I’ve been playing kitchen scientist with a number of different skin lotions and creams for awhile now, and have tried variations of many popular DIY recipes floating around the better known mom blogs.
I have a theory that all it takes is ONE “mom blog” to say “do this” and then everyone else parrots the same thing, without actually TRYING the recipe themselves before reblogging it. This is increasingly becoming a pet peeve of mine. There are many bad recipes floating around, or ingredient combinations that don’t go well together, or cancel each other out on a chemical level.. buuuuut, enough griping from me!
All of that is just to say, that this recipe is one of the “thoughtlessly reblogged” ones (in my opinion), that can be found on a bazillion mom blogs out there in the universe of the mommy blogosphere. The popular recipe itself isn’t bad, it just yields a very brick-like block of oil that is not spreadable on the skin without rubbing like a mad-woman.. which isn’t good for your skins elasticity!
So the recipe I’m sharing with you today has been slightly tweaked by yours truly. The tweaks? Less beeswax so the lotion is more spreadable, more coconut oil for better skin absorption, and less essential oil so you don’t smell like you spilled an oil sample on yourself at a health food shop.
I use these bars on myself when I get out of the shower, especially around my knees and elbows. It’s awesome for dry skin, easy to apply, and in a convenient size and shape.
I made this easy 4 bar recipe about a month ago and I’m still working on bar #1, so these go a long way. They’re also cute as freak, so they’d make a lovely DIY gift idea!
How to Make the Lotion Bars
3/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup shea butter
1/2 cup beeswax
10-15 drops lavender essential oil (or oil of your choice!)
Combine the coconut oil, shea butter and beeswax in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir the ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth. Remove from the heat, and add the essential oil. Gently stir by hand until the essential oil is incorporated.
Carefully pour the mixture into an 5×9 baking pan. Allow the lotion to cool completely. (You can speed up with process by putting them in the fridge for about 30 minutes or so!) Cut out the lotion bars. This recipe makes 4 “bar soap” sized lotion bars, or 8 “hotel soap” size bars.
Wrap the bars in wax paper till you are ready to use them!
To use, simply rub the bars onto your skin with gentle pressure, and the lotion melts off in lovely little doses!
Why These Ingredients
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains high levels of Vitamin E and is excellent for hydrating skin. It sinks in deep, conditions, moisturizes, and softens skin. Coconut oil mimics the sebum in your skin and so it naturally and gently clears away dirt, grime, and dead skin cells. It even has some antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, killing off harmful bacteria.
Shea Butter
Shea butter contains massive amounts of essential fatty acids and natural moisturizing antioxidant compounds, which makes skin incredibly soft. It is an anti-inflammatory and contains anti-fungal and yeast-killing properties. It is also high in Vitamins A and E, which promotes skin elasticity and soothes irritating and painful rashes and dry skin.
Beeswax
Beeswax is known to lock in moisture, foster cells, and protect skin from damaging environmental factors. Beeswax effectively softens skin and creates a long-lasting protective coating against the elements. It also is a naturally nourishing moisturizer. Beeswax also contains anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergenic, and germicidal antioxidant properties!
Lavender Essential Oil
Not only does the lavender oil add a nice scent to the lotion, but lavender oil is known for its skin healing properties and its use as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic and deodorant.
Sounds awesome. So proud of you, doing the things I’ve always wanted to do. I bought an old electric skillet once to try to make soap, but never actually tried. Kudos to you for doing your research & making the stuff the best way possible.
You know, you still CAN do all these things. 😉
And you can start with restoring that antique sewing machine!!
I’m currently working on a natural diy fabric softener blog! I’ll add the link to this particular article, if you don’t mind. 🙂
Of course not! Share! I’d love to try your recipe!!
I love this! I’m 27 weeks along and have been battling itchy and dry skin for months. I’ve been rubbing coconut oil on for a few days because all my supplies are being shipped this will be my first try!
Did you see I have a stretch mark salve recipe on my blog? My husband and I experimented with a TON of different creams for my itchy stretch marks, and this is the one I like the BEST. Only downside is, it smells strongly of chocolate, lol! http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com/crafts-diy/diy-color-reducing-stretch-mark-salve/
I made the recipe that is kind of like this that I found on wellness mama, it came out awesome. Have you tried using Cocoa Butter instead of Shea? I like the smell of Cocoa Butter better, with Shea I never know if it is going to smell amazing or have that weird odor. Also, it helps with my dermatitis and I have found Shea doesn’t do much for it. I like how you wrapped them, very pretty. 🙂 I love sitting in my kitchen making stuff like this, I feel like a mad scientist of some sorts, an alchemist with natural ingredients. Lol.
DUDE!! Your comment just gave me a cool idea for a blog or book name… The Holistic Alchemist! (Watch, I bet a bazillion people have that name already… kind of like Domestic Geek Girl.. I thought I was being so clever, then I did a Google on my name after having my blog for months.. there’s TONS out there! Doh!)
Lol I just did a google search there are people with that name. It’s like when I had my holistic health coaching business and blog, when I went to get my fictitious business name done I was praying that no one else had that name licensed. Luckily no one did. I know there are like 5 different domestic geek something or others out there. But there are only so many names to choose from for a blog! Have you started using your blog to make money? I did it for awhile and it is so worth the extra time. With Owyn’s health I don’t have time anymore, but since you blog every day you might look into it.
I’m starting to accept and request product to review, and I’m in the works to start charging for advertising, but I’m going to donate any actual monetary earnings to Samaritans Purse to help buy farm animals for poor families overseas. In my experience once a hobby becomes work, it loses most of its magic. I don’t want that happening to my blog. ^_^
Check out worldbuilders.com too it is awesome. I don’t know if you have read the book “Name of the Wind” or not but the author put this together through heifer.com. It is a geek charity network. Pretty cool just to read about fellow geeks doing charity work. Good luck.
I’d love to make this – so perfect! I’m wondering where is a good place to buy the beeswax and shea butter. Thanks!
I usually get mine at a local health food store here in Pensacola, but when I do online orders, I usually place them at mountainroseherbs.com! If you make it, let me know what you think! ^_^
I’ve been wanting to try this one too. I just haven’t gotten online to buy all of the things I need to do these projects. The initial price tag left me with a little sticker shock and I didn’t know what the price would break down to when I made the different recipes I want to try. When you’re on a budget and making or buying the best thing will break the bank, I have to settle for whatever the good stuff is. That way I’m in between the great that I can’t afford, but it’s not bad either.
Yeah, the upfront cost can be daunting. I spent $60 on started materials from MountainRoseHerbs.com in late September 2013, and I have made COUNTLESS projects, for baby, for me, for cleaning the house, and I still have plenty of materials left for more projects. I even bought some essential oils with that $60 that I STILL haven’t used!
I love this recipe! Simple, clean, natural ingredients!!
I have a love-hate relationship with using coconut oil LOL., but I think this soap recipe sounds wonderful. This would be a cute idea for birthday/christmas/housewarming gifts. But yes, I get you on the people reblogging without trying.
LOL, I’m still resistant to it, since I try not to go with the popular crazes, haha..
Amazing … I love coconut oil… It is a wonderfully rejuvenating oil to use in massage, creams and soaps.