As many of you who work with fabric know, fabric can pull oils from your hands leading to dry, cracked skin which can snag delicate fabrics and embroidery flosses. For years, my dry hands were something I thought I just had to put up with until I stumbled upon the most wonderful lotion bar recipe and it's kept my hands soft and snag-free ever since. Old-fashioned lotion "bars" are solid discs made of beeswax, coconut oil, and cocoa butter which you rub over your hands and then massage into your skin--the warmth of your skin softens the ingredients and allows them to soak into your skin quickly so they don't stain fabric.
To make the lotion bars, I purchased inexpensive silicon mini soap molds and a few basic ingredients along with little 2 oz metal tins to store them in so I can keep one in my embroidery bag, one in my desk, and one in my car. A batch makes about 20 little lotion bars so I make it up every 6 months or so and keep the extras in a Mason jar.
Lotion Bar Recipe
4 ounces coconut oil (available at Trader Joe's, Costco, or your favorite store)
6 ounces cocoa butter discs (available at Amazon)
4 ounces white beeswax (available at Amazon), grated or coarse-chopped
2 ounce metal tins (available at Mountain Rose Herbs)
Place a 3 quart sauce pan on the stove and fill it with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a low simmer. Place a metal bowl on top of it to form a double boiler. Melt the coconut oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax until liquid. Pour into silicon soap molds and let harden. Store in a Mason jar or small 2 oz metal tins.
No, I've used both and they each work out well.
One more thing - is there a reason for using white beeswax instead of a yellow one, other than aesthetics?
Yes, you can! I never do because I love the smell of the cocoa butter and beeswax. They would make terrific gifts😊
These seem like they’d make great gifts! Do you ever use essential oils or anything to fragrance them?