If you’re looking for a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift, try these Heart Lotion Bars. They’re made with sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, and Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil. The bars are solid at room temperature, but melt on contact with the skin. They’re great for extra dry patches like elbows, knees, and hands.
The bars couldn’t be easier to make – simply melt together the beeswax and sweet almond oil, then add the cocoa butter wafers and stir. The natural scent of cocoa butter smells amazing with the Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil.
What You Need: Click below to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!Heart Lotion Bars
6 Cavity Heart Silicone Mold
Pink Rose Petals
6.4 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
4.8 oz. White Beeswax
4.8 oz. Cocoa Butter Wafers
4 mL Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil
Dropper
Find the supplies you need for this project below
- 6 Cavity Heart Silicone Mold
- Pink Rose Petals
- 6.4 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
- 4.8 oz. White Beeswax
- 4.8 oz. Cocoa Butter Wafers
- 4 mL Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil
- Dropper
- In a heat-safe container, add 4.8 ounces of white beeswax and 6.4 ounces of sweet almond oil. Melt in the microwave using 60 second bursts.
- Add 4.8 ounces of cocoa butter wafers to the hot wax and oil mixture. Stir until the cocoa butter melts. If there are small pieces that won’t melt, place the container back in the microwave and heat using 10 second bursts.
- Add 4 mL of Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil and stir in thoroughly.
- Place a small pinch of rose petals into each mold cavity. Use a spoon to cover the petals with a bit of the oil mixture (this helps the petals stay in place). Allow to cool and harden for about 1 minute.
- Carefully pour the remaining oil mixture into each cavity. Place the mold in the freezer so it cools quickly. That helps prevent crystallization.
- Remove from the freezer after 30-60 minutes and enjoy!
hi…
what other butters can i use instead of cocoa butter and mango butter
and what eo should i use with mango butter
You would want to use something with a similar consistency so Kokum Butter or Shea Butter would be best. The essential oil you use is dependant on what you like to smell. A lot of people use florals for lotions.
When i make fresh lotion bars using Shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and bees wax, the texture is smooth and shiny and i really love it. But within 2 weeks or may be little more the bars become not smooth and not shiny any more. It become as crystallized with tiny lumps. What is the reason for this issue please? Thank you
Are you storing them in an airtight container and is there a lot of temperature fluctuation where they are being kept? Those would be the first two things I would be looking at in order to figure out what might be happening.
Vanilla fragrance oil and vanilla essential oil are the same? Can I replace fragrance oil with essential oil?
Essential Oil is a natural product and a fragrance is a synthetic.
Does this project needs a preservative? If not what is the shelf life?
This recipe does not need a preservative since it doesn’t contain any water. We recommend using the lotion bars within one year.
Hi, So just to clarify, the lotion bar goes onto dry skin and not wet/damp?
You would use the lotion bar on your dry skin.
I made these without the rose petals and they are just lovely. When I first smelled the Vanilla Select fragrance oil, I thought it was going to be too sweet for lotion bars. However, it blends perfectly with the cocoa butter scent and they smell amazing!
What is the best way to package and store these lotion bars. What is the shelf life for this project?
We recommend storing in an airtight container. The shelf life would be 1 year.
I apologize for adding my comment/question here but there was no place to add my comment on the easy creamy cucumber lotion thread.
I want to make the easy creamy cucumber lotion only instead of cucumber fragrance oil I’d like to use mango. What essential oil would you suggest I use in place of the cucumber essential oil? I want the mango scent to shine so really don’t want an essential oil that has a scent that will overpowers the mango.
We don’t use a Cucumber Essential Oil, do you mean the Cucumber Essential Water? If so, you can use any other Essential Water at the same usage rate. They don’t smell too strongly unless you use the Rose!
My mistake, it’s not cucumber essential oil but rather, cucumber extract that I’m wanting to find a substitute for to go with the mango fragrance oil. Any suggestions?
Any other extract would work in its place. It’s also such a small amount in the recipe you could leave it out without too much of a difference if you don’t have another extract to substitute it with.
Extracts: https://www.brambleberry.com/shop-by-product/ingredients/additives-and-lye/extracts
Hi
If I leave out the cocoa butter do I have to change the amount of other ingredients?
