This recipe is perfection for making small batches as gifts for friends, a hostess treat or stocking stuffers! This way, if you don’t like how it tuns out, you haven’t used up your precious ingredients and can tweak the recipe to your needs. I had these adorable snowflake and snowman silicon molds. Perfect for stocking stuffers or hostess gift for all those holiday parties! Don’t forget – later in the month we’ll have some super cute packaging ideas for you!
What you’ll need:
- 3 ounces cocoa butter
- 3 ounces solid coconut oil
- 3 ounces beeswax
- silicone molds (like oval or snowflake)
- essential oils of your choice. I chose peppermint!
What you’ll do:
- Warm a medium pan with water on the stove
- Weigh all ingredients into glass dishes
- Place all ingredients, except essential oils, into a larger glass bowl or measuring cup
- Place glass bowl over pan of simmering water
- Melt butter, oil & wax
- Remove from heat and stir in 36 drops of peppermint essential oil
- Pour into silicon molds
- Cool
- Package
Tie these up in group of 3 with butchers twine or other fun strings. Pop a few into your mother-in-laws stocking or add them to spa baskets for all your friends! The possibilities are endless. I am keeping one by my nightstand and it’s awesome just before bed, my feet have really loved the extra pampering!
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Can you use soap colorant in these?
We didn’t try it with soap colorant, so we can’t say for sure. But you should be fine to use it. Let us know how it goes!
oohhh.. I also found this recipe! https://blog.planttherapy.com/blog/2016/05/13/diy-outdoor-lotion-bars/
I was a little leary with the buzz off recipe, as I don’t have everything suggested to use. Thanks so mcuh!
Could you use this recipe to make a bug repellent?
You sure can! We actually have a recipe for just that purpose all ready to go.
Do you use a refined coconut oil with no smell or unrefined?
We used refined coconut oil. But unrefined would work as well, it might just change the scent.
I made these with Sweet Orange for Mother’s Day gifts. I had extra that my daughter and I have been using and enjoying. It’s also great as a lip balm. They are a little hard so next time I will experiment with more oil or less wax.
Dumb question…how many tablespoons or teaspoons for the beeswax? I’m not good at measuring lol.
Shelly, 3 ounces of beeswax equals 6 tablespoons 🙂
Thank you!
Oh I had bought some tubes to make deodorant maybe I’ll make some lotion tubes instead. Sounds like an idea! Now to figure out which scent of EO I want to add to them. And I would be using Candelila wax as I’m vegan.
I was thinking about using Germ Fighter or Better Than Kisses. Has anyone tried Germ Fighter in their lotion bars?
Thanks! I have tried Honeybell and my friends liked that one a lot but I think we could all use a little germ fighter this time of year.
That would be a great idea, Joanne!
Really want to try to make these now!!
If I use the snowflake molds, can anyone tell me how many ‘snowflakes’ this recipe will make?
Made mini versions of these bars ( I managed to find silicone molds at goodwill, and you have to take what you can find 😉 ). I used skin restore and loved the smell in lotion bar form. There were some little droplets that were outside the mold, and I rubbed that on my hands to try it out. It left my skin so soft! Will be making more for Christmas presents.
How much heat can these withstand? I am thinking of putting them in the deodorant containers as suggested, using nature shield, for a bug repellant but want to be sure they won’t melt if taken camping or to the beach in +90° weather.
Leslie, that amount of heat will likely make the lotion very soft, but the beeswax is great at holding it all together. I’m going to link another blog that has a slightly different recipe for lotion bars that you may also enjoy:https://blog.planttherapy.com/blog/2018/05/16/diy-essential-oil-buzz-off-lotion-bars/
I just made these but used shea butter instead of the coconut oil. I also added a little bit of jojoba oil. They came out awesome!!! Can’t wait to make more.
Did you use the same amount of Shea as is recommended for the coconut oil? TY
wonderful! definitely will do it for my Christmas presents. Thank YOU
I plan on making these. Just waiting on my order.
I will ne making these for family this coming Christmas, I think they will love them!
I’m so glad I found this recipe! It looks easy, and I have all of the ingredients! I can’t wait to use it with the Skin Soother for my little one! 🙂
Is there an alternative to coconut oil in this recipe?
Elaine, we’ve found that solid coconut oil works wonderfully for this recipe, but if you do not have it on hand feel free to try replacing it with mango or shea butter. Let us know how it turns out!
Thank you for showing me just how easy this could be. I may really need to buy some more things to make these! Lotion bars sound amazing for my dry skin!
How many molds will I need to have ready to fill?
You can fill 4-5 palm sized molds
How long will the lotion bars last?
You would want to take the shelf of the ingredient with the shortest shelf life. The butters often last for 2 years when stored in a dark/cool place, you would also want to take into consideration the shelf life of the essential oils you choose.
Does anyone have a recipe for, or EO suggestions for making these as an energy booster or wake me up? I drive a lot and thought this might help me stay awake and aware and be easy to apply using the deodorant tubes as suggested.
Betha, I would recommend our Energizing Synergy Blend: https://www.planttherapy.com/energy-synergy-essential-oil?v=34
If I wanted to use this recipe but with Skin Soother instead of peppermint, how many drops would I use? What dilution % would that be?
If I want to substitute candelilla wax, then how much would I need? TIA
Hi Anita,
I’ve never used Candelila wax in this recipe but maybe some of our other readers have and can offer feedback. Thanks for asking!
Will this recipe stay solid here in our warm country in Philippines? Thanks!
Mine are to soft can what can i do?
Kandace, have they firmed up more? If they are still soft, I would gently remelt, add another ounce of beeswax and pour into molds again… they should be firmer 🙂
I don’t have beeswax. Could soy wax work?
Yes, soy wax could be substituted for beeswax…same amounts…thanks, Ruchel!
