Just Half An Hour

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In the past few years, lotion bars have become very popular as a great alternative to lotions and creams. These solid bars have a wide range of benefits that are driving people to switch to them for their skin care routine.

Solid lotion bars are made with natural ingredients and are easy to use, making them a convenient and eco-friendly option. They come in various shapes, sizes, and scents, allowing users to pick the one that suits their needs best.

Essential oils such as lavender, tea tree, and peppermint provide added benefits such as relaxation, anti-inflammatory properties, and antimicrobial properties, respectively. Coconut oil and sweet almond oil are often used as the base for lotion bars because they help keep the skin moist and healthy.

Vitamin E, another common ingredient in hard lotion bars, helps to keep the skin healthy and prevent dryness. To learn more about the benefits of lotion bars, keep reading!

In this blog post, I’ll talk about the different benefits of lotion bars, including how their natural ingredients, essential oils, and solid form make them special. I will also delve into the different ingredients that provide these benefits, such as coconut oil, sweet almond oil, and vitamin E, as well as how they work together to promote healthy skin.

Also, I will talk about how to store lotion bars the right way and give you some suggestions for popular brands that you can buy on Amazon.

Benefits of Lotion Bars

Health-conscious option: Because lotion bars are free of potentially dangerous substances including phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), ethanolamines, and petroleum, they are frequently marketed as a health-conscious option. A lotion bar can be a smart alternative to consider if you’re concerned about the ingredients in your skincare products.

Convenient for travel: Lotion bars can be a practical option for travel because they are sturdy and frequently come in small containers. Liquids won’t spill in your luggage and are convenient to pack for travels because of their tiny size.

Moisturizing: Lotion bars are made to keep your skin hydrated, just like traditional lotion. They frequently include hydrating substances like oils, shea butter, and cocoa butter that can soothe and calm dry skin.

Suitable for sensitive skin: Certain lotion bars are designed specifically for sensitive skin and contain components like calendula, vitamin E, and beeswax that can help calm and moisten dry or irritated skin.

Long-lasting: Lotion bars often last longer than liquid lotions since they are solid. This can reduce the overall cost of using them, especially if you use up regular lotion quickly.

Additionally, those with sensitive skin can benefit from using natural ingredients, and the addition of beeswax can help protect the skin by acting as a barrier. Lotion bars also have healing properties and can help get rid of dead skin cells, leaving the skin soft and smooth. 

Overall, incorporating lotion bars into your skincare routine can be a simple and effective way to achieve healthy and glowing skin.

Another thing about lotion bars is that they are long-lasting. They tend to last longer than liquid lotion, which runs out quickly. Lotion bars can withstand room temperature, making them less likely to spoil. This means that you can enjoy the benefits of using a lotion bar for a longer period of time, making it a cost-effective skincare option.

Whether you have dry skin or are simply looking for a natural alternative to your traditional lotion, lotion bars may be just what you need to nourish and moisturize your skin.

Lotion Bars As An Alternative in Natural Skin Care Products

Lip Balm

We all know that lip balm is a type of balm that’s specifically designed for the lips. It’s usually made from ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, and essential oils. While lotion bars can be used on the lips, they may not be as convenient to apply as a traditional lip balm, but if your desire is to simplify your beauty routine, lotion bars can do double duty as your lip balm too.

Body Butter

Body butter is another type of skincare product that’s similar to lotion bars. Body butter is typically thicker and more emollient than traditional lotions. While both lotion bars and body butter are great for moisturizing dry skin, lotion bars may be more convenient to use because they’re solid and less messy.

Traditional Lotion

Of course lotion bars are an excellent alternative to regular lotion. Traditional lotion is often made with harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin. Lotion bars, on the other hand, are made from natural ingredients that are gentler on the skin and safe for the environment and they don’t typically require preservatives like traditional lotions do.

Also, if you’re traveling you won’t have to check these in because they are solid so they can easily go in your hand luggage if you prefer not check in any luggage.

Typical Lotion Bar Recipe Ingredients

Here are some of the more common homemade lotion bar ingredients:

• Beeswax
• Coconut oil
• Shea butter
• Cocoa butter
• Sweet almond oil
• Jojoba oil
• Vitamin E oil
• Essential oils (such as lavender, peppermint, or tea tree oil)
• Arrowroot powder (for a smoother texture)
• Cornstarch (for a matte finish)

Using these simple ingredients, you can create your own lotion bars at home. Some people may be allergic to certain ingredients, so it’s always wise to perform a small patch test before using a new lotion bar.

DIY Lotion Bar Recipes

You can make your very own unique and therapeutic bar by combining different oils and butters and then adding a few drops of essential oil. And if like me you’re always looking for ways to make an additional income, you can even consider branding and selling your own line of lotion bars online and at craft fairs or farmers markets.

They make great gifts too… After whipping up a batch, just put them in the freezer and retrieve a couple here and there now and then, whenever you need a birthday present or any other gift-giving occasion.

These bars are easy to make in large quantities because they only need a few common ingredients as listed above, like popular fragrance oils and cheap oils and butters.

The oil’s expiration date (most are at least 6 months) determines how long these bars will last. The last thing you want to do is whip up a batch of lotion bars using rancid oil.

In general, they tend to have a relatively long shelf life as is, but you can make that even longer by freezing them or adding some vitamin E.

The nice thing is that these bars can be made with virtually any natural carrier oil or natural butter; the ones I suggest below are merely examples that you can use as a jumping off point. 

Butters and Carrier Oils

Natural oils are generally cheap, safe, and available in a wide variety of scents, but some people prefer to use essential oils in their homemade skincare products whenever possible.

