# Making my first lotion bar, a little guidance?



## Tegan (Sep 12, 2011)

Ok, so I'm looking to make my first batch of lotion bars with the oils and butters I have on hand.  I'm all for figuring it out on my own, but if you could tell me (out of what I have) what would be good to use and what to avoid (and why) I'll take it from there figuring out what and how much.  I'm not looking for recipes, just some knowledge.  I've done individual searches for each of my butters and oils, but I haven't turned up much on if they work well or not (or I really suck at searching LOL).

Olive Oil
Coconut Oil (76 degree)
Palm  Oil
Avacado Oil
Avacado Butter
Illipe Butter
Mango Butter
Kokum Butter
Castor Oil

I also have Lard and Beef Tallow on hand, but I'm assuming they would make a really nasty lotion bar (correct me if I'm wrong hehe).

And of course I have beeswax.


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## PrairieCraft (Sep 12, 2011)

Ooh, you have a lot of good stuff.  The basic recipe for lotion bars is 1/3 soft oil 1/3 hard oil and 1/3 wax.  I've played around with the percentages a little lower the wax and upping the hard oils for better glide but it's a good place to start.  It would be fun to make really small batches to try each of your butters out in combination with the same soft oil to compare.  

Whatever you end up doing please share how you like them.  The only ones I've made have been grape seed oil with shea and beeswax, and almond oil, cocoa butter and beeswax.  I liked the shea better.


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## debbism (Sep 13, 2011)

First up....you have all fabulous oils and butters.  

Mango is great in larger amounts but i don't see why you can't add some of the other butters, if not all.  Avocado Butter and oil should be in smaller quantities since it can get greasy. 

I would also pick up a little cornstarch or arrowroot or other starch in case your bars feel too oily.  they cut the greasiness of lotion bars and add extra emolliency and silkiness....cornstarch will disperse a tiny bit better than arrowroot though but both are great - usually about a teaspoon per 12 oz of lotion bar.


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## Sunny (Sep 13, 2011)

PC gave you some good advice. As far as the cornstarch, I tried that one time. All it did was leave grit on hands. Never again!


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## debbism (Sep 13, 2011)

Could it be the type of cornstarch used?  I never had an issue with either the cornstarch or arrowroot - as long as I use organic.


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## MychelleC (Sep 13, 2011)

I love coconut oil and kokum butter in my lotion bars.  I like a mix of heavy and light oils, so I use avocado and fractionated coconut as well.  I love beeswax, but if you have any candelilla give that a try.  I find my candelilla bars have so much more glide (and they can be sold as vegan).  You have some yummy ingredients to play with - make several and pick your favorite!


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## Tegan (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks all!  I just wanted to make sure none of my oils were super nasty in a lotion bar hehe.


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## fiddletree (Sep 18, 2011)

Mine is equal weights coconut oil, sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, beeswax (plus either a vanilla been infused in the melted oils, or 15 drops of EO).  I love love love love it.  I tried about 10 different recipes before settling on this one.


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## Ruthie (Jul 3, 2013)

fiddletree said:


> Mine is equal weights coconut oil, sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, beeswax (plus either a vanilla been infused in the melted oils, or 15 drops of EO). I love love love love it. I tried about 10 different recipes before settling on this one.


 
Resurrecting this old post.  I'm just doing research, but from what I have read, I didn't expect to see a recipe call for this much beeswax.  Any comments?


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## shunt2011 (Jul 3, 2013)

I use almost exact amount as well but generally go lower on the beeswax as I like them a bit softer.  I also use either arrowroot or isopropyl myristate to help with the greasiness.  Give it a try you will love them.


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## Mark the Box Guy (Jul 4, 2013)

I've only done one, and it was 1:1:1 beeswax, CO, and cocoa butter. It turned out fine.


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## kharmon320 (Jul 4, 2013)

I would think it would be fine using above recipe since the beeswax is only 1/4 of the total.  If it doesn't work you can always melt and add more ingredients.  Very forgiving medium.


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## Sammi_552 (Jul 4, 2013)

juiceman said:


> I made lotion 'rocks' :lolno:



LOL, me too!

It's great for chapped lips though. 

There was no "gliding" it on my skin. It was more of a drag, bump, bump, bump. Would ya look at that. Is there anything on my skin? :shock:


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## jean1C (Jul 4, 2013)

I did 1:1:1 last week, but they were still soft the second day(weather?). I stuck them in the freezer and viola....came out of the molds great-and still holding up a week later. I also used a bit of cornstarch to help with the greasiness...ALSO copying the LUSH massage bars, I added adzuki beans(from Whole Foods Store) to the bottom of the mold before I poured...Have yet to use them or give them to my "testing" panel of friends, but they look cool! and feel pretty good too.


