Weigh out the first three ingredients and add them to a heat-safe bowl or double boiler insert.
Heat over a pan of simmering water at low to medium heat until all of the ingredients have melted.
Remove from the heat source and add in the remaining ingredients.
Pour into molds. (Silicone soap and candy molds work well.)
Allow to cool. The cooling process can be sped up in the freezer.
Remove the finished lotion bars once they've solidified. Store them in an airtight container.
To use, wipe over skin and rub it in. You may want to warm it between your hands first for easier application in cooler environments.
Video
Notes
Storage
Store the finished lotion bars in airtight containers at room temperature. For easy travel, store them in soap tins or Tupperware-type containers. If you'd prefer to avoid plastic storage options, try using glass jars or metal tins (the latter is more appropriate for safe travel). Another option for easy application is to pour the melted mixture into small deodorant applicator style containers.
Shelf life
Lotion bars have a long shelf life. The shelf life depends on the quality and choice of ingredients used. Look at the "best before" date on your ingredients to have an idea of how long your finished bars will keep. (Use the product with the nearest expiration date as a reference.)Stable oils with a long shelf life (like coconut oil or jojoba oil) will also make lotion bars with a longer shelf life than less stable oils like hemp oil.
Troubleshooting
If your lotion bar isn't firm enough, consider adding more wax or reducing the amount of liquid oil in the recipe. To fix a batch you've already made, remelt the bars with a bit more wax. Then pour into molds as before.
If it's too firm or hard, add more liquid oil in the same way.
If your lotion bar feels greasy, consider stirring in about a teaspoon of arrowroot powder or another starch into the mixture before pouring into molds.
If you're having a hard time removing the lotion bars from the molds cleanly and easily, consider freezing them for a little while before unmolding.
Adding color
Try incorporating color by adding some natural colorants to your lotion bars. Micas work wonderfully for coloring them, but other natural powders like alkanet and annatto seed powder should also work well.Don't use water-based colorants! Even some water-soluble dry powders won't work well for coloring lotion bars because they may clump up rather than cleanly color them. If experimenting with a new colorant, try adding some to a small amount of oil to see if it will disperse well before trying to incorporate it into your mixture!
Incorporating botanicals
Another great way to customize your lotion bars is to infuse your oils with dry plant material. Some examples are using homemade aloe oil or making dandelion lotion bars.