Know what means the most to me when I make my own homemade lotion bars? I know exactly where the ingredients come from. The most wonderful part is I get to combine the breathtaking aromas of natural herbs and flowers into my homemade lotion bars. I can get creative and come up with all the different scents that smell magical and soothe the skin.
If you’ve never made your own lotion bar, let me be your guide! Following this recipe, the you will have a wonderful lotion bar that you can treat yourself with, or give to a friend or loved one any time of the year! This specific recipe uses some beautiful flowers that pop up during spring, but if you want a more winter themed recipe, check out my Homemade Winter Forest Lotion Bars.
Beautiful Flower Lotion Bars
Wildflower season in Southern California is in full swing! This time of year is hands down my favorite time of year here on the west coast. The flowers are popping up everywhere. You can find Calendula, Lavender, Roses, Poppies and all sorts of beauty everywhere you go. I always daydream of going to lay safely in a bed of flowers, yet I don’t because I don’t want to disrupt their beauty.
Ever since I made my Winter Forest Lotion Bars, I’ve been dreaming of making a version inspired by all of the magical flowers. Since I can’t quite go lay in a bed of flowers without disturbing the blooms, the next best thing is to make a lotion bar infused with their scent that magically transports me to this daydream. Every piece of this recipe’s aroma is extracted naturally so you get the full benefit of the flowers.
How To Make the Flower Infused Oil Base
The base of this lotion bar recipe is olive oil. You can either use plain olive oil, or you can step of the magic and make your own flower-infused olive oil! I prefer the flower-infused oil because it adds a few nutritional benefits for your skin and a magical subtle scent.
For this recipe, I created a calendula-infused oil. However, you can get really creative and use any skin-safe flower to infuse. I’ve made oils with calendula, rose, and lavender and they smell absolutely amazing! I believe in using what you have on hand, therefore there is a lot of options.
It’s super simple to make your own flower-infused oil. For our example, I’ll walk you through the steps to make a Calendula-infused oil. If you feel called to use another flower, just sub out the Calendula for your own flowers. All you have to do is put dried or fresh Calendula flowers into a jar. Then pour the olive oil over the blooms. Make sure they are fully covered and submerged. Then let the Calendula Flowers infuse for at least 4-6 weeks in a dark place. You can let them infuse longer, but make sure it’s at least more than 4 weeks. Your apothecary or pantry works perfectly for a safe place to steep the oil! Once your infusion is ready, you need to strain out the flowers from the oil. I use a strainer or a cheesecloth for this.
If you are really motivated to make lotion bars and in a pinch for time, I’ve gotten by skipping the infusion and adding only the drops of essential oils to get the desired aroma. I consider this a substitute since I think infusing the whole flower is magical. However, it works too.
For more tips and tricks check out my instructions on how to make a Flower-Infused Body Olive Oil. The secret to consistently making your own homemade lotion bars or skincare products is to always have a flower infused oil steeping in your apothecary. That way when the inspiration strikes, you are ready to go!
Creating Your Homemade Lotion Bar
Once you have your flower-infused oil steeped and ready for use, it’s time to make your homemade lotion bar! Luckily the lotion bars are so easy to make and you can be really creative. Just let your mind wander and your creativity flow!
The first step is to melt the beeswax into your infused flower oil. This develops the base of your lotion bar. The next step is to turn off the heat and add in the shea butter, mango butter, and essential oils. You don’t want to burn the butter so I always turn off the heat once the beeswax is melted. The oil and beeswax will hold it’s temperature enough that the butters will melt and disperse evenly. If it is taking a while to melt, just turn your stove all the way on low, and mix often.
After the infused oil, shea butter, mango butter, and essential oils have mixed with the beeswax, pour the blend into silicone molds. This is another place where you can get creative, I love to add dried flowers to the molds! The final form will hold the shape of the mold and you will get beautiful designs! Make sure the mold is silicone. This is important so you can easily pop out the final lotion bar.
Let the lotion bars fully cooled and cure before using. In my experience, they cooled and cured in around 20-30 minutes. After that, you can pop them out and put them into these push-top tins (I used 4 oz tins) layered with parchment paper. I recommend small metal containers or wide jars. Make sure you store them in a cool and dry place away from any sunlight.
