Beeswax is an incredibly versatile ingredient. It’s used in a variety of projects including balms, soap, lotion and more. In these Beeswax & Honey Lotion Bars, yellow beeswax gives firmness and a lovely yellow color. To add softness and skin-loving properties, olive oil and shea butter are added. The combination of the oil, butter and wax create a lotion bar that’s firm at room temperature, but softens when applied to the skin.
Pure Honey Fragrance Oil adds a sweet smell to the bars. Combined with the natural smoky scent from yellow beeswax, these bars smell good enough to eat! Two lotion bars can fit into a candle tin fairly comfortably, but the top of the bar may get a little squished. If you’re packaging them in tins, you may want to underfill the cavities slightly to make them a little slimmer. You could also package the bars in bail jars, cube boxes, or gift bags. If you’re giving these bars as gifts, download and print these labels on Waterproof Label Paper for a polished look. Store them in a cool, dry and dark place to avoid any melting or softening.
What You’ll Need:
6 Cavity Guest Bee Silicone Mold
3.5 oz. Olive Oil
3.5 oz. Shea Butter
2.5 oz. Yellow Beeswax
3 mL Pure Honey Fragrance Oil
Dropper
Optional: Save the Bees Label Template & 3 Candle Tins
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ONE: In a small heat-safe container, combine the olive oil and yellow beeswax. Place in the microwave and heat using 30-60 second bursts until fully melted. Beeswax has a high melting point and can take a while to fully melt. Because of this, don’t use a glass container with too much head space. The container can actually explode if it gets too hot! Once melted, remove from the microwave carefully, as the mixture will be very hot.
TWO: Add the shea butter and stir. The heat from the mixture will begin to melt the shea butter. If necessary, place the container back into the microwave and heat using 15-20 second bursts until the mixture is clear.
THREE: Add the Pure Honey Fragrance Oil and stir to completely mix in.
FOUR: Carefully pour the mixture into each mold cavity. Allow to fully cool and harden. This will take several hours or up to overnight. Remove from the mold. Store these bars in a cool place because they can melt slightly in extremely high temperatures! To use, warm in hands and apply to dry areas of the skin. I love lotion bars for dry patches such as knees and elbows!
- 6 Cavity Guest Bee Silicone Mold
- 3.5 oz. Olive Oil
- 3.5 oz. Shea Butter
- 2.5 oz. Yellow Beeswax
- 3 mL Pure Honey Fragrance Oil
- Droppers
- In a small heat-safe container, combine the olive oil and yellow beeswax. Place in the microwave and heat using 30-60 second bursts until fully melted. Beeswax has a high melting point and can take a while to fully melt. Because of this, don't use a glass container with too much head space. The container can actually explode if it gets too hot! Once melted, remove from the microwave carefully, as the mixture will be very hot.
- Add the shea butter and stir. The heat from the mixture will begin to melt the shea butter. If necessary, place the container back into the microwave and heat using 15-20 second bursts until the mixture is clear.
- Add the Pure Honey Fragrance Oil and stir to completely mix in.
- Carefully pour the mixture into each mold cavity. Allow to fully cool and harden. This will take several hours or up to overnight. Remove from the mold. Store these bars in a cool place, because they can melt slightly in extremely high temperatures!
How many bars does this recipe make? How many ounces is each bar? I can’t wait to make these.
This recipe makes 6 bars. Each bar is 2 ounces.
Can I use soy wax in place of bees wax ?
Yes, but because it has a softer texture it will make the bars softer. You may want to make a small test batch to see what you think. If it’s too soft, you can add more shea butter.
I didn’t read through all the comments so I apologize if you have already answered this question. Is it possible to use essential oils instead of Pure Honey Fragrance Oil?
Absolutely, you can use any skin-safe fragrance or essential oil. To find out how much to add, you can use the Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
Essential oils: https://www.brambleberry.com/Essential-Oils-C157.aspx
Hi can I use white beewax instead of yellow in this recipe?
Yes, white beeswax will work in this recipe. The color will be different but it will feel the same.
