When we lived in Kansas, a local honey farmer made the most wonderful lotion bars, using beeswax, that moisturized like nothing else I’ve ever tried. I gave making them myself a try last fall, and they turned out fabulously, if I do say so myself. And, always a bonus, they were much simpler and less expensive than I anticipated.
Supplies:
- 1 lb beeswax (in the candle-making section of craft stores)
- 1 lb. organic coconut oil (I found mine at Walmart, so it’s not rare!)
- 12 oz. cocoa butter with Vitamin E (also from Walmart)
- Essential oils, like lavender and lemon
Combine everything but the oils in the smallest size crockpot and heat on low until it’s all melted. Stir in desired essential oils, about 20 drops of each. I used both lemon and lavender in mine.
Line muffin tins with baking cups and ladle in about 1/2 inch of the melted lotion bars. Let harden, and remove from tin. I removed the baking cups, as well, but you can leave them on if you’d like. I smoothed the fluted edges of each bar using the back of a warm spoon, just to make them prettier.
Store in an airtight container. This yielded 24 bars, for about $20. The beeswax was the most expensive item, even with a 40% off coupon. The oils are a bit pricey, but you don’t use all of the bottle, or anywhere near, really. The cost is probably more like $12 if I prorated the oils. My point is, these are inexpensive to make, easy, and, most of all, fun!
For gift-giving, wrap the bars individually or stack them in a jar or bag, with waxed tissue paper or new baking cups in between.
This makes a really dense lotion that’s much too sticky for summer, but perfect for really dry winter skin.
The lemon/lavendar combination would be enough to sell me. I’ll have to give these a try, especially with some of my kids that get really dry winter skin.
Thanks, Amy! If your kids’ skin is sensitive as well, you could make them with no essential oils, if you think that might be an irritant. The lemon-lavender does smell awfully good, though!
I can attest, these ARE FANTASTIC!! And yes, so simple to make it’s unbelieveable.
I figured if we all started making our own body treatments, certain businesses would go under, yet the farming and growing business would somehow make a come back. I think I would like that.
I’m glad you like them, Steph! Your plan sounds perfectly logical to me…think the rest of the world will go along?
did you buy cocoa butter with Vit E from baking area? Or maybe Palmers? Do you thing shea butter would be good?
Yes, Arlene…I used the Palmer’s…it was the only one I could find with Vitamin E and cocoa butter. I think shea butter would be fine, too, though!
I am making these right now. Everythinsg is melted but the cocoa butter is separating from the oil and beeswax. Is this normal? How can I blend it better?
Heather, I’m not sure why that would happen…did you make them in a slow cooker, or over low heat on the the stovetop? They shouldn’t separate. but maybe if the temp is too high, they would. Sorry I can’t be of more help!