The cold months take a toll on the skin, making moisturizing products a crucial step in winter skincare routines. When skin becomes dry and needs extra TLC, lotion bars made from luxurious oils are a fantastic option. Created with argan oil, mango butter and cocoa butter, these Argan and Sandalwood Vanilla Lotion Bars defend skin from the elements.
Argan oil, mango butter and cocoa butter are all amazing ingredients for the skin. Argan oil absorbs quickly and is full of vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Mango and cocoa butters are both rich, solid butters, and help to create a barrier to protect skin.
Scented with Sandalwood Vanilla Fragrance Oil, these lotion bars leave a warm, creamy and slightly spicy scent on the skin (don’t use too much, or it can smell a littler perfume-y). The Batik Dome Flexible Mold results in an intricate design, and releases the bars easily. Simply apply the bar directly to the skin, and massage in to help absorb.
What You’ll Need:
Batik Dome Flexible Mold
(This mold has been discontinued. It has been substituted with the 6 Bar Oval Silicone Mold.)
2 oz. White Beeswax
1 oz. Deodorized Cocoa Butter
3 oz. Mango Butter
5 oz. Argan Oil
5 mL Avocado Extract
3 mL Sandalwood Vanilla Fragrance Oil
Droppers (optional)
Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!
TWO: Cut the mango and cocoa butter into small pieces and add to the hot oil mixture. Cutting the butters into small pieces before adding helps melt the butters easily.
THREE: Stir butters until fully melted and incorporated. If necessary, place the container back into the microwave using 15 second bursts until the butters are thoroughly melted.
FOUR: Once fully melted, add the avocado extract and stir to combine.
FIVE: Add the Sandalwood Vanilla Fragrance Oil, and stir to thoroughly combine.
SIX: Slowly pour the mixture into each mold cavity. Be careful, the container may be hot!
(NOTE: The Batik Dome Flexible Mold has been discontinued. It has been substituted with the 6 Bar Oval Silicone Mold.)
Allow the lotion bars to fully cool and harden. This may take several hours. Gently remove the bars and enjoy! When packaging these bars, make sure to wait until they are completely cool and hard. Saran wrap would work well as a packaging option, as well as a tin or jar.
During the cold winter months, how do you keep your skin moisturized and comfortable?
Hello,
Sorry if this question was already asked. In your recipe, the FO quantity is about 3.5% of the total recipe. Is it a percentage I can stick to? I feel I always want to make more FO than in a regular liquid lotion, but I don’t want to irritated my customer’s skin. Same with EO, what would be a good percentage range (mini-max /safe limit) of FO and EO?
Thank you!
Hi Giny!
The usage rate will change depending on the fragrance! For instance, too much cinnamon essential oil can be irritating to the skin, so you’ll want to use less. You can use our Fragrance Calculator to find out exactly how much to add to your recipe. 🙂
Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I am excited to make solid lotion bars and various other kinds of lotions. I have super dry hands from making ceramics so I go through a lot of lotion.
Do you have any recipes that use an alternative wax to beeswax? Could I simply use candelilla wax in this recipe, and if so, how much would I use?
Lotion bars are great for dry skin! They feel really nice and moisturizing. 🙂
You can use candelilla wax instead of beeswax in this recipe! Candelilla wax is a bit softer than beeswax, so you may need to add more cocoa and mango butter to make the bars a bit firmer. I would recommend making this recipe and dipping a cold spoon in the melted oils. It will harden instantly on the cold spoon and you can check the consistency. If it feels too soft, you can add more cocoa or shea butter. Read more about The Spoon Trick here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/spoon-trick/
Candelilla wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Candelilla-Wax-P4207.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you so much! The responses on this site are so fast and thorough. 🙂
You’re welcome Tserisa! 🙂
I would like to make this recipe and add aloe. Can you put Aloe Gel into this recipe instead of aloe extract?
Hi Anne!