White beeswax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Premium-White-Beeswax-P4211.aspx
Hello,
I am very excited to try this recipe. Would I be able to use olive oil pomace? Would it change the colour/texture? I would be using yellow beeswax.
Thank you so much!
Olive oil pomace will work just fine. Sometimes it can be a bit darker than pure olive oil, so the bars overall may be more yellow. They’ll feel very similar though.
Olive oil pomace: https://www.brambleberry.com/Olive-Oil-Pomace-P4928.aspx
I received one as a gift but it has gotten very sticky and hard to use. Is there a way to restore the consistency?
Is it fairly warm in your house? It may help to keep these bars in a cooler place like a basement or garage. That way they will be more firm to the touch until they come in contact with your skin.
I was wondering what kind of oil or butter could I use to make a more creamy bar. I’m not a great fan of oily bars, but am excited to try a batch for Christmas presents and would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thank You
Adding a lightweight oil in place of the olive oil will help with that oily feeling. Sweet almond, avocado, or argan would feel nice.
Sweet almond oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sweet-Almond-Oil-P3205.aspx
Avocado oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
Argan oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Argan-Oil-P5574.aspx
As for a creamier butter, avocado would work. It softer than the shea butter.
Avocado butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Butter-P3207.aspx
Those substitutions will change the consistency of the recipe and make it quite a bit softer. I would recommend making a small test batch to see what you think. If you want it more firm, you can add more beeswax or do a mix of avocado and shea butter.
Kelsey, thanks for the suggestions! I will take your ideas and try small batches till I get the right consistency.
Thank you for all your help and have a wonderful holiday season.
You’re welcome, have a wonderful holiday season as well Cheryl.
Try adding coconut oil
Can I use a plastic mold vs silicone mold for the lotion bars?
Yes, plastic molds will work well. Depending on the type of plastic, you’ll want to let the lotion bars cool to around 140F before pouring so they don’t warp the molds.
I’m getting excited to make your lotion bars! 3 questions:
1)which way is safest to melt the beeswax, the microwave or double boiler?
2) For this recipe, can I use utensils to cook with and stir with that I plan to reuse for regular cooking?
3) How do you clean the cooking utensils after pouring the mix into molds?
Thank you so much!
You can use the microwave or the double boiler, just make sure to watch beeswax in the microwave carefully. Use a container with a small amount of head space and watch it carefully to make sure it’s not getting too hot. If you don’t have a smaller container, you may want to use a double boiler.
Once you use utensils for skin care recipes, we don’t recommend using them for food again. Fragrance oil or other ingredients can get stuck in microcracks in the tools, even with thorough washing. That means you may accidentally ingest it. To prevent that, keep one set for food and one set for handmade products like soap and lotion bars.
As for cleaning, beeswax can be tricky. When it’s still warm, wipe out your container with a clean paper towel. Then, spray with alcohol and wipe it off again. You want to get as much beeswax as possible. Then, wash with warm water and dish soap.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you very much, Kelsey!
Safest way to melt beeswax -use pie shell aluminum foil in low heat
Hi,
I have natural beeswax which I got straight from nearby apiculture farm. But the problem is that my wax is so dark yellow that whenever I add any color it does not show the color. So how you bleach or make my wax white?
I’m not entirely sure, we buy already bleached beeswax from our vendor. It is bleached and deodorized by exposing it in thin layers to the action of the air, sunlight, and moisture. You may check with the farm to see if they know how to do that.
White beeswax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Premium-White-Beeswax-P4211.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
These work great for my dry and callused skin on my hands and elbows. As long as you work the lotion into the skin for a few minutes, it does not stay sticky.
Absolutely, this recipe is great for dry patches. Glad you’re enjoying it John. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Would it be ok to use coconut oil in place of olive oil? Thanks!
You can, but it will change the consistency of these lotion bars. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so the bars will be more firm. I would recommend making a small test batch, and if you find they’re too hard, you can add olive oil or another soft oil like avocado.
Avocado oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/avocado-oil-p3198.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Absolutely – I used coconut oil too
What about putting the “bars” in a push-up deodorant container??? Have you tried that?
