Ever since I made my first basic lotion bars, I’ve been experimenting with fun variations and natural scents. Lotion bars are wonderful because they are used on dry skin and are a concentrated lotion that leaves skin feeling like silk.
Along the way, there have been Pain Relief Lotion Bars and End the Eczema Lotion Bars. I’ve made lotion bars to keep the bugs away and homemade deodorant bars.
Moroccan Oils Lotion Bar Recipe
At first, I just made these in silicon molds (and I still love making them this way) but once I discovered that I could make them in empty deodorant containers and that this would make application easier, I’ve been making them as gifts.
These Moroccan oils lotion bars combine so many of my favorite ingredients:
- Shea Butter to soften and protect skin
- Coconut Oil to nourish skin (I get it at a discount here)
- Beeswax to form a protective barrier on skin and make the lotion bars last longer
- Optional: Argan Oil to hydrate skin (also good for getting rid of stretch marks) It is expensive but amazing for skin. I use one drop per day to moisturize my face
- Bronze Mica Powder for color (also optional) This adds a faint shimmer to the skin
I used these empty white deodorant tubes to make these lotion bars in but there are more decorative ones available if you are planning to give them as gifts. If I give them as gifts in these tubes, I usually glue a piece of burlap around them and tie with twine for a natural look.
Bronzing Lotion Bar Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup shea butter (measured solid)
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup beeswax pellets
- 1 TBSP argan oil
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil (optional)
- 10 drops basil essential oil (optional)
- 10 drops orange essential oil (optional)
- 10 drops lemon essential oil (optional)
- 5 drops neroli essential oil (optional)
- 5 drops chamomile essential oil (optional)
- 5 drops fennel essential oil (optional)
- 1 TBSP bronze mica powder (or more)
Instructions
- In a double boiler, melt the shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax.
- Add the argan oil and essential oils, if using, stirring well to incorporate.
- Stir in the bronze mica powder.
- Quickly pour the mixture into empty deodorant containers or molds.
- Apply to dry skin as needed.
Notes
What are your favorite essential oils to use?
I love the lotion bars and they have been life-changing for my daughter’s eczema. The problem is cleaning the deodorant containers after for refilling. What is the trick??
Since all of the ingredients are shelf stable, I just wipe down with an old rag before refilling and never let it touch water at all. I also save the rags I used as a way to polish furniture
How much coconut oil is used in this recipe? On my computer is shows a ? , not a number so don’t know if it’s 1/2 cup or 1 cup????
It is 1/2 cup… thanks for the catch…
Sweetheart!
I am living the recipes and I’m ready to charge ahead! I do have a question though, where do you find the containers to put them in? I have a baby girl (she would argue she’s grown) but she’s always going to be my baby. ….nonetheless she’s barely pregnant. I would like to make something quickly and get it to her for her expanding belly! I would also like to make her some baby soaps and soap got her as well.
You should not use Lemon essential oil on the skin if your skin is going to be exposed to the sun. It is a phototoxic oil.
Lotion seems to cause a “rolling up effect” on my skin so that when I shower, if I don’t scrub really well, it just rolls up like dead skin. I exfoliate with a tea tree/espom salts bath once a week. Any ideas on why this may be happening. I thought lotion was supposed to absorb…I switched to oil, but it doesn’t give me the ahhh effect. I’m 63 with strawberry blonde/freckled complexion if that helps. Thanks too, for the blog and sharing years of knowledge with us that you have worked so hard on! I love it!
I finally took a close look at the recipe and instructions and… I see the ‘five lotion bars’ expected result written in at the bottom. I guess I missed that! Thank you for your kindness 🙂
Hey! This is fabulous! I’ve just ordered all the necessary supplies for the bars… How many ounces of lotion bars will this make? I am aiming for 15-20 2.5 ounce bars… Should I double the batch? Thank you! I love your site… happy happy holidays 🙂
How much does the above recipe make? I would love to make a batch for holidays presents this year. I’m aiming for… 6-12 lotion bars!
Thanks for the lovely idea 🙂
It should make 4-5 depending on the size of the container you use.
I am wondering if the bronzer Mica powder in this recipe is by any chance supposed to be 1 teaspoon instead of the 1 tablespoon? I made it and mine seems to be much darker than your picture and its quite expensive to use that much! I love it tho!
You can absolutely customize to your taste. I think mine looked lighter because I was using photo lights when I took the picture but feel free to adapt to your liking!
Hi Katie,
I was wondering if the argan oil can be substituted for jojoba oil? Also can tho lotion be applied to the face? I am excited to make many of your lotions and lip balms to give as gifts this year. It will be my first time doing DIY products. 🙂
Yes and Yes 🙂