Breast Milk Lotion Recipe

I am constantly amazed at the healing properties that breast milk has to offer. There is overwhelming scientific evidence proving that the Benefits of Breastfeeding are numerous for both mom and her child. However, did you also know that breast milk has other medicinal uses besides nourishing your infant? The abundant antibodies present in breast milk have shown to kill eye infections, ear infections, heal burns, eczema, and most fascinating even kill cancer cells, as was proven in a recent study done at the University of Gothenburg published on Science Daily.  How fascinating to know that this amazing substance that our bodies produce has the potential to be, or rather already is, the “Wonder Drug” of the future!

As the summer months approach, and the season of sunny outdoor activities commence, so does the season of sunburns, allergies, and eczema aggravated by heat. For people who suffer from these frustrating conditions, the season of sunshine and water can prove to be a season of misery from itchy, dry, scaly skin. Medicine often provides solutions for these pesky skin conditions through the use of antihistamines, steroids, or topical numbing creams whose side effects may prove worse then the original ailment. It can seem to be an expensive cycle of unending relief.

If you suffer from the above listed ailments, I have hope for you. New research has proven that breast milk, made into a lotion, is the latest alternative form of treatment for eczema, psoriasis, sunburns and itchy dry skin. Although the idea of rubbing breast milk on your skin may seem a bit unconventional, it is proving to be a safe and sometime superior treatment to other medicinal options. The antibodies found in breast milk will help aid in the onset of infection that can be secondary to persistent scratching. Breast milk lotion may not be for everyone, but for those who have tried everything with no avail, I hope you find some form of relief in the below recipe.

BREAST MILK LOTION

3 ounces of breastmilk

3 ounces oil (grapeseed oil for sensitive skin)

1 tablespoon of beeswax

a few drops of Vitamin E oil

optional: add essential oils for therapy/scent

Microwave the oil and beeswax slowly just until the beeswax melts, approximately 3 minutes.

Add the Vitamin E oil and slowly pour in the room temperature breastmilk while whisking rapidly until it thickens

(you can use an immersion blender to mix if preferred)

Pour into shallow jars or lotion tubs. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Refrigerate and use for up to 3 months.

Copyright© 2012 Danielle Gauss,IBCLC,ICCE/ JustBreastFeeding.com. All Rights Reserved

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122 Responses to Breast Milk Lotion Recipe

  1. Jessica says:

    After reading up on all the chemicals found in even what they claim to be the “gentlest” of baby products, I have decided to utilize my “liquid gold” in as many ways as possible! Since I have been blessed with an abundace of milk supply it will be fun to experiment with different recipes. Keep up the good work BF Mommy’s!!

  2. Kristine says:

    I cant find beeswax, any suggestions?

  3. Admin says:

    Kristine,
    You can use any organic wax, just nothing Petroleum based. You can always find beeswax online or at any whole foods store such as Mother’s Market, Wild Oats, or at Sprouts. Please let me know if you have any further difficulty.

  4. gerry says:

    Can I use it as my baby’s diaper/nappy cream?

    • Admin says:

      Yes you can absolutely use it as diaper cream! In fact it works better then most synthetic products out there.

  5. gerry says:

    Can you give me some example what oil I can use other than grapeseed oil?

  6. Georgia says:

    I am so excited to try this on my poor baby’s eczema!! Also anywhere else I can use it!

    • Admin says:

      It is safe to use pretty much anywhere on the body. Best of luck! It’s a miracle cream.

    • Diana says:

      Hi! My baby has some nasty eczema on her face and I wanna try this recipe too. Did it work for your baby?
      Thanks!
      Diana

      • Admin says:

        eczema can be caused by many reasons. I would put just plain breastmilk on your baby’s face first and see how it works, if not then go ahead with the lotion. If your baby is only a few weeks old however, it could just be their oil glands. Also you want to determine if the eczema is related to a dairy sensitivity, if so use milk that you expressed after eating dairy may cause an issue. I would try it for sure though, it is the ultimate super medicine.

      • Devonet says:

        Hey Diana,
        My little ones Eczema was related to a dairy allergy. Dairy is the number one reason for eczema in babies, gluten is the second. I cut out dairy from my diet, and in 1 month, her eczema had disappeared and 6 months later, has never returned!

        • sooli says:

          can u plz tell me what milk alternate u have wen u cut the dairy

          • Admin says:

            I would not use Soy as soy is very similar to dairy. A great alternative would be Almond milk or Coconut milk. I personally prefer Almond milk.

  7. Serena says:

    Thank you for this post. Just wondering if coconut oil would work instead of grapeseed oil? Also does it matter if the milk is fresh or previously frozen?