We didn’t test this recipe in the deodorant tubes, but it is pretty firm so it may work. I would recommend making a tester bar to see how it does. It can help to add 1% vitamin E oil to the mix. That oil is fairly sticky, which helps the bars grip the side of the tubes and slide up nicely.
Vitamin E oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Vitamin-E-Oil-P3200.aspx
Standard Deodorant Tube: https://www.brambleberry.com/Standard-Deodorant-Tube-P6111.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I just did that, and it’s amazing. I used small oval containers and the lotion pushes up just fine. Keeps it contained and makes it even easier to apply. I followed the recipe, I look forward to adding vitamin E oil in my next batch. This is my favorite lotion bar recipe.
That’s awesome, glad to hear that. Thanks for letting us know Carole.
I am a beekeeper and wanted to make these lotion bars using the beeswax from my hives. I was wondering why there wasn’t any honey in the recipe but, never having made lotion bars before, I followed the recipe using the Pure Honey Fragrance Oil. I can’t stand the smell. It smells like plastic and doesn’t resemble the wonderful fragrance of honey at all. All I can say is, “Yuck”. Sorry, I really wanted to love these.
If you like you can add another fragrance. All of our fragrances are skin safe and work well in this recipe. You can find those here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Fragrance-Oils-C161.aspx
You may like Wildflower Honey instead: https://www.brambleberry.com/Wildflower-Honey-Fragrance-Oil-P5808.aspx
Find out how much to add with our Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
As for adding honey, it is tricky in this recipe. Because honey is water soluble it doesn’t mix with the balm, meaning you’d need an emulsifier. It also doesn’t scent the bars very much. This post has more on that: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/use-honey-bath-beauty-products/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I could not disagree more! I used a real chunk yellow beeswax (from my friend who is a beekeeper)…and I followed this recipe exactly. It’s AMAZING. The honey fragrance is perfection.
(This was meant to be in Reply to Bonnie complaining about the scent!)
Can you use avocado oil instead of olive oil
You can. Avocado oil is lighter than olive, so the bars will feel a bit different. You may want to make a small test batch to see what you think.
Avocado oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello!
How well do these ship? I want to put a lotion bar of some kind in my store, but I live in Tucson AZ, and it can get to 120 F here. If I drop them off at the post office they could be in a truck for hours, and I don’t want them to arrive to my customer in a melted wad!
Thank you 🙂
These bars will start to soften around 90F, so they can definitely melt in the Arizona heat. There are a few tricks to shipping products in the summer that may help though. Find those here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/soaping-in-the-summer-heat/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello!
I’m quite interested in making Lotion bars but I live in Africa, in a pretty hot part of it too. I’m worried the Lotion bars won’t stay solid long at room temperate. Of course there’s the obvious heat if left in cars.
All I want to know is, do Lotion bars melt at the slightest heat?
Lotion bars are designed to melt on contact with the skin, so they definitely will melt in hot temperatures or if left in a car. You can add more wax and a butter with a higher melting point to help prevent some of the melting, but it won’t completely. You may want to leave it in the fridge during the hotter months. That will offer a nice cooling sensation on the skin when used, and will also prevent the melting. 🙂
Get more tips in this post: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/soaping-in-the-summer-heat/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi there! I tried this recipe and the bars won’t solidify. I’ve made many lotion bars with other recipes and have never had this problem. I used the weights indicated in the recipe exactly so I’m somewhat confused on this one! I even added more beeswax and repoured them and same thing! 🙁
I’m sorry about that Heather! We’ve found these bars stay solid at room temperature. Is it fairly hot in your house? Did you make any recipe substitutions? Let me know and I’ll help you troubleshoot. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Are all of the measures by weight, or are they a combination of weight and liquid measures? For example, for the lotion bars is it 3.5 oz. of olive oil by weight or by liquid measure? Is there a consistency for all of the formulas on the site?
This recipe is a mixture of both! All of the ounce measurements are by weight but the mL is by volume. We uses ounces by weight for all our recipes and products unless it says “fluid ounces,” which is by volume. 🙂
Learn more about weight vs. volume here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/a-guide-to-weight-vs-volume/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can I line the tins with parchment paper to help protect the bars?
