Last-Minute DIY Holiday Gift: Handmade Hard Lotion Bars

DIY Holiday Gift

If you are looking for a fun, last-minute holiday gift that you can make (and enjoy yourself), I highly recommend making hard lotion bars. I recently tried these with my mom and we both had a lot of fun not only making them, but using them!

If you aren’t familiar with hard lotion bars, they are a solid (in whatever shape you choose), but as you hold them, the lotion slightly melts, leaving your hands smooth. This is such a relief in the dry desert winter months. I’ve been using a hard lotion bar each day and noticed that my hands aren’t cracking as often as past winters.

After trying several bars myself, I realized these would make such fun and useful gifts this holiday. Here’s how I made my hard lotion bars:

Ingredients:

Coconut Oil
Shea Butter
Bees Wax  (I recommend the pellets because they are easier to melt)
Optional Fragrance (lavender, peppermint, etc)

What you’ll need:

Double-boiler (or improvise like I did with a pot inside of another).
Silicon Molds – you can find these at Target, Michaels or other craft stores

Directions:

• Melt equal parts of the coconut oil, shea butter and bees wax in a double boiler.

• Once everything is completely melted, add your optional fragrance (I used peppermint oil to be festive with the holiday season) and pour the hot liquid into your molds.
• The bars will start to form immediately, but you’ll want to let them set for about an hour.
• Wrap them in small holiday tins, baskets, or boxes to give as gifts! (Check out some of our ideas in the picture above)

Tip: If you mess up, you can just re-melt the bars and start the process again to get the perfect size and shape. You can also experiment with different butters, fragrances, sizes, and shapes to create a unique gift each time you make them.

The best part about making your own bars is that you know exactly what is in them, plus you can make exactly the shape and size bar you want, as well as keep the lotion free from harsh chemicals or fragrances (these are great to use on kids, too!).

I’m sure you’ll enjoy making the bars – and your friends/family will enjoy trying them out! Let me know if you do try these – or if you have made them before and have tips for me. I’d love to hear your suggestions!

Inspired by Made On.