    • Admin says:

      Ideally fresh milk works best simply because the composition of the milk and antibodies will also be more active. However, if that isn’t an option, frozen milk will still work, it just may not be as effective as it would be if fresh milk was used. Also any organic, natural oil will work, such as olive oil, coconut oil, etc… Just be careful of using any peppermint or menthol based oils as that can cause an adverse reaction.

  8. Arlene says:

    I’ve just made the lotion… It is now in the refrigerator, how long do I keep it in there? And do I leave it in the fridge or can it be left out like regular lotion? And can it be frozen? And if so, for how long?

    • Admin says:

      I would not recommend freezing the lotion as this can change the attributes of it. You can store in the fridge for 3 months.

      • Tawnya says:

        I just made this and used it a few times and it was awesome. However now that it’s been in my fridge for a few hours it’s hard as a rock and the milk has separated. What can I do? Is it safe to keep out of the fridge? I used coconut oil and fresh breast milk.

        • Admin says:

          It is safe to leave out in cool temperatures, ideally keeping in the fridge is best. It may be hard due to the coconut oil substitute. If you need to, keep it in the fridge and then just take out what you need temporarily. Hope you find it as helpful as I did.

  9. Arlene says:

    How do I store the remaining bee’s wax?

    • Admin says:

      The best option would be to keep in in a cool dry place. I recommend wrapping the remaining blocks of wax in plastic wrap to help prevent it from oxygen and other elements. Next I would wrap it in foil to prevent heat from igniting it. The wax has a low ignition point, but you want to avoid any accidents. The best option would be to refrigerate the wax (not freeze it) however any cool dark area, like a pantry or the basement would work. When exposed to natural light, the wax may become discolored. Never place the wax near a heat source such as lamps, appliances, etc. Make sure the unused, or previously heated remaining wax has completely cooled before storing. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

  10. Randi says:

    Thank you so much for this post! My poor baby is suffering from eczema and I’m hoping this works wonders for him! My question for you is, I just made the lotion and put it in the fridge and its pretty hard. I definitely couldn’t spread it! Are you supposed to heat it up a bit before each use or did I do something wrong?

    • Admin says:

      Hi Randi! Before use I would leave it out in room temperature to “Thaw” a bit first so that it can spread easily. If needed you could place the portion you would normally use and heat up in a warm basin of water. The remaining lotion I would refrigerate though. Let me know if you have any follow up questions.

  11. Tammy Fitzpatrick says:

    My son has eczema so bad, it’s on his face ,around his eyes. Do you think it’s ok to apply lotion to these areas?

    • Admin says:

      The lotion is absolutely safe to apply on the face. I would be a bit cautious around the eyes. Instead, I would apply just straight breastmilk in that area. That way if by chance any did get into his eyes, it would only be soothing.

  12. Maggie says:

    Hi! I just made some lotion today. Is it supposed to be watery? I stirred the lotion until it thickened a bit and left it to harden in the fridge. I noticed that its a bit watery, like it separated from the oil. I poured out the excess water. Is that supposed to happen?
    Can I put more beeswax to thicken the lotion?

  13. miki says:

    Help! I made this lotion a few days ago, kept it in the fridge when it wasn’t being used, and today I pulled it out to put on my daughter, and the milk had completely seperated! It will not mix back in. Why did this happen and is there anything I can do to fix it?

  14. April says:

    It made quite a lot of cream. I only need dabs. Can I freeze the remaining portions? Will some benefits still be there?

    • Admin says:

      Yes you can absolutely freeze the remaining portions. There will still be benefits as the antibodies will continue to stay effective

  15. jadedinh says:

    Can I make lotion without vitamin e oil? Can I just use breastmilk with coconut oil and beeswax? I have lots of milk which I freezed, can I use them.and freeze the lotion after I make them?

    • Admin says:

      Yes you can absolutely use coconut oil. It has proven to be a great alternative to the vitamin E oil. Ideally it is best to use fresh or refrigerated milk to make the lotion vs. previously frozen milk, simply because it is not recommended to refreeze breast milk after it has been thawed. However, since the lotion will not be ingested, it is okay if there is no other option. Reason behind that is that you can lose some of the important properties attached to the milk. Best of luck!

  16. Amanda says:

    I just made this and it’s watery…can I add more wax???

  17. Crystal says:

    My son is 2 months old and I have a terrible case of eczema on my nipples and breasts. Is it safe to use this directly on the nipples and just wipe off before baby nurses or should it not be uses on nipples while breastfeeding? I am nervous about how ingredients will effect my babe at such a young age…

    • Admin says:

      It is absolutly fine to use the cream on your nipples. However, I would make sure it is eczema first, by visiting your doctor, before hand. You want to make sure it isn’t yeast or dermatitist. If that is the case the Breast milk lotion would not be advised. However, all the ingredients would be fine for the baby. You could always wipe them off prior to him latching, but it shouldn’t effect him to much.