Absolutely! You can also use plastic wrap or tissue paper. That will work just fine. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I wanted to post an update. I wrapped in parchment paper I purchased at Costco and then put inside the BB candle tins. I then stored in my freezer door. It is now 4 months later and they still look great and perform well. I gave a few as gifts and the people I gave them to either store them in the fridge or freezer and all report they have held their scent and feel terrific on dry skin–especially in the hot summer months. This is a winner!
So glad to hear that Patti! Thanks for sharing the great tip.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can you tell me how thick the bars from that mold turn out? I have tins that are about 3/4″ deep. Would one bar fit them?
The bars themselves are just a bit over 3/4″. So, you can make this recipe a few ounces smaller and don’t fill the bars all the way to the top. That way they will fit in the tins nicely. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Will this recipe work equally well in a push up lotion bar container?
We didn’t test this recipe in the push tubes, but it is pretty firm so it may work! I would recommend making a tester bar to see how it does. It can help to add 1% vitamin E oil to the mix. That oil is fairly sticky, which helps the bars grip the side of the tubes and slide up nicely. 🙂
Vitamin E oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Vitamin-E-Oil-P3200.aspx
Push Tubes: https://www.brambleberry.com/Push-Tubes-Clear-P4203.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
These sound wonderful! I’m working on trying to make all natural soaps and lotions. Is there any essential oil that would work for a similar smell? I’m assuming this isn’t an “all natural” product? Any suggestions would be awesome!
We don’t really have any essential oils that are similar to Pure Honey. Something that does have some sweetness to it is Balsam Peru Essential Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Balsam-Peru-Essential-Oil-P4443.aspx
Of course, Lavender 40/42 is a popular one: https://www.brambleberry.com/Lavender-4042-Essential-Oil-P3664.aspx
Find out how much to add with our Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
As for natural, that term isn’t regulated. It means something different to everyone. For instance, some may consider this recipe natural because it has ingredients that come from nature. However, some may not because our shea butter is unrefined. I would recommend researching the term more to find out what it means to you! Read more about that here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/natural-vs-organic/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Would there be any way to substitute actual Honey for the Honey scented oil? Thanks!
I made these for Christmas and they are WONDERFUL. Not too greasy. I used a teeny bit of Wildflower Honey FO for scent (because that’s what I had, along with white, not yellow beeswax). I used flower-shaped silicone chocolate molds and put them in a bale jar. I plan on making more for myself 🙂
Hi Kelly! Did the honey separate from the other ingredients or go bad (ferment)? I’ve read that you need an emulsifier if you use real honey.
I like to use glycerin in my products instead of shea butter if I can. Is there a rule of thumb for using glycerin in place of or with shea butter in lotions?
We recommend using glycerin around 3-5% in your lotion. It helps draw moisture to the skin to keep it nice and hydrated! We used it in this Lavender and Aloe Lotion recipe: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/lavender-aloe-face-moisturizer/
For these lotion bars, glycerin can be tricky to incorporate. It is water soluble, so it won’t mix in with the butters and wax. I would recommend using it in traditional lotion for the best results. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks 😊The glycerin really didn’t do that good. It ended up forming bubbles on the very bottom of the bar filled with glycerin. Are there any other substitutes I can use instead of shea butter for these bars?
You can use mango butter! It has a similar feeling to the shea butter, it’s just a bit firmer: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mango-Butter-P3221.aspx
You can also use cocoa butter. It’s firmer than mango and shea, so your bars will feel more firm overall. 🙂
Cocoa butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Organic-Cocoa-Butter-Cubes-P6365.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hey there!
Is this recipe sticky? I’m sorry if that’s a strange question. I haven’t made lotion bars before, but I did receive one as a gift and feel like it left my hands feeling a bit sticky. I would love to make some bars as gifts, so if you have a recommendation for your favorite BB recipe, I would greatly appreciate it!
Not a strange question at all! Lotion bars are going to feel very different than a typical lotion. Lotions have water, making them feel lighter on the skin. Lotion bars are straight oils and butter. So, they will leave a more oily, sticky feeling on the skin. They’re amazing for dry areas like elbows or hands. If you prefer a lighter feeling, I would recommend using a recipe with beeswax and lighter oils. Beeswax will create a firmer bar with less residue on the skin, and the lighter oils will absorb more quickly, leaving less of a “sticky” feeling.
