DIY Homemade Lotion Bar Recipe – made with only two ingredients + your own added scent. A super easy recipe that takes 20 minutes! Also try my homemade facial cleanser and homemade powdered foundation for complete natural beauty care!
Years back, I used to have a not-so-secret stash of toiletries purchased during my mega-couponing days. (Which I have since quit and now save more money.)
Shampoo, conditioner, soaps, lotions, razors, contact solution, cotton swabs, feminine care items, dental floss, toothbrushes… you get the picture.
It’s been years since I last cleared out the excess from that closet. One of the first items that I made myself, as that stock ran out, was an all natural lotion bar.
By the way, I’m also committed to making our own clay toothpaste that’s just like Earthpaste (for 60% less!), among other homemade natural living products like: cinnamon remineralizing toothpaste, DIY foaming hand soap, homemade magnesium lotion, homemade tinted moisturizer, homemade powdered foundation & more!
But back to the natural lotion bar – without my mentioning nor nudging, Mr. Crumbs switched to a more natural lotion for his face and body himself. And I stopped using certain face lotions because of the ingredients. I wanted to make something myself that would be much healthier for my skin and would cost much less too.
I present to you my DIY homemade lotion bar recipe – made with coconut oil and other skin nourishing ingredients.
DIY: Homemade All-Natural Face Lotion Bar
Not only is making your own lotion bar SO much healthier for your skin, it’s also wonderful because it’s:
- Easy. With only a few easy-to-find ingredients together in one luxurious face lotion bar, you won’t be sticking your fingers in the coconut oil jar – meant for the pantry!
- Quick. It literally takes 20 minutes.
- Frugal. One 2 oz bar cost a little over $1.00 to make!
- Perfect for travel! Since your lotion bar is solid at room temperature, you can save space by bringing homemade coconut oil lotion bars with you rather than a bottle of lotion.
What all natural ingredients are in homemade lotion bars?
- 8 ounces coconut oil
- 2 ounces beeswax
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 15-20 drop essential oils (for example, lavender, lemon, or tea tree essential oils & etc). I use Plant Therapy EOs. You can find them online here.
Some people also add cocoa butter, but I found this recipe to be just right without it.
Supplies you need
- medium saucepan
- glass bowl
- silicone muffin cups
How Do You Make Homemade Lotion Bars?
- Create a double boiler with a medium saucepan and a glass bowl. Melt the coconut oil and beeswax together in the glass bowl.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and essential oils (if using). Pour into silicone muffin or soap molds and allow to cool to set.
- To use, simply apply a bar to your face and rub around gently. It takes a moment for the coconut oil to warm up on your skin to spread easily.
How do you use lotion bars?
Just rub the solid lotion bar between your hands, or rub it directly onto your face. It’s great because your body heat softens the lotion bar, allowing you to rub in nourishing and skin protective ingredients like beeswax and coconut oil, into your face easily.
Go ahead and massage the lotion into your skin until absorbed. It’s perfect for the winter months when we tend to have dry skin.
How do you harden a bar of lotion?
When you make the bar for the first time, you allow the ingredients to cool and set in the silicone muffin molds, or soap molds, if you prefer. Once it reaches room temperature, it will be hardened.
Also, the bar will harden after you use it, once it returns to room temperature.
Homemade Lotion Bars are Perfect for Men too!
Mr. Crumbs has grown particular about his lotion, but I’ve got a few essential oils on hand, so once Mr. Crumbs chooses which scent he prefers, I’ll make him his own face lotion bars too!
Use the same base ingredients, just change up the essential oils for different scent combinations!
Here are a few more benefits to making your own lotion bars:
- It’s fun to make your own lotion.
- I know exactly what is in the bar, scents and all.
- Excellent for sensitive skin (like The Girl and me).
- I can make it smell like whatever I want.
- A little bit goes a long way.
- If I run out, I can make more.
- I can make bars for unique, homemade gifts.
- I can find the ingredients locally.
- The ingredients are items I can easily keep in the house.
