To begin making this DIY face lotion weigh and measure all of the ingredients (except for the water and the preservative) into one pan. Put on low heat to melt the wax and oils. In the other pan, measure out your water. Put the preservative aside for now.

When the water is warm (not hot) and the oils and waxes are just melted (not hot here either), take both of the pans off of the heat. Gently pour the water into the oils. This is where my sister says "the magic happens". The mixture will turn white. Pour back and forth between pans a few times, then divide the lotion in half, part in each pan. This step isn't necessary, but it speeds cooling.

When you have your lotion in two parts, use a stick or immersion blender to be sure they are fully mixed. One minute should be enough. At this point, the liquid is, well, pretty liquidy. It will thicken as it cools. You'll notice some gloppy stuff on the side and the bottom of the pan at first, and it may separate a bit or get chunky. Don't worry, it's just cooling. Use the spatula to scrape the edges, then use the stick blender again to fully incorporate it all.

Once the lotion reaches 120°F, you can add the preservative. By this time the lotion should be thickening so you can combine all of it together. Add the preservative and stir well. Then use the stick blender to be sure it's completely mixed in.

Once the DIY face lotion gets to a consistency of thick cream, you can add your scent. I do some unscented, then some with different scents. Grapefruit is my favorite, but any essential or fragrance oil will work. Just be sure to mix it in well. How much should you use? 1-5% is the average, but check the bottle or with the manufacturer to find the safe maximum level. You'll be working with about 40 ounces (plus a little extra) of lotion, so 2 ounces is usually the maximum.

When you have your scents all incorporated, then you can bottle the lotion. The stainless steel funnel that I got was a lifesaver, but you can also take a cheaper approach. Use a zip-top bag, place the lotion inside, seal, and snip a corner. This way you can fill the bottles with a minimum of mess. Be sure to use a scale and weigh the lotion as it goes into the bottle. This is especially important to be sure you don't overfill them. Remember to leave room for the dip tube for the pump.

Once the bottles are filled, take a sheet of parchment paper or something similar and lay it on the top. Because the lotion is still warm, condensation can form, often leading to mold. Don't cap until it is completely cool.

That's it! My secret to pumpable face lotion!