These Lavender Lotion Bars are a great option: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/lavender-lotion-bars/
You can increase the beeswax to make them a bit more firm. You can also use shea in place of avocado butter. It is more firm, so it will leave less butter on your hands. The argan in the recipe is nice and light so it absorbs easily. 🙂
Shea butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Shea-Butter-P3220.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
can I use the push tubes for the lotion bars recipe? thank you
We didn’t test this recipe in the push tubes, but it is pretty firm so it may work! I would recommend making a tester bar to see how it does. It can help to add 1% vitamin E oil to the mix. That oil is fairly sticky, which helps the bars grip the side of the tubes and slide up nicely. 🙂
Vitamin E oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Vitamin-E-Oil-P3200.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
How many bars of soap does a kit make?
Hi Amy! It depends on what kit you’re looking at! Which one are you interested in? 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is the beeswax you used here the same from beeswax candle?
It is! The yellow beeswax is really versatile, and can be used for projects like candles, beeswax and more. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Yellow beeswax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Beeswax-Yellow-P4206.aspx
can I use the fresh (concentrated) honey instead of the fragrance?
Honey is water soluble, which means it won’t mix in with the wax and oil. Instead, it will pool in the bottom. It also won’t scent the bars at all. I would recommend using Pure Honey Fragrance Oil. It smells amazing and mixes in well with the oil and wax. 🙂
Pure Honey Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pure-Honey-Fragrance-Oil-P6218.aspx
Read more about using honey in products here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/use-honey-bath-beauty-products/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi Kelsey,
I read the article in SoapQueen about honey being water soluble. That makes sense, however there seem to be a lot of recipes on Pinterest for honey balms that include honey. Would you say they don’t work?
We’ve found honey doesn’t mix in well with oil and wax. It’s best in recipes with water! Learn more about that here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/use-honey-bath-beauty-products/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks. I see the answer to my question asked above.
You’re welcome!
Hi. I have a slight problem with my bars I have my own recipe but I can’t seem to get the scent to hold up. I wanted to use essential oil only and I’m like tripling up on it and it still doesn’t hold the smell. I was so proud I got all the right ingredients together so the bars are exactly how I wanted them but I need them to smell. And help would be appreciated And I’m waiting until it cools down before I add the oils as to not burn them off. Thanks
I’m sorry about that Jackie! What essential oils are you using, and how much are you using in your batch? Let me know and I’ll help you troubleshoot. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi thanks for responding. I’m used about 35 drops per cup of all the ingredients melted down together. It’s a lavender essential oil and it’s defiantly cool before I add it because I know the heat will burn it off but the bats smell like cooking oil for some reason I just don’t understand they were going to be Christmas presents
Hmm, I’m wondering if it may be the oil. If it’s past the shelf life, it can give off a strong smell. It sort of reminds me of Playdough. How old are your oils? Do they have a fairly strong “off” smell?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
No off smell I just bought them all a couple of days ago
No they aren’t past the shelf life I bought them a couple of days ago I did just double check the expiration date to be sure
Thanks so much! I think you can add more essential oil. The 1 mL of essential oil is about 20 drops, so you can add up to 4 mL in this recipe, or about 80 drops of lavender essential oil. Is that about how much you’re adding?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi!
These are so cute! I´ll be making them for a Christmas present, but are they appropriate for men? Are all of your recipes that?
And can these be made in the save the honey bee mold in plastic?
KR Liva 🙂
Thanks Liva, glad you like this recipe! All of our recipes can be used for men and women. If you like, you can add a more masculine or unisex scent. Tobacco and Bay Leaf is one of my favorites, it smells amazing: Tobacco and Bay Leaf Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Tobacco-Bay-Leaf-Fragrance-Oil-P5801.aspx
Also, you can make these in the Save the Honey Bee Plastic Mold! I would recommend waiting until the mixture is around 135F. That way it’s cooler and won’t warp the plastic. 🙂
Save the Honey Bee Mold: https://www.brambleberry.com/Save-the-Honey-Bee-Mold-P5904.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi all,
I was checking this out because I have 4 bee hives and i’m looking for something to use my was in. I want to offer a minor correction here. BEESWAX has a LOW flashpoint. It should be melted in a double boiler. If someones microwave really cooks high like mine does (I burned chocolate melts in two 15 second bursts then please be save and use double boiler. BTW loving your site, I hope to have my first order arrive any day now.
