Homemade lotion bars are an easy DIY project made with coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax, and a few optional additions. These solid moisturizing bars melt slightly from the warmth of your hands, making them easy to rub onto dry hands, elbows, knees, and heels.
If you enjoy making your own bath and body products, you might also like making homemade lip gloss. It's another fun DIY project and a thoughtful addition to a homemade beauty gift basket.
I first started making lotion bars after my mom sent me some as a Christmas gift. I loved how easy they were to use, especially on my hands during the winter. This homemade lotion bar recipe uses equal amounts of three main ingredients, so it's easy to remember and customize with your favorite scent.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Only three main ingredients. Coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax create a simple solid lotion bar.
- Easy to customize. Add your favorite skin-compatible fragrance or essential oil, or leave the bars unscented.
- No special equipment required. A saucepan, heat-safe container, and silicone mold are all you need.
- Great for homemade gifts. Make a batch for Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, or a spa-themed gift basket.
- Convenient to use. Lotion bars are solid at room temperature and soften slightly when warmed between your hands.
- Easy to make ahead. The bars can be prepared in advance and stored until you're ready to use or gift them.
What Others ARe Saying
Thank you for this recipe, Brandy! I just made some unscented bars for my husband and some lavender rosemary ones for myself. We both love them.---Kristine
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Tips and Tricks
- Use equal amounts of the three main ingredients. This recipe uses 2 ounces each of coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax pellets.
- Melt the ingredients gently. A double boiler provides gentle, indirect heat and helps prevent the ingredients from overheating.
- Stir until completely melted. Beeswax takes a little longer to melt than coconut oil, so make sure the mixture is fully liquid before pouring it into the molds.
- Add fragrance carefully. Essential oils are optional. Choose oils suitable for leave-on skin products, follow the supplier's recommended usage limits, and allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding them.
- Use silicone molds. Flexible silicone molds make it easier to release the solid bars without breaking them.
- Refrigerate to speed up setting. Let the bars begin to firm at room temperature, then carefully transfer the mold to the refrigerator.
- Keep the bars cool. Coconut oil can soften in warm conditions, so store your finished bars away from direct sunlight and heat.
- Make a small test batch if changing the formula. Different oils, butters, and waxes can change the firmness and feel of the finished bar.
Ingredients
- Coconut oil: The oil helps the bar glide across the skin and contributes to its softening feel.
- Shea butter: Adds a rich, buttery texture and helps the finished bar feel smooth on the skin.
- Beeswax pellets: Beeswax gives the mixture structure, allowing it to harden into a solid bar at room temperature.
- Vitamin E oil: The contents of two vitamin E capsules are added to the melted mixture. Vitamin E is an optional cosmetic ingredient, not a preservative for water-based products.
- Essential oils: Optional. I used lemon and lime essential oils for a fresh citrus scent. Choose products appropriate for leave-on skin use and follow their safety instructions.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Equipment You'll Need
- Saucepan: Used to heat water for the double boiler.
- Heat-safe glass measuring cup or small pot: Holds the ingredients while they melt.
- Pourable measuring cup: Makes it easier to fill the molds without spilling.
- Silicone lotion bar or soap molds: Flexible molds make it easy to remove the finished bars.
- Small baking sheet or tray: Provides a stable surface for moving the molds to the refrigerator.
Use heat-safe equipment designed for the temperatures involved. Avoid placing a sealed container over hot water, and keep water from splashing into the melted ingredients.
How to Make Homemade Lotion Bars
Step 1: Prepare the double boiler. Add about 2 inches of water to a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Place a heat-safe glass measuring cup or small pot over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the container doesn't touch the water.
Step 2: Melt the coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax. Add the three ingredients to the heat-safe container. Stir occasionally until everything has melted and the mixture is smooth. Beeswax may take a little longer to melt completely.
Step 3: Add the vitamin E. Carefully remove the container from the heat. Cut the tip off two vitamin E capsules and squeeze the contents into the melted mixture. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Add the essential oils. If using essential oils, allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding them. Stir well. I used approximately 15 drops each of lemon and lime essential oils, but the appropriate amount depends on the specific product and its recommended usage limits.
Step 5: Pour into the molds. Carefully pour the liquid mixture into your silicone molds. Work slowly to avoid spills, and place the molds on a small tray if they need to be moved.
Step 6: Let the bars begin to set. Leave the molds at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or until the tops begin to look solid. Carefully transfer the molds to the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes, or until the bars are completely firm.
Step 7: Remove the lotion bars from the molds. Once fully solid, gently flex the silicone molds to release the bars. If a bar feels soft or bends, return it to the refrigerator until it firms up.
Step 8: Store the finished bars. Keep the lotion bars in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat. If your home is warm, refrigerating them between uses can help prevent softening.
How to Use Lotion Bars
Lotion bars are different from traditional liquid lotion. They don't contain added water and won't lather like soap. Instead, they soften slightly when warmed against your skin and leave a thin layer of oils and butters.
- Hold the bar between your hands for a few seconds to warm the surface.
- Glide the bar over clean, dry skin, such as your hands, elbows, knees, or heels.
- Use your hands to gently spread the product into a thin layer.
- Allow the oils and butters to settle into the skin before handling fabrics or other items.
A little goes a long way. If the bar feels too oily, apply less and spread it more thinly.
For dry heels, apply a small amount before bed and put on a pair of socks. Be careful when walking immediately after applying a product containing oils, since it can make floors slippery.
How to Store Homemade Lotion Bars
Store fully hardened lotion bars in a clean, dry container in a cool place away from direct sunlight, radiators, and other sources of heat. Coconut oil can soften in warm conditions, so the bars may become softer during hot weather.
