The basic proportions are:
Body Butters
- 20-50% soft oils
- 50-80% hard oils
- 25% wax
- 35% soft oils
- 40% hard oils
Moisturizing bars are similar to body butters because they can have equal ratios of hard and soft oils, the only difference is the added wax to the bars. This allows them to remain in a solid bar form to be held. It tends to not be as messy and is for general moisturizing. Body butters need to be in jars with wide enough mouths to be scooped out. They are typically too thick to be put in lotion bottles or bottles with pumps. They are used for general and spot moisturizing.
Directions for Moisturizing Bars
Choose a recipe and decide how much finished product is needed. Because these products do not go through any chemical reactions, they are only being melted and mixed together, the measurements do not need to be exact; it does not matter whether or not they are measured by weight or volume.
- Take the percentage you are wanting to use and turn it into a decimal. A percentage is out of 100, so divide the percentage by 100 (or move the decimal two places to the left) to get the equivalent decimal. (50% = 0.50; 20% = 0.20; 75% = 0.75)
I use wax pellets because they are easier to measure. Measure out the waxes and oils. Choose the best melting method for your needs (for the most part, they are arranged from fastest method to slowest method but this can vary).
- Melt in the microwave in a microwave-safe jar, cup, bowl, or other container.
- Melt over low heat on a stove.
- Melt in a double boiler.
- Melt in a slow cooker.
- Note: Shea butter likes to get grainy if heated up too high so a slower method is advised.
Once everything is completely melted and combined, remove from heat and add any remaining ingredients (i.e. vitamin e, essential oils, clay, charcoal, etc.). Mix everything together very well and pour into final containers or molds. Let cool completely before using. The cooling process can be sped up by placing it in the refrigerator.
I am going to make a basic moisturizing bar with grapeseed oil, shea butter, and beeswax.
I measured the volume of my molds with water. They each hold about 1 tablespoon and I want to make 6 bars so the total volume I am going to use for the recipe is 6 tablespoons. I am going to do 33% wax, 33% soft oils, and 33% hard oils (or equal parts of each ingredient - 6 tablespoons/3ingredients = 2 tablespoons of each ingredient). I measured out 2 tablespoons of each ingredient and put them in my heating container.
I slowly heated them in a double boiler (a canning jar in a pot of water; stove on low, slowly increasing as needed), constantly stirring, until they were all completely melted together. This took a while because I did not want to overheat the shea butter. Shortly after hitting 145 degrees (pictured on the far right below), I turned off the heat because the beeswax was starting to melt; I stirred it until everything was completely melted.
I carefully poured it into my molds and left them alone to cool and harden. I set them aside for a few hours before unmolding. To cool it down faster, you can put it in the refrigerator.
This basic recipe can easily be altered to suit your needs.
They can also be poured into screw-up containers and used as a lip balm or moisturizing stick.
- Note: Candelilla wax is harder than beeswax, so smaller amounts are used to produce the same consistency. It is suggested that you only need to use half the amount of Candelilla wax compared to beeswax. Just decrease the percentage wax used and increase the soft or hard oils; other portions should not have to be changed.
Basic Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Calamine Moisturizing Bar (not tested, concept recipe)
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Calendula Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils infused with calendula flowers
- 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Coffee Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils infused with coffee bean grounds
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Comfrey Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils infused with comfrey leaves
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Chamomile Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils infused with chamomile flowers
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Charcoal and Clay Moisturizing Bar (not tested, concept recipe)
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- charcoal powder
- clay (bentonite, kanolin, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Dandelion Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils infused with dandelion flowers
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Eczema Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils (recommended: jojoba or almond) infused with chamomile and calendula flowers
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- colloidal oats
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Neem Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 20-30% or 18-28% soft oils
- 5-15% neem oil
- soft oils and neem oil together should total 35% or 33%
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Plantain Leaf ("Medicine Leaf") Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils infused with plantain leaf
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Pine Tar Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 15-30% or 13-28 soft oils
- 5-20% pine tar
- soft oils and pine tar together should total 35% or 33%
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Stretch Mark Moisturizing Bar
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
Witch Hazel Moisturizing Bar (not tested, concept recipe)
- 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
- 35% or 33% soft oils infused with witch hazel leaves and bark
- 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
- optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
If you have any other ideas for moisturizing bars, please let me know.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