You are now at the most divine part, reaping the rewards to enjoy your lotion bars!
Benefits for Your Skin
There are so many benefits to using these lotion bars! The natural olive oil and beeswax moisten and softens the skin, leaving your skin feeling so soft and nourished! Not only does the aromatherapy from the flowers ground and bring a sense of peace, but the flowers and essential oils also offer benefits as well. In this recipe, I used Patchouli, Geranium, Ylang Ylang, and Lavender essential oils. When applied to the skin, these essential oils help in the following ways:
- Nourish the skin with nutrients
- Energetically grounding
- Lymphatic System Supporting
- Good for wounds
- Hydrating for all skin types
How to Use Lotion Bars
So we’ve made some beautiful lotion bars and discussed their wonderful benefits. So, how do you use them? Well, they are really easy to use. You just need to take the lotion bar and warm it slightly with the warmth of your hand. After it has warmed up slightly, gently massage the bar into your skin. You will start to feel the lotion bar soften as it rubs into your skin. Once it’s soft, you can use the lotion bar as you would with any other lotion. Gently massage over your body and feel the moistening effects. Let yourself get transported to that field of wildflowers while using the lotion bar!
A few personal tips when using a lotion bar. I’d recommend using the lotion bars right when you get out of the shower, when your skin is ready to absorb their benefits. You are also slightly warmer allowing the lotion bar to work more naturally into your skin. This works after your morning or evening shower. I’d also recommend incorporating the use of a lotion bar into your self-care and self-love ritual. The use of a lotion bar is so so relaxing and grounding that incorporating it into your ritual will only enhance it.
Frequently asked questions regarding lotion bars
Is this lotion bar recipe safe for babies? Leave out all of the essential oils and yes the lotion bars are perfectly safe to use on babies.
I am sensitive to smell, can I make this lotion bar recipe without the essential oils? Absolutely! modify and customize the recipe in any way that feels good to you!
I don’t have 4-6 weeks to infuse the Calendula-Infused Oil, how can I speed up the process in any way? Yes! the first option is to skip the Calendula-Infused Oil, and just replace it with olive oil! The second option is to make the Calendula-Infused Oil on the stove with a double boiler! See our Flower-Infused Olive Oil blog post for more instructions.
What size push top tin did you use for storage? I used a 4 oz push top tin, from the Mountain Rose Herbs website, I love how affordable the tins are and you can buy the storage tins in bulk!
Where can I find the flower silicone molds that you used?
You can find the Flower Silicone Molds for sale on Etsy here!
I’d love to hear how you use your lotion bars and see the result of what you make! If you make this recipe, please tag me on Instagram (@mytinylagunakitchen). I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Flower Lotion Bars
Making homemade flower lotion bars is a magical experience! Let me be your guide and you will create a magical gift to give or use yourself any time of year. Your skin will thank you!
Ingredients
Calendula-Infused Oil Ingredients
Lotion Bar Recipe
Instructions
- Make your Calendula Infused Olive Oil the day of or 4-6 weeks before making the lotion bars.
- If needed here are the full instructions on how to make a Calendula Infused Olive Oil.
- Once you have your Calendula or any flower-infused oil.
- Place the finished oil and the beeswax into a double boiler, or a bowl over boiling water.
- Place the temperature on low to medium, until the beeswax starts to melt - this process with take around 5-10 minutes.
- Once the beeswax is melted and blended, turn down the heat to very low. Or if the mixture feels very hot, turn off heat altogether.
- Add shea butter, mango butter, and essential oils.
- Wait a few minutes for the butters to dissolve.
- Use an emulsifier blender or a fork to mix and blend the ingredients together.
- Pour the mixture into the silicone molds.
- Let the lotion bars cool and harden at room temperature.
- Gently pop out the lotion bars.
- Put the lotion bars in Push Top Tins.
- Store in a cool place.
Notes
- If you don't have Calendula Infused Oil, feel free to use olive oil, and just add essential oils. You will still get a great result!
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