# Oils for Lotion Bars...HELP



## justjen (Oct 8, 2010)

Ok here are my oil/butter choices to make a lotion bar and I need help seeing what I should use.  I dont have much of each so I dont want to waste them LOL.

I have:

Cocobutter
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Beeswax

What combo do you think would make a better bar?  (I'm definatly using the cocobutter tho)


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## agriffin (Oct 8, 2010)

Cocoa butter, olive oil and beeswax would make a good mix.  You can start with a third of each and see how you like it.


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## justjen (Oct 8, 2010)

Awesome!  Thank you!!!


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## Earthchild (Oct 8, 2010)

These sound great!  I would include the coconut oil as well.  Decadent!


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## carebear (Oct 8, 2010)

olive oil is heavy, as is the cocoa butter.  I'd recommend the coconut in its place - or a blend of olive and coconut, perhaps.


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## agriffin (Oct 8, 2010)

carebear said:
			
		

> olive oil is heavy, as is the cocoa butter.  I'd recommend the coconut in its place - or a blend of olive and coconut, perhaps.



True.  I guess I was thinking from the standpoint of you would need a liquid oil to make the bar looser.  I assumed the coconut oil was 72 degree.  Coconut oil, beeswax and cocoa butter would make a pretty hard bar.


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## carebear (Oct 8, 2010)

76, I think you mean.

And I see your point.  Hmmm.  But skin temp is considerably higher than that, so I think it'd be liquid very quickly.

I could be wrong though!

Plus perhaps a heavy product is desireable.  Hard to say.


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## agriffin (Oct 8, 2010)

Lol, yes 76.  And really just use more coconut oil than cocoa butter and you should be fine.


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## dubnica (Oct 8, 2010)

I am new to making my own soap and stuff so I am interested to know why people make lotion bars instead of just lotion?


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## cmd439 (Oct 8, 2010)

justjen said:
			
		

> Ok here are my oil/butter choices to make a lotion bar and I need help seeing what I should use.  I dont have much of each so I dont want to waste them LOL.
> 
> I have:
> 
> ...



I made several experimental bars and am still refining my recipes.  My favorite oils to use were rice bran, avocado, and jojoba.  I have not used cocoa butter or coconut oil in my bars, but I just received my shipment so I plan on trying those.


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## Sunny (Oct 9, 2010)

dubnica said:
			
		

> I am new to making my own soap and stuff so I am interested to know why people make lotion bars instead of just lotion?



Lotion bars are anhydrous. A preservative isn't REAAALLLLY necessary (okay, let's assume it always is, but for personal use I don't add one), plus you don't have to deal with the mixing, and all the bs of a lotion. 

Have you made a lotion before? I have a feeling you haven't if you're asking, LOL, but lotion bars are so much easier. But the feeling is not the same, since solid lotion is made just with oils it isn't really a "lotion," and feels greasy/oily on your skin.

I still prefer a regular lotion to a bar but they are time-consuming and I haven't formulated a very good recipe yet. Still working on that.


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## dubnica (Oct 9, 2010)

Thanks for the explanation...it just seems strange to me to run a stick of hard "lotion" on my body.  Liquid lotion seems more practical for me. But I see that it would be easier to make lotion bar then making lotion.

No, I did not make any lotion myself from scratch, I buy lotion base and just add FO or EO to it.  I wanted to make my own lotion, but if I can buy  gallon of paraben free lotion for $15 ...why bother.


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## Hazel (Oct 9, 2010)

dubnica said:
			
		

> Thanks for the explanation...it just seems strange to me to run a stick of hard "lotion" on my body.  Liquid lotion seems more practical for me. But I see that it would be easier to make lotion bar then making lotion.
> 
> No, I did not make any lotion myself from scratch, I buy lotion base and just add FO or EO to it.  I wanted to make my own lotion, but if I can buy  gallon of paraben free lotion for $15 ...why bother.



What's nice about making your own lotion/cream is you get to pick the oils and additives. I made a cream with shea butter, mango butter, camelina, jojoba, borage and aloe and I was happy with the result. In my opinion, it still needs some tweaking but everyone who tried said they liked it.

justjen - 

I just want to mention that using cocoa butter and beeswax is going to make the lotion bar a little hard and it will take more time for it to melt on your skin. Also with winter coming up, the bar will become even harder due to colder temps and it will take longer for the bar to melt from massaging it on your skin. Mainly this will be from the beeswax (ask me how I know)  :roll:  You might want to use a little less beeswax than the cocoa butter and olive.

I've found I don't care for lotion bars but other people love them.


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## carebear (Oct 9, 2010)

dubnica said:
			
		

> Liquid lotion seems more practical for me.


in many cases, a lotion bar, for ME, is more practical.



			
				dubnica said:
			
		

> No, I did not make any lotion myself from scratch, I buy lotion base and just add FO or EO to it.  I wanted to make my own lotion, but if I can buy  gallon of paraben free lotion for $15 ...why bother.


well, there you get into the question why any of us make our own ANYTHING.  I make my own stuff for a number of reasons
- so I can know and understand everything that is' in something
- so I can control the ingredients 100%
- so I can customize a product to exactly suit what I want or need
- because I love making things.

for example:  cake mixes are cheap, bakeries are convenient, but I choose to make a birthday cake from scratch because it's a labor of love...


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## ReneeHarris (Oct 10, 2010)

*It depends on what it's used for*

Hard lotion bars are ideal for those with extremely dry skin, and if you make it for such skin sufferers, you'll have a friend for life     Men even appreciate it because it's almost manly in that it takes more work to apply. BUT, the results do what lotions should do - make rough, cracked hands smooth. It's the beeswax that seals in the ingredients and gives you a long-lasting, soft-skin feeling that you don't get from the regular lotions.  I make it with beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter.

For gift-giving, you can still add eo at the very end for scent, or pour into shaped ice cube trays or silicon molds. 

Here's my YouTube showing how to make it in a crock pot (which I prefer so I don't have to keep my eye on it so closely, or worry about boiling water splashing in... plus, I keep a few crock pots specifically for lotion-making): 
http://www.youtube.com/madeonnaturallotion#p/u/6/OC2BheZqomc
And how to use the bar: 
http://www.youtube.com/madeonnaturallotion#p/u/1/OzHLDX-EqsA

Renee


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## honor435 (Oct 16, 2010)

I use equal amts of shea, almond oil, beeswax, you can use cocoa in place of the shea its more greasy. Its so easy melt, add fo and put into cute molds.


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## judymoody (Nov 9, 2010)

Why make lotion bars?  Neither liquid nor gel.  You can put it in your carry-on bag when you travel with no problem.  Ditto for shampoo bars, either syndet or CP, if the latter works for your hair.


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