Solid Lotion Bars
One of my most-loved products is a solid lotion bar. These can be so simple to make and convenient to keep in your bag or bedside to grab when your hands, elbows or ankles need a strong dose of moisture. You can even take them on an airplane. I keep them in tins but you could easily store them stacked in a jar. The following recipe is not the one I use for Charleston Bee Works but it’s a great beginner bar and can be created with a variety of oils or butters.
Tools:
A double-boiler or a heatproof bowl/jar over a pot of simmering water
Some sort of mold, like this, this or this.
Kitchen scale, especially one with TARE
Parchment Paper, as a base for easy clean-up
Rubber spatula or wooden skewer
Ingredients:
8 oz. Beeswax (yellow or white, cosmetic grade)
8 oz. Coconut Oil
4 oz. Cocoa Butter OR Mango Butter OR Shea Butter
4 oz. Jojoba Oil OR Sweet Almond Oil OR Grapeseed Oil
Optional: 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil (lavender works well)
Saftey: First thing’s first, NEVER and I mean NEVER NEVER, melt beeswax (or any wax) in a pot that sits directly on a stove burner. Always use either a double boiler or place a heatproof jar, pitchure or bowl into a pot of softly simmering water. Beeswax is highly flammable. Our goal is to melt our ingredients slowly and gently. Do not leave your melting ingredients unsupervised and I mean NEVER not for one minute. Okay? Great.
Instructions:
Measure all ingredients. Place beeswax and coconut oil in double boiler or heatproof jar in simmering water for melting. if using a pot and jar, keep teh gently simmering water at a level about 1/4 of the height of the jar. Stir regularly with a wooden skewer or rubber spatula until beeswax is completely melted.
Add your chosen butter and oil and stir until gently melted.
Once all ingredients are melted, remove from stove and add essential oil if using.
Pour immediately into mold and let cool until solid. Remove from mold and enjoy! I like to store lotion bars in tins, but you can stack them in a tall jar to store at home.
The number of bars you produce depends on the size of the mold you use.
If your bars are too soft, remelt and add a bit more beeswax. The firmness of the bar is really a personal preferenc and you can play with the ingredient measurements to get the consistency you like best. Also note that beeswax can always be re-heated when you’re cleaning your tools, however it’s a good idea to have tools that are set aside for making things to be kept separate from your regular kitchen equipment.
I hope you enjoy making lotion bars!
Y’all be careful and I’ll holler at you later.
