MYO Lotion Bars
by Cheryl L. McClure
Don't you love the scent of soaps and lotions and essential oils? I do! Before I knew about the hazards of chemicals in fake fragrances and fake scents, I was a number one purchaser of those candles, perfumes and household products that you see all the time at the mall, in ads, on tv and such. Not anymore. I am done with that and choose a healthier alternative that I don't have to question and one that I feel good about exposing my friends and family to, because there is no harm in it. It's all good! At least that's what I aim for. Anyway, fast forward to now and guess what? We'll get to the lotion bars, but first this ...
We - well, ummm actually, I decided to become a beekeeper last year! And I asked Jan Paul to be my partner and I am so grateful he took me up on it!!
One of the ingredients in my lotion bars contain beeswax that we harvest at our ranch home, Pecan Branch Ranch. If you don't have bees, you can order beeswax online but be sure and get good clean, organic beeswax with no chemicals. After seeing the price of that, it makes me wonder if I should buy it next time. Haha! It's a lot of work to get a pound of wax when you have a small operation but I know where my beeswax is coming from so I will keep doing this. Plus, our home harvested honey is the BEST and you gotta have honey to get the wax!!
The first time we got our bees it was in April; a full hive and a nuk. It's all greek if you don't know about beekeeping, as we learned new terms along the way of this journey. To make a long story short, we harvested honey in July!! Our granddaughters were here and we had the best time. Once we did that, we were hooked. We want to do it again in spite of Jan Paul having to go to ER because of a reaction from multiple stings and losing one of the hives for whatever reason. We have done everything we know possible to overwinter our remaining bees and will start again in the spring. It's a learning curve for sure.
One of the ingredients in my lotion bars contain beeswax that we harvest at our ranch home, Pecan Branch Ranch. If you don't have bees, you can order beeswax online but be sure and get good clean, organic beeswax with no chemicals. After seeing the price of that, it makes me wonder if I should buy it next time. Haha! It's a lot of work to get a pound of wax when you have a small operation but I know where my beeswax is coming from so I will keep doing this. Plus, our home harvested honey is the BEST and you gotta have honey to get the wax!!
The first time we got our bees it was in April; a full hive and a nuk. It's all greek if you don't know about beekeeping, as we learned new terms along the way of this journey. To make a long story short, we harvested honey in July!! Our granddaughters were here and we had the best time. Once we did that, we were hooked. We want to do it again in spite of Jan Paul having to go to ER because of a reaction from multiple stings and losing one of the hives for whatever reason. We have done everything we know possible to overwinter our remaining bees and will start again in the spring. It's a learning curve for sure.
So.... one of the fruits of our labor is beeswax. FYI, this light and golden color beeswax comes from the frames we harvested honey from. Darker beeswax is typically harvested from what they call brood comb, where the eggs and bees are hatched. No less valuable, it's just a darker color.
Once the frames have been scraped and the honey/wax chunks placed into a filter, the honey drips out and is separated. We have a 5 gallon bucket with a gate at the bottom so we can then release the honey into jars. The remaining wax is washed and melted in water to separate the gunk from the wax. That whole step starts in a large crock pot, using a paint filter to put the rinsed wax chunks in and cheesecloth to keep it above the water as it melts through the mesh. (I tie the cheesecloth to the handles on the crock pot.) You usually have to go through that process at least twice to get the wax clean.
As it hardens in the water, it will release from the sides and form a solid block. You can see two wax disks in the picture, one light and one dark. After hardening, smaller pieces can be broken off and weighed for your recipe.
As it hardens in the water, it will release from the sides and form a solid block. You can see two wax disks in the picture, one light and one dark. After hardening, smaller pieces can be broken off and weighed for your recipe.
MAKING LOTION BARS
When I get ready to do the lotion bars, I boil water in the tea kettle first, pouring it into the crock pot, setting it on high. It's heated faster and now ready to melt the wax. I have a designated sauce pan for making lotion bars. This is what I put on top of the crock pot full of hot water. If you are out and about, you might see one at a garage sale and pick it up at a reasonable price. It's also good to have a crock pot designated for your wax type projects.
