I told you about hard lotion bars and shared this recipe with you a few years ago. Since that time I always have a lotion bar on hand. Although most of the time this Skin Cream and this Lip Balm covers most of our dry skin needs...... sometimes during the Winter our skin needs something a bit more stronger.
That's where these hard lotion bars come in. We love them and use them often this time of year. I have also found that any or all of these recipe are fun to make up and give as gifts! They are unique enough and work so well that they get used up and leave your friends, family and special someones hoping you will give them more again this year. ;)
I first heard about making a hard lotion bar from Practical Ideas for Practical Moms and then I saw them at Passionate Homemaking! I had all the stuff I needed for them since I had been experimenting with making my own Natural Deodorant so I thought these would be fun to try too!
If you don't want to make your own you can buy them at MadeOn These are great for those extra dry Winter hands and feet especially for people who get the dry cracked sores on them. Below is the recipe I used! Enjoy soft silky hands even in the Winter!
Hard Lotion Bar
4.25 ounces Shea Butter
5.5 ounces Coconut Oil
70 drops of essential oil, optional
Melt ingredients in crock pot or double boiler.
Mix well, add essential oils if wanted once everything is melted.
Using a turkey baster or small ladle pour into molds of choice.
After all the bars were made I wrapped them in wax paper just like you would a present.
Then if you want to get creative you can print up your own fun labels for them!
Lots of fun and makes a great gift for all those people in your life with rough hands! ;)
I love your blog and I love this idea--but maybe you could help crunch the numbers. If I get 1 lb. of beeswax and 1 lb. of Shea Butter at Mountain Rose Herbs for $12 each, and let's just say I have the Coconut oil lying around because I use it in my cooking (which I do). That will make me 3 bars (almost 4 but not quite)...which comes out to 8 bucks a bar! That's the same price as just buying the beeswax lotion bars in the store (not counting if there is any tax or shipping costs). I would love to try this idea, but can you explain how it is worth it? I know you just claimed it was fun, and I agree. I am just trying to make a decision between buying it and making it, as a busy mom.
ReplyDeleteKathie: I'm not too sure about your math. The recipe here makes SEVEN 2 ounce bars. Which uses only about 1/4 of the pound of beeswax and shea butter. So you would either have stuff left over to make other things like deodorant or you would have enough to make about quadruple this recipe. If you bought a pound of beeswax and a pound of Shea butter and using coconut oil you already have it would give you about 24 bars.
ReplyDeleteMy best guess with the cost of coconut oil included is that you will be less then $2 for each 2 oz. bar probably closer to $1.50! From my calculations (And maybe I'm way off but I double checked myself a few times. And there are 16 ounces in a pound right) it appears to be quite a bit cheaper to make your own and it is fun, rewarding, and kind of makes me feel self reliant.
I do use just plain coconut oil for my moisturizer and it is wonderful on the skin and there isn't any time involved making something up. But these are supposed to be really good for those who suffer with really dry, chapped, even bleeding, cracked hands.
Great question though if it was going to cost me 8 bucks a bar I would probably just buy them. You had me looking to make sure but I'm pretty confident that it is cheaper to make your own. But again correct me if I'm wrong it happens quite a bit. ;)
I made a batch of this quite a few months ago- It is wonderful. We use it not only as lotion, but as Chapstick and as hair wax (ie. Spike the boys hair a little). My girls have a tendency to get red dry cheeks in the winter and the lotion bar clears it right up.
ReplyDeleteShould I bother putting in the essential oil? You can't smell it. Does it have a health benefit?
Courtney: Thanks for all the great tips. I put it in mostly for the scent. It is very faint you mostly smell the shea butter which has a very pleasant smell. But the hint of the essential oils can be fun too. It would take a whole lot to get a very strong scent. You could use some EO's medicinally like for skin rashes, eczema, or even sore muscles. (I have found Birch great for that one) But really the Coconut oil and Shea Butter can be very healing in and of themselves. I think it just depends on what you want.
ReplyDeleteHi Tammie-
ReplyDeleteI just received my giveaway bag and it is so wonderful. The chapstick is fabulous and these lotion bars are amazing. I had never heard of a lotion bar so this was new to me, but I have been using ever since it came and I love it. Thanks again for the giveaway! Maybe you should start selling your own product line!!:)
Tam!
ReplyDeleteOh how much I love this bar! I have tried Courtney's and been thinking of making my own but have never gotten around to it. I love, love, love my box so much fun! The chapstick is awesome my kids want to try it, but I say sorry, mommy's!
I am with Brandi, you really could start your own line! Thanks again!
Nevermind, my math was totally off! I am going to try this as soon as I can...my lotion bar is the only thing I can find to keep my eczema away!
ReplyDeleteI think this is just the loveliest, most genius idea!
ReplyDelete