- The ingredients are often on sale. (BONUS!)
- The bars can be made to how I like them (firmer/softer/stronger scents/lighter scent).
- Natural scents eliminate the need for perfume.
- Can incorporate essential oils into our routine as needed/desired.
- They’re just as wonderful as Lush lotion bars, but a mere fraction of the cost!
Plus cutting costs on making my own skin care and bath products gives me a little more wiggle room in my grocery budget. I don’t combine my toiletry and grocery budget, but a little savings in one area always helps out another. You can learn more about that principle in Grocery Budget Bootcamp! Enrollment is currently closed, but you can join my FREE 5-day Crush Inflation Challenge and start saving money on groceries tomorrow!
Fight Inflation Workshop
Sign up for my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!More DIY Beauty Recipes
- DIY clay-based toothpaste (just like Earthpaste)
- DIY tinted facial moisturizer
- Homemade powdered foundation
- Homemade facial cleanser
- Handcrafted shampoo bar
- DIY liquid herbal shampoo
- Homemade lip balm and lip scrub
- DIY Shaving Cream
- 10 DIY Beauty Products from 6 Ingredients
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Does the vanilla extract color the bars? I really want to have the vanilla smell, but I don’t want the bars to be tinted. Thanks in advance!
If they’re tinted TimAyn, it’s incredibly minimal. They’re still very white to me!
Hello and thank you for this amazing recipe 🙂 I am just preparing for christmas!! So I tried it and the consistency is amazing however to me the smell of beeswax is just odd. I dont like it.. I’ve put vanilla beans AND cinammon sticks in the pan. didnt do much tho. I will try orange essential oil tomorrow instead. How many drops would you recommend for the amount above? thank you 🙂
Hi Sanda! I haven’t tried using essential oils with this recipe, but I’d say start with 10 drops and see how you like it!
I live in south florida and we don’t have air condition and want to be able to have product that I don’t have to Lee in frig. What ratio would you recommend to keep coconut oil from melting? Beeswax to Coconut oil? Cocoa butter and coconut oil just melts in the heat here so when I whip it just breaks down:( so if I am understanding everything correctly, beeswax is only ingredient that will keep from melting. Butters/lip balms/scrubs etc… all advice appreciated. Thank you and Happy thanksgiving
Yes Michelle, adding beeswax is the best way to keep the bar stable in warmer temperatures. I would try adding 1-2 Tbsp beeswax pastilles to 1/2 cup oil and start there!
Is there an alternative to the beeswax? I’d love to try this, but I’m allergic to beeswax.
Beeswax is so that it hardens a bit (coconut oil will melt in warm temperatures). Cocoa butter will help with this too, but not as much. But it’s worth a shot!
How long this can last before going rancid ?
Thank you
Do you have a recipe for wrinkles and fine lines?
Hi
did you know if I can use this in my body too?
thank you 🙂
Hi Jacqueline! I’ve used it on my arms and legs too without a problem!
My skin is incredibly sensitive and I still have acne at 65!I tried using coconut oil as a moisturizr to try to save some money, but I developed blackheads everywhere! Just a word of caution…
Hi Gail! Coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer, but some people find that it doesn’t help them. Keep looking – there are plenty more natural alternatives to the store-bought stuff!!
PS How should the extra bars be stored? Can they be frozen? Thanks!
I would store them in the fridge. They’ll be cold and solid enough to last quite a while!
Which would you say is your favorite – the tinted moisturizer or the lotion bar? I noticed you said the bar makes your makeup stick (probably because of the beeswax) but that the oils in the tinted moisturizer are beneficial to your face. I suppose you could use lavender EO instead of the vanilla w/o compromising its stability. Love your recipes!
