solid lotion recipe Archives

Aloe After Sun Lotion Bar Recipe for Natural Summer Skin Care

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May 15, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 3 Comments

This natural aloe after sun lotion bar recipe helps rescue sunburned skin. A vegan friendly moisturizer, this hard lotion bar is perfect for after sun summer skin care. Learn how to make your own easy aloe after sun lotion bars. Plus discover other natural sunburn remedies to try in a pinch.

Natural Summer Skin Care

I was badly sunburned at my son’s graduation not long ago. I’ll admit I wasn’t prepared. Although I did take a jean jacket with me in the expectation of cloudy skies, the weather turned out to be sunnier than expected. Of course, living in Southwestern VA, we go through all four seasons on a rotating basis, it seems, in both spring and fall. My shoulders bore the brunt of the burns, with my right shoulder – which was in direct sunlight – getting hit the worst.

Related: The Best Non-Toxic Sunscreens for Sunburn Prevention

After learning on the news some time back that many aloe vera gels actually have little to no aloe vera, I was at a loss as to what to buy. My regular go to for aloe is Mountain Rose Herbs. They sell genuine aloe vera gel with superior quality. Unfortunately, my sunburns needed love right away.

Luckily, my friend Cathy, has a giant aloe plant growing in her abode. So she gave me a giant stem of it to help relieve the pain. I also added a bit of lavender essential oil to the mix. Still, my right shoulder peeled two weeks later. Reminding me that I need to get my ass in gear and be better prepared the next go round.

What Are the Top Home Remedies for Sunburn Relief?

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is the most common home remedy for sunburn relief. I remember my mom plucking off an aloe leaf from the plant she grew whenever I got a sunburn growing up. Aloe gives skin an instant soothing sensation by reducing pain and skin inflammation. And, because it’s primarily water, it also helps to hydrate dry, sun damaged skin. (These benefits are also why I used aloe when formulating my aloe after sun lotion bar recipe!)

While most of us are familiar with using aloe vera for natural sunburn relief, it’s not the only home remedy that works. If you don’t have an aloe plant handy, you can try one of these other top sunburn relief remedies in a pinch.

Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Yes, this is the same stuff you use on your face to plump skin and hide fine lines and wrinkles. While it may not go the distance at relieving pain, it does a great job of hydrating skin. As a woman in my forties, I try to never go without a hyaluronic acid serum or cream. However, if this isn’t something you need or use on a regular basis, it’s easy to get sticker shock.

You can save money by making your own. This hyaluronic acid serum powder is competitively priced and allows you to make 50+ ounces of your own serum. Simply mix with cold water according to the package directions for a huge jar of your own homemade sunburn relief serum. You can even add a bit of aloe vera gel if desired!

Essential Oils

There are a number of essential oils that offer relief from the pain and inflammation of sunburns, with lavender essential oil being the most common. Gattefossé, who is known as the father of aromatherapy, first discovered the effects of lavender essential oil on burns when working in his lab. After badly burning his hand in the laboratory one day, he plunged his hand into the nearest liquid available to quench the pain. That liquid turned out to be lavender essential.

Gattefossé then recognized the natural skin care benefits of lavender oil after noticing how quickly his burn healed. This in turn started a fascination with essential oils that later gave him his namesake, the father of aromatherapy. As it happens, lavender essential oil possesses both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties help to hasten healing times by helping your body recover from burns faster.

Other beneficial essential oils for sunburns include peppermint, chamomile and eucalyptus. Peppermint essential oil has natural pain relieving and skin cooling properties that can offer instant sunburn relief when diluted in a lotion or carrier oil base. While chamomile has inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help to hasten healing times and calm red irritated skin. Finally, like peppermint, eucalyptus essential oil also has a cooling effect on skin. This is, in addition to, its antibacterial, analgesic (pain killing) and anti-inflammatory skin care properties.

White or Apple Cider Vinegar

White vinegar is composed of acetic acid, a natural antiseptic. This will not only help prevent infection, it also helps relieve pain and inflammation. While the malic acid found in apple cider vinegar stimulates circulation to speed up the healing process. In addition, apple cider vinegar also helps skin maintain its pH levels which may help reduce peeling later on. Just be sure to dilute the vinegar in water first to avoid over drying skin.