Ruchel, I haven’t personally used soy wax as a replacement but it could be a great alternative. If you try this replacement let us know what you think. Thanks so much!
coconut oil link is recipe is no longer available…..is this calling for FCO? or?
Kerri this is solid coconut, not FCO. Unfortunately, we longer have this product available. I have removed the link. Sorry for the inconvenience.
What is the shelf life for these?
You would typically want to take the shelf of the ingredient with the shortest shelf life. The butters often last for 2 years when stored in a dark/cool place, you would also want to take into consideration the shelf life of the essential oils you choose.
Is there a way to use a microwave to melt the ingredients? I had lots of problems getting my bowl out of the pan. Plus, the center top of the mixture was cool, so some of the wax/butter would harden, even when I tried stirring it back into the mixture.
That would certainly work, I have read that microwaves can change the chemical structure so I’m not sure about maintaining the integrity of your ingredients. I would recommend trying it with a small batch, seeing how effective it is, then going from there.
You can make a Double Boiler (which is the same as used here) by using a Crock Pot and a Glass Measuring cup that will fit inside. Depending on the size of your measuring cup you may need to alter your amounts. It may also take a bit more time for everything to melt fully, but this has worked for me.
How can I find more information on making these lotion bars? Thoughts and comments.
Hi Kathie! I am happy to answer any questions you have, just let me know.
Any recommendations for a non peppermint oil that will cover the smell of the ingredients
Hi Leslie! You can use just about any essential oil. Just be sure to adjust the drops based on the recommendation for that oil.
Hi! I wonder what proportions should I consider in making lotion bars as I live in a tropical country and the coconut is never solid unless stored in the refrigerator. Thank you!
Hi Patricia! This may take some experimenting. I would recommend cutting the coconut oil back to 1 ounce, but you may have to increase the Cocoa Butter slightly or include another butter, such as Shea. This may change the texture as well.
I wonder if increasing the beeswax may also prevent it from being too soft. Texture would be different, but it may hold the shape better.
Hi June! Increasing the beeswax will make the bars harder, and will change the texture. It can also change the properties and they might not be as conditioning to the skin.
How many and what size bars does this recipe make?
It made several 4-5 lotion bars in a mold that was just about palm sized.
If I want to use a kidsafe synergy such as silky soft or eczema helper would I still use 36 drops of EOs?
Yes, that is the proper dilution.
How much water do you use?
There is no water in this recipe, Dana.
I think she’s asking how much water do you put in the pan on the stove
An inch or two is all you need. Be sure that it isn’t so much that the water will boil over and get into the mixture.
I’m would like to make these for gifts and would have to ship them to California and Tennessee. I’m wondering if they might melt and be ruined before reaching their destination though. Thoughts?s
can you use Cocoa butter lotion in this mixture?
Are you referring to a pre-made lotion? I wouldn’t use that, the bars won’t set up properly.
How long do the molds take to harden? Should I put them in the frdge to harden?
They only take a few minutes, less than an hour!! They are fine on the counter and pop right out of a silicone mold!
Thanks for the reply! 🙂
If you’re using a plastic soap mold do you need to do anything differently to prep the mold?
Just a quick question. The coconut oil is it the solid or FCO?
This is the solid coconut oil.
Is the coco butter a special type, like a raw type? I see that PT sells the beeswax beads, I have the PT coconut oil
The cocoa butter was just what I had on hand, you could certainly use any other semi-hard butter you have
I used to make lotion bars. Another nice option for these is to pour them into tubes like deoderant tubes (you can purchase them at Michael’s or at most soap making sites online). They rub on without getting the lotion all over your fingers. Very popular for working people and nice for rubbing on someone’s back, knees, or elbows.
Wonder if you can help me. I am not seeing PT’s deal of the day when I go to their website. What am I doing wrong?
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Christina, what is the easiest way to get cocoa butter out of the jar?
Mine didn’t come in a jar, it came in chunks! I purchased it from Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002US55K0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Maybe you are talking about coconut oil in the jar??? It’s not the same thing as cocoa butter.
I try to scrape and pry the cocoabutter out of the container.
Hi Betsy! You can try putting the jar (tightly capped) in some warm water. That should help.
Can you use mango butter instead if cocoa butter? I’m thinking mango tangerine or vanilla or peppermint or…….so many possibilities!!! Lol
You totally could do that!!!
I think all of these are fantastic. The problem that I am having is how do you clean the things you used? the beeswax is all over the place. Is there a special method?
I actually scraped out the lotion-mix from my pyrex measuring cup (which I used to melt it in) and used that in a small container over the next few days. After scarping out as much as I could, I wiped it out with a paper towel, then I just washed the pyrex like normal. There was no residue left in the silicon molds, they just popped right out.
Try wiping a heat safe oil like jojoba or coconut over the inside surfaces of Pyrex before you add ingredients.
Christina, these are adorable! My favorite recipes are like this one, not too many ingredients and not too many steps! Hadn’t originally planned on making these, but with such an easy recipe I’m rethinking doing them! Where did you find your silicon molds? Thank you for the great post!
I am going to so make these this week end. Thanks
Would shea butter work? I have that but not cocoa.
That would work just fine. Your final texture may be a bit different.
I made lotion bars for my daughters….I used a skull ice cream cube tray and I mixed in Anti-Eczema EO from Plant Therapy. They’re absolutely wonderful. The girls can apply the lotion to their itchy skin whenever they want, all by themselves! I will be making lotion bars for my family for gifts…and, since I have a large order of supplies coming in from a gal located near my parents, I will be able to show my family how to make them too. So excited for Christmas!
That is such a good idea! Wondering if you’ve found the anti-eczema synergy to be very helpful? My kids, especially my 4 year old, have it severely & thinking of trying that next..