There are, some safety measures that must be taken before utilizing essential oils. For starters, be aware that they are sensitive to light, so anything containing them needs to be stored in a dark place. 

As far as containers go, you can use glass, PET plastic, or aluminum jars/bottles that have been lined with EPA (Epoxy Phenolic).

Essential oils such as geranium, lavender, lemon, neroli, peppermint, rosemary, sage, tea tree, ylang ylang, and peppermint are some of the ones that I recommend for use in your homemade lotion bars.

Recipes for DIY Lotion Bars

Basic Unscented Lotion Bar:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup beeswax pellets
• 1/2 cup shea butter
• 1/4 tsp vitamin E oil (optional)

Instructions: Melt the coconut oil, beeswax pellets, and shea butter together in a double boiler or microwave. Stir in vitamin E oil if using. Pour mixture into a silicone mold and let cool for a few hours. Pop out of the mold and store in a tin or jar.

Dandelion Lotion Bars:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dandelion-infused olive oil (to infuse, steep dried dandelion flowers in olive oil for a few weeks)
• 1/2 cup beeswax pellets
• 1/4 cup shea butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa butter
• 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil (optional)
• 10 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

Instructions: Melt the dandelion-infused olive oil, beeswax pellets, shea butter, and cocoa butter together in a double boiler or microwave. Stir in vitamin E oil and lavender essential oil if using. Pour mixture into a silicone mold and let cool for a few hours. Pop out of the mold and store in a tin or jar.

Lavender and Chamomile Lotion Bars:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup beeswax pellets
• 1/2 cup shea butter
• 1/4 cup dried lavender flowers
• 1/4 cup dried chamomile flowers
• 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil (optional)
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 10 drops chamomile essential oil

Instructions: Melt the coconut oil, beeswax pellets, and shea butter together in a double boiler or microwave. Stir in dried lavender and chamomile flowers. Let the mixture steep for 10-15 minutes, then strain out the flowers. Stir in vitamin E oil and essential oils. Pour mixture into a silicone mold and let cool for a few hours. Pop out of the mold and store in a tin or jar.

Mango Butter and Avocado Oil Lotion Bar:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mango butter
• 1/4 cup kokum butter
• 1/4 cup candelilla wax
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 1/4 cup raw shea butter
• 1/2 teaspoon essential fatty acids
• 1/2 teaspoon calendula extract
• 1/2 teaspoon olea europaea
• 1/4 teaspoon natural preservative (such as vitamin E oil)

Instructions:

• In a double boiler, melt the mango butter, kokum butter, candelilla wax, and sunflower oil together over low heat.
• Once melted, remove from heat and add in the avocado oil, raw shea butter, essential fatty acids, calendula extract, olea europaea, and natural preservative. Stir well until everything is completely combined.
• Pour the mixture into a silicone mold or a lined baking dish.
• Allow the lotion bars to cool and harden at room temperature, which should take several hours.
• Once the bars have hardened, pop them out of the mold or cut them into desired sizes.
• Store the bars in a cool, dry place.

Note: all these recipes can be customized with different essential oils for scent or other natural ingredients for added benefits.

Buying Lotion Bars Online

As promised, for those who would rather buy than make their own lotion bars, here are some options for you:

• ClimbOn All-Purpose Lotion Bar – this 0.5oz bar comes in a handy travel size that fits conveniently in your purse or the pocket of your jeans. If you prefer larger sizes, it comes in two more – 1.5oz and 2oz.
• Botanical Bars – this a family-run small business based in North Carolina. They make an affordable line of lotion bars with “flavors” that include honeysuckle, clover & honey, lemon mint, and lavender.
• Honey House Naturals – this is a woman-owned company that started out in Washington state. They now have an entire line of honeybee-based products in addition to their lotion bars. To get a good feel of their products you can start by trying their 5-piece set of Bee Bar lotion bars.
• Pretty Frank – these folks have a signature vanilla lavender bar that’s pretty popular (pun intended) among lotion bar aficionados. It also comes in a size and shape that makes it easy to use on your whole body.
• Ash Eraser – to round out my recommendations I can’t help but mention this line which promises to do away with the ashiness some of us are all too familiar with. Check out their 4-piece starter kit and confidently say “Goodbye ashy skin!”.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, lotion bars are a great natural alternative to traditional liquid lotions. They are also a zero-waste, eco-friendly option for people who want to reduce their impact on the environment. Lotion bars can be packaged in reusable metal tins or other eco-friendly materials, unlike liquid lotions, which often come in plastic bottles or tubes.

In this way, they help to cut down on the amount of plastic waste that is made by using traditional lotions. Since lotion bars are solid, they don’t need plastic packaging and are easier to store and transport than lotions that come in liquid form.

During the warmer months, it’s important to store and keep lotion bars the right way to make sure they don’t melt or go bad. When it’s hot and humid outside, it’s best to keep lotion bars in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight and away from other sources of heat.

Lotion bars can last longer if they are stored in airtight containers like metal tins or glass jars. This keeps them from drying out or losing their scent.

If you want to take lotion bars with you when you travel or spend time outside in the summer, it’s best to keep them in a cooler or insulated bag so they don’t melt.

Also, you might want to choose a lotion bar recipe that has more heat-resistant ingredients, like beeswax (it’s always a great idea to source local beeswax from the region you live in, if that’s a possibility) or candelilla wax, to help the bar keep its shape in hotter weather.

Overall, lotion bars are a sustainable, zero waste alternative to traditional liquid lotions. With proper storage and care, they can keep all skin types stay moisturized for a long time.

If you want to help the environment or just want a more convenient and green way to take care of your skin, lotion bars are definitely worth trying.