Shea Butter Lotion Bar Sticks

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shea butter lotion
Wellness Mama » Blog » Beauty » Shea Butter Lotion Bar Sticks

On average women use about 19 bodycare products a day that contain an estimated 500+ different chemicals. In college my bathroom was filled with dozens of hair products, skin products and makeup containers with hundreds of ingredients. These shea butter lotion sticks though have just 5.

I’ll admit that I’m a skin care product addict. Thankfully though I learned the benefits of natural products years ago and switched all of my toxic ingredients out for healthy ones. 

Since switching I still have dozens of personal care products in my bathroom but now they’re packaged in glass jars. Instead of phthalates, parabens, and artificial fragrance you’ll find ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter, and honey. There are a lot of great natural skincare products on the market now, but I still enjoy making my own too. 

Benefits of Shea Butter Lotion

Lotion bars are some of my favorites and they’re much easier to use than regular lotion. Especially when I had little kids who liked to get into everything! I started making them in repurposed plastic deodorant containers, which makes them even easier to apply. You can also use these eco-friendly cardboard tubes. 

In the fall, I love using shea butter lotion. It naturally protects skin from dry, cool weather and some say it helps the skin naturally produce collagen. Research has also showed shea butter has natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. That means it’s great for calming irritated skin and protecting it from free radical damage. 

A 2025 study showed that shea butter immediately and drastically increases skin hydration, prevents moisture loss, and improves skin barrier function. In many places, it’s a revered remedy for keeping skin looking young and it really does make skin softer than a baby’s bottom.

More Skin Protecting Ingredients

Not only do these feature shea butter, but they also have a few other skin loving ingredients. Coconut oil provides MCT oil and a whole host of benefits that you’ve probably heard me brag about before. Coconut oil helps repair the skin barrier, has mild anti-bacterial effects, reduces inflammation, is antioxidant, and helps skin age more gracefully. Then there’s beeswax to help thicken and provide even more skin barrier protection to keep skin hydrated. 

I love adding in my favorite essential oils to make this an all-over skin nourishing remedy. You can use any skin safe oils you prefer, but I usually opt for a blend of chamomile, geranium, and sweet orange. If your skin is really sensitive or you’re using this for very little ones, then omit the essential oils. 

Here’s how to make your own shea lotion bars!

shea butter lotion
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Shea Butter Lotion Bar Stick

This creamy lotion bar is in a convenient stick form to keep hands mess free. Customize it with your favorite scents!
Prep Time3 minutes
Active Time10 minutes
Cooling Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 13 minutes
Yield: 2 ounces
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • Add several inches of water to the bottom pot.
  • Add all of the ingredients except essential oils to the top of the double boiler or heat safe glass bowl on top of a pot. Heat the ingredients over medium heat until melted, stirring ocassionally.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the essential oils.
  • Pour the mixture into the lotion bar tube.
  • Let cool for several hours or overnight in the fridge.

Notes

  • Cooling in the fridge speeds up the cooling time but it also helps the shea butter to stay smooth after cooling. 
  • Keep in a cool, dry place for up to 2 years. 

How to Use Shea Butter Lotion Bars

These shea butter lotion bars are great for dry, thirsty skin that needs extra hydration. It goes on silky smooth and I’ll put it anywhere I need some more moisture. I don’t use it on my face though since my face tends to have plenty of natural oils. However, I know many women who love to use shea butter on the face and this would be an easy way to apply it. Experiment and see what works for you. 

Notes On Shea Lotion Bar Sticks

  • This recipe makes enough for one 2-ounce lotion bar tube. Double or triple the recipe if desired to make more.
  • For a firmer lotion bar stick, use more beeswax. For a smoother lotion bar stick, use less beeswax and more coconut oil or olive oil.
  • Shea butter has a different melting point than other oils and butters so it can get grainy in skincare products. An easy way to fix this is to make sure they cool down in the fridge before using. You can store them at room temperature though. 

More Lotion Bar Recipes

Once you start making homemade lotion bars it’s hard to stop! Here are some more of my favorite natural lotion bar recipes. 

What are some of your favorite skincare products to make? Leave a comment and let us know!

Sources
  1. Lin, T. K., Zhong, L., & Santiago, J. L. (2017). Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. International journal of molecular sciences, 19(1), 70. 
  2. Asher, A., et al. (2025, March 26). Investigation of the in vitro effects of shea butter on skin barrier function and hydration using analytical chemistry methodologies. Open journal of Chemistry (OJC), 5(1), 1-7.
  3. Rice, M. (2009, November 20). Revealed… the 515 chemicals women put on their bodies every day. Daily Mail.

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

53 responses to “Shea Butter Lotion Bar Sticks”

  1. Kait Avatar

    Hello, I was wondering; can the beeswax be omitted completely, with no replacement? Or does some other wax have to be used to get the finished product as you’ve made?

