DIY Lotion Bars | Whole Elise (2024)

FAQs

How long does homemade lotion bars last? ›

To store, wrap bars in parchment paper and place away from sunlight and water. These lotion bars should last approximately 3 months but can last up to a year if not used.

To store your lotion bars, keep them in a sealed jar, wrapped in beeswax wrap, or in a cup in your cabinet. These bars can melt in high temperatures, so avoid keeping them in your bag or in your car.

What makes a good beeswax substitute? Finding a good beeswax substitute was the first challenge for this beeswax-free lotion bar. That's when I found carnauba wax on Mountain Rose Herbs. Carnauba wax comes from the “Brazilian Palm tree, also known as the tree of life” and is 100% organic.

Heavy oils such as avocado and hemp are nice for winter creams but may be too oily for light formulas. Lighter oils are preferred for summer use such as grapeseed, apricot kernel, peach kernel, sweet almond etc. Fractionated coconut oil is both light and penetrating making it a good addition to any formulation.

Basically all you have to do is heat the lotion bar until it melts, add more oil, and cool it again. I've tried this a few times and the mixture has always stayed emulsified.

This is true even of high-quality, natural lotions. One of the biggest advantages of lotion bars is that they are made entirely from vegetable oils and butters, contain no water, and do not require a preservative.

A quick and simple DIY project, these honey lotion bars make a beautiful gift. In a large pot or double boiler, melt beeswax, cocoa butter and coconut oil together until combined. Remove from heat, stir in honey and almond extract or oil and mix to combine.

While both massage bars and lotion bars are solid moisturisers, their differences lie in their intended use, ingredients, and benefits. Massage bars are primarily designed for relaxation and therapeutic purposes. They contain a higher concentration of essential oils that provide aromatherapy benefits during massages.

The smaller the oil phase, the thinner the emulsion will be. Thin emulsions can encounter stability issues, so you may need to add something like a gum (0.2% xanthan gum is often enough) or a 1–3% of a fatty thickener like cetyl alcohol to boost viscosity a bit and stabilize the emulsion.

Can I use Vaseline instead of beeswax? ›

Petroleum jelly can't be used as a hydrate, it may retain the existing hydration but doesn't provide any additional. It may end up drying your lips further during those hot, humid, sunny days. Beeswax, on the other hand, is completely natural.

They will harden up in an hour or two. Once the healing lotion bars are firm, pop them out of the mold. They are ready to use as is although I find that they cure and harden a bit more over the next few days.

Lotion bars are typically made with some kind of butter – like shea or jojoba – or beeswax. I like beeswax because it helps to deliver hardness to the bar overall while also providing some benefits for your skin. Like honey, beeswax is a humectant meaning that it attracts water.

In general, most homemade granola bar recipes will last up to a week when stored in an airtight container. However, you must pay close attention to the recipe's ingredients and check for any special notes on storing the bars.

A small (1 oz)bar can last about 2 weeks if used daily. One big benefit is that as you continually use it, your skin will become so soft, you rarely need to re-apply. As far as shelf life goes, the lotion has a 1-2 year shelf life, although it may experience some ingredient separation if left out in the heat.

The shelf life of a handmade lotion largely depends on several factors. First, the ingredients used in a handmade lotion play a critical role in determining its shelf life. Organic and natural ingredients, free from synthetic chemicals, tend to have a shorter shelf life.