Lotion Bars

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Lotion Bars

We made lotion bars this weekend. I have to admit, I am not the least bit "crafty". In fact, I hate making crafts! I do, however, love to make useful, beautiful things. I love making soap, candles, lotion, cheese, bread - that sort of thing. It is useful. It is at least slightly longer lasting than a clean house or clean laundry. While I love a clean house and clean laundry, there is something very satisfying about "creating" something!

Lotion bars are best used after you wash your hands or when you first get out of the shower or bath. They are somewhat greasy until it is thoroughly rubbed in. It feels WONDERFUL on work roughened hands! I add a little essential oil, usually Lavender or Tea Tree for the ladies and Fir Needle Balsam for the guys, but you can use whatever you want, or leave it plain, and it smells slightly of beeswax and cocoa. Yum!

Lotion bars are quite simple to make, and make wonderful gifts. For those of you that are interested, here is the recipe that I use:



4 oz. Beeswax
4 oz. Coconut Oil
4 oz. Coco butter
1 tsp. essential oil (optional)


Melt the first 3 ingredients in double boiler or over low heat in sauce pan, just until melted.

Remove from heat and stir constantly with wooden spoon. When starting to cool but still liquid, add the essential oil, stir and pour quickly into molds.

When solid and cooled, remove from molds. Package in baggies until ready for use.

That's it!


Measuring ingredients:


Melting the beeswax, oil and butter:

Filling the molds:

The finished product:

You can use any number of different things for molds. An empty, cut down yogurt container works well (you will have to have about 6 - 8, depending on how large you want your bars). Jello molds from thrift stores also work well. Use your imagination!

I love the feeling of having made something beautiful and useful. I enjoying giving gifts of things that we make ourselves. It is so much fun to engage our children in the making and giving of homesteady gifts. And someday, if we can't get lotion, we will be able to make our own!

Note: Some of these ingredients have been stored in our "container" for the last 10 years. The shelf life appears almost indefinite. I think it might be a good idea to stock up on some of these ingredients (what you can't grow yourself, ie. coconut oil and coco butter), so you can whip up a batch whenever you might need it!