MAKING THE LOTION BARS
Now for the exciting part: making the lotion bars! You need:
- 1/2 cup dandelion oil
- 3 ounces of beeswax
- 4 ounces shea butter or cocoa butter (your choise)
- 15-30 drops of essential oil (see suggestions below)
Combine the beeswax and infused oil in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can easily make one by placing a smaller pot or bowl over a larger pot of simmering water. Once the beeswax and oil are completely melted and combined, stir in the shea butter or cocoa butter and heat until completely dissolved. Add 15-30 drops of your chosen essential oil and stir well to incorporate evenly.
Then pour the mixture into silicone molds of your choice. The silicone molds are great because they come in a variety of fun designs and make it easy to remove the lotion bars once they have hardened.
Let the bars cool and set, which should take a few hours. Once they are ready, carefully remove them from the molds and store them in tins or any other container you like. This recipe should yield about six 2-ounce lotion bars.
Essential oil suggestions:
Here are some suggestions for using essential oils, depending on the desired scent and perceived benefits:
- Lavender: Relaxing and calming, good for all skin types.
- Sweet Orange: Uplifting and invigorating, good for all skin types.
- Tea tree: Cleansing and purifying, good for oily or acne-prone skin. (Note: Tea tree oil can be irritating to some people, so do a patch test on a small area of your skin before using it liberally.)
- Peppermint: Invigorating and cooling, good for all skin types.
- Chamomile: Soothing and calming, good for dry or sensitive skin.
HOW TO USE YOUR DANDELION LOTION BARS
To use, simply glide the lotion bar over your skin where needed. They’re especially lovely when your skin is still warm from a bath or shower, which allows the bars to melt slightly and absorb into your skin, leaving it silky soft and hydrated. These bars are compact, travel-friendly, and hold up well in warm weather.
Embrace the joy of making these dandelion lotion bars, a beautiful way to connect with nature and care for your skin with the gifts it offers us. Enjoy the process and the product, knowing that you are caring for your skin with something you made yourself.