Easy 3-Ingredient Beeswax Lotion Bar Recipe (Non Greasy)
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Most homemade lotion recipes involve quite a few ingredients, blenders, and more mess than I’d prefer to clean up. These lotion bars are the opposite of that. All you need for these hard lotion bars is three ingredients – plus a pot and molds. That’s it!
You can even use muffin tins if you don’t have other molds, since the bars use all-natural ingredients. We have troubleshooting tips, packaging ideas, printable labels, and substitutions to help you customize your bars.
Table of Contents
What is a Lotion Bar?
A lotion bar is simply lotion in solid form. At room temperature, it stays firm. When you hold it in your hands or rub it on your skin, your body heat softens it just enough to glide on smoothly.
They coat and protect the skin, and are especially helpful for:
- Hands
- Heels
- Elbows
- Dry patches
The basic formula includes:
- Wax (beeswax) – gives structure and creates a protective barrier
- Butter (cocoa butter or shea butter) – deeply nourishing
- Oil (coconut oil or olive oil) – helps soften and spread easily
Together, they create a barrier that helps reduce moisture loss without feeling overly heavy.
You can also add vitamin E for longer shelf life and essential oils if you’d like a light scent or added skin support. If you enjoy working with herbs, you can infuse herbs into oil and then make the lotion bar with the infused oil.
How to Use a Lotion Bar
Using a lotion bar is simple. Hold the bar in your hands for a few seconds to warm it slightly. If your hands are cold, you may need to rub it a bit to get it started.
Then:
- Rub the bar directly on dry areas, or
- Rub it on your hands first, then apply where needed
It works especially well right after washing your hands or getting out of the shower.
Do homemade lotion bars really work?
These lotion bars have been wonderful for my winter dry skin.
I used to coat my hands at night with petroleum jelly because it was the only thing that helped. Regular lotions didn’t seem to make much difference. Plus, many of them have fragrances or ingredients I’d rather avoid.
Since I do a lot of dishes and wash my hands frequently, dry skin used to be a constant issue. These bars have been a simple fix. My only regret is that I didn’t try them sooner. The scent is light and pleasant (especially with cocoa butter), and they absorb fairly quickly.
How to Make Lotion Bars at Home – Step by Step
It helps to start with small chunks or shavings so everything melts more quickly.
Place butter, oil and wax in a heavy bottom pot or double boiler. You may also use an Instant Pot on the “keep warm” setting. Gently heat until everything is fully melted.
Remove from heat. Add optional ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vitamin E per 12 ounces
- ~10 drops essential oils per 12 ounces
Pour the liquid into molds and let cool completely (several hours) until firm. If you have lip balm tubes, pour the tubes half full and allow the hard lotion to set up slightly, and then finish filling the tubes. I like to set my molds on a baking sheet to keep them level and easy to move around.
12 ounces of product fills one of the pink rectangular bar molds, making six bars. In the photo below I also filled small containers with lids to use as lip balms.
After several hours, the lotion will be firm and hard and should release easily from the mold.
Using Essential Oils (Optional)
Adding essential oils is optional. I skip them because we are sensitive to them. Start small—about 10 drops per 12 ounces.
Some potential combinations:
- Orange + cocoa butter (smells like chocolate orange)
- Peppermint + cocoa butter
- Lavender + shea butter
Keep in mind that cocoa butter already has a natural scent, so choose oils that pair well with it.
Non Greasy Lotion Bars – Troubleshooting Tips
Sometimes lotion bars have a greasy or slippery feel, especially in warm weather. Other times the bars may feel a little tacky or sticky.
- If your bars come out too slippery:
- Remelt and add more beeswax and/or cocoa butter.
- If they are too sticky/tacky:
- Remelt and add more oil.
Warm weather will naturally soften the bars, while cooler temperatures make them firmer. Don’t be afraid to remelt and adjust—this recipe is very forgiving.
You may also want to experiment with different combinations of oils and butters to see if you like those better. (See the Substituting Ingredients section below.)
