When people find out I make soap they always ask me about making lotion bars. Soap and lotion bars are completely different animals but I guess most people don't know that. After I gift them a bar they always ask me why it doesn't lather. Hmmmm...
A true lotion bar is just melted beeswax and hard butters. Think Chapstick for the hands and feet. There are tons of good recipes and tutorials online. I like
this one.
I put the materials into a designated melting jar because you will NEVER clean that thing out after you use it. I also use a wooden stick for stirring for the same reason. I don't use the microwave for melting because the beeswax takes forever. I simmer the canning jar of butters and wax in water until it's a pourable clear liquid.
Essential oils give them their scent-never fragrance oils since it is not meant to be rinsed off.
They harden really quickly and are ready to use as soon as you pop them out of the mold.
You only need a tiny mold because a little bar goes a long way.
To use one, you just rub your finger over it and then apply it to whatever dry spot you want. I give my hands a rub down every time I wash my hands. My nails are thanking me for it.
I store mine in paper baking liners that I cut to fit and tuck it all into a 2 ounce screw top tin I buy by the case from Amazon.
Now that I've gone on and on about them, I want to give one of the pink grapefruit lotion bars away along with two of my orphan Valentine's Day soaps. I've got a lovely creamy goat's milk bar that smells like sweet raspberries in pink moscato as well as a slick honey based glycerin bar that smells like white jasmine and cherry blossoms. All products have been tested on sensitive skin (mine) and by The Mister. He likes the girly scents even more than I do.
To sweeten the pot, how about two skeins of Knit Picks Imagination in the Damsel colorway to go along with the soaps? This is a fuzzy alpaca blend that I am sad to say is discontinued. I knit many a baby garment out of Imagination. To enter just leave me a comment and I'll randomly pick a winner on Wednesday the 17th. I post international so those of you across the pond are also welcome.
Feeling lucky?
We certainly were yesterday when our teams placed first (dancing caterpillar team) and third (gingerbread team) in a day of fierce competition among some of the best teams I have ever seen. Of course I don't have any photos as the day was a complete blur-a frozen blur. Brrrr...that ice rink was cold. I still haven't thawed out.
What are
you doing to stay warm?
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I love reading about your soap making adventures and would LOVE a chance of winning your lovely goodies. Well done in the skating competitions!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely giveaway, count me in. And well done on the medals - much deserved after all the hardwork I'm sure :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a generous person you are! I've never tried lotion bars before. With the extremely low humidity here in AZ, it would be quite beneficial . Love the yarn color.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading your blog every morning and love hearing about your soap making, knitting and other crafty endeavors. I'd love, love, love to win one of your lotion bars and some yummy soap too. My husband will tell you I don't need a bit more yarn (but we just won't tell him if I do win). Thanks so much for giving us the chance.
ReplyDeleteSoaps are still on my to do list. One day....
ReplyDeleteBut lotion bars sound so tempting. I wonder how you find time to do so many beautiful things.
What a wonderful give-away! Thanks for the opportunity. That yarn looks as yummy as your soaps and lotion bars sound.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post and a lovely offer for a giveaway! I love the way you always share your recipes and patterns! Thank you.
ReplyDeletePink grapefruit lotion bars look delicious, and the yarn is lovely too!
ReplyDeleteSoxieknitter
Thank you for sharing how you store the lotion bars. I've been preparing to make my own. I have read many tutorials, but none telling how to store them! :-D So thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteMartha
Congratulations on the skating competition. You are very generous to share with us.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me what size the silicone mold is? Are the circles the same as a mini muffin tin or are they like a regular muffin size? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe manufacturer states they are 2x2x.07 inches. I bought the mold from Amazon. It's a moon cake mold. It's really pretty. Here is the link:
Deletehttp://www.amazon.com/X-Haibei-6-cavity-Mooncake-Chocolate-Silicone/dp/B00LCNYEAG/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1455553258&sr=1-9&keywords=moon+cake+mold
Congratulations on the wins!! How did your foot hold up? I love the whole lotion bar idea. They would prolly be good for that wicked burn on your foot too. Great give away.....count me in too. :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely giveaway! The yarn is so fuzzy looking! would make great fingerless. Your soaps and lotions are amazing! Any winner would be pleased as punch
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your win! I read your blog everyday but this is my first time commenting. I would love to win your products after reading how you make them!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the skating wins! Thanks for the opportunity to win your soap/lotion products & the yarn. I may have to try making lotion bars. My fingertips & nails would probably get thru winter in better shape!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great explantion about lotion bars. I always wondered. Good job on the wins! I'll bet the judges were wowed by the costumes along with the skating! It's not cold here, just really, really, really wet.
ReplyDeleteYour lotion bars SOUND WONDERFUL!
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a good competition. Congratulations!!!!
It's back to being almost warm here, but my poor nose is suffering from many nights of the heater being on. My saline spray is right by my side trying to undo all that dry air damage.
I'd love to win the lotion bar. I love the way they sweetly scent whatever you happen to be knitting at the time.
ReplyDeleteHerbanknitter on Ravelry
From Ravelry:
ReplyDeleteI try to comment on your blog but my iPad always refuses. Wanted to tell you I read every day. And I’ve never had a lotion bar. In fact I don’t think I’ve seen it in Canada. Anyways love your blog.
Cheers
I won't enter, because I already have so many great soaps from you. But the lotion bars are really cool!
ReplyDeleteWow. I really enjoyed learning the difference between the lotion and lather bars and of course the basic understanding of how you do it. I think the parallel of chapstick for Hands and Feet is an excellent one. I found myself doing that old man, "oh yes!" head nod when I read that, ha! Keep up the soap adventures we love them. Also, very clever with the paper cutting storage in a tin. Brilliant.
ReplyDelete