During the Snowcalypse of 2013 I often dreamed of being whisked away to a tropical place. I love snow,and sweaters, and turning the heat on...until after Christmas. Anyone with me? I'm a summer girl at heart, and this DIY Coconut Lime Lotion takes me back to sun-filled days with it's scent. The best part about it is that there is absolutely NOTHING artificial about its smell. The combination of coconut oil and lime essential oil does the trick, and to date is the best smelling coconut lime lotion I've experienced.

This lotion is not as heavy as my Vanilla Cinnamon Whipped Body Butter, and is a great apply-and-go lotion. It is even the perfect texture to put in a squeeze bottle!

The recipe is super simple, and takes about 5 minutes (no kidding) from start to finish. Get started by grabbing these things:

1/8 cup aloe vera gel

1/4 cup coconut oil (I but this stuff in bulk since I use it so much)

1/4 cup fair trade shea butter

1 teaspoon vitamin E oil

10 drops lime essential oil

A note about aloe vera gel: 100% aloe vera gel is perishable, so I buy the next best thing, which is 99% aloe vera gel from a company I trust. Be sure to check ingredients when choosing your favorite brand.

Do you see my homemade extracts spicing up the background? I can't wait for them to be done!

Measure out all of your ingredients and put them in a bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix them on medium for 2 minutes, or until completely smooth with no lumps.

As you probably know, coconut oil solidifies at cool temperatures, but with this combination of ingredients you don't have to worry about that. It stays beautifully spreadable even if it's chilly in your home.

Throw your lotion in an up-cycled jar, and you're finished! Try it out and tell me what you think! What's your favorite ingredients to add to homemade lotions?