What kind of beeswax do you use for lotion bars?
I prefer using unrefined beeswax for lotion bars. It has a light honey scent and a natural yellow color. We buy ours in bulk from a local apiary, and then chop off bits as needed for projects.
You can also use:
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- Beeswax pellets (easier to measure and melt)
- Refined beeswax (white, with less scent)
If you need a beeswax-free option, substitutes include:
- Candelilla wax
- Carnauba wax
- Soy wax
Candelilla and carnauba amounts = roughly half or less than amount of beeswax. Substitute soy wax in equal amounts. Soy wax is hydrogenated, so it’s not my first choice for skin care.
Lotion Bar Molds
I prefer the basic oval bars or rectangular bars, but the boys liked other shapes when they were little. Any heat tolerant mold will work.
You can also use ice cube trays, muffin tins or candy molds. Stick to the basic recipe if you’re using molds that you plan to reuse for food. (Essential oils can leave a lingering scent and/or flavor in the molds.)
Another option is to pour the “bars” into a salve tin with a lid. You can also use a rectangular soap mold to create a bar that will fit into a rectangular tin.
I prefer to pour the bars separately and store them in the tin. It’s easier to apply the hard lotion if you can hold the bar in your hand.
If you use the rectangular bar mold, fill the cavities to about 1/8 inch below the top edge. That way they will fit in the rectangular tin and the lid will close snugly. The molds and tins are in the table below.
My friend, Casey, made up some simple printable labels that fit on the rectangular tins. (See more practical gift ideas here.)
Substituting Ingredients in Your Lotion Bars
One of the nice things about this recipe is how flexible it is. You can combine different butters and oils with good results.
Butters
- Cocoa butter
- Shea butter
- Mango butter (softer bar)
I find shea butter bars to be slightly tackier and slower to absorb. Cocoa butter gives a firmer bar and a scent I prefer.
Oils
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Jojoba oil
- Fractionated coconut oil
I typically use coconut oil or olive oil, depending on what I have on hand.
Other Options
High-quality tallow or lard can also work well for skin care, though you may want to pair them with essential oils for scent.
See The Shelf Life of Oils for a listing of oil longevity. Note that many cooking oils labeled as “olive oil” are vegetable oil blends with olive oil. For best results, use real olive oil.
Packaging Your Lotion Bars
If you make several bars and don’t use them right away, keep the extra bars in a sealed container or bag. This will help preserve the lovely chocolate smell or any essential oils you choose to add.
As mentioned above, the bar molds fit neatly into the tins, which is great for gift giving or everyday use. To keep hard lotion in your purse during warm weather, a sealed container is best. Pour your lotion “bar” into a container with a screw top or other tight fitting lid. Apply it like a beauty cream.
For applying the hard lotion bar to heels or large areas of the body, use a deodorant style container. It makes the bars easier to hold.
It’s handy to make multiple smaller bars so each family member has their own. I learned this from experience when I first starting making hard lotion.
My younger son loved the cocoa smell so much he rubbed it all over himself after he got out of the shower. He even rubbed it in his armpits. I had been using the same bar as a lip balm, too…oops…
The next time I made a batch, I poured some into smaller containers to use as lip balm, and made my son his own special bar.
PrintLotion Bar Recipe (Non Greasy, with Beeswax)
With only three ingredients and one pot, this is the easiest way to make hard lotion bars and could not be more simple to clean as well. They repair your dry skin, smell great without being over powering, and are not greasy.
Ingredients
Use 1 part each, by weight.
- Cocoa Butter or Shea Butter
- Oil, such as Coconut Oil or Olive Oil
- Beeswax
For instance, 2 ounces of each ingredient. If using liquid oil, you can measure by volume. For instance, 2 ounces of olive oil to 2 ounces by weight each of cocoa butter and beeswax.
If you don’t have a scale, you can use a measuring cup to measure by volume. For instance, as one cup cocoa butter, one cup coconut oil and one cup beeswax. This will make a softer bar. For a firmer bar, use one cup butter, a half cup oil and a cup of wax (or similar proportions).
