How to Make Honey & Chamomile Lotion Bars
These twist-up lotion bars are a wonderful way to soothe the dry, chapped skin on your hands, elbows, knees or anywhere! This creamy formula is made extra-special with chamomile-infused apricot kernel oil. Chamomile is a soothing herb that contains many wonderful compounds for the skin including bisabolol, a compound thought to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. As a bonus, it smells sweet and delicious! You may want to infuse extra oil while you’re at it. It makes a wonderful addition to cold processed soaps, balms, or other recipes.
This recipe is scented with Honey L’Occitane-Type Fragrance Oil which complements the chamomile perfectly. For a 100% natural recipe, you could choose to leave these bars unscented and allow the chamomile scent to shine or use Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil or Sweet Orange Essential Oil.
Mango butter was chosen for this recipe because it has a creamy texture and a drier skin-feel. You can substitute shea butter which will make the bars softer and greasier. Do not substitute cocoa butter; your bars will be too stiff. Apricot kernel oil is a wonderfully light oil that also has a dry feeling. You can substitute any liquid carrier oil in this recipe.
INFORMATION
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Yield: 5 Twist-Up Tubes (60g each)
TIMING
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Perform Time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking Time: 4 Hours 30 Minutes
- Cooling Time: 25 Minutes
- Total Time: 5 Hour 45 Minutes, 40 Minutes active time
SUPPLIES
- Digital Scale
- 1-2 qt Saucepan or Skillet
- Wire Rack (to fit in saucepan or skillet)
- Spatula or Spoon
- Spray bottle with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
- Funnel Pitcher
- Pipettes (for preservative and essential oil)
- Paper towels
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Freezer
- Stovetop or Portable Burner
- Timer
- Slow Cooker or Sous Vide Cooker (optional)
- 12 oz Mason Jar with Lid
- Small Bowl
- 5 x 2 oz Green Twist-Up Tubes
INGREDIENTS
- Approx. 1.2 oz / 1.5 cups Chamomile Flowers
- 3.5 oz / 99 g Mango Butter
- Approx. 8 oz Apricot Kernel Oil
- 3.5 oz / 99 g Beeswax (White)
- 3 g / about 3 ml Honey Fragrance Oil
DIRECTIONS
Before starting this tutorial please make sure to read all instructions. Spray work surface, utensils and mixing bowl with 70% isopropyl alcohol and wipe with paper towels. Use caution when handling heated oils. Use disposable pipets when dispensing essential oils. Do not place undiluted essential oils in plastic ware. Carefully weigh all ingredients before you start working.
Place wire rack in the bottom of saucepan and fill with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a simmer on stovetop.
Step 1 – Make the infused oil
Place the chamomiles in the mason jar. Fill the jar completely with the flowers. Pour apricot kernel over flowers, ensuring the flowers are completely covered. Screw the lid tightly on the jar.
You have three options for infusing the oil:
- Fill a slow cooker with hot water. Set the jar inside. Cook on low power for 4-8 hours.
- Use a sous-vide cooker set to 131⁰ for 4-8 hours
- Place the jar on a sunny window sill for two weeks. Invert the jar once or twice a day.
Strain the oil in a fine mesh strainer set over a small bowl. Press on the solids to extract all of the oil.
Line the strainer with a paper towel or coffee filter. Strain the oil a second time. Squeeze the paper towel to extract as much oil as possible.
Measure 3.5 ounces (99g) of oil into a funnel pitcher.
Step 2 – Melt the oils
Combine the bees wax and mango butter with the oil in the funnel pitcher. Place in the saucepan filled with water on a wire rack. Bring the water to a simmer on the stovetop. Allow the butter and wax to fully melt, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Remove from the water bath and allow to cool for 2 minutes.
Add the fragrance oil. Stir to combine.
Pour the lotion mixture into the twist-up tubes.
Place in the freezer to harden, about 25 minutes. Your lotion bars are now ready to enjoy! To clean up, wash all dishes with hot, soapy water. Alternatively, run through the dishwasher with appropriate detergent.
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