There I was, for the fourth time in one month, standing in the lotion aisle of a store picking up lotion after lotion, studying the ingredients, and being shocked by the amount of toxicity in even the most “natural” of brands.
There is this database online called the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database – it tells you the level of toxicity in your beauty products; and most of them that you find at the store these days have a rather high toxicity level. Most lotions contain chemicals and drying agents rather than rich moisturizers like you would expect. The EWG’s site also has a great explanation of the common ingredients to avoid and why, which I highly recommend reading.
Since finding a good lotion these days can be tricky, I resorted to taking to my kitchen and making my own. Our skin is our largest organ, so I want to make sure I take care of it. I had heard of hard lotion bars and became curious – with a little digging and tinkering with my recipe, I finally have one that works perfectly for soothing the driest skin and moisturizing to get the softest skin!
Hard lotion bars are incredibly easy to make and you get to control the quality of the ingredients going into the bars. This equals healthy and happy skin!
What are Hard Lotion Bars?
Hard lotion bars are essentially the same as liquid lotion, except they are solid at room temperature. They are “activated” by the warmth of your skin, meaning once the lotion bar is applied to your skin, your natural body heat warms up the bar. This softens the bar which allows you to glide it on smoothly.
The ingredients I use are rich, softening, and moisturizing: coconut oil, olive oil, and shea butter. The beeswax I include helps harden the bars and locks in the goodness of the softening oils and butters.
These ingredients are great for sensitive skin as well, soothing rather than irritating. I have also noticed that my lotion bars last a lot longer than the pump containers I have used in the past.
Why Orange Essential Oil?
Sweet Orange Essential Oil is one of my favorites, it comes from the peel of a variety of special oranges and has a bright, energizing, and refreshing smell – which is why it has become a fast favorite of mine. Something about the smell of Sweet Orange Oil just brightens my day and clears my head.
Best of all, it makes these lotion bars smell so good! It’s the most natural citrus honey smell that is not overpowering…just refreshing and light.
Now, let’s make some bars!
Orange Honey Lotion Bars
Ingredients
1 1/2 Tablespoons of raw honey
2 ounces organic beeswax (like this)
2 ounces organic shea butter (like this)
2 ounces organic coconut oil
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
6 drops of organic orange essential oil (learn how to get my favorite essential oils at wholesale prices here.)
Directions:
1. In a double boiler, melt together the beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil until they become a smooth, uniform liquid.
2. Turn the heat off and add the olive oil, honey, and essential oil drops.
3. In a muffin tin lined with five cupcake liners (reusable silicone works great!), ladle the mixture evenly between the lined cupcake wells.
4. Allow to set (or harden) on the counter for 7 to 8 hours, or pop in the fridge to speed up the process.
(this recipe makes 5 bars)
NOTE: Some readers have had issues with the honey sinking to the bottom and not solidifying. Here’s a tip to help: Add the honey to melted ingredients and really mix until well-incorporated – this should prevent it from settling at the bottom. If you are finding that this is still causing you a problem, you can omit the honey or stick them into the fridge to harden faster than on the counter – which should also prevent settling.
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About Katie
Hi, my name is Katie! I am on a real food and unprocessed living journey. I am getting back to the basics preparing food the old-fashioned way and discovering new ideas for a healthy life. I am here to share my journey with you.
This veteran vegetarian of nine years now proudly eat lots of butter, takes cod liver oil, drinks kombucha, eats grass-fed meats, and all that is nourishing. This journey has opened me up to a new world filled with the wisdom of generations before me. I want to try these out-of-the-ordinary old-fashioned recipes and make them into my modern nourishment – making real food from real things in real time. I am also getting back to the basics with what we use in our everyday life, making our home as unprocessed as possible.
It is an ongoing adventure for us and I would love it if you would join me as we discover what unprocessed living is!
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