This lotion bar recipe is one of my favorites. Not only does my skin feel better, but I can carry these with me anywhere, even on an airplane! Check out this super simple lotion bar recipe for softer skin and start making yours today.
Lotion Bar Recipe
With Winter lasting longer this year, my skin has really been put through the wringer. This cold dry air has really done a number on my hands and legs. I am out in the elements a lot to play tennis, so I have been putting lotion and creams on left and right.
That is until I made these awesome homemade lavender lotion bars. Not only do I have lotion in a bar form, but I can keep this little baby with me and use it as often as I want. Check out this easy lotion bar recipe.
Homemade Lavender Lotion Bars
The other good thing about this lotion bar recipe is that they are small and easily fit in your purse (versus a large tube of something) and you can get through airport security with it because it’s not a liquid. That’s a bonus for me because we probably fly four to five times a year, or more!
How to Make Lotion Bars
This recipe is super easy and you can make a ton of these lotion bars and give them as gifts, or just to keep on hand. Here are the supplies (I’ve included my affiliate links) you will need to make these lotion bars:
- 1/4 cup Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
- Silicone Mold
- 1/4 cup Shea Butter
- 1/4 cup 100% ORGANIC Beeswax
- Lavender essential oil
- 1/4 tsp Vitamin E Oil
Carefully melt the coconut oil, Shea butter, and beeswax until they are all in a liquid form. This can be done by placing your ingredients into a bowl and placing the bowl over hot water. It’s also easier if you grate the beeswax before melting.
Once melted, add in the Vitamin E oil and stir well.
Homemade Lavender Lotion Bar Recipe
Allow to cool slightly and then begin to add in the Lavender essential oil. I probably use about 15-20 drops. Lavender alone feels great on my skin.
Once everything is mixed, place them into a silicone mold and allow to harden. You can also add in a little coloring before pouring if you want your bars slightly tinted.
I LOVE how soft my skin feels after using these, and I love the smell of the Lavender. Whether for yourself or as a gift, put these Homemade Lavender Lotion Bars on your to-do list! It’s the best lotion bar recipe EVER!
You might also like these stress away shower steamers.
or this orange coconut sugar scrub.
Click here if you want to learn more about essential oils, and click here for more tutorials using essential oils.
I love this idea! I use my hands for sewing all the time and this would be perfect for them. Thank you!
Thanks Becky! They are awesome, and you won’t believe how soft your hands will be after using a lotion bar on them.
I love all of your ideas!! Thank You For Sharing
Hey this is soo soo cool! I love this and definitly going to try this out! It looks soo pretty and useful!
Senay x
http://pretty-little-things-xo.blogspot.com/
I love this idea! Would these need to be kept at a certain temperature as not to get too soft?
I would definitely not let them get to warm or they will melt. I keep them in a little dish in my bathroom and they are just fine 🙂
How many of these bars does this make?
With the mold I used it makes right at a dozen bars.
I don’t see how this makes 12 2 by 2 bars. It makes less than 1 cup of liquid and each bar at 1/4 cup each will only stretch to not quite 4 bars. Am I interpreting the ingredients quantity incorrect?
I’m happy because I finally love lavender again. I used it for pregnancy nausea with Des and then it became a bad association. Now I feel better about it! I’m living YL’s lavender oil.
You and me both….but the hippie in me is starting to love the patchouli, too. I have it diffusing with Lavender and Cedarwood right now….and it’s ….. groovy. Ha! 😉
What a great recipe for lotion bars! Even better, you can substitute the beeswax for soy wax for vegans like myself. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
That’s a great idea.
I love how simple and straightforward this “recipe” is (: My friend made me some lotion bars once, and I loved them!
It’s so easy … You make some and take her one! 😉
What do you think is the easiest way to measure 1/4 cup shea or any other solid in its solid form? I’d love to make this but I have a huge block of shea and don’t want to waste if I measure to much 🙂 Thank you! Such an awesome sounding recipe.