Green or Black Tea

In addition to the naturally occurring antioxidants found in tea, tea also contains anti-inflammatory polyphenols that can help reduce swelling and inflammation. Therefore, tea is a great option for natural sunburn relief. Brew tea as you normally would, then refrigerate until it cools. Then simply soak a clean washcloth in cold tea, applying to the affected area for up to 15 minutes.

Baking Soda

Just like Mom used a baking soda paste for insect stings when you were little, you can also use a baking soda paste for sunburns. Like the tea, make a cold compress using baking soda and water. Then apply to sunburned skin for 15 minutes to help rebalance the PH of your skin.

Witch Hazel

Witch hazel is another wonderful home remedy for natural sunburn relief. Comprised of naturally occurring oils and tannins, witch hazel extract helps to reduce inflammation as well as draw skin tissue together to promote healing.

It’s not just a great option for a natural homemade toner, you can make an easy witch hazel after sun spray recipe as well. Simply add 12 drops each of lavender and peppermint essential oils to 2 oz. of witch hazel in a spray bottle. Then shake to combine.

Related: Uses for Witch Hazel Extract for Natural Skin Care

I recommend using a double distilled witch hazel with at least 83% witch hazel extract so there is no alcohol burn. Two brands to consider are Mountain Rose Herbs and T.N. Dickinson’s. Alternately, Thayers alcohol-free rose petal witch hazel with aloe vera also makes an inexpensive sunburn remedy that does double duty as a facial toner.

What Are the Benefits of Aloe Vera for Skin?

There are a number of reasons that aloe vera tops of the list for natural sunburn remedies. Aloe vera contains polysaccharides, a natural compound that encourages skin repair and the production of new cells, to promote healing. In addition, aloe also contains a natural analgesic, or pain reliever, called carboxypeptidase, that helps soothe the pain associated with sunburns. Further, compounds such as acemannan, help suppress inflammation. While aloe vera’s natural high water content, hydrates skin and locks in moisture.

Aloe After Sun Lotion for Summer Skin Care

With summer right around the corner, your chance of sunburns increase. Maybe you didn’t apply your sunscreen often enough or simply forgot and left it at home. When this happens, your skin needs extra love and attention – both to ease sunburn pain and moisturize skin. This natural aloe after sun lotion bar recipe helps rescue sunburned skin. A vegan friendly moisturizer, this solid hard lotion bar is made with aloe vera butter, calendula infused oil and a blend of essential oils that work in holistic harmony for the best after sun summer skin care.

Keep reading to learn how to make my homemade aloe after sun lotion bar recipe for your sunburns this summer. Infused with natural botanicals prized for their ability to promote healing, this natural aloe after sun lotion bar is the perfect choice for your summer skin care needs.

Aloe After Sun Lotion Bar Recipe

Ingredients:

1.25 oz. carnauba wax
1.75 oz. aloe vera butter
1.5 oz. calendula infused oil (or dandelion infused oil)
.5 oz. raspberry seed oil
1 mL (about 20 drops) peppermint essential oil
2 mL (about 40 drops) lavender essential oil
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon mica pigment powder, or choice to suit

Instructions:

Using a digital scale, weigh out the wax, aloe butter and carrier oils. Gently heat the ingredients in a double boiler, or using the double boiler method, until melted.

Remove the melted ingredients from heat.

Next, measure out each essential oils, using a graduated transfer pipette, and stir into the melted wax, butter and oils.

Now measure out the mica powder using a measuring spoon and stir into the melted ingredients for the aloe after sun lotion bars. (I used 1/4 teaspoon apple moss green mica for this project.)

Pour the lotion bars into your mold of choice.

I used the 4-cavity succulent mold from Brambleberry for two lotion bars weighing about 4.5 oz. each. However, you can use a similar silicone succulent mold of your choice. Alternately, you can also reuse empty single serving ice cream containers for round aloe after sun lotion bars.

