How is it that I had lived my life without lotion bars?
This recipe is called “simple”, and it really is… nothing could be easier.
All you need for this one is equal parts of cocoa butter, oil (olive, sunflower, apricot, canola – whatever you like), and beeswax.
I don’t bother with essential oils for this recipe – the smell of the cocoa butter is so strong that it would just over-power, anyway, and I believe it’s a waste of the oils. (I am tempted to try peppermint, though.)
Add one part of each to your pan
- I had a seven ounce jar of cocoa butter, so I used a tad over 3/4 cup of olive oil, and the same for beeswax -
and melt them in your pan, stirring to blend.
As this recipe is curable if it’s too soft or too hard, I pour a single bar into a mold, then let it sit
after it’s firm, I check the consistency.
If t’s too firm, add oil to the batch, if it’s too soft, add beeswax. Remelt.
Pour it into your molds and let it sit until firm. A container that isn’t absolutely rigid is best, like a small bowl that isn’t glass – just pull the sides away (stretching the bowl) and the bar will pop right out of the mold, undamaged.
These are not something that can be carried ‘as is” in your bag… they’ll pick up lint, and get dirty.
Lotion bars look like soap – but when you hold them the heat from your hands starts to melt a bit, allowing you to rub the goodness into your skin.
Very, very nice.
Hi Rosemarie.
ReplyDeleteI got my cocoa butter from Wild Oats and Whole Foods, and the beeswax I got from a soap-making supply company. I would reccommend looking locally at honey places - that will probably be the most inexpensive.
What I found to work the best were little plastic snack cups for kids. Little eight ounce bowls - I filled them up about half-way. I'm thinking it made six? bars - something like that.
Anything to mold them will work, though something soft is best as you can just pull on the sides of the little bowls, and the bar will pop right out.
Very easy and lovely process. :)
I love mine - it's time to make another batch!
I keep coming back to this recipe and I think I'm finally ready to make it! :) One question, though, if you wouldn't mind answering... how many lotion bars (and what size) does your recipe make? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHow would you store these?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Beth
I'm thinking my 7 oz batch made five or six bars.
ReplyDeleteFor Beth - I actually just kept mine in a sandwich bag in my lotion drawer, though a soap box or even wrapped in a tissue would work, as long as it didn't get hot enough to melt.
I have to make these!
ReplyDeleteI store mine in old tins. I recycle my altoids tins. Works great.
ReplyDeleteI made these and used peppermint essential oil and gave them as Christmas presents. Everyone loved them! The cocoa butter scent with the mint was fabulous! I poured them in small plastic containers I got from the dollar store, so they are totally portable. They pop right out, use them, then put them right back in the container you poured them in!
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial!
Anna