Instructions
- Place butter, oil and wax in a heavy bottom pot or double boiler. You may also use an Instant Pot on the “keep warm” setting. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can make one by placing a glass bowl or wide mouth Mason jar in a small saucepan of water.
- Heat gently, stirring regularly, until ingredients are melted.
- Pour into molds.
- Allow to cool completely before removing from molds. You can chill the bars in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to speed up the process. The finished bars do not require refrigeration.
Notes
Options: Add 1 teaspoon vitamin E per 12 ounces of bar for increased shelf life. Add essential oils of choice after lotion bar mix is removed from heat, before pouring into molds. Start with around 10 drops per 12 ounces of bar.
Remember, with essential oils, a small amount goes a long way. If you’re using cocoa butter, keep in mind how the EO you choose will pair with the scent of chocolate. Mint and orange essential oils are popular pairings with cocoa butter.
You may also make your bars with herb infused oils, such as plantain oil, which is great for skin issues, or dandelion oil, which is wonderful for muscle aches.
Buy Lotion Bars Online
If you’d like to purchase the bars ready made, you can visit the MadeOn Hard Lotion Store here. MadeOn Skin Care products is a family owned small business that creates non-toxic skin and hair care products for all ages.
You can find these ingredients (and containers and molds) at amazon.com (linked within the post), soaperschoice.com, and many other sites around the web.
Keep in mind that two ounces of each ingredient made three bars, so a bulk purchase would make a LOT of bars.
I hope you enjoy this great recipe as much as we do. This one’s a keeper in our house! Please pass the post along if you find it helpful, and leave a comment if you have any questions or ideas.
More Natural Products and Tips
You don’t need chemicals to smell clean. Try these articles instead.
- Easy Homemade Deodorant & The Best Natural Deodorants
- Make Your Own Perfume with Essential Oils
- 6 Ways to Get the Musty Smell Out of Clothes and Towels
This article is written by Laurie Neverman. Laurie is a lifelong learner with a passion for natural remedies and holistic healing. She’s successfully improved her eyesight, cleared her psoriasis, and gotten off of prescription medication.
Originally posted in 2012, last updated in 2026.
I made the bar with coconut oil from the jar (hard) and bees wax it wont get hard . I melted it and added more bees wax, they are still soft. I have cut the bees wax up in small pieces. I I put them in measuring cups 1/2 cup for each . Is that wrong?
Measuring by weight may work a little better, but by volume should be close. Did you include shea butter or cocoa butter? I noticed you only mentioned the coconut oil and beeswax. The butters help the bars to set up.
I am going to try it with some shea butter now. The shea butter is soft in the package though. I can always melt and start over.
Thank you.
At higher room temps, the shea butter does get softer more quickly than the cocoa butter.
Your son is right on using the lotion bar for his pits. Coconut oil is a great odor deterrent! I use it myself and haven’t use deodorant since I started. But then…I don’t work and barely ever work up a sweat so not sure how well it would work on an active child/adult. When I was working, I worked in nursing and would work up quite a sweat running up and down hallways all day long. Not sure how well it would work in those conditions.
I have a homemade deodorant recipe that uses coconut oil (https://commonsensehome.com/easy-non-toxic-homemade-deodorant-recipe/), so I agree, I just didn’t want him using the same bar on his armpits that I was using on my lips! Ewwww!
Hi,
I really want to try out these home made lotion bars and stuff. But unfortunately some of the ingredients are hard to find where I live.
Such as – Shea butter, mango butter, cocoa butter, avacado oil and such.
I though of sesame oil as a substitute for these ingredients?
Any substitute for beeswax will also be great.
Please help!!!
You could try substituting ingredients, but then it wouldn’t be the same recipe. The only substitutes I can think of for beeswax would be something like soy wax (and I’m not a big fan of soy) and carnuba wax (which is more expensive). I can’t easily find shea butter or cocoa butter around here, either, which is why I order mine online. I did order beeswax online before I found a local source, too, and I usually order my coconut oil online in bulk. I have links in the post to the products I use and recommend where it says “Buy Cocoa Butter”, etc.