Allow the aloe after sun lotion bars to cool and fully solidify at room temperature. (As carnauba wax is an extremely hard wax, I don’t recommend placing these in the refrigerator to call as it may cause your lotion bars to crack.)

Once they’ve solidified, carefully remove the lotion bars from the mold.

Finally, wrap your aloe after sun lotion bars in foodservice film. Or store them in large tins when not in use.

More Aloe After Sun Relief Remedies

If you’re looking for more ideas for natural sunburn relief, then be sure to check out these other aloe infused sunburn remedies.

Love these natural summer skin care recipes? Be sure to pin this post with my aloe after sun lotion bar recipe for later! Also be sure to check out this post with 12 natural recipes for summer skin care.

Discover more DIY soap making ideas you can craft for handmade gifts by following me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay in the loop.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: aloe vera, crafts, diy, home remedies, home remedy, moisturizing, natural alternative, natural beauty, natural remedy, natural skin care, solid lotion bar, solid lotion recipe, summer, summer skin care, vegan

Easy Halloween Solid Lotion Bar Recipe for BFF & Coworker Gifts

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

September 27, 2018 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

As the weather cools off and spirits skirt through the city, it’s time to reevaluate our skin care needs for the new season. This easy Halloween solid lotion bar recipe offers the perfect spook-tacular mix of fun and function for fall. You can even make your DIY lotion bars glitter-tastic for a fabulous handmade gift idea everyone will love!

Halloween Isn’t Just for Kids!

Adulting sucks. At the same time, it’s can also be pretty amazing. As adults, we can steal our kid’s stash of Halloween candy and it’s somehow justified. Bully for us. And when else, other than Halloween, is it socially acceptable to wear the equivalent of a swimsuit for a night out on the town? (Which actually happened once. Some dude froze his butt off as Michael Phelps in nothing but speedos and goggles one year.)

Point being, just because we’re all grown up doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun. Halloween is kind of the perfect time of year for that. I can’t think of a better way to spend a holiday filled with mystery than visiting my favorite haunts with my friends.

My friends are some of the best people out there. Not only do they help me through the struggles and chaos life seems intent on throwing our way, we also share some amazing moments together. So what better way to remind your friends (and co-workers) that, they too, are an important piece of your life than with a simple handmade Halloween gift.

Inside My Halloween Solid Lotion Bar Recipe

These easy Halloween solid lotion bars are not only cute, they’re also super practical. If you have dry hands in the winter, then you know how important it is to have a quality hand cream on hand 24/7. (Especially if you’re washing your hands 20x a day to fend off those monstrous cold & flu germs.) These lotion bars are perfect for moisturizing and protecting your dry skin.

They don’t stop there, however. I also scented my Halloween solid lotion bars with a calming blend of cedarwood and lavender essential oils. So you can keep calm and carry on no what your work day throws at you.

As with some of my more recent skin care recipes, my Halloween solid lotion bar recipe utilizes bacuri butter as one of three primary ingredients. This is what will give your Halloween shaped lotion bars their dark color. Additionally, it also ensures a fast absorption rate. After all, no one wants greasy fingerprints on their keyboard.

I’ve also included beeswax to solidify the bar and to protect skin. While buriti oil – a carrier oil rich in fatty acids as well as vitamins C, E and pro-vitamin A – helps to rebuild, moisturize and hydrate skin cells. Additionally, buriti oil also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, promotes healing (bye-bye cracked knuckles!) and protects skin from free radicals while also increasing skin’s elasticity.

The glitter? Well, that’s just the icing on the cake. I used eco-friendly, biodegradable cosmetic glitter so it’s safe for the environment. You can choose to add just a dash of glitter to the tops of your lotion bars. Or, include glitter in the melted ingredients when you make my Halloween solid bar lotion recipe for an easy way to add some sparkle to your skin. (Don’t worry! While the color of this lotion bar is brown, it goes on clear!)

