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I hope you’re ready for some fantastic, beeswax-free, crisp, summery, moisturizing vegan lotion bars.
This recipe uses some of my favorite types of botanical butters and oils, combined with a delectable essential oil mishmash, to make the most wonderful margarita scented vegan lotion bars.
Yup, you heard me right. These are vegan and contain NO beeswax.
They contain no wax, so if you don’t love that slightly waxy feel that a solid lotion bar can sometimes have, these are for you!
This simple lotion bar recipe is a solid, concentrated moisturizer that melts on contact with your skin.
Because it’s made of pure botanical butter and oils, it doesn’t need a preservative as regular liquid lotions do.
How do you Make a Solid Lotion Bar without Beeswax?
While many lotion bar recipes DO contain beeswax or a vegan wax alternative, it IS possible to make an excellent lotion bar without any wax. The secret is in picking the suitable ingredient as a base.
These lotion bars are cocoa butter-based, one of the harder botanical butters. It makes for a slightly softer solid lotion bar than a beeswax-based lotion bar, but still wonderfully nourishing and easy to use.
These are heavy on cocoa butter, so I suggest trying a little of the raw cocoa butter on your skin before making these lotion bars to make sure you like the feel of the ingredient. I think it feels luxurious and nourishing, but make sure it’s right for you!
7 Reasons to Love Lotion Bars
If you’re new to the idea of a lotion bar or maybe have never tried one because it’s tough to find a vegan recipe, look no further. There are lots of reasons to love these little bars of DIY goodness.
- They provide super concentrated nourishment to the skin – just oils and butters, no water included!
- Lotion bars are a zero-waste alternative to lotion.
- They need NO preservatives to stay fresh – they’ll keep for six months or more.
- They are easy to travel with: small, compact, and fit nicely in a carry-on bag.
- Lotion bars can easily be customized to your favorite essential oils or make them unscented.
- You can form them in many different shapes (flowers or butterflies, anyone?)
- They make great gifts (pop them in a metal tin like this, and your recipient will go gaga)
Supplies for Vegan Lotion Bars
These lotion bars are easy to make with only three main ingredients as the lotion bar base. You’ll melt your ingredients together and pour them into a mold. Before we get started, here’s what you’ll need:
Cocoa Butter – This is the main ingredient in this vegan lotion bar recipe, so make sure you get high-quality! I typically prefer unrefined cocoa butter like this one, but if you don’t want these to smell like chocolate, I’d opt for refined cocoa butter this time. Cocoa butter is the ingredient responsible for the hardness of the lotion bar, so make sure not to substitute this one.
Shea Butter – A staple in many homemade lotion recipes, shea butter, is rich and nourishing for dry skin. I typically use unrefined, which has a slightly earthy smell. You may substitute mango butter for the shea in this recipe if you prefer.
Almond Oil – one of my favorite oils for homemade lotion bars; almond oil is nourishing, gentle, and great for the skin. You’ll only need ½ teaspoon for this recipe. You can substitute avocado oil, sunflower oil, or coconut oil with good results.
Essential Oils – We’ll use key lime essential oil and sweet orange essential oil for this recipe. Combining these two sweet, citrusy oils creates the perfect margarita scent. You’re going to love it!
Silicone Lotion Bar Mold – like this one, or of a similar size
Kitchen Scale – this recipe is measured by weight, so you’ll need a kitchen scale to measure everything. Nothing fancy is required here – just a basic kitchen scale like this one.
Double Boiler set-up – I prefer to melt my ingredients on the stove over low heat, but you may also use a microwave. Just make sure to oversee it and remove it right when melted, so your mixture doesn’t overheat!.
Vegan Lotion Bar Recipe
Key lime and orange-scented vegan lotion bars contain no beeswax or coconut oil and smell like summer!
Ingredients
- 3 oz cocoa butter
- 1 oz shea butter
- ½ tsp sweet almond oil
- 7 drops key lime essential oil
- 3 drops of sweet orange essential oil
- Cylinder mold
- Double-boiler setup
- Kitchen scale for weighing
Instructions
- Weigh out your supplies.
- Chop the cocoa butter if needed.
- Add the cocoa butter and shea butter to a double-boiler and melt over medium/low heat.
- Once butters are melted, remove from heat and add the sweet almond oil and essential oil, stir well.
- Pour into the mold, filling each cavity ¾ of the way full.
- Allow to sit undisturbed for about 6 hours. You can refrigerate to speed up the process.
- Store in an airtight container, in a cool area, or even in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Makes approximately eight lotion bars (depending on the size of your mold)
- Lotion bars will keep for at least six months if stored in a cool, dry place. Store in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
- These WILL melt in hot temperatures, so don’t leave them in your car in the middle of summer 😉
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