    1. Katie - Wellness Mama Avatar

      If you are putting it in a stick like this, it can, it will just be smoother and less solid that with the beeswax. It will work, but you’d want to be careful to keep it away from heat.

  2. tamara Avatar

    Hi Katie! I love/use a lot of your beauty recipes- thank you!! 🙂 I have a question though….when I use shea butter (twice now), my essential oils just don’t ever mask the shea butter smell, even after re-melting and adding more. From what I read, the smell is natural (and ok) but it kinda bugs me. Any tips?? I found the same with cocoa butter…..Maybe I just need to use coconut oil more, but I was trying to get away from it. Thanks!

    1. cristy Avatar

      You can also use mango butter, alvacado butter, kokum butter, or purchase refined shea butter, it has less scent. 🙂

  3. Christa Avatar

    Hello,
    I’m wondering what the beeswax can be replaced with as I am vegan. Any ideas?

    1. cristy Avatar

      Candalill wax is plant derivative, and has a great texture. Also there are soy waxes 🙂 Hope that helps 🙂
      Cristy

    1. cristy Avatar

      Hi! yes you could, just omit wax:) I make a loc butter raw unrefined coco butter, shea butter, hemp seed oil and vitamin e. Use on scalp, hair, face, body. ..:)

  4. vian Avatar

    Hello Katie,I am from Indonesia.I really love your web and your amazing natural skin care recipes.all about home made! But sometimes it difficults to find some ingredients.I try to replace it with my country’s tropical plant/herb..do you mind someday create some recipes with tropical herb / plant for people here ? Thankyou

  5. Natalie Avatar

    I recently started using cocoa butter from Sunfood. I just roll the block onto my skin after a shower. My boys say I smell like chocolate. Happy Nesting.

  6. Nicola Avatar

    I’m new to making my own skin care range, I’ve just made some lotion (I don’t think I added enough essential oil though) and from the company I bought the beeswax and oils, on a whim I bought honey powder. I have no idea how to use it or in what quantities, could you help me please!! I love everything about your website and am introducing as much as I can for a better lifestyle.

    x

  7. Emily S. Avatar

    Hi Katie! Listening to the Wellness Family Summit as I type and loving it!! 🙂 I love all your recipes and tried making this one last night in a reused Primal Pit Paste container. Well, I don’t know why I didn’t think this through….I poured it in the container and it just went straight through it and poured all over the counter. Did I miss a step somehow? Or did I just use a bad container?

  8. brent Avatar

    My wife uses coconut oil straight up as a moisturizer. She doesn’t use sunscreen and does not burn even in the hot AZ sun. It doesn’t work that well for me, but I’m not as religious about applying it as she is. I will say that her face looks younger since she has been using it. She has a cute little ceramic bowl that she keeps it in on our bathroom. She will usually apply it twice a day. I use it two to three times per week.

  9. Heather Avatar

    I’ve been wanting to try to make these. But I’m much more of a visual learner. Would u ever be willing to make a video tutorial on how u make these?

  10. Debbie Avatar

    You listed where to get some of the ingredients, but you skipped over the beeswax. Where do you obtain your beeswax from? Is it organic? I can’t help thinking all beeswax should be organic.

  11. suri Avatar

    Dear madam,
    Could you please let me know face cream recipe using rose water.
    I am happy if you email me.
    Thanks
    Regards, Surinder.

  12. Maureen Avatar

    Is there another oil instead of olive oil that can be substituted in this recipe (or all other skincare recipes that you post)?

  13. Krista Avatar

    My husband brought shea butter home from West Africa this summer. I use it straight up on body/face and ends of hair.

    1. Diane Pritchard Avatar
      Diane Pritchard

      I just received my Shea butter. I would like put it in my hair. Does it make your hair greasy and do you have to wash it out?

  14. jake Avatar

    Both lipid/fats and plastic are electrically polar, which means that their positive and negative poles line up in the same direction. So, they easily exchange electrons, which means that the oils absorb some plastic and vice-versa. This may be less of a problem in skin care products than in foods you eat, but I’m still wary of mixing oily products and plastic.

  15. RoAnna Avatar

    Hi Katie, I just made the lotion bars last night. I see the post today with the deordorant container. I really like the idea of having the lotion in these containers. Could I melt my lotion bars down and put them in the deodorant containers?
    I have been making quite a few of your diy beauty recipes. Love your site. 🙂

  16. Megan Avatar

    That is awesome! I am slowly clearing out my collection of toxic products and replacing them with my own home-made. Thank you for the recipe!!!

  17. Alicia Fraser Stanley Avatar
    Alicia Fraser Stanley

    I can’t wait to try this! What a great idea! I love your blog so much…I don’t know how you come up with so many amazing ideas! Thanks for posting so much inspiring content!

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