  18. Mary says:

    I have made this lotion w coconut oil and it wks great but gets hard…so I’ve tried grape seed oil and it separates!!! Help?! What am I doing wrong?

    • Admin says:

      Your not doing anything wrong, it just depends on your preference of oils and the consistency. Coconut oil is hard to begin with so it is okay if the lotion hardens, it will still work. You can always use vitamin E oil as that may help the consistency be more smooth.

  19. Sarah says:

    I made this today for my daughters eczema! I believe she has keratosis pilaris on her arms and legs and I haven’t been able to find anything to manage it! Hoping this works!! The recipe worked great btw with no problems 🙂

  20. Yao says:

    Hi can you apply this lotion “daily” on baby’s face and body?
    And does the lotion has to be kept in the frig. all time?

    • Admin says:

      Yes you can apply daily. You do not have to keep it in the fridge all day, but it is recommended as it will keep longer. Hope it helps!

  21. nabeela says:

    The only bees wax I can get is a carrier oil.. they have it in castor oil and sweet oil..which will be a better option?

  22. Adriana says:

    Has this worked for anyone’s baby ezcema?

  23. Shayna says:

    I would like to make this and mail it to my sister. Is it best to ship it overnight with ice packs or can it stay at room temperature for a few few days? Thanks!

    • Admin says:

      Ideally it would be best to ship it with ice packs, but if you are not able to…the lotion should be okay.

  24. Nicole says:

    I want to try this really soon. Do you know if it works for stretch marks? I am excited that it will nourish your skin, but it would be great if it helped minimize stretch marks too. Thanks

    • Admin says:

      I have never used it for stretch marks, but i’m sure with it’s wonderful antibodies it certainly would help, especially if you add Vitamin E to it. If it does help, please let me know as I would love to know more about all the wonderful solutions this miracle substance can heal.

  25. Shauna says:

    What if I used 1.5oz of grapeseed oil and 1.5oz of coconut oil? Also, would you melt the coconut oil first to a melted 1.5oz? Maybe using the mixture of the 2 oils would help the lotion not separate or become hard!

  26. Shay says:

    Can I use 100% pure beeswax pellets? And is it still one tbsp?

  27. Roberta says:

    So excited to try this. My mom has psoriasis and I gave her breastmilk to try out for bathing and she said it helped her and softened her skin. And believe me she’s tried so many thigs already. I am also currently breastfeeding and pumping for my baby so with this lotion recipe of yours I can now supply my mom adequately 🙂 I’m so thankful for communities and articles such as this!

    • Roberta says:

      By the way I have pure honey here is it ok to use instead of bees wax?

      • Admin says:

        I have never tried it with pure honey, you could always try it and see…but the bees wax works best. Let me know how it turns out with the honey. So glad you have found this helpful!

        • Roberta says:

          I found bees wax and have made my first batch with freshly pumped breast milk- I am excited to give to my mom and my niece who also has eczema. Will definitely let you guys know how it goes 🙂

  28. Amanda says:

    Normally breast milk left in the fridge only lasts for 5 days. What about mixing it in the lotion makes it last for 3 months?

  29. Jessie Ruiz says:

    If my milk is high lipase will that make any difference? Is there a different way to prepare it so that it won’t turn and get that soapy sour smell to it when mixed with everything?

    • Admin says:

      The only thing you can do is scald the milk before adding it to the lotion, just as you would do before freezing your milk. It will kill the antibodies in the milk, but it wont change the other wonderful properties only found in breastmilk. To find out more on how to do this you can read my link on lipase and sour milk.

  30. Courtney says:

    I just made this last week, using the suggested ingredients and it has a great composition even after sitting in the fridge. It has helped my son’s excema disappear and practically cured a scratch overnight! I am trying some on my dry areas too to see what happens!

    Thanks for this 🙂

  31. cheryl says:

    So I made this with the original recipe, however my doctor doesn’t want me to use it on my 3 month old because of the beeswax. I purchased soy wax instead. Would soy wax work? How much should I use in replacement of the beeswax? Thanks!

    • Admin says:

      Soy wax should work just as well, I would use the same ratio as the beeswax. I’m surprised that your doctor is concerned about that however and suggested soy as an alternative as soy is a phyto-estrogen. Is the doctor worried about an allergy?