I made bars last night. ..1pt beeswax, 2pt coconut oil. ..they’re too hard to use. They were in the fridge overnight…could that be the reason? Should I remelt and add a liquid oil like grapeseed (as opposed to the semi solid coconut oil)? If so, how much?
First off, the bars do not need to be refrigerated at all. They will harden at room temp. Coconut oil becomes rock solid in the fridge, so there’s part of your problem right there.
Second, the ingredient options are listed the way they are because that’s how the bars should be made. Each portion serves a purpose. The cocoa butter or shea butter provide an oil that’s firm at room temp; the coconut oil and olive oil are both liquid at warm room temp (75-76F); the beeswax is solid at room temp and acts to seal moisture in the skin. Grapeseed goes rancid fairly quickly, so I wouldn’t use it in these bars. I’d highly recommend some cocoa butter or shea butter and no time in the fridge. Melt and make a double recipe (since you doubled the coconut oil), adding more beeswax and the cocoa or shea butter.
Hey, nothing wrong with a double batch, right? Thank you for the info…I’ll do that tonight
I was looking for a way to store the lotion bars when I travel. but this should do the trick
Pouring them right into a container is the simplest option, but I do like being able to take the rectangular bars in and out of the tin.
I use a crock pot for melting and mixing. They are fairly cheap ( bought mine a year ago for 19.00 at walmart. No need to use a double boiler or a ton of pans. I just need to get rid of the tackyness.
I make mine in one of my heavy bottomed stainless steel sauce pots, since everything is food grade anyway. 🙂
hi, i love the bars ! Thank you for posting the recipe
I was wondering if palm oil would be considered an oil or a butter since it is solid at room temp. I just happen to have a ton of it and wanted to incorporate in into this recipe but not sure what to substitute out.
I’d substitute it for the coconut oil/olive oil in the recipe.
can you tell me how to get them harder, after molding? If kept in refrigerator, its fine, but I want to keep some out, thanks, Sandi
If you want harder bars, you can remelt and add a higher proportion of beeswax. I don’t store or mold mine in the refrigerator.
It should be noted that in very warm areas, the bars will stay softer at room temp. If you live in a warmer area, I highly recommend pouring the mixture into a container and scooping it out for use – like applying a salve.
OK- one comment & one question…
The recipe says equal portions by weight. But, the author used two portions by weight & one by volume. I hope I didn’t screw up too badly because I missed the ‘by weight’ comment & did all of my measurements by volume.
Now, my question…shouldn’t cocoa butter have a smell?
I bought all of my ingredients at Sacramento Beekeeping Supplies and they have good reviews.
Fresh cocoa butter smells like chocolate, at least mine always has.
As long as the proportions are roughly correct you should be fine. If you really don’t like the consistency, remelt and add a little more of whatever you need to adjust it. If I’m using an oil that’s solid at room temp like coconut, I use weight, but olive oil is easier to measure by volume. The proportions should end up pretty close either way.
Thanks for the recipe. The ingredients are good. I want to point out that that you said many lotions have ‘questionable ingredients”, but you were slathering on vaseline petroleum jelly, which is pure garbage itself. Just do a little research. Glad you’re using this now.
Yes, I did a little research, which is why I stopped using petroleum jelly and looked up this recipe instead.
Thank you Laurie, the recipe looks fantastic I think I will add Vitamine E to the mix.
I love the altoids tin idea! Brilliant! And what a compact way to keep it in your purse (when it’s not summertime! LOL) 🙂 Thanks for posting!
Usually the high humidity in summer makes dry skin on the go less of an issue, thankfully. 🙂
Can I use coconut oil instead?
Yes, I regularly use coconut oil. It makes a firmer bar than the liquid oils.
Can I just regular olive oil that I use for cooking? Is there something special I should be using?