My plan is to exit anesthesia, as we bring our farm to a highly sustainable level and sell some of the fruits of our labor. I can’t wait to soap, and make lotion bars and salves using a lot of what we have produced. Thank you Anne-Marie!
Thanks so much for the tip Penny! Double boilers melt the beeswax nicely without burning it. Have fun making these bars! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Would there be a need to add any type of preservative to these for selling? There is no water in the recipe so I don’t think so but appreciate your thoughts?
Because there’s no water in this recipe, you don’t need a preservative! We recommend preservatives for recipes with water (lotion) and recipes that will get water splashed in them (a scrub in the shower). Because these lotion bars don’t contain water and will be applied to dry skin, they’re fine without one. 🙂
Read more about preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I finally got around to making these bars and I love them!! The scent is wonderful!! The only substitution I made was avocado oil for olive oil ( didn’t have olive oil). They feel a little greasy at first but it goes away quickly and my skin feels soft. These are great for dry knees , elbows and hands. These were snatched up quickly from the sample bag – I ‘m glad I got mine first! Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome Jennifer, so glad you’re enjoying these bars! They’re ideal for dry areas like elbows and feet. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made these and am so pleased. I used lavender and rose oils (2:1) and just love the scent.
They feel great on the skin. Thanks for another great recipe!
You’re welcome, so glad you’re enjoying these lotion bars Suzanne! The mix of lavender and rose sounds amazing. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I would like to make these for a vegan friend – not sure if the bee’s wax will prohibit her from using them. Would e-wax or some other wax be a substitute?
In place of the beeswax, you can use candelilla wax! It’s a vegetable wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Candelilla-Wax-P4207.aspx
Candelilla wax is softer than beeswax, so it will change the consistency of the balm a bit. I would recommend making this recipe with 2.5 ounces of candelilla wax. Before getting started, put a spoon in the freezer. Then, when the balm is melted, dip the cold spoon in. It will harden instantly and you can feel the consistency. If you want it harder, you can add more wax or shea butter. You can also add cocoa butter, which is a firm butter. 🙂
Cocoa butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cocoa-Butter-Pastilles–P3218.aspx
Read more about The Spoon Trick here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/spoon-trick/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Could a different fragrance of fragrance oil be used?
Absolutely! You can use any skin-safe fragrance or essential oil. To find out how much to add, you can use the Fragrance Calculator: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx
Fragrance oils: https://www.brambleberry.com/Fragrance-Oils-C161.aspx
Essential oils: https://www.brambleberry.com/Essential-Oils-C157.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I do not have a microwave oven. Can I use a doubke boiler to melt the beeswax and butter?
You can! Double boilers work well. They will melt the bars gently and then you can pour them into the mold. 🙂
If you don’t have a double boiler, you can use this tool to make one: https://www.brambleberry.com/Double-Boiler-Maker-Double-Boiler-Maker-P3796.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Awesome! I just made some bars. Now, can i replace shea butter with kokum or mango butter? Will the weight stay the same?
You can replace the butter! Mango butter is a bit more firm, so the bars themselves would be more firm. I would recommend using the same ratio as the shea butter and making a small test batch. If you want the bars a bit softer, you can add more olive oil. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Mango butter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mango-Butter-P3221.aspx
Thanks Kelsey! I quite like the bars (and love that this beginner recipe took such a short time to make). However, when I followed this recipe (shea, olive beeswax) the bar was a bit too sticky. I stay in a tropical country maybe that’s why? Suggestions on how to make the bar firmer and less sticky would be much appreciated! Danke!