Halloween Solid Lotion Bar Recipe

Ingredients:

2 oz. bacuri butter
2 oz. beeswax pastilles
2.25 oz. buriti oil
.15 oz. cedarwood essential oil
.1 oz. lavender essential oil
biodegradable glitter, to suit

Instructions:

As with the majority of my skin care recipes, you will need a digital scale to weigh out the ingredients. In addition, you will also need a Halloween silicone mold of your choice. (I used this one.) My Halloween solid lotion bar recipe made four lotion bars – one each of a pumpkin, a bat, a skull and a ghost.

Begin by weighing out the bacuri butter, beeswax and buriti oil. Combine in a heat proof Pyrex measuring cup or similar. Gently heat until the beeswax and bacuri butter have melted using either the double boiler method or in your microwave at 30% power.

Once melted, remove from heat. Then weigh out the essential oils and stir into the lotion bar ingredients you just melted.

Next, lightly dust the inside of your mold with bio-glitter. (I used this purple fuschia glitter.) If desired, you can also stir some glitter into your melted ingredients. (You’ll just need to wait a little longer before pouring to allow the lotion to hit that point just before it starts to solidify, then stir again prior to pouring into your mold. Otherwise all of the glitter just sinks the bottom.)

Now pour your ingredients into your mold. (I recommend placing your mold on a cutting board prior to pouring. This way, you can easily transfer your mold to the refrigerator for faster cooling times.)

Once your Halloween solid lotion bars have fully solidified, pop them out of the mold then package as desired. These look great in glassine bags or in PET plastic amber jars. I used a 4 oz. amber jar from SKS Bottle & Packaging for the small pumpkin and sugar skull solid bars. The bat, however, needed the 8 oz. sized jar

I then added Halloween stickers to the lids of my containers to decorate them. Although, washi tape would be super cute too! You could use it either on the lid or around the diameter of the jar. I also thought about making an emulsified sugar scrub or foaming bath butter, filling the jar with it, then nestling a solid lotion bar on top. Tell me what you think!

More Halloween Inspired Skin Care Recipes

If you enjoyed my easy Halloween solid lotion bar recipe, then may also like some of my other Halloween inspired recipes.

DIY Halloween Grease Paint Makeup (Guest Post on The Nourished Life)
Beautiful Bold DIY Cream Eyeshadows to Rock This Halloween
Halloween Pumpkin Bath Bomb Recipe
Homemade Halloween Zombie Makeup
Natural Pumpkin Spice Perfume Recipe (Guest Post on The Nourished Life)

Alternately, you may also be interested in my other bacuri butter skin care recipes which you can find here. Also be sure to check out some of my favorite handmade Halloween bath & body products on Etsy.

If you’d like to receive notification of new articles from Soap Deli News blog, be sure to follow me across all of your favorite social media platforms. You can find me on G+, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’ and Instagram. Or, alternately, you can also subscribe to Soap Deli News via email for future updates, DIY projects and recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Holiday DIY Tagged With: autumn, bacuri butter, buriti oil, fall, gift idea, gift ideas for teens, Halloween, holiday gift, holidays, lotion bar, lotion bar recipe, moisturizer, skin care, solid lotion bar, solid lotion recipe, winter skin care

DIY Dog Paw Balm – The Perfect Pet Gift for Pet Owners

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

September 11, 2017 By Rebecca D. Dillon

If you’re like me, then your pet is a part of your family. And as such you probably spoil him or her a lot more than yourself. So I created a simple recipe for making a DIY dog paw balm to pamper your pooch! This natural balm is great for soothing damaged paw pads as well as protecting them from the elements. Think of it as a super amazing lip balm for dog’s irritated paws! It’s also great for dry little noses.

As my DIY dog paw balm was designed for furry four legged friends, it’s free of fragrance. However, you can also use this recipe to make solid lotion bars for yourself and simply add .05% of your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend.

DIY Dog Paw Balm

Ingredients:

3 oz. pharmaceutical grade lanolin
.5 oz. white cosmetic beeswax
.5 oz. refined kokum butter
.5 oz. refined shea butter
.4 oz. olive oil

Instructions:

Using a digital scale, weigh out all of the ingredients and combine is a double boiler. Heat over medium to medium-low heat (or in the microwave at 50% power) until melted.