Adding aloe gel to this recipe can be a bit tricky. It is similar to water, so you would need an emulsifier to combine with the oils and wax. We also recommend a preservative with aloe gel to protect against mold and bacteria. I would recommend using the aloe extract for this recipe. You can also leave out the aloe extract, or add another extract like avocado! Read more about extract options here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotligh-extracts/
You can use aloe gel in lotion though! It adds nice soothing properties to the mix. 🙂
We used it in the Rose and Aloe In-Shower Lotion Recipe: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/rose-aloe-shower-lotion/
This post has more information on what ingredients go in lotion and how much to add: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-create-homemade-lotion-recipes/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Aloe vera liquid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Aloe-Vera-Liquid-P3704.aspx
i just made the lotion bars,,, very heavy scent to much for me how can i fix that. its very strong. pls help thx,, 🙂
Hi B!
If you want to make the scent a bit lighter, you can make a second batch of the lotion bars and not add any scent! Then, remelt the ones you have now and mix it with the unscented batch. That will give the bars a lighter scent overall. 🙂
If you a prefer lightly scented products, you can use our Fragrance Calculator to find out exactly how much to add: http://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
can I use cerabellina wax?
Hi Cassandra!
Cera bellina wax has a unique, gel-like texture that’s different from the beeswax. It will give these lotion bars more of a softer, gel texture. I would recommend a small test batch to see what you think. If you want the bars a bit more firm, you can do a combination of cera bellina and beeswax. 🙂
Cera bellina wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cera-Bellina-Wax-P5642.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hi there,,
i have a bit of avocado butter left over from makin avocado body butter.was wondering if i could mix the mango butter & the avocado butter together for the lotion bars or would that be a mistake?
Hi B!
You can definitely add avocado butter to this recipe if you like! It feels really nice on the skin. Because it’s softer than mango butter, it will make the recipe a bit softer overall. I would recommend a small test batch to check the consistency. If the bars are a bit too soft, you can increase the beeswax and mango butter slightly. 🙂
Using a cold spoon is really helpful as well! You can dip the spoon in and the lotion bars will solidify instantly. That way you can check and see if you like the way it feels. Learn more about The Spoon Trick here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/spoon-trick/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hi there.. just wondering if i can use something other than avocado extract?
You can! You can use any extract you like in this recipe. For instance, aloe extract would feel amazing. Learn more about extracts and how much you can add to your lotion bar here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotligh-extracts/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is there a vegetable based wax that would work with lotion bars?
Hi Beth!
Certainly! Candelilla wax is vegetable based and works well in lotion bars. It’s a bit softer than beeswax, so the recipe overall will be a bit softer. If you want the recipe a bit more firm, you can add a bit more cocoa butter to firm it up. 🙂
Candelilla wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Candelilla-Wax-P4207.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hi,, does this recipe only make 3 bars & if so can it be doubled?
You can absolutely double this recipe if you like! The kit only comes with one mold, so you can do the bars in batches or grab another mold and make them all at once. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hi there,,, this might be a silly question but,,,could this recipe be doubled? i c it only makes 3 bars.:)
You can absolutely double this recipe if you like! The kit only comes with one mold, so you can do the bars in batches or grab another mold and make them all at once. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
hi there,,, i will be makin these next. after i make SQ avocado body butter which i hope is soon just waiting for my items to be delivered,,can’t wait!
Thanks so much for your order! I think you’re going to love this recipe. It feels really nice on the skin, especially when it’s dry during the winter. The bars smell really good too. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
How to Make Whipped Body Butter on Soap Queen TV: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-make-whipped-body-butter-on-soap-queen-tv/
Is there any reason I couldnt use a silicone mold instead of the heavy duty mold?
Thank you
You can definitely use a silicone mold if you like! If the recipe is on the softer side, it may be tricky to unmold the bars at first. I would recommend making a small test batch to see how they pop out. If those details want to stick, you can pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so. 🙂
Silicone molds: https://www.brambleberry.com/Silicone-Molds-C548.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi! 🙂
I LOVE lotion bars and I make them for my business but the one thing I haven’t conquered is keeping them in a solid state when shipping them. That is the only problem I am having with this product because by the time it reaches the client the bar is already melted. Do you have any suggestions for keeping the solid shape of the bar but without loosing the softness and melting factor when it hits the skin? I will be shipping a lot more and I cannot have this problem. :-/
Thanks!
Taylor
Hi Taylor!