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## Pepsi Girl (Jul 4, 2013)

OK Jean1C being the meat and potato girl that I  am I had no idea what  adzuki beans are.  So I looked it up and guess what it's a bean!!!  So did you actually put whole hard beans in your lotion bars and if you did,  Why?  I'm not being mean or funny I'm really wondering!  Thanks


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## Nevada (Jul 4, 2013)

http://www.lushusa.com/Wiccy-Magic-Muscles/00253,en_US,pd.html?start=17&cgid=massage-bars

http://www.lushusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Lush-Site/en_US/Lushopedia-Start?iid=10020

for search LUSH site click here

Maybe I'll make a few Bars and "barter" with the Local Masseuse 
Roy



Pepsi Girl said:


> OK Jean1C being the meat and potato girl that I  am I had no idea what  adzuki beans are.  So I looked it up and guess what it's a bean!!!  So did you actually put whole hard beans in your lotion bars and if you did,  Why?  I'm not being mean or funny I'm really wondering!  Thanks


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## jean1C (Jul 5, 2013)

Pepsi Girl said:


> OK Jean1C being the meat and potato girl that I  am I had no idea what  adzuki beans are.  So I looked it up and guess what it's a bean!!!  So did you actually put whole hard beans in your lotion bars and if you did,  Why?  I'm not being mean or funny I'm really wondering!  Thanks


 LOL! Because I saw them in a massage bar that LUSH was selling for some obnoxious price.(10.95 - see link) They have the effect of creating a textured surface..yes I used them whole. I put them in the bottom of the mold and poured the lotion mixture over them. 
http://www.lushusa.com/Wiccy-Magic-Muscles/00253,en_US,pd.html?start=8&q=massage


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## jean1C (Jul 5, 2013)

Sorry, I see that Nevada has already posted the link. 
I did find these things (adzuki) in bulk at a local Whole foods store. BTW, I had no idea what they were before either.


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## Pepsi Girl (Jul 7, 2013)

ok I watched the video.  But I still do really get it because she didn't really massage with it.  However having said that it did look neat!!


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## kazmi (Jul 7, 2013)

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm really curious as to what lotion bars are used for.  Based on the name I assume they are moisterizing but do you wash with them?


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## Pepsi Girl (Jul 8, 2013)

kazmi said:


> Sorry if this is a stupid question but I'm really curious as to what lotion bars are used for.  Based on the name I assume they are moisterizing but do you wash with them?



 It's not stupid, they are lotion in bar form.  So no you don't wash with them, you just rub them anywhere you put lotion.  Hope that makes sense!


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## kazmi (Jul 8, 2013)

Thanks!  and makes sense.  I'll have to learn a little more about lotion bars since that may be something I would like to use


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## Pepsi Girl (Jul 9, 2013)

O yes, you will love them!


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## Triquetra (Jul 9, 2013)

No question is a stupid question!

I've had many customers ask what a lotion bar is and how to use it - its not something of the norm we see at the big box stores so its out of our radar.


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## squeakycleanuk (Jul 9, 2013)

I'd never heard of them till I found this forum and have since made some and was amused to discover that my mum had intended on using it in the bath because she just thought it must be a moisturising soap :mrgreen: Its easy to see why people would think that though, so I guess they need to be carefully labelled.


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## Triquetra (Jul 16, 2013)

juiceman said:


> I too would appreciate anyones input on lotion bar recipies.  I am going to go for my third try soon and would like to know what has been  successful for others.
> 
> My first round I used natural cocoa butter and the scent overwhelmed my fragrance..
> Second round, too much wax and I made lotion 'rocks' :lolno:



If you still wanted to go with Cocoa Butter try the Natural Deodorized type - that is what I use in all my products so as to not have the chocolatey smell in them.

I use equal parts oils,  butters and beeswax in my lotion bars.  They aren't too hard or too soft but just right (as Goldilocks said!).


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## welsh black (Jun 17, 2014)

I know this is an old thread, but just looking to make some bars myself and was hunting for some advise.  I have some mica glitter is this ok to add to the mix?  Really I'm going to make a perfume bar  to use on the body, arms shoulders ect, and I thought I might add some sparkle as well.  How much fragrence should I add, I've only made soap before so I'm not sure how much is ok ?
Thanks in anticipation.


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## SparksnFlash (Jun 17, 2014)

I have added some very fine "glitter" like super pearly white mica, or copper sparkle mica.  When used they give a sort of shimmer, but not super sparkly.  I tried glitter once and it was too harsh.  I also use FOs and EOs in my bars about 2-3ml to 60oz (vol) of oils/butters.  You can play with the fragrance, and some are heavier than others.  Good news, you can always remelt if they are too strong or too weak, and adjust the fragrance.


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## welsh black (Jun 17, 2014)

Good idea !! I didn't think of that!!


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## dixiedragon (Jun 17, 2014)

I have used mica in mine and it's quite pretty!

As for fragrance, I use Brambleberry's fragrance calculator:
http://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx

I use the "lotion" option.


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## Dorymae (Jun 22, 2014)

Just wanted to comment on your question with lard, tallow.  I have never tried lard but I do know that tallow is one of the very best things for your skin.  The important thing is that it is scrupulously clean.  I've never bought it I render my own, a very long and tedious process, so I don't know of any suppliers to recommend.  

I use lard in some of my soaps but I haven't tried it in a lotion bar or creams.


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## LunaSkye (Jun 22, 2014)

Dorymae said:


> I use lard in some of my soaps but I haven't tried it in a lotion bar or creams.


I know lard can be used in the same way as vegetable-based hard oils, but the shelf life would make me not want to use it in creams or lotion. I also rendered some lard not too long ago and the smell puts me off more from using it in anything other than soap. Im curious as to whether anyone made a successful lotion or cream using lard or any other animal fat.


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## Dorymae (Jun 22, 2014)

I've make lotions and emulsified body butters with tallow.  I do add vitamin E for an anti-oxidant as well as preservative.


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