And can I substitute the vanilla oil?
Thank you so much
Leaving out the Cocoa Butter would make quite a bit of difference because it helps keep the bars a solid. If didn’t want to use that I would probably recommend substituting it for another harder butter like Mango Butter.
Mango Butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/shop-by-product/ingredients/butters/mango-butter/V000578.html
You can also definitely substitute the Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil for another scent of your choice.
what type of metal tin you recommend i mean size wise
What would be the best way to give these as gifts? A bag? A box with paper shreds underneath? Any ideas?
Being that it melts on contact
Thx Tiffany
A small metal tin would work nicely. I also think the box with paper shreds underneath would look nice. Just keep in mind you may see oil marks on the paper if you are not using something that is grease resistant.
I’m allergic to nuts so had to substitute the Almond Oil with other oils. I made a couple different lotion bars with this recipe. I made a rose scented lotion bar using BB White Rose with rose petals and substituted the Almond Oil for Apricot Kernel Oil. I also made a lavender scented lotion bar using BB 40/20 Lavender with just a few lavender buds and substituted the Almond Oil for Grapeseed Oil. They both turned out wonderful and I am going to give them as gifts for Valentine’s Day. Thanks BB for a quick and fun recipe that really does help with dry winter skin
I cannot wait to make these, thank you for sharing!
Is it possible to use coconut oil instead of sweet almond oil? Or is there anyway to incorporate coconut oil?
You could use Coconut Oil but removing the Liquid Oil will make the bars harder and maybe a bit more greasy on the skin.
I left out the rose petals since I ran out of time to get them, but they were super easy to make with my young teen and quite moisturizing! Very impressed – and looking forward to giving them away for V Day!
Hello, what would be the best way to store these for future use?
A metal tin would work nicely for storage!
what type of metal tin you recommend i mean size wise
The heart mold is a 3×3 size so you should look for something that is at least that large. Nothing we carry is currently that size.
made this recipe today minus the rose petals ( I didn’t have those) it’s wonderful! thank you BB for a great winter day project to do with the kiddos since school was canceled 🥰
What if you add polysorbate 80 to this recipe to turn it to kind of hydrophillic bar to be used in the shower?
We haven’t tried that, so definitely do a small test batch first to see if you like the results.
Yes, I was thinking about it. I will try and let you know 🙂
I don’t have cocoa wafers but cocoa butter cubes that I brought from you awhile ago can I use these instead in the same amount? Have some Valentine’s gift baskets I need to make and really want to add these.
Yes the Cocoa Butter Cubes we used to carry would work perfectly in this recipe and can be used at the same amount.
Love your site. I will share on facebook. I can not afford it right now to try your products due to unemployment lay off. But I can imagine how beautiful they smell. Perhaps when God opens another door for me I can purchase your product. God Bless you Gift to make others smile. Hope to see you on Home and Family Hallmark Show
Can I use vanilla infused jojoba instead of sweet almond oil?
And, if I skip the fragrance oils to use rose essential oil, should I add 4 ml to the amount of jojoba oil (or the sweet almond oil if I use that)
You can use Jojoba Oil instead of Sweet Almond Oil in this recipe and the vanilla infused should work as well. You can also use the same amount of Rose Absolute, 4 ml.
Rose Absolute: https://www.brambleberry.com/Rose-Absolute-P5478.aspx
My grand daughter has tree nut allergies what oil can I use instead of sweet almond oil ?
Avocado Oil would be a great substitute choice for Sweet Almond.
Avocado Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
How can I add color to this recipe and how much would I use?
You can use Yellow Beeswax instead of white at the same amount for a natural color.
You can also use micas just keep in mind the more you use the greater chance there is of the color transferring to your skin. Seen an example of micas in lotion bars for an idea of usage rate in our Lotion Bar Love tutorial.
Yellow Beeswax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Yellow-Beeswax-P4206.aspx
Micas: https://www.brambleberry.com/Micas-C46.aspx
Lotion Bar Love: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/lotion-bar-love/
What can I substitute the Sweet Almond Oil with?
Any light – medium viscosity oil should do. Olive oil would be too greasy and coconut fractions would be too light. I think Macadamia oil would be perfect if you have that. Good luck!
