Lavender Belly Balm

After making my announcement the other day, it occurred to me that while I may not have any maternity-related sewing projects to share, I have been working on some other maternity-related projects lately.

Last time around, I scoffed at the idea that one needs special creams and lotions for a pregnant belly. Regular lotion would be just fine, thank you very much. Until the belly really started to grow, and suddenly my skin felt sooo tight and itchy and just plain uncomfortable. So I rushed out and grabbed the drug store product that looked least offensive (Burt's Bees belly balm, in case you're interested) and sighed with relief.

But as the pregnancy wore on, and as the belly grew bigger, I used more and more and more of that stuff, and boy wouldn't it be great if I didn't have to keep buying so darn much of it? News flash: I don't have to. Duh.

This time around, I realized that I could make it. Brilliant! So now, nearly seven months in, after plenty of opportunity to play around with the ingredients and ratios, I've put together what is, for me, the perfect basic belly balm recipe.* Enjoy!

Lavender Belly Balm
Ingredients
5 TBS beeswax
5 TBS jojoba oil
10 TBS other carrier oil (I like the following mix: 5 TBS olive oil, 2 TBS sunflower oil, 3 TBS grapeseed oil)
60 drops lavender essential oil

Directions
Add beeswax, jojoba oil, and other carrier oil to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, gently swirling** the mixture in the pan from time to time, until the beeswax has just melted. Remove from heat and add the lavender essential oil. Gently swirl to mix. Pour into your container(s).*** Cover with a lightweight towel to cool for 30 minutes before capping.

*I use this balm every morning and really love it. It's also great for other rough or dry areas, like elbows or winter-chapped hands. I have another, richer belly oil I've been making to use in the evening, so maybe I'll post that sometime soon.

**You can use a spoon to stir the mixture, but why dirty the extra spoon? I find that moving the pan around to gently swirl things works just as well and is easier. And I am all about easier.

***I saved the tins from my Burt's Bees balm, and this recipe fits perfectly into two tins.

 

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