This can certainly be tricky. I think you might find the blog post, “Soaping in the Summer Heat,” helpful. It has a lot of tips on shipping products in the heat. Tips include using ice packs and thermo cases to keep them cool, and using 2-day shipping. You can check out our tips below. I hope this helps!
Soaping in the Summer Heat: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/soaping-in-the-summer-heat/
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Thank you Amanda! I will definitely try and keep you updated on my results! 🙂
Hi
Is there anything I can use instead of Avocado Extract? I can’t get it where I am…
Thanks!
Do you need preservatives in type of lotion bar.
Hi Teri!
This recipe doesn’t need a preservative! Preservatives are needed in products that contain water, like lotion, or products that may have water splashed in them during use, like a scrub stored in the shower. This recipe doesn’t have water and will be stored in a dry place, so it doesn’t need one. 🙂
Talk It Out Tuesday: Preservatives: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, I am interested in making these lotions bars, only problem is I’d like to be able to gift to my mother but she’s allergic to anything mango. What other butters could I use instead in place of the mando and how much of it?
*Mango
Hi Alura!
Shea butter would be a great substitute for mango butter, as they have similar textures. Shea butter feels wonderful on the skin. 🙂
I would recommend adding the shea butter at 3 ounces, the same amount as the mango butter.
Shea butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Shea-Butter-P3220.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you for writing back so quickly!
I looked at bramble berry for the Deodorized Cocoa Butter but it’s out of stock. Would the regular cocoa butter affect the smell too much of the finished bar?
Do you have any suggestions of other fragrance oils that would compliment the cocoa butter scent?
Hi Alura!
The cocoa butter would give the final product a chocolatey scent. I think that scent would smell awesome with the sweet and woodsy Sandalwood Vanilla Fragrance Oil!
You could also add Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil to these bars to enhance the chocolatey scent.
Dark Rich Chocolate: https://www.brambleberry.com/Dark-Rich-Chocolate-Fragrance-Oil-P3881.aspx
Espresso Fragrance Oil would smell amazing as well. It would give you a chocolatey coffee scent in the final bars. Yum. 🙂
Espresso: https://www.brambleberry.com/Espresso-Fragrance-Oil-P5889.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Cocoa butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cocoa-Butter-P3218.aspx
I love the feel of thee lotion bars but I am having a problem getting these to come out of the mold cleanly. It is leaving parts of the design in the mold. Any suggestions as to how I can fix this problem or do I need to use a different mold?
Hi Kathleen!
I love the feel of lotion bars too! To get the lotion bars to unmold easily, we recommend letting them fully cool and harden. That can take a couple hours or up to overnight. If they still don’t want to come out, you can pop them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. That’ll help them harden so you can pull them out easily. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Will these melt in a purse during hot summer months or are they hard enough to withstand summer
Hi Robin!
These lotion bars are full of soft luxurious oils and are designed to melt on contact with your skin, so they may melt in a purse. I would recommend storing them in a cool dry place to keep them nice and solid. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I would like to make one that can be used during the summer without melting. Would I increase beeswax a bit. If so how much. Thanks.
Also I don’t want them melting during shipment
Hi Robin!
Increasing the beeswax would help firm these bars up a bit and help prevent melting! I would recommend adding about an ounce more of beeswax. Then, dip a frozen spoon into the melted mixture and check the texture. If you want it even firmer, you can add more beeswax. 🙂
You can read more about The Spoon Trick here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/spoon-trick/
Also, keep in mind the mixture will be more firm, so it may be a bit more tricky for it to melt on contact with skin. A small test batch would be helpful, that way you can test it on your skin and see what you think!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made these, and they work great, except that they have a slightly grainy feel, or perhaps it’s more like small lumps in the lotion when you rub the bar on your skin. If you keep rubbing it in, the lumps dissolve on your skin. I’m thinking that the wax or butters did not dissolve enough. Did I do something wrong or is that normal?
Hi Sandy!
Sometimes, mango and cocoa butter can get graininess if they get heated up too much or too quickly. We recommend melting the oils and waxes together, then removing the container from the heat and stirring in the butters. That heats them gently and helps prevent the grainy feeling.