Stir to combine, then pour into a paw shaped silicone mold. Allow your DIY dog paw balm to harden, then gently remove from the mold. Wrap tightly in foodservice film or package individually in tins.

To use simply apply to your pet’s paws and massage in.

My dog paw balm yields approximately five paw shaped solid lotion bars. So you can keep some and gift some!

If you like my DIY dog paw balm then you may also like natural flea repellent dry dog shampoo recipe. Made with all natural ingredients, this dry shampoo deodorizes your dog’s coat while also helping to repel fleas. The natural clays and botanicals in this dry shampoo recipe gently deodorize your dog’s coat while absorbing excess oil and dirt. Find the recipe to make your own dry dog shampoo here.

For more pet related DIY’s be sure to follow my Gone to the Dogs Pinterest board. You can also find and follow me on G+, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’, and Instagram. Or sign up to receive new posts to your email via FeedBurner so you never miss a post.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: crafts, diy, dog, easy, gift idea, natural, pet care, pets diy, shopping, solid lotion bar, solid lotion recipe

Matcha Green Tea Butter Bars Recipe

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

July 1, 2017 By Rebecca D. Dillon

These DIY Matcha Green Tea Butter Bars are made with skin nourishing tea seed oil and matcha green tea to create a luxurious non-greasy solid lotion bar that melts onto skin upon application. Unlike recipes for traditional solid lotions bars, these naturally green tinted Matcha Green Tea Butter Bars absorb quickly and won’t leave your skin feeling greasy.

About the ingredients.

Matcha green tea is rich in antioxidants that are beneficial in supporting skin health. It can help to reduce inflammation as well as free radicals that accelerate skin aging.

Like matcha green tea, camellia (tea seed) oil also contains valuable antioxidants. Not only does it help to moisturize skin, but camellia (tea seed) oil can also help to improve skin’s tone and texture as well as reduce the appearance of aging.

I’ve also included oat butter in my matcha green tea butter bars recipe for it’s hydrating and soothing skin care properties. Somewhat softer than shea butter, oat butter makes a wonderful addition to homemade skin care products formulated for sensitive skin.

Ready to make your own DIY Matcha Green Tea Butter Bars? Just follow the recipe below!

Matcha Green Tea Butter Bars Recipe

Ingredients:

.75 oz. candelilla wax
.5 oz. cera bellina wax
2 oz. oat butter
2 oz. camellia (tea seed) oil
.05 oz. matcha green tea
.15 oz. green tea fragrance oil

Notes & Substitutions:

My matcha green tea butter bars recipe calls for cera bellina wax. Cera bellina wax is a beeswax derivative in which the free fatty acids have been converted to polyglycerol esters. As a result, cera bellina softer is softer than regular beeswax. It also adds a smooth, creamy texture to lotions and lip balms. When added to oils it will cause them to gel.

Recommended usage for cera bellina wax is up to 20% in lotions and lip balms and up to 29% in oils for an oil emulsion. If you’d like to learn more about cera bellina wax, Humblebee & Me blog has a wonderful guide to this unique ingredient here.

If you do not want to use cera bellina wax, you can substitute this wax with regular beeswax. Alternately, if you’d like a plant-based vegan matcha green tea butter bar, you can omit the cera bellina wax entirely and use 1 oz. of candelilla wax instead.

Should you not have or do not wish to use oat butter, you may substitute this ingredient with another hydrogenated butter. Alternately you can also substitute the oat butter with refined shea butter or matcha green tea butter.

Camellia (tea seed) oil can be swapped out with fractionated coconut oil and, should you desire all natural matcha green tea butter bars, you can substitute the fragrance oil with .05 oz. essential oil of your choice.

It is, however, important to note that while making substitutions will still a yield a similar solid lotion bar as my matcha green tea butter bars recipe, the final properties and feel of the end product may differ.