Thank you! I can’t wait to try these!
Yes, any good quality oil will do. I would personally prefer to use a brand that was completely olive based. Many grocery store “light olive oils” are actually olive oil blended with vegetable oils, typically soy, corn or canola, which are genetically modified more often than not. Using a liquid oil like olive or almond will yield a softer bar, using coconut oil will yield a firmer bar.
I got really excited when I found the lotion bar recipe and made them for Christmas gifts. I didn’t think about how to store them for daily use. I would love ideas. Thank you.
The shaped ones I just keep out wherever I’m using them. I did order the pink rectangular silicon molds, and they do fit inside the metal tins (altoids tins), so that is an option for future bar making. The ones I’m not actively using I keep in a ziplock bar.
Thank you, Laurie. That helps. I didn’t know if we could just leave them out for daily use, I was concerned that they would dry out.
You’re welcome. The cocoa aroma will fade, but otherwise they are very stable.
just made, had beeswax but was so hard to measure, I did by weight but liquid thinks weighs less, so not sure how these are going to come out. I used shea butter, beeswax and almond oil, someone told me oil clogs your pores. so im worried that I used too much or too little. very hard to cut 1 pound block of beeswax, any suggestions, waiting to cool to use my youngliving oils. Let me know if you have checked out our company and interested in purchasing them. thanks so much have a blessed day!
When carving beeswax off the block, I use a large butcher knife and shave curls off the corner until I get enough. Quality oils should not clog pores. I use coconut oil to clean my face every night, and apply it as a moisturizer. If anything, my face is less prone to breakouts since I switched to oil cleansing.
I have several friends who use Young Living oil and highly recommend them, and I am a doTERRA representative – just not an aggressive sales person. 🙂 I think Mountain Rose Herbs also sells good quality oils, and has no membership requirement to place an order, which is helpful for those just starting with EOs.
Hi! I really want to make these for my friends and need to get the ingredients. How much of each ingredient do I need to make 1 lotion bar?
It depends on the size of your mold. The round/oval molds I used each held about 3 ounces of product.
Awesome and easy recipe! I just went to an arts and crafts festival today and they were selling lotion bars with a variety of fragrance in them. I wanted to buy one but wasn’t sure if I want to spend that much money on one bar. Now I can make my own! Thank you for the quick and easy recipe! Happy holidays!
I have a question about how to store these for daily use? I am giving them away as Christmas gifts and I like the oval shape but I don’t want to hand them a raw lotion bar. I can’t think of anything to store them in for people to keep in their purse. I don’t like the deodorant stick idea. And ideas?? Thanks.
You could make rectangular bars (rectangle mold link) and put them in an Altoids type tin (link or clear top tins). You could even save Altoids tins and put nice labels on them. Or you could buy round salve tins and simply pour the bar right into the tin. People are more used to using a salve out of a tin, so this may seem more “normal” to some.
I’m wondering if Emu Oil would work in place of the olive oil. Have you had success adding essential oils and if so at what ratio? Thank you so much. I’m excited to make these!
I haven’t worked with emu oil yet, but I suspect that it would. I like an unscented bar, but if you like you could add a few drops of EOs per batch.
I love to make these types of moisturizer bars. I use Coconut Oil (hard type) and I add essential oils to mine .. Vanilla, and Lavender EO’s mixed with Tea Tree EO (germ killing) added to the mixture before putting into the molds will actually make this an anti-biotic type moisturizing bar. My son works in a hospital and he keeps these bars in their employee rest room(s) and his co-workers swear by them. The beeswax actually keeps the moisturizing ingredients on your hands through at least 4-5 washings, which is why they are so liked, and working in a hospital setting, the anti-germ abilities are a huge hit!
for those people who are living in Canada a great place to get molds is the bulk barn and if you have a michaels that is also a great place. if you like to shop second hand try getting them at goodwill or at value village!!! going to make these for gifts for my neighbors some day!!! thanks for sharing this!!!!