed.
If you are wanting to use this on your kiddos please reduce the amount of essential oils or even leave them out altogether. Also be very very sure they do not have any open cuts or wounds. As I said above, this can tingle a bit even on healthy skin, so this may not be the best method of application for very small children.
WHERE TO PURCHASE
I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog! By purchasing through one of my affiliate links you will not spend a penny more, but you are allowing me to receive a small commission. This allows me to keep posting great content for you. Thanks for your support! Read more here.
Starwest Botanicals does carry magnesium chloride, but if you want options, Ancient Minerals is another reputable brand.
If you are unable to grow your own herbs, or find ingredients locally, then here are two of my favorite places to buy bulk ingredients:
This company is where I purchase the majority of my seeds. Great selection of heirloom and/or organic seeds:
These are hands down my favorite seed starting trays and pots. These are heavy duty and don’t crumple when you pop your plants out! Definitely worth the investment in my opinion.
I’d love to know if you use magnesium oil or lotion and if helps you!
Please remember that I am not a medical doctor and none of the information I present should be taken as medical advice. I cannot diagnose conditions or prescribe treatments for illnesses. If you have any questions whether or not herbs and essential oils are safe for you and your family, please speak with your medical professional. Essential oils and/or herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Instead, they are intended to support wellness and an overall healthy lifestyle. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have any other health concerns, please consult your physician. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.