Finally, I specifically used the matcha green tea from Adagio Teas for this recipe. I’ve been a customer of Adagio for over a decade and have always trusted their brand, enjoyed their products and loved their rewards program. However, if you already have a favorite supplier for matcha green tea, then that will work as well!

Instructions:

Using a digital scale, begin by weighing out the candelilla wax and cera bellina wax into a small glass Pyrex measuring cup. Heat the waxes in the microwave at 40% power until melted. (Alternately you can also use a double boiler.)

Once melted, remove the waxes from your heat source. Weigh out the oat butter and stir into the melted waxes until it liquifies.

Next, weigh out the camellia oil and stir into the previously melted ingredients. Follow with the matcha green tea and the fragrance oil, weighing each ingredient first to get the right amount.

Mix well to fully incorporate all of the ingredients and to remove any clumps of matcha green tea. Then pour into your mold of choice.

I used a square silicone ice cube tray for my mold and evenly filled five of the six mold cavities about 1/3rd of the way full.

Once your matcha green tea butter bars have fully hardened, remove them from the mold. Then wrap your matcha green tea butter bars tightly in foodservice film.

If desired, you can also decorate your matcha green tea butter bars with washi tape.

You can also tie on small gift toppers, like this cactus eraser from Target’s Dollar Spot, or dried herbs.

Your DIY matcha green tea butter bars are now ready to enjoy for personal use or gifting!

If you are wanting to sell the matcha green tea butter bars you’ve made, you will need to follow FDA guidelines for labeling your product. If you’re unsure about the rules and regulations regarding labeling cosmetics, I highly recommend the book, Soap and Cosmetic Labeling: How to Follow the Rules and Regs Explained in Plain English, by Marie Gale.

If you liked my matcha green tea butters bars recipe then you may also like my recipe for a Vegan Solid Lotion Bar. It’s made using plantain infused olive oil, oat butter and candelilla wax and is naturally scented with lavender essential oil. You can find that recipe here.

To discover more of my homemade skin care recipes, be sure to follow my DIY Bath and Body board on Pinterest. You can also find and follow me on G+, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’, and Instagram.Or subscribe to Soap Deli News via email for future updates, DIY projects and recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: anti-aging, crafts, diy, easy, gift idea, green tea, lotion recipe, matcha, moisturizer, Mother's Day gifts, natural, skin care, solid lotion bar, solid lotion recipe, washi tape

Vegan Solid Lotion Bar Recipe with Soothing Oat Butter & Lavender

I may receive compensation from links on this site. See my disclosure policy.

June 21, 2017 By Rebecca D. Dillon

This vegan solid lotion bar recipe is made with soothing oat butter, plantain infused olive oil and lavender essential oil. It’s the perfect treat for sunburned skin this summer. Also try this vegan friendly moisturizer DIY on dry or rough feet, hands and elbows!

Because plantain is currently growing wild in abundance this time of year, I chose to include plantain infused olive oil in my vegan solid lotion bar recipe. Plantain not only helps with sunburns, but it is also beneficial for those with skin rashes and chapped skin as well as insect and spider bites. For eczema and psoriasis, the regular use of this herb in a salve or cream can also help in relation to those skin conditions.

What is plantain?

Plantain has the distinction of being a weed. However, plantain has historically been used not only as food but also as a healing herb in numerous cultures around the world. Native Americans traditionally used this plant to treat wounds and fevers as well as to draw out toxins from stings and bites.

There are two types of plantains and often you’ll find both while foraging as they do often grow together in the same area. The plantains with broad leaves are called Plantago major while the other narrow-leaved plantains are called P. lanceolata. Both have similar properties for medicinal and herbal usage, however many herbalists prefer the broadleaf plantain for its larger and softer, edible leaves.

Plantains have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-microbial properties. Because of this plantain is well suited to soothe insect bites and superficial wounds in addition to promoting healing. It also contains allantoin which is used to help with skin regeneration making it an excellent component in formulations created to help reduce the appearance of scars.

When foraging for plantain leaves, you should choose an area where you know the plants have not been treated with chemicals. Choose unblemished slightly mature plantain leaves over new leaves as these will contain a higher concentration of potent phytochemicals that are beneficial for skin care applications. (Learn more about plantain here.)