      • cheryl says:

        My doctor was concerned since babies aren’t supposed to consume honey before the age of 1. I was surprised as well because I figured it was topical. She didn’t recommend the soy. I just wasn’t sure what other wax could replace beeswax. I think in one of the above posts you mentioned organic wax. What exactly is that and where do you get it?

        • Admin says:

          Babies aren’t supposed to ingest honey because their is a bacteria within the honey that a baby’s gut can’t digest without getting sick. The beeswax applied topically would not have any effect of this, and certainly wouldn’t harm the baby. You can use it if you would like, but the soy would be fine also. Best of luck and I hope you find it helpful.

  32. Samantha says:

    How long can i leave the lotion out b4 i put it in frze

    • Admin says:

      You don’t need to put it in the freezer, it would be fine in the fridge. Lotion can be left out for several hours room temp if needed.

  33. Kacey says:

    Can I use almond oil instead of vitamin e oil? And is this cloth diaper safe?

    • Admin says:

      Yes absolutely you can substitute almond oil, but I would first make sure that there is not a nut allergy. Best solution would be to wait till after the baby is 1 yrs old before exposing to any nut substance as this could increase the exposure to developing a nut allergy. As far as being cloth diaper safe, I am not sure, I would assume so as it is all organic substances, but I will look into that for you.

  34. kristina says:

    has anyone tried applying breast milk directly to the skin? is it ok to do that instead of making it into lotion? my eczema is on my face and i’m worried any added ingredients(beeswax, etc) might irritate my uber sensitive skin.

    • Admin says:

      Yes you can absolutely use breast milk directly on the skin, it would work just as well. The lotion is used for additional hydration for the dryness.

  35. zoe says:

    i have bees hives with honey and believe have bee wax in it… would that good for it? 1 teaspoon as well ?

  36. Teresa says:

    Wouldn’t the milk make smell sour on the skin after awhile? I only bathe my LO once a week

    • Admin says:

      I recommend bathing a newborn every 3 days after their cord stump has fallen off. You don’t want to place any lotion on your baby for the first 4 weeks of life. After that it is perfectly acceptable to bath them more frequently. If it begins to sour, I would simply wash off the lotion and reapply.

  37. Heather says:

    I made this lotion for my husband who has psoriasis really bad all over his body that cracks and bleeds- 3 days into applying it and his skin is softer already! Wondering how often you recommend applying it? We have been doing it only once at night and I lather it on quite thick! Also what oil would you recommend adding to make the smell more tolerable? I used refrigerated breastmilk, could that be why it smells stinky? Lol.

    • Admin says:

      I would recommend using fresh expressed milk as it will smell a bit better. You can use any oil you find appealing. I would apply at least 3 times a day. Best of luck! Glad it is helping him!

  38. Katrina says:

    Hi, I was wondering if almond oil would work also? I know grapeseed and coconut oil, but I don’t want something that will harden and it’s for dermatitis which almond is very good at repairing skin. So yes? Thank you for posting this by the way!!!

  39. Kat says:

    Hi, I gonna make lotion with my expired breast milk. I know fresh milk is the best but I wanna keep that for my baby. Can you advise if I can add essential oil (what oil?) or anything to get rid of the metallic smell from frozen beast milk?

    Thank you so much.

    • Admin says:

      Yes you can use any essential oil that you find appealing. Lavender is always nice, but as long as it is an essential oil it should be just fine.

  40. Amy says:

    I left out 14 oz of breastmilk overnight. Obviously I can’t give it to my baby to drink. Do you think I could use it for this lotion? My toddler has eczema. I put the breastmilk in the fridge this morning hoping I can come up with something better to do with it other than pouring it out 🙁

    • Admin says:

      Because the milk has sat out it might not be the best solution for the lotion as it could cause a foul smell, but yes you could probably turn it into a lotion. I would recommend using fresh milk if possible.

  41. krissie says:

    I was wondering if I could add lavender oil to some of it to make it a nighttime cream? I’m just getting into learning about all natural remedies and creams. So I’m not sure if it’d be OK for sensitive skin .My children have horrible eczema and nothing works.

    • Admin says:

      If it is an essential lavender oil it would be just fine to add to your lotion. I would test a small portion of it on your child skin first to make sure the lavender does not make matters worse. Essential oils can be very healing however.

  42. hayley says:

    I have frozen br eastmilk that i pumped when i was taking a medicine that i couldn’t breastfeed while taking. As long as i don’t use it on the baby, it should be fine to use, right?

    • Admin says:

      It should be fine to use on yourself. There are very few medications that you can’t take while breast feeding. But it is true that medicine can absorb topically through the skin so you would want to be careful. However, it should be just fine. I can always look up the medication and tell you the strength and if it is harmful for breastfeeding.

