Lotion Bars

[kmarvel]

No problem, I am glad to help if I can. Just let them set until they are solid. You can pop them in the refrigerator. No other cure time is needed.

ISG, thank you for your help. Living in AZ I would like to give these maybe as gifts for friends here.
Kathie

 

[lsg]

My son-in-law was stationed at Fort Huachuca. I loved Sierra Vista, the view from their patio was fantastic. Good luck with your lotion bars, I bet your friends will love them.

 

[Obsidian]

I'm making my first lotion bars. Using equal amounts of coco butter, beeswax and avocado. I hope they are hard enough.

 

[marilynmac]

If you use coconut oil in a lotion bar, will it be drying like in soap? Are these supposed to have the consistency of chap stick? (mine does)

I made one last week with beeswax, coconut oil, and grapefruit seed oil. I didn't like it at first but I used it a lot on my hands and feet and it is magic on my skin.

 

[kmarvel]

My son-in-law was stationed at Fort Huachuca. I loved Sierra Vista, the view from their patio was fantastic. Good luck with your lotion bars, I bet your friends will love them.

ISG,

oh my gosh. I retired from the Army at Ft Huachuca and now work as a contractor on Post!! We live in a town 16 miles from Sierra Vista.
Small world!

Does the Vit E give the lotion bars a longer shelf life??
Kathie

 

[kmarvel]

I'm making my first lotion bars. Using equal amounts of coco butter, beeswax and avocado. I hope they are hard enough.

How did they turn out??
I hope to make some next week while recuperating from shoulder surgery.
Except I will use the Shea butter in place of cocoa butter.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

If you use coconut oil in a lotion bar, will it be drying like in soap? ..................

What an oil is like as an oil can be vastly different from how it is in a soap - CO is a prime example: Lovely as an oil, drying as a soap. But that is why salt bars have a huge superfat, so that lots of CO as oil counters all of that CO soap.

 

[Obsidian]

How did they turn out??
I hope to make some next week while recuperating from shoulder surgery.
Except I will use the Shea butter in place of cocoa butter.

Turned out pretty good, they are hard but melt easily. I think I'd want them a bit harder for summer use but for winter, they are perfect. I poured some into a chap stick tube, its really nice for lips.

 

[lsg]

Kmarvel, it is a small world. Our SIL was transferred to Hawaii two years ago. They love it there, but the trip is a long one for me to visit the family. I think Vit. E would be a good addition, not only to prevent rancid butters and oils; it is also good for the skin.

 

[kmarvel]

Kmarvel, it is a small world. Our SIL was transferred to Hawaii two years ago. They love it there, but the trip is a long one for me to visit the family. I think Vit. E would be a good addition, not only to prevent rancid butters and oils; it is also good for the skin.

I did a 6 oz total batch. It filled a 6 oz yogurt cup.

2 oz beeswax
2 oz avocado
2 oz shea butter
25 drops of Tropical Breeze FO

I sliced 3 bars out of it. Feels a little "sticky" to me. I am with Obsidian, I would like it a little harder bar. Easy to make and smells wonderful.
I will try CCO in place of Shea this week.

 

[kmarvel]

Turned out pretty good, they are hard but melt easily. I think I'd want them a bit harder for summer use but for winter, they are perfect. I poured some into a chap stick tube, its really nice for lips.

Obsidian,

Mine turned out the same as yours. Hard, but melt easily. I think the shea butter made them feel a tad sticky. I am wondering if adding more beeswax and switching to CCO will help??

 

[Obsidian]

I think mine must be harder then yours, there is no way I could slice mine. Now that mine cooled completely, they are plenty hard. I think using coco butter will really improve you bars, I'd try adding some of it and beeswax to harden your current batch.

 

[CaraBou]

Last weekend I made a small batch of lotion bars using equal parts SB, AO and beeswax. I added a little lavender and orange EOs, but only the beeswax and orange come through. It smells awesome -- I wish I had poured some in a lip balm tube so I could smell it all day!

My bars turned out really smooth, with no graininess (my main concern) from the shea. I wouldn't describe them as tacky, either. Feel great on the skin. They might be a little too hard for winter temps here but I'll judge that over time. I really loved how it spread and felt when it was still a little warm and not fully hardened. I might have to make a softer salve later, and put it in tins rather than bars.

 

[kmarvel]

I think mine must be harder then yours, there is no way I could slice mine. Now that mine cooled completely, they are plenty hard. I think using coco butter will really improve you bars, I'd try adding some of it and beeswax to harden your current batch.

I ordered some mango butter because it was on sale at BB.

I will see if that hardens them up.

 

[kmarvel]

Last weekend I made a small batch of lotion bars using equal parts SB, AO and beeswax. I added a little lavender and orange EOs, but only the beeswax and orange come through. It smells awesome -- I wish I had poured some in a lip balm tube so I could smell it all day!

My bars turned out really smooth, with no graininess (my main concern) from the shea. I wouldn't describe them as tacky, either. Feel great on the skin. They might be a little too hard for winter temps here but I'll judge that over time. I really loved how it spread and felt when it was still a little warm and not fully hardened. I might have to make a softer salve later, and put it in tins rather than bars.

I have ordered the 2" metal tins for my lotion bars. Some people pour the lotion directly into the tins. How do people pop the bar out to use it?? Am I missing something here?? haha

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I use a mould for mine. I have no idea how one would take it out if it was poured in to a tin. Maybe it is meant for rubbing on the fingers then on to the skin? No idea, really - what do these people who do that suggest?

 

[SozoArtisanSoaps]

I think the tins are used to house the molded lotion bar...at least that is what I do.

 

[Meganmischke]

I ordered some mango butter because it was on sale at BB.

I will see if that hardens them up.

I love mango butter but it has a similar consistency to shea. My mango is only slightly firmer in texture. Hopefully it will work out for you.

 

[CaraBou]

kmarvel, I used the shallow clear plastic molds from Michaels that were made for molding chocolate medallion candies. They are only 1 3/4" in diameter, so the bars would probably fit inside the tins you bought.

 

[marilynmac]

I have ordered the 2" metal tins for my lotion bars. Some people pour the lotion directly into the tins. How do people pop the bar out to use it?? Am I missing something here?? haha

Hmm. I wonder if you put cupcake wraps in the tin and then poured, if that would keep them small enough to get out.