To make my vegan solid lotion bar recipe you will first need to infuse foraged and dried plantain leaves in olive oil. You can learn how to make an herbal oil infusion here.

If plantain is not readily available in your area or you are unsure if the plantain in your area has been chemically treated, you can purchase broad-leaf plantain at Mountain Rose Herbs for your infusions. Alternately, Mountain Rose Herbs also sells pre-made Plantain Herbal Oil. This small-batch Plantain Oil is solar infused in a window on site using certified organic Plantago major leaves, organic olive oil, and a touch of vitamin E oil.

Once your plantain infused oil is made, you are ready to create my soothing lavender & oat vegan solid lotion bar recipe.

Lavender & Oat Vegan Solid Lotion Bar Recipe

Ingredients:

1 oz. candelilla wax
2 oz. oat butter
2 oz. plantain infused olive oil
.05 oz. lavender essential oil

Instructions:

Using a digital scale weigh out the candelilla wax and oat butter and combine in a double boiler. Heat until melted then remove from heat.

Next, weigh out the plantain infused olive oil and stir into the melted wax and butter. Follow with the lavender essential oil, weighing it first for the correct amount needed. Mix well.

Evenly pour the melted lotion mixture into the mold of your choice. As I am not vegan, I used single serve ice cream containers for molds. However, this basic guest round silicone mold also works for similarly sized solid lotion bars.

Allow the lotion bars to fully harden, then gently remove from the molds.

My vegan solid lotion bar recipe yields 3-4 small lotion bars depending on the size of the mold you choose to use.

Notes on Substitutions:

If you do not wish to use oat butter, you can easily substitute another hydrogenated butter for the oat butter. (Learn about oat butter here.) Alternately, you can also substitute the oat butter with refined shea butter which will make a slightly harder lotion bar.

If you prefer to use a fragrance oil for your solid lotion bar, you can substitute the lavender essential oil with .1 oz. fragrance oil of your choice.

For colder climates or for use during winter, you can increase the plantain infused olive oil to 2.25 oz. to make your vegan solid lotion bars slightly softer. This will allow them to melt faster when applied to skin.

Once you’ve made your vegan solid lotion bars, you will need to package them to protect them from dirt, dust and other elements. I wrapped mine tightly in foodservice film then decorated them with washi tape and stickers I purchased at Target. You can then place them into 2 oz. metal tins to store them in after they’ve been opened for use.

To use, simply massage the lotion bar onto dry skin and massage in. Alternately, you can also use this lotion bar in the shower after bathing to help lock in extra moisture. Then rinse and pat dry.

Want to sell this product?

If you want to create products from my vegan solid lotion bar recipe to sell, you’ll need to follow FDA guidelines for labeling your product. If you’re unsure about the rules and regulations regarding labeling cosmetics, I highly recommend the book, Soap and Cosmetic Labeling: How to Follow the Rules and Regs Explained in Plain English, by Marie Gale.

If you like my lavender & oat vegan solid lotion bar recipe then you may also like some of my other vegan friendly moisturizer DIY’s including my Jackfruit & Kiwi moisturizing sugar scrub recipe, my summer blueberry sugar scrub recipe, my natural rose body balm recipe with tea seed oil, and my rose body butter recipe.

To discover more natural skin care recipes like this one, be sure to follow my DIY Bath and Body board on Pinterest. You can also find and follow me on G+, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Blog Lovin’, and Instagram. Or sign up to receive new posts from Soap Deli News blog to your email via FeedBurner so you never miss a post.

Also, don’t forget. If you make homemade soaps or bath & body products I will be featuring your creations on Soap Deli News blog on my weekend wrap up posts! Simply add the hashtag #soapdelishowoff to your instagram posts for a chance to have your handmade products featured!

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes Tagged With: after sun, body lotion, crafts, diy, easy, herbal oil infusion, lavender, moisturizer, moisturizing, natural, oat butter, skin care, solid lotion bar, solid lotion recipe, sunburn, vegan