Instead of buying lotion from the store that could be filled with chemicals, you could actually make your own lotion bars at home.
A lotion bar looks like a bar of soap and the top layer melts like butter when you rub it into your skin. After making a few of these, I’m pretty sure I might never buy lotion again. They last a long time and make my skin feel so soft.
This beauty recipe only needs 3 ingredients. You can also add delicious scents and pretty colors for a complete sensory experience.
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Supplies to Make Lotion Bars
Silicone Mold
The most fun part of making your own lotion bars is choosing the design. I chose this beautiful woman and roses mold because I just thought it was so pretty!
You can choose anything you want, though. There are so many different designs out there ranging from heart molds to cute kitten molds to everything in between.
You could find some molds that match your personality and vibes or you can find some to use for making gifts for your friends and family.
I think you’ll also quickly find that making your own lotion bars turns out to be cheaper than buying lotions from the store.
Between that and the fact that your lotion bar is safer, only made with natural ingredients and no chemicals, it’s a must-try.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is absolutely amazing for your skin. It moisturizes it while also protecting it. It has anti-oxidants in it with anti-aging benefits so your skin can keep its youthful appearance as long as possible.
I used it for most of my pregnancy to try to avoid stretch marks and I was barely left with any.
It’s non-comedogenic which means it won’t clog your pores, so even if you have acne-prone skin you can still use it.
Your skin will stay soft and hydrated while the shea butter acts as a barrier that keeps the moisture in and the elements that age your hands out.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is helpful for very dry skin. It has helped me tremendously with my hands which get so dry they crack and bleed in the cold NY winters if I don’t use it.
It can feel too greasy though, so if this bothers you, you can add some cornstarch to your lotion bars formula. I’ve done that myself and I love the results.
You still get the goodness of the coconut oil but without it feeling super greasy.
Candelilla Wax
Most beauty recipes call for beeswax because it is great for the skin, but it’s more important for the bees and we shouldn’t mess with that.
Beeswax means everything to the bees because it’s how they build their honeycomb house and where they keep pollen and honey. And there is only so much of it. Taking it could be detrimental to them.
Essentially, it’s not ethical. We also need bees to keep the earth alive so without them, we are gone too.
A great substitute for beeswax is candelilla wax because it comes from a plant that can be constantly reproduced, making it a much more sustainable option to use in beauty product recipes.
Steps to Make Lotion Bars
Step 1
Combine equal parts of shea butter, coconut oil, and candelilla wax into a double boiler pot. For 1 rose mold I used 2 tablespoons of each.
Step 2
Melt the ingredients. If you want your lotion bar to be less greasy, add some corn starch. I used 1 tablespoon but you can adjust this to your liking, depending how greasy or dry you want your formula.
Step 3
Pour into mold and let it sit until it’s dry. Pop out of the mold and rub it into your skin to feel all the velvety goodness.
Scents and Colors
If you’d like to add scents and make your lotion bars different colors, you can totally do that too once everything melts.
You can use different essential oils to scent your lotion bars. Lavender is a great one to use because it smells beautiful and it’s calming to the senses.
I used 30 drops in mine because I wanted it to smell strong, but I would say a little goes a long way and less would be ok. 5-10 would have worked just fine.
To make your lotion bars in different colors, you can add mica powders to the melted ingredients as well. You don’t need much at all, depending how deep you want the color. I find just a pinch is perfect for mine.
So go ahead, entice your senses and make the best lotion bars you could ever want, tailored especially for you.