1/4 cup is also 2 ounces. You could either measure (weigh) it whole to get the 2 ounces, or you could also shred it (like cheese) to get the 1/4 cup. 🙂 You are going to LOVE this recipe. It’s awesome!
I didn’t even think about shredding it, thanks!
I was going to make these as a gift bit put them in a little tin. I make some lotions and soaps etc and have found I prefer to keep mine thst way so they don’t dry out and I have a spur if the moment gift akdo. Your recipe sounds awedome! About how many ounces is each one of your bars, I know your mold makes 12 but was wondering what size container I would be needing?
I think my bars are probably 2″ x 2″, maybe smaller. They are small and light weight, and I have some tines that they will easily fit into. 🙂 Great idea!
Can you use any other oils?
You can use different oils for this project 🙂
What a great idea! I wonder if this would be suitable for sensitive skin (perhaps without the lavender oil). I think I will give it a go! Thanks for sharing!
Lavender is actually good for your skin, so I bet it would be wonderful. I have sensitive skin but have not had an issue with these at all. I don’t use them on my face, but On my legs and arms and hands without issue 🙂
I love anything lavender…these sound so amazing! Stopping by from Best of the Weekend!
I love these and the ingredients are things I can actually get my hands on. Pinning, Diane @ Mrs U Makes.
Do coconut oil and Shea butter go bad? I would like to make several batches with different oils but don’t want to make them all at once if they don’t have a good shelf life.
I would imagine they have about a 6 month shelf life. I am not sure about anything longer. You could always try to google the shelf life 🙂
Hi – I use beeswax passtiles (sp?) – would I use 2 oz of that or would I need to use less? I’d love to try this w my new heart shapedshaped mini muffin pan.
Hmmm….I am not familiar with that. Maybe try and google to see if you would use the same amount?
This sound really neat. I’m anxious to try it and am wondering if it’s ok to use metal molds? Also, what did you mean by “defusing your patchouli”? I think I’d like to try that as well. Thank you for sharing!!
Hi Cassie! I don’t think metal molds will be a problem as long as you can get them out of the mold easily, which I can’t attest to since I use silicone molds. They are easy to just push and pop out, but I bet metal would be ok. I was diffusing patchouli in my Essential Oils diffuser. I use my diffuser every single day. They have so many benefits besides just smelling good. They have oils that help you relax, and I diffuse some at night when I sleep and they help me relax and sleep better. There are special ones I diffuse whenever anyone is sick. There are SO MANY more ways to use them. They really have a ton of benefits. You can learn more about them here: https://www.pinkwhen.com/young-living-starter-kit/
I just made a batch of these and used silicone molds for half and individual metal molds for the other half. For the metal molds, just turn the mold upside down and bank it sharply on a counter covered with a think cloth or paper towel.
Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to give half away as gifts. The only silicone molds I have are Santa Claus ones so they will be great for Xmas gifts.
Where can I buy the small silicone molds to use for this and what store do I find these ingredients at.? Would love to try this.!!
Thanks for sharing.
hi Judy. If you notice the items I list out that are a different color, they are links. They will take you to Amazon and the exact items I used in this project. Hope that helps! 🙂
Can’t wait to try this!
Do you have to use organic beeswax? I have non-organic. Thanks!
You could probably use non organic.
Is there another oil to substitute for coconut, I’m allergic to it
Great blog. Soaps are fun! We have a blast making our natural and organic soap bars at Clear Skin. ♥
hi’ how to use the lotion bar? Sorry I don’t know
You just rub the lotion bar on the area you would like to have lotion. 🙂
I love lavender. Thanks for sharing this great idea. I’ll try ASAP
This sounds yummy!
Do u think u could u run some dried lavender through the proccesser, then add to lotion, or do u think it would it b too ruff?
Thx
I’m not sure. I have done that with Lavender soap before and not had an issue, so you could always give i a try! It would be really pretty.
