Solid Lotion Bar Recipe

When I first started making my own bath/body/skincare items, solid lotion bars (a.k.a. massage bars, belly bars, etc.) were one of the first things I started making. I ended up loving them SO much that (after tweaking a few recipes) I started selling them on my etsy site. I use them daily -- they keep my skin moisturized much longer than standard lotions, are super-convenient, and easy to apply.

The following is a recipe for a simple, unscented solid lotion bar -- nothing particularly fancy (I can't give away ALL my secrets), but you can adjust it to suit your preference (lighter/heavier oils, additional butters, etc).

If you don't want to make your own, mine can be found here.

Basic Solid Lotion Bars

Recipe makes approximately three 3-oz. lotion bars

• 6 Tbsp. beeswax (if you can get them, beeswax pellets/pastilles make measuring SO much easier, and melting SO much faster)
• 3Tbsp cocoa butter
• 3 Tbsp shea butter
• 6 Tbsp coconut oil

In a double boiler (I use a Pyrex measuring cup in a pan of water), add beeswax, cocoa butter, and coconut oil, and stir until beeswax and cocoa butter are fully melted. Add shea butter, and stir over low-medium heat until completely melted (I add the shea butter after the beeswax and cocoa butter have melted, because if you heat shea butter for too long, it has a tendency to become grainy/mealy. No bueno.)
Remove from heat.

If you want to scent your lotion bars with fragrance oil or essential oil, let mixture cool for a few minutes (but before it starts to set), add FO/EO, and mix well.

Pour into molds -- anything you want, really: a butter dish, an empty yogurt container, soap molds, heck, even ice cube trays or candy molds work for smaller-sized "mini-bars".

Pop lotion bars out of their mold once fully cooled -- if you're as impatient as I am, you can hasten the process by popping the filled containers into your refrigerator/freezer for 15 minutes.

If you have a cute container to store yours in, great -- but to be honest, I just keep mine in a resealable plastic baggie, and apply post-shower, to towel-dried skin. Easy peasy.