Tempering the butters can help as well. To temper your butters, melt them until they are fully liquid and then put them in the freezer. Once they are fully cooled, remove from the freezer and store them in a cool, dark place. That prevents graininess as well. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Just following up – the recommendations from Kelsey were great! I did some experimental mini-batches (about 2 oz yield) of this recipe and the Lotion Bar Love. For this one I used sweet almond oil instead of argan oil and shea butter instead of mango butter. I hadn’t ordered any beeswax from BB, but luckily had a hunk of beeswax on hand (took me about 82793 years to grate up half of it lol). No fragrance or color for these experiments, and I totally forgot to do the frozen spoon trick – I even had a spoon in the freezer ready to go, dangit. But I like the delicate scent of the cocoa butter (and I think I smell the beeswax? It’s nice.), and am waaaaay excited to play with my new orange peel cybilla FO and my sample of Marrakesh!
Lotion Bar Love…turns out I understand why the original recipe is in a push tube. It’s a little soft to be out on its own, but I DO like it. I also skipped the green tea extract, but that’s only because I used it in some soap recently and I don’t want it in everything I own just now. For both of these recipes, I was wary of the beeswax content, and now I feel silly about that. I might even melt down both of the batches I made and add beeswax until they’re about 30% beeswax.
Seriously though I have a little of this lotion bar on my hands right now and I can’t stop rubbing them together! This is the best my skin has felt in days – after I just got done saying I’m a fangirl of Lush’s Soft Coeur, I think I might like this even better.
New question – Is it *at all* recommended to color this with a little cocoa powder? Like if I wanted to make some kind of swirl with these bars? Or will the cocoa powder feel gritty when you work through it?
Thanks for such awesome support! I really can’t say enough nice things about the BB/SQ support team. Y’all are just great!!! <3
Hi Katenik!
That’s awesome! I’m glad you were able to try out different recipes. That is one of the best ways to find out the perfect combination for your skin. It obviously paid off too! 🙂
You can definitely use cocoa butter to color this recipe. I would recommend mixing it in with your fragrance oil or another liquid oil before adding it. That way it will incorporate nicely and not have any clumps of color.
Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder: https://www.brambleberry.com/Dutch-Processed-Cocoa-Powder-P5537.aspx
You are so welcome! We are happy to help. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’m gearing up to try out a small batch of this recipe (http://curious-soapmaker.com/soft-coeur-lush-massage-bar-recipe.html), based on one of my favorite things I’ve ever put on my skin. However! The recipe in the site I linked doesn’t use a wax of any kind. Am I signing up for a soft, oily mistake? How important is a wax for lotion/massage bars? Including the recipe in this post, every lotion bar recipe I’ve found calls for beeswax, which makes me worry a little about the one I think I want to try.
Hi Katenik!
We haven’t tested the recipe in the link you provided, so I’m not 100% sure! It may help to email the recipe author to find out more.
We’ve found the best combination for lotion bars is a combination of wax, butter and oil. That makes the lotion bars firm enough to hold their shape but soft enough to help moisturize your skin. I’ll include a few lotion bar recipes below you may like. 🙂
Bite Me Not Lotion Bars: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/bite-me-not-eo-blend/
Lotion Bar Love: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/lotion-bar-love/
Shimmer Stick: https://www.brambleberry.com/Summer-Bronzer-July-2014.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you! The Lotion Bar Love recipe looks like a better one for me to start with. I read through a lot of the comments and noticed some people’s preferred proportions are influenced by their local climate. I currently live in the midwest where it’s VERY cold in the winter and pretty hot in the summer. This might be why the original LUSH Soft Coeur (a very soft bar, now that I’m thinking about it) is so great on my skin in the winter – haven’t had it in the summer yet but I can see how the softness of this bar might be troublesome in warmer weather. I may have to mess with making designated winter and summer bars, lol! Again, thanks for all the incredibly helpful advice. The Bramble Berry/Soap Queen support teams are champs!
Hi Katenik!
