I get a lot of emails about eczema, and I know many people who struggle with it personally. I’ve talked before about how there is often a connection to a dietary problem for those struggling with eczema and while it is definitely important to address diet, there are some topical solutions that can help offer relief. These eczema relief lotion bars are one of the best options I’ve found for topically helping eczema.
Books like Gut and Psychology Syndrome and Deep Nutrition offer great guidelines on a healing diet that can help with eczema and other skin issues (as well as behavior problems), and I would recommend looking into those books.
Lotion Bars for Eczema
The ingredients in basic lotion bars make them helpful for eczema in many cases. Mango Butter, Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter have a natural SPF and nourish the skin while beeswax helps coat the skin and protect it from drying out.
For those with eczema, I’ve found that another ingredient can offer additional benefit: fermented cod liver oil.
Fermented cod liver oil has fat soluble vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids to help the skin heal and to nourish it from the outside-in when the digestive system may not be functioning optimally to facilitate nutrient absorption from food.
These lotion bars are gentle enough for a baby and are excellent at soothing and nourishing skin. I especially like to use them after a colloidal oatmeal bath, which are great for eczema as well.
Where to Get The Ingredients
I typically order most of my ingredients in bulk, and for this recipe, I order:
I order in at least 5 pound quantities which makes these ingredients much cheaper, but only about 4 ounces of each is needed for this recipe. If you don’t live close, MRH shipping can be expensive. I’ve found that there are now also good options on Amazon for all of the ingredients so for this recipe, I order:
- Unrefined Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
- Beeswax Pastilles
- 5-Pack plastic deodorant containers
- Fermented Cod Liver Oil Liquid (see note below)
- essential oils: I like Grapefruit and Basil
NOTE: I’ve ordered Fermented Cod Liver Oil on Amazon because the shipping is so inexpensive with Amazon Prime, but it is much less expensive overall to order from Radiant Life Company and they also offer bulk discounts. I order the plain fermented cod liver oil liquid for this recipe and one bottle lasts for months and months. I use Fermented Cod Liver oil in place of Coconut oil in this recipe since coconut oil can be irritating to some people with eczema.
How to Make Lotion Bar Sticks
Equipment and Tools
- A double boiler or a glass mason jar sitting on a wash cloth in the bottom of a small saucepan
- a plastic or wooden spoon for mixing
- Plastic deodorant containers – You can reuse deodorant containers, but some of them are not solid on the bottom and it will leak through so check this before you start. I used these and they worked really well but if I’d seen them, I would have ordered these since they come with cute labels.
- Paper towels, old newspaper or rags that can be thrown away (to clean out pan/jar- see instructions below recipe)
Lotion Bar Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Mango Butter (shea butter and cocoa butter work too)
- 3 Tablespoons beeswax pastilles (measured dry)
- 1/4 cup fermented cod liver oil
- Essential oils of choice
Lotion Bar Instructions
Combine the butters and beeswax pastilles in the top of the double boiler or in a mason jar sitting on a wash cloth in a small saucepan.
Put about an inch of water in the bottom of the double boiler or in the saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and stir the top mixture carefully until all ingredients have melted. NOTE: Be careful not to get any water into the butters/oil mixture as it can ruin the bars.
Once all ingredients have melted, remove from heat and add essential oils and fermented cod liver oil.
Stir and quickly and carefully pour into the plastic deodorant molds. If possible, transfer to the refrigerator to harden or let sit on the counter for 4-6 hours or until completely cooled.
Important Note
Do not put the pan or jar in the sink as is or attempt to wash as you would regular dishes. Wipe out the double boiler or pan as much as possible with paper towels, old newspaper or rags that can be thrown away and the wash in hot soapy water as soon as possible.
How to Use Lotion Bars
Use lotion bars on dry skin only. They are not meant to be used in the bath or shower. Rub a thin layer over skin as often as needed.
These lotion bars are not sunscreen but they do have a natural SPF of about 5 and are great for mild sun exposure.
The tubes make this easy to apply to children or babies.
Helpful Resource:
I vividly remember how terrible it was to watch my son suffer through his eczema and I know the pain of not being able to take away the pain/itching a child experiences. The book The Eczema Cure is a very thorough resource and provides answers when it feels like you’ve tried everything else. Use the code WMAMA20 at this link for 20% off.
Lotion Bar Variations
My original lotion bars recipe is one of my more popular recipes and I’ve shared several variations of the basic recipe:
- Bug-Off Lotion Bars
- Pure Silk (Sensitive Skin)
- Pain Relief Lotion Bars Recipe
- Bronzing Lotion Bars
- Simple Lotion Bar Sticks
Ever made lotion bars? What kind did you make? Tell me below!
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