That’s awesome, glad you’re loving the bars! If it’s pretty hot and humid where you are, the bars may melt slightly, creating that sticky feeling. You can melt them down and add more beeswax! That will make them a bit more firm and reduce some of the stickiness. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Two questions: Is it possible to add actual honey to this recipe, and if so, how much? And second question: Is there a generic formula for lotion bars? For instance, I see that with this one, you use a ratio of 7:7:5 of hard oil, soft oil, and beeswax. Can this same ratio be used with any hard and soft oils?
I have several honeybee colonies so I’m particularly excited about trying this recipe. Thanks so much for putting it out there!
I was wondering about the exact same questions! Hope you get an answer soon…
Hi Vicki and Martha!
Adding honey to this recipe can be tricky. Because honey is water soluble, it does separate and sink to the bottom. You’ll need to add an emulsifier to prevent the honey from separating. Read more about that in the How to Use Honey in Bath and Beauty Products post: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/use-honey-bath-beauty-products/
For balms, a general ratio is 1:1:1 wax, liquid oil and butter. You can also do 1:2 wax and liquid oil. That’s a great place to start! It will also depend on what container you’re using. For instance, these bars are in a mold so they can be a bit softer. If you want to put your lotion bars in a Push Tube, you may want to add more butter and beeswax to firm it up. It also helps to add 1% castor oil or vitamin E. They are slightly sticky, so they will help the lotion bars grip the side of the tube. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Castor oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Castor-Oil-P3195.aspx
Vitamin E oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Vitamin-E-Oil-P3200.aspx
Push tubes: https://www.brambleberry.com/Push-Tubes-Clear-P4203.aspx
Thank you so much for the excellent advice, Kelsey!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Hi Kelsey, Can you tell me which emulsifier to use and how much in order to add honey to this recipe?
thanks so much!
I’m not entirely sure – we haven’t tried an emulsifier in this recipe. I would recommend trying e-wax at 1-3% to start with. If you find it’s not emulsifying, you may want to skip it and use the honey fragrance instead. Or, you can make emulsified lotion with honey! Learn more about that here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/use-honey-bath-beauty-products/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
E-wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Emulsifying-Wax-P4896.aspx
I bought those same tins just for that reason- to use them for lotion bars. But, I didn’t realize that it will be near impossible to find the right size mold for the bars. I thought it would be easy.
You see, most are too small, just like that one. And I don’t want to put 2 in there. 🙁
I’m sorry about that Martina! You may try lining the tins themselves and pouring in the lotion bars. That way you can pop them out of the lining and back into the tins. You can make the lining fairly thick so the bars are easy to remove for use. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
That’s not a bad idea, but what did you have in mind to use as a lining? Right now I use silicone muffin cups. It works, but it’s not quite perfect. Still a bit too small.
Thanks!
You can create a shape with newspaper, then wrap that in freezer paper! That way it would be a little thinner. You could also use clay/putty and wrap that with freezer paper, or find a smaller glass/bowl and line that. The freezer paper will help you remove the bars easily. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello, I was wondering if I could sub another oil for the olive oil -maybe avocado or sweet almond??? I am really excited to try these lotion bars!! Thank you.
You can! Sweet almond and avocado oil are more lightweight than the olive oil, so the bars will feel slightly different. I would recommend making a small test batch with the substitution to see what you think. 🙂
Avocado oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Avocado-Oil-P3198.aspx
Sweet almond oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sweet-Almond-Oil-P3205.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I was wondering if this recipe would work for the twist up containers. Sounds yummy either way.
Hi Heather!
These are fairly sturdy, so I think they would be OK in a tube or twist up container! I would recommend upping the beeswax by about .5 ounces or so to make them a bit more firm. It’s also helpful to add 1-2 mL of a sticky oil like vitamin E or castor. That will help the bars grip the side of the tube and stay in place. 🙂
Vitamin E: https://www.brambleberry.com/Vitamin-E-Oil-P3200.aspx
Castor oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Castor-Oil-P3195.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
These are adorable! That mold is just perfect for them too. I think it’s probably not too early to start a Christmas Wishlist LOL
Oh thank you Margaret glad you like them! Also, it’s never too early for Christmas wishlists. 😉
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry