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In: Featured
- 3 Minute Read
- By Megan Porter
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As a mother of five kiddos with eczema I have spent a great deal of time during the last eight years trying to find a lotion or cream tough enough to keep the āitchiesā at bay that is also gentle enough for my babiesā skin. Since most prescription creams and commercially available lotions contain chemicals that I prefer not to see in our personal care products, I set out to find a natural, economical solution that would help ease the rough, dry skin that plagues our family. Not only is this recipe for homemade lotion bars excellent for eczema spots, it also works wonders on dry, cracked hands and chapped lips! BONUS ā everything you need can likely be found inside your own kitchen cupboards!
(Want to know how the ingredients in your favorites stack up? Check out theCosmetics Databaseto find more information on the chemicals in most lotions, shampoos, washes, etcā¦)
The cast of characters:
Beeswax (cosmetic grade, chunk that will yield about 1 cup melted wax)
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup coconut oil
Essential oil (optional)
Soap mold (silicone tart or mini loaf pans would also work well!)
Start out by melting a chunk of beeswax that will yield approximately 1 cup of melted wax (eyeball it, this is a forgiving recipe) in a double boiler. Do be aware that the pan and utensils that you use will likely be left with some waxy residue at the end of the process.
Once your beeswax has fully melted, add in the olive oil.
And then incorporate the coconut oil until all three ingredients form a hom*ogenous mixture.
Remove the pan from the heat, and add in several drops of essential oil, if desired.
If you are using silicone molds, pour hot mixture into molds. If you are using a plastic soap molds, be sure to allow the mixture to cool down to the maximum temperature safe for your mold. In my case that was right around 150 degrees.
Allow the bars to cool on your countertop for several hours until they are room temperature and have hardened into a creamy ivory color.
Pop the bars out and put them to work! They are āactivatedā by body heat, so rubbing them between your palms will melt them just enough to release an appropriate amount of lotion. I like to keep one handy by placing it on one of these great, wooden soap dishes. Store the extra bars in a cool, dry place.
These bars would also make great homemade gifts for the holidays! Wrap them in some waxed paper (a great tutorial that turns waxed paper into festive wrapping can be found here!) and add some ribbon for an easy last-minute gift.
Click here to see our latest, greatest Eczema Cream recipe
More homemade gift ideas: Homemade Sugar Scrub and Homemade Facial Moisturizer
If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!
Check out our new Keepsake Companion Journal that pairs with our So God Made a Mother book!
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Lotionlotion barsMegan Porter
Articles by Megan Porter
Megan Porter
Megan is mom to eight kiddos age 13 and under, and a very part time church secretary. She enjoys tree hugging, Doctor Who marathons, time spent at Hogwarts, and chasing her goal of living "The Good Life" on a shoestring budget.
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