Honey Bee Chamomile Lotion Bars

Flecked with bits of chamomile, these lotion bars are extremely moisturizing, super soothing, and quick to absorb. The infused chamomile and calendula helps to soothe the skin. While the honey acts as a humectant helping to imbue the skin with moisture.  

All this makes these bars simply wonderful for dry, cracked wintry hands and skin. When I taught preschool, my hands were regularly turned to sand paper during the school day because of all the hand washing. These bars made my hands smooth and silky again in just a couple of uses!  

Make these lotion bars for folks in your life with hard-working hands ~ teachers, craftspeople, gardeners and parents!  

Make Your Own Lovely Lotion Bars

Ingredients

• ½ cup beeswax, the little one ounce bars have a strong honey smell however the little pastilles work wonderfully too!

• ½ cup shea butter

• 1 ½  teaspoon honey

• ¼ + ⅛ cup chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) & calendula (Calendula officinalis) flower infused oil

  (see below)

• essential oils (optional)

Supplies

• Heat proof container for melting: Pyrex measuring cup, pot, jar or can. (see step one below)

• Knife & cutting board if you are using blocks of beeswax

• Molds for your finished bars ~ silicone molds are great, as are soap molds, however you can even use muffin tins or other things you might have on hand.

Instructions

Step 1:  First Get Organized & Ready To Craft

Set out all your ingredients and supplies so you can work easily. Be sure to lay out your molds so they are ready for filling.  

Note that clean-up can be difficult for this project because the beeswax is hard to get off surfaces. So you may want to have special equipment set aside for projects that use beeswax. You can usually find a pot, pyrex measuring cup, cutting board and knife at a second-hand shop for next to nothing. (I prefer using a pyrex measuring cup with a handle and pour spout for ease of pouring into molds) Or you can simply use a very clean & dry jar or can that was destined for the recycling bin for melting the oil and wax. This makes clean-up a snap!  

Step 2:  Prepare Your Beeswax

If you are using bars of beeswax, carefully cut the beeswax into small pieces. The small the pieces, the faster they will melt.

Step 3:  From here on out this project is easy peasy!  

Next place everything together in your melting container (reserving a small about of both the beeswax, oil & honey for adjustments later) and gently heat on low in your oven or in a hot water bath. Heat until the wax and oils just start to melt. Gently stir everything together very well to incorporate the honey.

Step 4:  The Spoon Test

Check to see if the consistency of your lotion bars is what you want by placing a small drop of the mixture on a spoon and placing it in the freezer for a few minutes which will quickly harden the mixture. Test it out. If it is too soft add a bit of beeswax, if it is too hard add some more oil.  

Optional Step: Add Essential Oils

These bars have a very delicate, lovely fragrance from the honey, beeswax & shea butter. Yet if you wish, you can add essential oils for extra scent and helpful soothing properties. Here are essential oil suggestions that would smell amazing in these bars: cardamom, ylang ylang, peppermint, spearmint, lemon, orange, and lavender. Add the oils after doing the spoon test and before pouring into your molds.

Use 30 to 40 drops total for this recipe.

Step 5: Pour Into Molds

Once your have reached your desired consistency, pour the mixture into your molds. You will need to work quickly because the mixture will start to harden as it cools.  

Step 6: Make Like A Bee

It can be tricky to get the honey to stay harden properly as part of the bars. So if you find that the honey separates from some of your bars when they have set, you can remelt them and add about 1 more tablespoon of beeswax. Or if you have a bar or two that set with some honey all gooey around the edges, you can use that bar as a special bathtub melt just for you! (Beware of your tub becoming slippery!)

Chamomile & Calendula Flower Infused Oil

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon each dried chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) & calendula (Calendula officinalis) flowers

• 4 ounces of grapeseed oil, you can substitute a heavier oil such as olive, almond, or apricot kernel

Supplies

• Very clean, very dry jar

• Cloth for straining - cheesecloth is a great choice

• Optional crockpot or stove top pot for water bath.

Instructions

Place the flowers in a clean, dry jar. Then cover the herbs with oil and put on a tight fitting lid.

From here you have three options for infusing your oil -

• Option 1: Let your oil infuse in a dark place for 4 weeks. Or make a solar infused oil by placing the jar in the sun.  

• Option 2: If you are in a hurry… Put the jar in the oven. Set the oven to the lowest temperature and leave the door cracked open. Let your oil gently infuse for at least 4 hours. I like to infuse mine for a minimum of 8 hours.  

• Option 3: Put a lid on your oil and then place it in a water bath either on the stove or in a crockpot with the water coming up the jar about halfway. Leave in the water bath and let your oil gently infuse for at least 4 hours. Be sure not to get any water in your oil. Water in oil causes spoilage.

Once your oil is done infusing strain the oil through a thin piece of cloth.  

To give these great bars as gifts wrap them up in little muslin bags, put them in a tin or simply package in a little plastic bag with a bow!

Previously posted on Mama Rosemary