Jones Hi crafters! I was so excited to take a stab at making lotion bars. And I have to say, post creation, they feel great. They are stable at room temperature, and last for a long time. When rubbed into the skin, they leave a thin, smooth layer, which makes the skin feel more soft and moisturized. These are great to give at a spa party. They melt into your skin and soothe every little bit of dryness.
For this DIY, you will need:
- 1 part Shea Butter (Cocoa butter is good too)
- 1 part Coconut Oil
- 1 part Cosmetic-grade Beeswax
- Lavender oil
- Vitamin E Capsule (optional)
- Silicone Mold (ice cube tray)
- Food coloring
- Mason Jar
- earthen jar
NOTES: I would suggest trying this formula on a very small amount first- maybe one or two bars. See if you like the end result and adjust the larger batch to your liking. For example, I know that some people prefer a less oily solution. If that’s you, you can add a little coconut oil to the mixture. But you won’t know that until you make one. So try it on a small batch first, and then tweak it to your liking for a larger batch.
First, mix the three main ingredients (coconut oil, beeswax, and shea butter) in a mason jar. You need to mix 1 part of each ingredient. I mixed 1/4 cup of each ingredient making 12 lotion bars using my silicone mold. Next, add a few drops of lavender oil. A little goes a long way. It is an essential oil, which means it is highly concentrated, and potent in small amounts. You can use any essential oil you like; I love lavender because it is soothing and is said to help lower stress and anxiety. Not to mention it smells great. Also, you can open a Vitamin E capsule and squeeze out the contents of the mixture to preserve it (optional).
Next, add about 1/4 teaspoon of food coloring (Gage it, because you can add a little more depending on the amount you can make and also depending on how saturated you want it to be in color). If you’re experimenting with the amount of color, add it in small amounts first, and stir the mixture to see if it’s as saturated as you like. Stir the mixture, where it may feel a little thick because of the shea butter; however, I’ve learned that it’s easier to add color now, than when it’s melted. For these lotion bars, I used peach and rose dye purchased from my local craft store.
The next step is to heat the mixture. To do this, you need to make a double boiler. If you already have a double boiler, use that; otherwise, you can make one by filling a pot with about an inch of water, and heating it on the stove on low. You don’t want the oils to cook, you want them to melt. Place the mixture in the mason jar in the pot and you will start to see the contents melt inside. The heat settings should be low, here. It doesn’t need to boil, it just needs to be hot enough to melt the mixture. Coconut oil dissolves easily. Then the shea butter melts, and the beeswax slowly follows. Stir the mixture as it melts to help it. Just to be safe, I remove the jar from the pot every now and then so the contents don’t burn. NOTE: You will see the dye sink to the bottom of the jar. It’s okay. When everything is done, you will see that the lotion bars have the color tint that you want. Just keep stirring the mixture until everything is dissolved. Be careful not to get dye all over the place! The melting process took about 20 minutes for this amount.
Now it’s time to pour the mixture into your mold. A mold is a fancy term for a silicone ice cube tray. I got this cute heart ice cube tray from the dollar section at Target and it worked perfectly for this DIY, but you can find silicone ice trays on Amazon.com too.
After pouring all the mixture into your ice cube tray, in a few minutes, you will see it start to harden. Just because it’s ready to go out and use, doesn’t mean it is. You’ll notice that even though the surface looks hard, the bottom of the tray feels warm—not done yet. To speed up the process, put it in the refrigerator for 5-10 more minutes. Once you get it out of the fridge, you can take it out! Not in the dirt, right?
Store these lotion bars at room temperature, or for a cooling sensation, refrigerate them and use them when you need them. You will notice that as soon as you touch them, they start to melt into your skin. If you feel it’s a little too oily for you, next time, leave the coconut oil a little lighter. I was worried at first about that, but as I held them, I realized they weren’t completely melted; it’s just that the heat from my skin activates the oils. I love the feel of it. I think on average, a lotion bar should last a day.
When you get out of the shower, apply it to your skin to feel moisturized and hydrated. Place it in a glass vase to display for a party. Your guests can grab one on the go. Just make sure to have a plastic baggy so the contents don’t get on their clothes or inside their purse! It’s like a thick lotion, just to remember. If you like this craft, share it with your friends! Happy DIY!
