Natural Lotion Dots Recipe (mini lotion bars)
Use this recipe to make small (1 g) lotion bars perfect for travel, portion control, and handmade gifts. These tiny single-serving lotion bars are melt-resistant, but soften and melt as you massage them into your skin. This recipe uses all-natural ingredients, and the finished lotion dots have a best-by date of up to 18-months. This is a non-greasy recipe that leaves your hands and body feeling conditioned and protected after they're absorbed. Though I recommend that you use weight units for skincare recipes, I've included volume measurements for those without an accurate scale. The DIY video at the bottom shows you step-by-step how to make lotion dots.
Servings 255 lotion dots
Cost $7
Equipment
- large baking tray to support the mold
- measuring spoons (stainless steel) optional
- gloves (nitrile or rubber) optional
Ingredients
- 84 g beeswax 9 TBSP + 1 tsp or 50 g candelilla wax
- 84 g mango butter 6 TBSP + 1.5 tsp or shea butter or cocoa butter
- 84 g avocado oil 6 TBSP + 0.5 tsp or sweet almond oil or apricot kernel oil
- 2.5 g colloidal oatmeal 3/4 tsp - optional
- 2.5 g lavender essential oil 3/4 tsp or 75 drops - optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Work with clean and dry equipment and in a sanitary environment. Before starting, wash your hands thoroughly and consider wearing gloves. They help stop contamination and fingerprints on the finished lotion dots.
- Prepare the ingredients and set out the equipment and mold. The mold is large, very flexible, and will be challenging to move once filled. To help, I recommend setting it on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
Make the lotion dots
- Place the colloidal oatmeal in a small dish and pour in a little of the avocado oil. Stir until it's fully mixed in, and no lumps remain.
- Measure the beeswax, mango butter, and remaining avocado oil into a small pan.
- Melt the oils using the double boiler technique. Float the pan in another pan that's 1/4 full of simmering water. Keep the temperature on medium and don't let water splash into the oils.
- When the oils are fully melted, take the pan out of the other pan and set it on a pot holder. Working quickly, stir in the colloidal oatmeal slurry and essential oil. Stir until fully mixed in.
- Pour the melted lotion bar liquid over the silicone mold. It will begin solidifying, so work quickly to scrape the liquid into each cavity.
Cleaning up the mold
- Some of the mixture will end up coating the top of the mold. You have a couple of options for cleaning it up and getting it inside the cavities. The easiest way is to use a heat gun to gently melt the material that's solidified on the mold's surface. Once liquid, scrape it into the cavities.
- The other way (demonstrated in the video below) is to scrape off as much excess lotion bar material from the mold and any from the greaseproof paper that the mold is sitting on. Place it back in the double-boiler, remelt, and gently pour it into the mold's cavities.
Creating professional and consistent products
- Once the cavities in the mold are completely filled and the lotion dot material is used up, allow each one to cool and harden. It doesn't take long, but it's best to wait at least an hour before trying to pop them out.
- If the visible surface of each lotion dot looks rough or uneven, you can gently melt it. Doing so will help the surface to settle and cool evenly. You can either use a heat gun or place the mold in the oven on the lowest setting.
- Once fully melted, turn the oven off and take the lotion dots out to cool. You can leave them to cool at room temperature, though some people prefer putting them in the refrigerator to speed things up. Refrigerating can also help reduce future graininess and bloom from the butter used in the recipe.
Packaging and shelf life
- These natural lotion dots can be stored in cosmetic jars, cosmetic tins, Mason jars, cosmetic sachets, or recycled containers. Clean and sanitized Altoid tins or lip balm containers work well. Make sure to label your containers with the contents and ingredients if you plan on gifting them.
- This lotion dot recipe has a best-by date of up to 18 months. Check the best-by or expiration dates of each ingredient you used to make them. The closest date you see is the best-by date of your finished lotion dots.
Video
Notes
This recipe fits the recommended heart-shaped mold perfectly, with each lotion dot weighing about 1 gram (0.035 oz ). If you use another mold, the recipe may not fit, so make sure to have backup molds.