How to Make DIY Lotion Bars

The holidays always get me in the mood to do some DIY projects, especially ones that I can give as gifts!

Some background: I’ve been on a mission to avoid dry skin this season at all costs. I’ve been really diligent about doing face masks, drinking water, and keeping my skin moisturized. I’ve wanted to fashion my own lotion bars for a while now, so I thought now would be a good time to make some for myself and loved ones as gifts.

Lotion bars are a really convenient way to moisturize, usually giving you a richer hydration with less mess. They’re also incredibly travel-friendly (especially for carry-ons!) and you can customize them with ingredients and scents that you love. They’re actually surprisingly easy to make yourself at home.

What You Need:

Your base ingredients for a lotion bar are simple: beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil.

Now, I’d like to point out that I used Murray’s Beeswax in this recipe, but next time I will definitely be using pure beeswax pastilles. Murray’s has a few added ingredients to make the wax softer for easier use straight out of the tub, so my bars ended up a little softer than I would have liked. Of course, if this is all that’s available to you, it will definitely do the trick— you just might use the bar up more quickly.

Essential oil is not necessary, but a great addition to give your bars an inviting scent. I used Peppermint essential oil for a holiday feel. It also adds a cooling effect.

You’ll have to use (or macgyver your own) double boiler for this project. If you don’t have a proper double boiler at home, fill up a large pot about 1/3 of the way up with water. Place a smaller pot inside, making sure that the water has enough room so it won’t spill over into the smaller pot. You’ll be melting all of the ingredients in the smaller pot.

Steps:

First, bring the water in the larger pot to a boil. Then, scoop out 1/2 cup of beeswax into the small pot and let it start melting. After it’s about half way melted into liquid, add 1/2 cup coconut oil.

When both the beeswax and coconut oil are both completely melted into liquid, add 1/2 cup shea butter. Stir frequently to break it up. As soon as it is liquified, take the small pot out.

Transfer your mixture to your molds. I used two small sauce tupperwares, and this small loaf box (note— the loaf box was paper and leakage occured). You can also use silicone molds or cupcake tins if you have them around. I even stuck a little bit of leftover mixture into a travel cream container.

When the mixture has cooled a little bit, but is still liquid, this is the time to add any essential oils. I used about 30 drops for the large bar, and 20 for the smaller round bars. Stir with a toothpick to get the fragrance distributed evenly. I also took this time to add a couple mint leaves into the molds for a little bit of decoration. I pushed them all the way down to the bottom, so they’d be sitting around the top of the bar once I popped them out.

Let your bars cool in the fridge for at least a couple hours. Once they are solidified, this is what they look like! You can apply directly to your skin for a layer of luxurious moisture that will last. Store them either in the fridge or a cool dark place. I suggest wrapping them in wax paper to help protect them.

Add a little ribbon and you’ve got yourself a cute homemade gift for friends, family, or coworkers!

What’s your favorite beauty DIY?