After my hubby and I finished a Beekeeping Course just before the holidays I started looking into all the things we could do with Beeswax and realized that it is an incredibly versatile ingredient. It can be used in a variety of things including balms, soap, lotion and more. So, with it being winter and the inevitable dry skin that comes along with it, I thought I would try making some lotion bars. In these Beeswax Lotion Bars, the beeswax gives firmness and a lovely yellow color. Olive oil and shea butter are added to give them softness and skin-loving properties. The combination of the oil, butter and wax create a lotion bar that’s firm at room temperature, but softens when applied to the skin.
This is a pretty easy recipe that should take you about 20 minutes (plus hardening time) to complete and yields 6 bars.
What You’ll Need:
6 Cavity Silicone Mold
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Shea Butter
1/2 cup Beeswax
Essential Oil
Tins or a container to put them in
(I was able to purchase all of my supplies on Amazon but there are a ton of other companies that offer these types of supplies)
Step One: Combine the olive oil and beeswax. For melting wax I use an old metal milk frother in a regular pot of water to create a double boiler. If you don’t have wax tools, you can use a small heat-safe container. Place in the microwave and heat using 30-60 second bursts until fully melted. Beeswax has a high melting point and can take a while to fully melt. Because of this, don’t use a glass container with too much head space as the container can explode if it gets too hot! Once melted, remove from the microwave carefully, as the mixture will be very hot.
Step Two: Add the shea butter and stir. The heat from the mixture will begin to melt the shea butter. If necessary, place the container back into the microwave and heat using 15-20 second bursts until the mixture is clear.
Step Three: Add about 20 drops of an essential oil of your choice (keep in mind that you won’t smell it that much because the beeswax is more dominant) and stir it in. You could also use a Fragrance Oil if you want a stronger smell.
Step Four: Carefully pour the mixture into each mold cavity. Allow to fully cool and harden. This will take several hours or up to overnight.
Step Five: Remove from the mold. Store these bars in a cool place because they can melt slightly in extremely high temperatures!
I put my bars in tins that were slightly too small for the mold that I bought so I just trimmed the corners slightly and used the trimmings right away.
To use, warm in hands and apply to dry areas of the skin. I love lotion bars for dry patches such as elbows and feet.
I look forward to getting our bees so we can start getting our own honey and wax. I am sure there will be many other beeswax projects in my future!