If your home is warm, store the bars in the refrigerator and allow them to warm slightly before use. Avoid getting water into the storage container or leaving a used bar in a wet area.
Keep the bars clean and dry, discard them if their appearance or smell changes, and make smaller batches if you won't use them regularly.
How to Customize Homemade Lotion Bars
One of the best things about homemade lotion bars is that you can customize the scent and mold shape. Keep in mind that changing the main ingredients can also change the firmness and feel of the finished bar.
- Make them unscented. Simply leave out the essential oils. This is a good option for gifts when you don't know the recipient's fragrance preferences.
- Try a different essential oil. Lavender or another skin-compatible scent can be used instead of citrus. Always follow the supplier's directions for leave-on products, and be aware that some citrus essential oils can increase sensitivity to sunlight.
- Use decorative molds. Flower, heart, or other silicone molds can make the bars look special for gifts. Smaller molds also make convenient individual portions.
- Try a different butter or oil. Cocoa butter or another cosmetic butter may be used in a different lotion bar formula, but substitutions can change the texture and firmness. Test a small batch before making a large quantity.
- Make a gift set. Package completely hardened bars in a clean tin or other suitable container. Add a label with the ingredients and instructions for use.
FAQs
A double boiler melts the ingredients gently using heat from simmering water rather than placing the container directly over a flame or hot burner. This gives you more control as the beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil melt.
You don't need to buy a special double boiler. A heat-safe glass measuring cup or small pot set over a saucepan of simmering water works well, provided the container is stable and the water cannot splash into the mixture.
I used to melt the ingredients in the microwave, but I prefer the double-boiler method because it's easier to monitor the mixture as the beeswax melts. The goal is simply to melt everything thoroughly without overheating it.
Why won't my lotion bars harden?
Make sure the ingredients have been measured correctly and the bars have had enough time to cool completely. A warm room can slow setting, so try chilling the molds longer. If the bars remain too soft after cooling, check your measurements and whether any ingredients were substituted.
Lotion bars contain oils and butters, so they naturally leave a layer on the skin. Use a smaller amount and spread it thinly. If you prefer a less oily feel, test a different formula rather than changing the proportions of this recipe without testing.
Why are my lotion bars cracking when removed from the mold?
The bars may be too cold or the mold may be too rigid. Silicone molds are flexible and generally make removal easier. Let the bars sit briefly at room temperature before gently releasing them.
Yes. Essential oils are optional and can be omitted entirely.
A flexible silicone ice cube tray can work if it's clean and dedicated to cosmetic projects. Rigid trays may make it more difficult to remove the bars without breaking them.
This recipe makes approximately 3 bars when poured into molds of the size used for the original batch. The exact number will depend on the capacity of your molds.
Cocoa butter is used in other lotion bar formulas, but it can make the finished bar firmer. If you substitute it, test a small batch first because the texture and melting behavior may change.
Olive oil can be used in other lotion bar formulas, but it may produce a softer bar than this recipe. If you want to substitute it, make a small test batch and adjust the formula only after checking the finished texture.
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Homemade Lotion Bars
Equipment
- glass pour measuring cup
- small baking sheet
- lotion bar mold (silicone soap molds work great)
Materials
- 2 ounces coconut oil
- 2 ounces shea butter
- 2 ounces bees wax pellets
- 2 capsules vitamin E oil
- essential oils for scent optional
Instructions
- Fill a sauce pan with about 2" of water and bring to a boil. Place a mason jar or smaller pot inside (double boiler**) and add your shea butter, beeswax, and coconut oil and heat until melted.
- Transfer to a pourable measuring cup. Cut the tip off of the vitamin E capsule and add it to your liquid mixture.
- Add essential oils, to your liking. As a reference, I used about 15 drops of each of the lemon and lime essential oils. Stir. If your mixture is lightly scented, add a few more drops and give it another whiff. If it smells just right, add a couple of more drops as it sometimes seems to lose potency when it has hardened.
- Pour your mixture into your molds.
- Allow lotion bars to sit until the tops start to look solid (about 15 minutes). Carefully move to the refrigerator and allow to set completely about 30 minutes.
- Pop your lotion bars out of the molds. Store solid lotion bars at room temperature for a long shelf life.
Kristine says
Thank you for this recipe, Brandy! I just made some unscented bars for my husband and some lavender rosemary ones for myself. We both love them.
Brandy says
I'm so glad! They really do help!
Maisy says
Hi Brandy, these lotion bars look great! And I actually have all the ingredients at home, yay! 🙂 Thanks for sharing at the Friday Favorites linky party. I hope you'll come back next week to link up your projects so I can stop by again!
Rita C at Panoply says
Great post and quick video!
Julie @ Back To My Southern Roots says
I've made these before, but only with beeswax and essential oils. I really love the idea of adding vitamin E and coconut oil. Now, I really want to try these! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Colleen Pausley says
What a great idea! I can't wait to try this!
Theresa says
I seriously need to make some of these. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party @DearCreatives. Happy New Year btw. See you again soon. 😉
Leanna says
This soap looks beautiful and I love the idea of knowing exactly whats in it.
Christine says
My hands have been so dry this month so definitely going to give these a try! Thanks for sharing on Inspiration Monday 🙂
Michelle Leslie says
Oh this is great Brandy. I love walking barefoot except when it's really cold outside which means my heels are as hard as rocks and have a tendency to crack sometimes. Your lotion bars may be just what the heel doctor ordered. Can't wait to make some