If no one has ever told you, WAX IS MESSY. I do everything I can to keep from getting wax on the floor or on the countertop. So whatever you do, prepare for that!!
Once the wax has been measured and melted, I add the other softer ingredients to melt all together in the sauce pan. Once all of those are melted together, I will add essential oils. Stir. And then pour into the mold.
I position this cute bee mold on a foil lined baking sheet because I don't want wax everywhere in case I spill it. Once I fill each mold it doesn't take long for the bars to harden. They can be popped out of the mold, placed on deli paper sheets and tucked into a 2 oz tin that has a screw on lid. I like using the paper and tins. It makes it easier to get the bar out and put back in, especially right after using the bars on my hands. The lotion bar is slightly greasy because of the shea butter and coconut oil, but my hands love it and they NEED it, especially in the winter time!
When I get ready to do the lotion bars, I boil water in the tea kettle first, pouring it into the crock pot, setting it on high. It's heated faster and now ready to melt the wax. I have a designated sauce pan for making lotion bars. This is what I put on top of the crock pot full of hot water. If you are out and about, you might see one at a garage sale and pick it up at a reasonable price. It's also good to have a crock pot designated for your wax type projects.
If no one has ever told you, WAX IS MESSY. I do everything I can to keep from getting wax on the floor or on the countertop. So whatever you do, prepare for that!!
Once the wax has been measured and melted, I add the other softer ingredients to melt all together in the sauce pan. Once all of those are melted together, I will add essential oils. Stir. And then pour into the mold.
I position this cute bee mold on a foil lined baking sheet because I don't want wax everywhere in case I spill it. Once I fill each mold it doesn't take long for the bars to harden. They can be popped out of the mold, placed on deli paper sheets and tucked into a 2 oz tin that has a screw on lid. I like using the paper and tins. It makes it easier to get the bar out and put back in, especially right after using the bars on my hands. The lotion bar is slightly greasy because of the shea butter and coconut oil, but my hands love it and they NEED it, especially in the winter time!
INSTRUCTIONS
Measure and melt in this order. melting each product before adding the next:
Pour into mold, allow to harden, store in a closed container. This recipe should fill your bee mold almost to the top on each one, to make 6. The last time I did it, I was short on the last one so I saved it for myself.
There are many recipes out there but what I found to work well is equal amounts of the three main ingredients that make up the bar. From there, you have variations you can experiment with, like, in place of the shea butter, you could use cocoa butter. You could use use 1/4 C coconut oil and 1/4 C almond oil in place of the 1/2 C coconut oil and so on.
This is the fun part! Choosing your essential oils for blends that you love! I only recommend Young Living essential oils because I know this brand can be trusted. Check out our Seed to Seal Promise and you will understand why.
Try various blends. The 40-50 drops can be a combination of oils such as: Mmmmmm! They smell so good.
I hope you enjoy making lotion bars and I'd love to know what variations you use! I have also attached artwork here for you to use on a label. Click on the LOTION BAR graphic to download the label. It's a PNG file so has a transparent background.
Measure and melt in this order. melting each product before adding the next:
- 1/2 Cup (4 oz) beeswax
- 1/2 Cup (4 oz) shea butter
- 1/2 Cup (4 oz) coconut oil
- 40-50 drops of essential oils
Pour into mold, allow to harden, store in a closed container. This recipe should fill your bee mold almost to the top on each one, to make 6. The last time I did it, I was short on the last one so I saved it for myself.
There are many recipes out there but what I found to work well is equal amounts of the three main ingredients that make up the bar. From there, you have variations you can experiment with, like, in place of the shea butter, you could use cocoa butter. You could use use 1/4 C coconut oil and 1/4 C almond oil in place of the 1/2 C coconut oil and so on.
This is the fun part! Choosing your essential oils for blends that you love! I only recommend Young Living essential oils because I know this brand can be trusted. Check out our Seed to Seal Promise and you will understand why.
Try various blends. The 40-50 drops can be a combination of oils such as: Mmmmmm! They smell so good.
I hope you enjoy making lotion bars and I'd love to know what variations you use! I have also attached artwork here for you to use on a label. Click on the LOTION BAR graphic to download the label. It's a PNG file so has a transparent background.
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