Monday, January 11, 2010

Homemade Lotion Bar Tutorial

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I have posted before about making homemade lotion bars, and I would like to give you detailed steps so you can make them yourself.

I recently posted a question on some Blog Frog Forums asking what to do about extremely dry skin.

This winter weather and the dryness of the heater constantly running is doing very ugly things to my skin! It is itchy, scaly, and extreeeeemely dry.

I got a few responses, mostly about different lotions I have already tried. That's when I remembered that I had a few of these lotion bars leftover from giving them as Christmas gifts to Bible class and piano teachers.



I knew they felt good on my hands, but on a whim I rubbed one directly onto my legs, and aaaahhhhhhhh! Relief!

The shea butter, avacado oil, vitamin E oil, and beeswax make it luxuriously rich, thick and soothing!




These are super simple to make.  The kids even got involved and enjoyed making them for their teachers.


Homemade Lotion Bar Recipe
(I ordered the supplies I needed from Bramble Berry.)

1 part shea butter
1 part avocado oil
1 part beeswax
vitamin E oil
  • Use a double boiler (one small pot floating in a bigger pot of water) to slowly melt the shea butter and beeswax. 
  • Stir in the avocado oil and vitamin E. I used about a teaspoon of vitamin E for every cup of the other ingredients.
  • Pour into some pretty molds.
  • At this step, I added a few drops of vanilla extract to some for a delicious scent. I really like the ones that didn't have it, too, though. They smell of honey because of the beeswax!
  • Allow to cool.
  • Pop out carefully and enjoy!



I ordered this lovely mold from a soap making site on Ebay.




Here is a lotion bar I have been using, so it is a bit worn down.

Is it just me, or does it look like my grandmother's hand has taken over my arm? Ah, well. No matter. Just look at how moisturized I am!
 
*This post is linked to A Soft Place to Land and Works For Me Wednesday.

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27 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is so cool! Does the lotion moisturize as well as using pump or bottle lotion? Also, it is greasy. I might have to try to make some of this.

Ashleigh said...

Great idea! Lush sells these and I love them, but how much better to make them yourself!

Treasia Stepp said...

I might just be trying this myself. thanks for the info and recipe.

Smockity Frocks said...

Charissa, It is heavier than lotion from a pump or bottle, but that's why I like it for extremely dry skin.

US said...

I make these same bars. I love them (my latest batch is raspberry rose scented). I was wondering why yours looks so yellow, almost lemony?

Oh, someone should warn lotion bar users that it feels very greasy at first, but rubs in completely in a few minutes.

Angie Holden said...

That is awesome! Thanks!

Kara said...

Oh I love this! What a great idea, now I'll have to try some:)

Anonymous said...
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artisticblend said...

I can't wait to try this! I too have horribly dry skin and am always looking for relief. Thanks! :)

Kael,Maddie and Sage said...

Just wanted to Thank You again for my Superbowl goody box, it arrived today !!

Harper said...

Love this! I'm bookmarking this for when we go back to the US!

Kim said...

I love those. I use them all the time but would love to try making them. Where can I buy those supplies?

Thx

Lisa Nelsen-Woods said...

Is there a substitute for the Beeswax? Beeswax in lip balm chaps my lips. I'm afraid to try most products that have beeswax just in case I have the same reaction.

Kirstin said...

I love lotion bars. This sounds like a fun and easy project.

From The Heart Online said...

Nice gift idea! I could also benefit from using it myself :)

To echo someone's question, where does one find these supplies?

BTW - this is my first visit to your site. I like what I see! Thanks for sharing :)

Robin Saylor said...

i love this ... do you think you can use sweet almond oil in place of the advocado oil, or would that mess up the consistency?

Pam said...

Ooooh, I can't wait to try this! I'm hoping they have the ingredients at Hobby Lobby.

Thanks for sharing,
Pam

Smockity Frocks said...

Hi everyone! I linked to Bramble Berry (where I ordered the supplies) right above where I listed the ingredients.

Condo Blues, I've never tried it with anything except beeswax.

Niki Jolene said...

Since I now look like an iguana I am gonna have to get my hands on some of these!

:)

Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I love lotion bars! I got one a year ago in my Christmas stocking and have used it all year for comfy hands. They work well for purses since they can't explode in the bottom!

I think I'll add this idea to my hand made holidays for Christmas 2010!

Jill said...

Connie, the lotion bars look great, and I'm tempted to try to make some with my kids too.

But if your skin is seriously bad, i'd recommend something you probably haven't already tried. For extremely dry skin, so bad that it's cracking open, you can use something called Resinol. You can probably order online. I ask my pharmacist for it. It's not prescription, but you have to order it from the pharmacy. It's a very thick paste. I used it when I was a kid, because my excema was so bad. We use it on Anabel when her skin gets too bad. Rub it on hands or feet and stick socks on them right before bed. Wake up with healed skin. It works really, really well.

Paula said...

Well, I am not much of a do-it-yourself-er, but I think I can do this! I love using products with a few simple good-for-you ingredients and I also love the idea of a lotion bar to put in my purse. I usually just moisturize with coconut oil, but you can't carry it with you especially during warm weather.

Thank you so much!

Anne said...

What a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing!

*Mirage* said...

I love these! Have you ever done a giveaway of them? :)

Jenny said...

that's pretty nifty :) i've never thought of making my own lotions but now, i think you have inspired me to try. :) and i definitely will.

angie said...

I am thinking of making these bars with a kids' group i teach at church. Given 1 cup of each ingreadient, how many bars would that make? Just trying to figure out how much ingredients I would need. Also, have you ever figured out how much each bar or one batch costs to make? Thanks!

Sherri said...

Wow! I really like the idea of lotion in a bar. I actually made my own lotion (and for gifts) over the holidays. Even my daughter's guy friends want me to make it for them! Plus it is very inexpensive! 3 ingredients. If you are interested the recipe is on my blog.
Thanks for sharing yours!

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