Thanks Karla! I have to choose?! LOL, I use the tinted moisturizer in the morning, and the lotion bar at night. The only reason I don’t use the tinted version at night is the colors, so if I made a variation w/o them, then that would be my preferred option. 🙂
Can you add anything else to it? Like vitamin e oil? or a different essential oil? I have combination/sensitive skin that is prone to breakouts. How safe is it for that? I have the same skin issues. I am 8 wks preggo right now and my skin is going nuts. I started going to a dermatologist when I was like 6 cause I have a genetic disposition to bad skin. I ended up on accutane in high school .Since having my son 2.5 years ago I have tried to go as natural and whole as possible with eating and cleaning products. I am trying to venture into skin care now too. Glad I found you! 🙂
Hi Mandy! Yes, you can add whatever you want really. The more you add though, the less “bar” it will be since vitamin E oil and other EO’s are liquid at room temperature and not solid. I too have combo/sensitive skin prone to breakouts and I use this in the morning: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/04/homemade-tinted-moisturizer/
The coconut oil with vitamin E and lavender and tea tree oils really helps my skin. Then I use the plain coconut oil at night to soothe. Your struggles sound very similar to mine, so I’m betting you’ll see a huge difference with just a few changes. You can see my full skin care routine as it stands now here: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/08/6-easy-and-frugal-steps-to-healing-acne-naturally/
I think the lavender oil will really help your skin, especially since it came recommended to me from a friend who was dealing with acne during pregnancy too!
I went and bought some goats milk soap w/ essential oils from whole foods yesterday. I used it last night and this morning and I can tell a drastic difference in my skin already! You are so right about the goats milk soap. Thanks for the recipes. I hope to try them out soon!
You’re most welcome!!
I was wondering where you got the ultimate homemaking bundle and the ultimate healthy living bundle. Thanks.
Hi Stephanie! These were both one-time sales that are now over. There will be another bundle this fall though that I plan to promote, so stay tuned!
It seems that I can not pin this. It takes me someplace else where I can not find it. Please help me find it
Hi Patty! Strange… here’s the original pin: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/423127327462689484/ Hopefully you can re-pin that and the issue will be resolved. 🙂
Hi, just came across your lotion bar recipe…I’ve been searching for diy face lotions that don’t require water and many steps and preservatives etc etc. How do you “use” this? Just rub your fingers on the bar, then rub on your face?
Thank you!!
Hi Rachel! First, my apologies for the long time in replying. Your comment got buried amongst others!
I hold the bar in my hand, swipe my cheeks (below the cheekbone) twice on each side, then rub a little extra in the palms of my hand. I then apply my hands to my forehead and rub in everything that’s left in my hands and cheeks. Your body heat will make the bar melt fast, so you don’t have to hold it for very long or use much. You could rub your fingers on the bar, and then your face if you’d like. It all just depends on your personal preference and how hot you are! 😉
Thanks for answering this one! 🙂 I had the same question Can’t wait to try it!
I use straight coconut oil on my face, but only at night since it makes my makeup “slide off” if I use it during the day. What is the consistency/feel like on the skin with the addition of the beeswax? Also, what about beeswax for skin prone to breakouts? Ok, and one more question- how do you use it? Just melt a little onto fingertips? It looks lovely, can’t wait to try it. 🙂
It feels a bit less “oily” with the beeswax. My skin is prone to breakouts, but I haven’t noticed anything yet. I’ve used it under big makeup (for church) and little makeup (just powder on other days) and nothing slid off, but actually made it stick a bit better… weird! I use it for 2 days on, one day off, b/c my skin doesn’t feel dry on that day. I rub it directly onto my face, avoiding the T-zone (so temples and from side of chin up to hair line under the cheek bone). Then I massage it in really well, about a whole minute. I also wait a little bit to dry, although it doesn’t feel wet, lol. I hope this helps!!
Where can you find the vanilla bean flakes?
You know Rose, I have no idea. I got them from my step-mom who got them from a neighbor. They’re completely optional though and when I make these again, I’ll probably omit since I don’t think they added any more scent.
You can find them on amazon or make your own. Dry vanilla beans and toss them in your food processor or search for vanilla powder on amazon. It’s expensive, but worth it.
Thanks Crystal!