Would you like to know how to make your own homemade lotion bars?
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.
In my search to alleviate my dry skin, I have tried just about every lotion out there. The bottom line is that nothing comes close to soothing my dry skin like these DIY lotion bars we like to give 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 with supplies I got in the mail through Amazon. (You can order through my affiliate links below.) The kids even got involved and enjoyed making them for their teachers.
Homemade Lotion Bar Recipe
1 cup Shea Butter
1 cup beeswax
1 cup Avocado Oil
1 tsp. 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.
- Pour into some beautiful molds
.
- At this step, I added a few drops of vanilla extract to a few 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.
Place each bar in a pretty tin containerand give as a gift or keep to enjoy!
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!
(Be sure to 
to share the tutorial with your friends!)
*This post is linked to A Soft Place to Land and Works For Me Wednesday.
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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.
Great idea! Lush sells these and I love them, but how much better to make them yourself!
I might just be trying this myself. thanks for the info and recipe.
Charissa, It is heavier than lotion from a pump or bottle, but that's why I like it for extremely dry skin.
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.
That is awesome! Thanks!
Oh I love this! What a great idea, now I'll have to try some:)
I can't wait to try this! I too have horribly dry skin and am always looking for relief. Thanks!
Just wanted to Thank You again for my Superbowl goody box, it arrived today !!
Love this! I'm bookmarking this for when we go back to the US!
I love those. I use them all the time but would love to try making them. Where can I buy those supplies?
Thx
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.
I love lotion bars. This sounds like a fun and easy project.
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
brambleberry.com has very good products for a decsent price.
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?
Ooooh, I can't wait to try this! I'm hoping they have the ingredients at Hobby Lobby.
Thanks for sharing,
Pam
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.
Since I now look like an iguana I am gonna have to get my hands on some of these!
Thanks for sharing!
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!
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.
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!
What a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing!
I love these! Have you ever done a giveaway of them?
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.
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!
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!
I am so excited to add this to my list of handmade gifts to give this year! Awesome tutorial!
I went on Bramble Berry and noticed that all the products are sold by the pound. How many pounds do I need to make 12-15 of the lotion bars? (assuming my mold is the same as yours) Or, how many lotion bars will I make, if I buy 1 lb of each product (except the vitamin e oil, obviously)?
I’m thinking about making these for Christmas gifts this year.
Thanks!
@Vicky, I bought the smallest amount available and it made about 50 bars.
I found this coupon code for that supply site.
HSMG05
It takes 5% off of fragrances. I only got $.29 off, but still!
My son has severe allergies and can not use shea butter is there something else I could use in place of shea butter? Thanks!
@Heather, I’m not sure. I’ve only ever used these ingredients.
just yesterday I learned about lotion in a bar, I believe the blog passionatehomemaking is where I 1st saw it, she shared the link, to http://www.hardlotion.com the lady there sells them, but also shares her recipe (in the D.I.Y. section) plus she shows you how to make it in a video. Only 3 natural ingredients and she recommends purchasing your ingredients through OilsbyNature and if you use the code, she lists you get 5% off
what I learned from OilsbyNature, vitamin E could be added to it to extend the shelf life..but if you are like me you’ll use it up before it expires
are those silicone cake molds? or soap molds? could you make these using a candy mold or should we stick only to soap molds?
where did u get the heart containers to store them in?
thanks
@Jessica W, These are soap molds, but I bet candy molds would work. I got the tins on Ebay. They were empty Brighton jewelry containers.
When it says 1 part, hwo do you make equal parts with liquid and harder stuff like the beeswax? Do I guess or melt the beeswax so it is all liquid. Thanks.
@jennifer brown, I hacked a hunk of beeswax off with a sharp knife that I thought looked about equal, but I included a link for beeswax pellets, which would be much simpler to use.
can u please tell me if u used soap molds or candy mols for the shapes? my local arts and craft store onl has regular square molds for soap. and where did u find the heart shaped tins???
thanks
@Jessica W, I used soap molds, but I think candy molds would work. I got the tins from Ebay. They were empty Brighton jewelry containers.
I love this Article but where can I find the ingredients like the beeswax and vitamin E oil. I want to know these and made a small business for my friends and neighbours.
If you click on the blue words “beeswax” and “vitamin E oil” in my recipe, it will take you to Amazon.com where you can order them.
)
I am going to try these out. I have never seen them before. I have scaly chronic dry skin on the sides of my chest area, and there is not medicine for it, lotion makes it feel better but nothing heals it, maybe these will be even better! THANKS!
I am SO excited to have come across this! I bought a few of these from someone on Etsy several years ago, and my mother fell in love with them…but, alas, I am a bit, um, domestically challenged, and I could never figure out the “recipe”…it always came out useable, but wouldn’t harden to quite the right consistency for portability! THANK YOU!
I just made these for Christmas gifts. They were SO very easy. I did order the push up tubes from BrambleBerry and made some into bars. I have lots of ingredients left so can make more when the first batch is gone. Thanks so much for sharing.
I LOOOOOVE lotion bars! I live in Colorado, and it’s always super dry. I make my bars with 1 part beeswax, 1 part safflower oil (I think I’ll do jojoba or almond next time though), and 1 part cocoa butter. The shea butter is lighter, but sometimes I need a thicker lotion (great for feet). It doesn’t melt in the hands like the above recipe, but it works wonders in the winter!
I also made them smaller using silicone ice molds from Target.
I love this idea and look forward to trying it for Christmas gifts. Do you put something on the molds to help them come out easier?
Thanks!!!
The bars pop right out of the molds for me. No need to add anything.
Thank you!!!!!!!
My friend and co-worker made some and gave me a sample and it sure helped relieve my dry hands which were actually hurting from dryness. Love it!!!
Do you have any suggestions for scents? I want to make on for my mother in law but want it to smell good too. Any ideas?
I tried these today, but when I added the vanilla it balled up into dark little balls and never disolved. What did I do wrong?
Oh, I’m so sorry that happened Liz. Mine didn’t do that, so I don’t know.
It balls up because vanilla extract is water based, and the lotion bar ingredients are oil based! So of course they won’t mix without an emulsifier in there (polysorbate 20 or 80 should work). Alternatively, you can use essential oils or fragrance oils, and they won’t separate.
Okay, I just made these…how EASY! I’m going to upload a pic to Pinterest in a little bit… I’ve got a sick little one, so I’m having to work in spurts!
Thanks for the re-post. I am thinking of using thses for Christmas presents. If I use your amazon links, how many bars will that make?
It depends on the size bars you make. You will end up with a little over 3 cups of melted ingredients if you follow this recipe. That would probably make 12 or so bars the size you see in this post.
If it makes 12 bars (way too much for me) of the ones pictured (I have no idea how big a Brighton tin is), can you tell me about how big (and thick) they are. I have small heart silicon ice trays from Ikea. I was thinking of using them, but I have to figure on how much to cut down the recipe as I have all the ingredients, just not in those amounts.
I honestly don’t remember the dimensions. I would say maybe 1/2 inch thick??? The one pictured had been used a few times.
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