Your environment does play a big role in your recipes! If you live in a cold climate, you may want to add more oil to the lotion bar for a softer texture. Playing around with the recipes can definitely help you out. Let us know how it goes! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, I see that Kelsey answered the question that yes Essential Oils can be used in this recipe but I dont see how much you would use in this particular recipe. I would like to use Essential Oil vs Fragrance Oil but Im not sure how much to use.
Heather
Hi Heather!
That’s a great question! To find out how much to add to this recipe, you can use our Fragrance Calculator. For this recipe, select “Lotion” from the drop-down menu. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
What about using ecosoy wax?? It’s cosmetic grade, but wondering if it will result in a softer bar??
Thank you!!
Opps or what about cera bellina wax also??
Thank you!!
Hi Vee!
We didn’t test this recipe with either of these waxes, but I believe that would be OK!
EcoSoya wax will give you a softer bar than if you used beeswax. Cera bellina wax will give the bar more of a gel-like texture. Because of this, I would recommend making a small test batch with both waxes. If you notice they’re too soft, you can add more wax or more cocoa butter. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
EcoSoya: https://www.brambleberry.com/Search.aspx?k=ecosoya
Cera bellina wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cera-Bellina-Wax-P5642.aspx
Can I use candilla wax and do I have to change the measurements
Hi LaTrece!
Candelilla wax is a little softer than beeswax, so you will have a different texture and consistency. I would recommend making a small test batch to see if those bars are a texture you like. If not, you can increase the amount of wax used. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Candelilla wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Candelilla-Wax-P4207.aspx
Is it possible to substitute argan oil with the other one? for example with almond oil or anything else?
Hi Anna!
Jojoba oil and avocado oil would both make great substitutes. They are lightweight and moisturizing like argan oil.
Your final bars will be slightly different because argan oil has a unique silky texture. A small test batch may be helpful. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Jojoba oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Jojoba-Oil-Golden-P3219.aspx
Avocado oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
I just made these lotion bars. Very nice but on the soft side. How much more beeswax could I add? What about a little more cocoa butter and a little less liquid oil? I don’t want to end with rocks!
Thanks,
Wallis
Hi Wallis!
To make these bars a little harder, you can decrease the argan oil and add more beeswax or cocoa butter.
Beeswax can be a little tricky to work with, so I would recommend starting out with decreasing the argan oil .5 oz to 1 oz. Then you can play around with the beeswax or cocoa butter levels to get a texture you like. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can these be used in the bath too? Like a bath melt?
Hi Bekah Anne!
While these bars may soften in the bath, I’m not sure if they would melt all the way! You may want to break off a small piece and test it in your bath. 🙂
We have a great recipe for Goat Milk Bath Tea you may like. It melts beautifully in your bath and the goat milk and cocoa butter are very nourishing and moisturizing!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Tub Time: Goat Milk Bath Tea: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/soaks-and-scrubs/tub-time-goatsmilk-bath-tea/
I would like discussion on the different types of vanilla scent. Sandalwood vanilla you say is earthy. Which vanilla would I get if I just want a true vanilla scent?
Hi Janet!
A great true vanilla scent is our Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil. It smells creamy and rich!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Vanilla-Select-Fragrance-Oil-P3888.aspx
I made them before using almond oil, Shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax and lavender, rosemary and tea tree EO. I added just a bit of vanilla so it smells a bit sweeter and not just camphorous.
I used those rose shaped silicone cupcake molds. I keep mine in ziplock baggie by my bed. Easily warms in my hands and rubs in the skin.
Did this recipe make 3 bars like pictured or more?
Hi Martina!
Thanks for sharing that recipe, it sounds awesome! I bet the vanilla smells amazing with the floral herby essential oil mix.
Also, yes, it does make three bars. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have never made a lotion bar but have heard a lot about them.. This sounds like a great Christmas hamper filler..
I would also like to know if essential oils will work well in these.
Hi, I sell mine unscented since not everybody likes the same scent, but I do make them custom with scents as special orders. Lavender is great, but be careful with citrus since it’s a leave on product you would not want to use EO’s that are photosensitizers. I would also be careful with mint EO’s since if you customer had peppermint on their hands and rubs there eyes, it would really burn. I haven’t tried any spice EO’s before, but I imagine it would burn like peppermint if you got it on a mucus membrane.