  43. Jessica says:

    Can you use coconut oil instead of beeswax?

  44. Kristin says:

    The cream has worked beautifully on my son’s psoriasis! Wow!
    THANKs!!

  45. Julissa says:

    Oh my gosh! This works amazing! I’ve tried several stuff for my daughters eczema and nothing seemed to help but this did Instantly I can not thank you enough! And of course her god mother for the breast milk

  46. Sam says:

    I tried my breast milk on my baby’s eyebrows as they were really dry and had pus spots. I think I put too much and left it on for too long as it has now dried and become really flakey and yellowy. Is this meant to happen or should I wash it off with water??

    • Admin says:

      It is fine to wash it off and keep trying it. However if your baby has eczema you may need to work with your pediatrician to pin point what may be causing that irritation. Maybe eliminate dairy?

  47. Raquel says:

    I’ve been searching everywhere for beeswax for 3 days now and no store seems to have it around me. However, Michael’s craft store has it and says not used for cosmetics. Which type of beeswax do you use to make this lotion? Is it safe to use ones found at a craft store which I suppose would be used to make candles?

    • Admin says:

      I wouldn’t use wax found in a craft store. You can subsititute the wax for coconut oil. Try ordering it online as well.

  48. Jess says:

    Can you use frozen breast milk? Or best fresh?

  49. Ashley says:

    I’m camping and manually pumping while away. I know fresh is best but I have no way of storing my milk while I’m away. I don’t want to dump, do you think I can still make the lotion? I would probably just use on myself, so I can load up the lavender. I’m not using for ecezma or anything, just trying not to have it go unused… Maybe a candle if you don’t think lotion consistency or smell would turn out. Any suggestions????

    • Admin says:

      If you are camping and have no way of keeping it cool, it probably would not be best to use. If you are able to put the milk in an ice cooler, then you could safely use it for another time. I wouldn’t recommend using it if it has been sitting out.

  50. Emily says:

    My son has horrible eczema so I’m excited to try this and am currently breast feeding my 3 month old so I’ve got all the ingredients! So you said that you could use coconut oil instead of the beeswax. Now when you do that does that replace then the other oil you say to use or do you use both oils (which seems sorta pointless!).
    Thanks!

    • Admin says:

      It can replace the other oil. However it may become very thick since coconut oil is thick at room temperature. Try both options, but having vit E is important.

  51. Nicola says:

    This looks really good my only problem is the lack of access to breast milk is there any idea of where i can get this?

    • Nicola says:

      P.s i have battled with psoriasis for 14 years

      • Admin says:

        You can call your local milk bank registry and purchase some. The only hard thing about a milk bank is that the milk is usually pasturized. You can ask around if you have any friends that are breastfeeding. However, if not the milk bank would be your best option. Even if the milk is pasturized it will still work.

    • Megan says:

      Hi Nicola,
      If you search HM4HB online or on Facebook (human milk for human babies) you can get in touch with lactating mothers in your area who I’m sure would be able to help you out 🙂

  52. Babe says:

    Hi can I boil the oil and beeswax instead of microwave it? I don’t have a microwave at home.

  53. Julie says:

    Do you have any recipes for baby wash or baby shampoo?

  54. Claire says:

    Hi!
    I made this lotion and really love how well it works! It has been great for dry, cracked skin, mild eczema, burns, sunburn, and cuts! However, after being refrigerated and thickening, it almost immediately separated. I have to shake it up quite a bit and then it’s still not mixed well some of the milk stays liquidy while the rest of the lotion is sort of chunky. It’s also very oily once we spread it on our skin. I used grapeseed oil. Should I change any of the amounts or is that how it’s supposed to be?

  55. sharon says:

    Is murrays beeswax ok to use for the beeswax

    • Admin says:

      I am not as familiar with that product, so I can’t guarantee it would work, but I don’t think it would hurt. I would certainly try it.

  56. keri says:

    I made this and the milk separated after cooling. What can i do to fix this?

    • Admin says:

      What type of oil were you using? Depending on the oil and wax, it can make a difference in the separation.

  57. Sharon says:

    I live in Hillsboro, Oregon and suffer from psoriasis. I was told to try this, but I don’t know where to get breast milk from since I don’t have kids of my own or know any young mothers. Any suggestions?

    • Admin says:

      You should be able to purchase some through a local milk bank or through the national milk bank society.

  58. Elina says:

    Can you use baby oil?

    • Admin says:

      I do not recommend using Baby oil as that is a synthetic oil that won’t mix well with the milk. I recommend using a natural oil like coconut, vit E, or olive.

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