These look awesome! I’m interested in using these as wedding favors for guests. I would probably wrap them in something and they put them in a small organza bag. Do you know if they would stay solid during an outdoor reception (in the evening) or melt? Thanks!
I would think they would melt if they were outside, I know they will here in Louisiana! I would try to keep them at least room temp.
Hi, I was wondering if they could be stored in a Tupperware container in the fridge?
I don’t see why you couldn’t store them in a container in the fridge. I would guess “yes”. 🙂
I tried making these but they didn’t come out solid. Any suggestions? I followed the recipe. Are they suppose to come out as a solid or more like a slave?
They should come out as a solid. I didn’t have any trouble with them and can’t think of what it could be. Maybe if there is a lot of humidity in the air at the time you are making them? I can’t think of anything else.
I’m allergic to Shea butter. Do you know of a substitute for it?
I don’t know of one right off the top of my head, but I am sure there is one.
Cocoa butter substitutes easily.
How exactly do you use them on your hands??? Do you just rub them all over your hands or what?????
Yes! I have a little tin I keep them in and when I want to use it, I just grab one and rub them onto the backs of my hands, etc.
Hi Jen. I used this recipe this weekend. I am new to the DIY products and I need some suggestions. This is the second recipe I’ve tried and I can’t seem to get that nice lavender scent. I cut this recipe in half so I used 9 drops of YL lavender. The smell is almost like burnt oil. I only have the gas burner set to 1 or 2 so I’m not sure what the problem is. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated!
Hi Gretchen! Try adding the oil at the VERY last minute. You don’t want the oil in hot contents. Hopefully that helps!
This is a great idea! I’m definitely going to make some for Christmas gifts but I might test it today. Would it work if I used regular plastic molds?
I have never used plastic molds, but I have used them for my soup bars that use essential oils, and those seem fine. I am sure it will work, but over time too much of the oil could break down the plastic.
Hi there
I made these lotion bars tonight twice but each batch is a little mushy. I used all the products you suggested from Amazon. Any ideas what I might be doing incorrectly? It isn’t humid here either.
Hi Genia! It’s humid here in Louisiana where I have made mine, so I am not sure why they are mushy. Are you using the correct amount of each product? Too much of one or the other may could have caused the difference.
I just finished making some they are in the frig. Can’t wait to see how my girlfriends & family like them. I did add a Lil bit of dried lavender. Hoping it won’t make it messy.
How long do these take to dry?
I allowed mine to dry for several hours.
I made these, carefully measuring the ingredients and following the instructions to a T. They smelled good, but they were too much like wax and not enough like lotion. It melted in my hand as I rubbed it in, but it did not absorb like I was expecting.
Sorry you had a problem! I need to remind others that I am at sea level and I believe elevation can definitely attribute to the consistency difference. You may have to tweak a few items to get it just right.
Hi Jennifer,
You mention adding color for a slight tint and I would love to do this – mainly so I can make several batches with different scents and gift little packages of assorted scents. What type of color do you suggest? Regular food coloring, or the coloring one might use for chocolate? Or are there specialty colors for these types of products? Thanks!
You can use different colors. You can also use different herbs or spices that have natural colors, or even just use good ole food coloring.
I bought the Shea Butter and the Beeswax that you had links too above; however, they come in blocks and the recipe above says 1/4 cup of each. How do I know what is a quarter cup? Thanks in advance.
You will need to cut the block with a knife or something like that to separate it. You can slowly melt and measure the products.
I have a coconut alergy. Will
Olive oil or avacado oil work. I was concerned it wouldn’t harden.
I am not sure they will harden if you use olive oil or avocado oil. It needs to be able to harden up just a little bit.
On making the lavender bars. It calls for a quarter cup of like she knew about her coconut oil and beeswax is this before or after it’s melted? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Great question! I always shred it first and then melt it.
You said you could add color. What would you use to color?
I would use whatever color method you feel comfortable with. I use food grade coloring.