Lemongrass or Litsea Cubeba are great too.
Good luck! 🙂
Hi Casey!
You can use essential oils in this recipe. Yay!
Also, Heather has some awesome information (thanks Heather!) Citrus essential oils are photosensitizers, so you don’t want to use them in leave on products. Additionally, mint essential oils can cause a cooling or irritating feeling.
On brambleberry.com, each essential oil will say if they can cause irritation in the product description.
That being said, Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil would smell great, as would Ylang Ylang III Essential Oil. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Lavender-4042-Essential-Oil-P3664.aspx
Ylang Ylang III Essential Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Ylang-Ylang-III-Essential-Oil-P4373.aspx
Lotion bars rock!
Since I live in a desert climate, I am constantly searching for treatments for dry skin. Lotion bars are the best remedy I’ve found for dry, chapped, and cracked skin. I rub the bar on the affected area (usually my legs or feet) until it melts, and then I rub it in until it’s absorbed. It’s like a bonus mini-massage!
Lotion bars add oils back to your skin while also acting as a moisture barrier. My Marine Corps father, who has no use for anything fancy, has finally (84 years later) found relief for his cracked feet! This sounds like a great addition to my lotion bar library. I’m going to try it tomorrow. Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
Hi Gretchen!
I’m so glad you like this recipe! Lotion bars sound like the perfect thing to have in a desert climate.
I love them too. They leave such a nice silky feeling. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Would this recipe work in a deodorant tube? Or would it need to be firmer?
Hi Debbie!
This recipe is on the softer side, so it may pop out of our push tubes. I would recommend making a small test batch to see if they work well. If not, you can add a little more beeswax to make them more firm. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Push tubes: https://www.brambleberry.com/Push-Tubes-Clear-P4203.aspx
Could this be done using all essential oils? Which would you recommend?
That’s good info Heather, thanks.
Hi Brenda!
You can definitely use essential oils!
Also, Heather has some awesome information (thanks Heather!) Citrus essential oils are photosensitizers, so you don’t want to use them in leave on products. Additionally, mint essential oils can cause a cooling or irritating feeling.
On brambleberry.com, each essential oil will say if they can cause irritation in the product description.
That being said, Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil would smell great, as would Ylang Ylang III Essential Oil. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Lavender-4042-Essential-Oil-P3664.aspx
Ylang Ylang III Essential Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Ylang-Ylang-III-Essential-Oil-P4373.aspx
I’m making this tomorrow!!! whoo-hoo just in time for my fall shows!! Thank you so much Anne-Marie!!
Hi Vee!
You are so welcome! I’m glad you like them. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Another episode of “Stupid Question Theater”…. how are lotion bars supposed to be used? Do you just rub it on your skin and just keep it wrapped up in plastic wrap? Do you just rub it in your hands and then rub into your skin? Do you eat it and let it work from the inside out?? 🙂
I second this question! Every time I’ve tried to use a lotion bar it kind of feels like dragging a big hard chapstick across my skin. Any tips? Or is this just the nature of lotion bars? (I really want to like them!)
I don’t use them personally, but have heard that they work real well if used after a shower. Your skin is warner then and they melt easier.
You let your natural body heat slowly melt it, then rub it in. I have never had an issue with them not melting easily. An issue may be, if the house is too cool, might make it harder to melt
I make and sell lotion bars and am totally hooked on them! The way I explain it to my customers is to cup the lotion bar in your hands for a few seconds and rub them a little. The friction and your body heat will warm up the waxes/oils/butters enough so that you can take what rubbed off the bar and massage it into your skin. Recipes vary, and I’ve formulated mine to a nice balance of hardness and slickness. I sell mine in small tins.
I would not recommend eating them. 🙂
Hi Michael!
It’s definitely not a stupid question! I was unsure how they worked before I started working here.
Betty and Alicia are correct – when you rub these bars in between your hands, your body heat will start to melt the ingredients. These bars are nice and silky, so they should start to melt easily. (Thanks Betty and Alicia!)
You can store these a couple different ways, including in a tin or in plastic wrap. I keep mine on a paper towel on my desk. 🙂
Also, they may not taste too great!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry