Antibacterial Moisturizing Lotion Bars
Working as a Nurse, I wash my hands about 497 times a shift. No kidding! I am not a big fan of that chemical-filled foam cleaner that they recommend we use. No thank you! Plus all the handwashing causes my knuckles to dry and crack — let’s add a little alcohol foam to that. OUCH! So, I decided to come up with a little trick to both moisturize and disinfect my hands. Antibacterial lotion bars!
A little info on why these lotion bars work:
- Beeswax and shea butter provide the skin protectant and moisturizer (so does the coconut oil, but that has even more good points)
- Coconut oil: Monolaurin, an ingredient in coconut oil, is what gives it antibacterial and anti-fungal properties!
Antibacterial Moisturizing Lotion Bars
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup shea butter — this is my favorite kind
- 1/4 cup beeswax — where to find
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- Essential oils of your choice (to make these lotion bars smell amazing!)
This is a GREAT brand of Shea Butter, it is so easy to work with! When I ordered from Amazon, they even sent a free ebook filled with recipes to make with your shea butter. Awesome!
Directions:
- In a double boiler, combine the first three ingredients and melt together
- Pour into molds — HERE is where you can find the heart molds
- Allow to cool a bit, but not harden, and then add in the essential oils of your choice. I typically use Lavender, Frankincense, Geranium, or Joy!
- Use as needed for moisturizing and disinfecting
I either pour it into a small glass container (like this) to carry with me at work or I keep a bar in my work bag. A great carrying case for your lotion bars is one of these travel soap containers, works well so they don’t get smashed in your bag!
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Disclaimer: None of these health benefits have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Hi, my name is Kate.
I love food. Real food. We eat all of the things that nursing school taught me were bad for you: butter, eggs, bacon, and raw milk.
I am a Nurse, a Mom, and a Real Food loving blogger. Just trying to save the world.
Do you use these with water or just rub on hands and go?
I just rub them on my hands. Then rub your hands together for a bit and the lotion soaks in.
Great idea! Great for kids on day trips too!
Very cool! I have never tried lotion bars before… it sounds like it would be easy to use on the go and I love that this one is antibacterial!
Great and simple recipe!! Love this so much!
Such a great idea for traveling too!
Never thought of making my own antibacterial moisturizing lotion bars! Great post.
Do you have the link for this actual mold?
I got the mold at Target a few years ago. Here are some that are similar: https://amzn.to/1lFq1w8
This is such a great idea! I am excited to try it!
Have you considered putting this in a tube to be able to squeeze a small amount on hands at work? I'm an ER RN & I find my hands (especially in the winter) bought ready to fall off at the end my shift. I love this recipe, but wonder if I could add (or subtract) an ingredient to make the consistency slightly thinner to accommodate placing in a squeeze tube bottle? I think this would also work well in a chapstick container to rub on the especially dry spots. Thanks for posting this!
I think you should make it to a cream instead of Lotion Bar . That way u can use it from a tube . *(Dont use beeswax in this one)
For making it cream u can just melt everything other than essential oil , then mix the essential oil. let it freeze for sometimes till its flaky frozen . dont freeze it too much . then take a mixer, whip it like u do with whipping cream . It will become creamy . and u can just store in a lotion tube or anything of that kind.
I am not professional its just my idea . I am allergic to everything so i just make my own cream , soap, lotion , shampoo whatever i need .
How many lotio a bars does this recipe make, just trying to figure out ratios for a make and take?
Depends on the size of your mold, I usually get about 5 bars
Hi Kate, I wanted to try to make these in push up containers…like the way I make lip balm. Have you ever tried it that way? I bought some containers already, so I am prepped and ready to go, but wonder if they need to have additional ingredients, like some beeswax? in them to make them firm and able to stay in the push up containers. Thanks!
It should work just fine in the containers, you could certainly add beeswax
You could probably use these in deodorant tubes also
Yes! Great idea 🙂
Did or do you use this with your children? I am curious if it’s safe to put on my 6 month old, she has irritated skin at her neck from spitting up or drooling throughout the day. I use this and love how it creates a barrier almost – just wondering if all the ingredients are safe for little ones.
How many drops of essential oils do you use per recipe? I’m excited to try these and hope to do them for Christmas gifts!
Thanks!
Inger
About 10-15 per bar. They make great gifts! I gave them to my family for Christmas last year 🙂
How big are the bars? Those molds look like of big, like a small bar of soap. Do you use the whole thing at one time?
They are like a regular bar of soap. You can certainly use smaller molds too. I just thought these were pretty. Yes, I use the whole bar at one time
Thanks! And if I were to use them in like a chap stick tube like somebody suggested, how much of that would I use?
I just realized that where I work (preschool setting), it’d be difficult to go grab my bag in the closet every time I needed to clean my hands. A little tubey in my pocket would work perfectly!
Yeah it would work great in a tube, I would use a bigger tube thought. Something like this: https://amzn.to/2ntdUhx
Okay. How much would I use at a time? If you use am entire bar at once, would I use like half of that tube at a time? By the way, I am planning on adding essential oils (typically tea tree and lavender), so maybe I wouldn’t have to use as much that way?
How do you store these? I’m picturing you with one in your pocket covered in pocket lint lol. Also, when you say you use a whole bar, do you mean in one sitting or do you mean that you don’t break it up?
I keep it in a small plastic bag. Not ideal, but also not covered in lint 😉
How many drops of oil do you use. Can’t wait to make. Thanks for sharing.
15-20 drops
Thank you so much. Can I use cocoa butter in place of She butter. Thamks