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Holidays

DIY Holiday Gifts 2012: Hard Lotion Bars

Posted on November 30, 2012 - 12:59:00 by

Melissa Hurst

Melissa Hurst

I have very dry skin, and with winter here, I need to keep it moisturized or I’m an itching mess. So, in my quest to find the perfect moisturizer, I tried Hard Lotion Bars. The nice part about these is that you can buy them, but you can also make them with simple ingredients, so not only can you make exactly the shape and size bar that you want, you can also keep the lotion free from harsh chemicals or fragrances.

 

After trying several bars myself, I realized these would make such fun and useful gifts this holiday.

 

Here’s how I made my hard lotion bars:

 

Ingredients:


Coconut Oil
Shea Butter (or Coconut Butter, Mango Butter or Avocado Butter – they are all wonderful!)
Bees Wax – I recommend the pellets because they are easier to melt
Optional Fragrance (lavender, peppermint, etc)

 

What you’ll need:


Double-boiler (or improvise like I did with a pot inside of another).
Silicon Molds – you can find these at Target, Michaels or other craft stores

 

Directions:


 

  • Melt equal parts of the coconut oil, shea butter and bees wax in a double boiler.
  • Once everything is completely melted, add your optional fragrance (I used peppermint oil to be festive with the holiday season) and pour the hot liquid into your molds.
  • The bars will start to form immediately, but you’ll want to let them set for about an hour.
  • Wrap them in small holiday tins, baskets, or boxes to give as gifts!

 

 

The nice part about these bars is if you mess up, you can just re-melt them and start the process again to get the perfect size and shape. You can also experiment with different butters, fragrances, sizes, and shapes to create a unique gift each time you make them.

 

 

 

I keep a hard lotion bar at my desk all the time, and even in the dry winter, my hands aren’t cracking any more. Have fun making these - and giving them as gifts, and I'm sure your friends and family will thank you.

 

Inspired by Made On.