Thanks
The best substitutes for Sweet Almond Oil would be Apricot Kernel Oil, Avocado Oil, or Chia Seed Oil.
Apricot Kernel Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Apricot-Kernel-Oil-P3206.aspx
Avocado Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
Chia Seed Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Chia-Seed-Oil-P5612.aspx
Thank you
A que te refieres con:cristalizacion?
Little beads that may form on the outside of your lotion bar and sometimes inside making it feel grainy.
But the cristalization damage the bars or is just esthetic?
Mostly the aesthetic. The crystals can be wiped away but may feel a little grainy in the lotion bars.
What vegan alternative can I use to beeswax?
The best vegan substitute for beeswax is Candelilla Wax. You may want to make a small test batch to test and make sure you like the results at the same amount used of that wax.
Candelilla Wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Candelilla-Wax-P4207.aspx
Do you still take in soap donations? I have made too many shampoo bars and would like to share them if you are still sending soaps away.
Easy to make and smell delicious! I used a silicone (smaller)heart shape mold placed them in freezer as directed and they came out perfect, so pretty with the rose petals.
Thank you. We don’t take donations at the moment but I will pass along the suggestion.
Donate to a homeless shelter in your area…
I want 1 please. Pm me if u want address
I love lotion bars and can’t wait to try these!!!
Can you use yellow beeswax instead of white?
Sure you can if you don’t mind having yellow hearts 🙂
You can definitely use Yellow Beeswax instead of white. It will just change the final color of the lotion bars.
Yellow Beeswax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Yellow-Beeswax-P4206.aspx
How do you recommend we package these for gifts? I live in a fairly warm and humid area, and wouldn’t want these to melt in transit. Thank you!
Lotion bars are a heat sensitive product so you may want to think about shipping them with ice packs or thermo cases to help them cool and from melting.
For more tips on packaging in the summer and hotter areas check out this blog post:
https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/soaping-in-the-summer-heat/
What’s the purpose of the bees wax? Can it be excluded? If so, how much of the sweet almond should I use then? I image it the amount would be cut in half.
I’d really like to know the reason for the wax so I can decide whether to keep it in or not. Thx
Without the beeswax you will have a slurry not a solid
The beeswax combined with the sweet almond oil keeps the oil together and firm. If you don’t use it they will be a slurry mess.
Hi, will these be sticky? Can we add corn or tapioca starch?
Mel,
I wouldn’t add corn or tapioca starch. I don’t think you will be pleased with the outcome. The solid lotions will not be sticky. I have made many (although not with this exact recipe). They should be solid and non-sticky and non-greasy. I have had many customers and friends love them!
Lynn
Can i use another butter like mango instead of cocoa ?
You can use another Mango butter instead of the Cocoa Butter though that may make it have a little softer consistency.
Mango Butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mango-Butter-P3221.aspx
Is because i dont like the cocoa butter smell
I completely understand. You could also try using Deodorized Cocoa Butter which doesn’t have that same chocolatey scent.
Deodorized Cocoa Butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Deodorized-Cocoa-Butter-P3199.aspx
Can beeswax be substitutes with a soy based wax instead?
Sure you can! You may need to reduce the weight though. In my past experience soy wax seems to be harder than beeswax.
You can use a soy wax, like Nature Wax C-3, instead of beeswax though it will most likely be a softer consistency.
Nature Wax C-3: https://www.brambleberry.com/Nature-Wax-C-3-P3308.aspx
Can this be used immediately or does it need to be cured?
For those allergic to Sweet Almond Oil & since Apricot Kernel Oil, Avocado Oil, Chia Seed Oil are quite pricey in my country, is there any other carrier oil I can substitute with?
I use rice bran oil, grapeseed oil, red raspberry seed oil, as long as it’s an oil that is liquid all of the time, I have found you can sub it in any recipe.😊
Will the Vanilla Select fragrance oil turn this brown due to the high vanilla content?
Do we have to use cocoa butter wafers or can we use cocoa butter?
You can use regular Cocoa Butter in this recipe. We just used our Organic Cocoa Butter which comes in wafer form to help make melting easier.
Organic Cocoa Butter Wafers: https://www.brambleberry.com/Organic-Cocoa-Butter-Wafers-P6365.aspx