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I have spent months perfecting the perfect tallow lotion bar recipe. I wanted a bar that was hard enough to hold its shape, but soft enough that it would glide on without pulling. This is the recipe I am finally so happy with!
Lotion bars are such a wonderful option to use for massages or as a low waste alternative to lotion. They don’t take up a lot of space and can be customized however you like your lotion.
If you are ready to learn how to make your own tallow lotion bar, let’s dive into it!
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This post is all about a tallow lotion bar recipe.
Table of Contents
New to working with tallow? Learn how to avoid the top mistakes!
What materials do you need for these lotion bars?
There are a few materials that are required to make these bars and a few that are optional. Let’s cover them both…
A kitchen scale- To make sure the bar is soft and the essential oils at a safe rate for skin care.
A heat safe bowl- that is large enough to fit over a double boiler or pot of water
Spatulas- to stir and scrape the bowl (we don’t want to waste anything!)
Cute moulds- I love these honey and bee ones!
What are the ingredients you need?
- 1 part tallow- The base of this tallow lotion bar is of course, tallow! If you want to learn how to render your own tallow, click this link.
- 1 part liquid Oil- The second ingredient you need is a liquid oil. This is where you get to decide what properties are important to you in skin care. More on this below.
- 1/4-1/2 part beeswax- Finally, you will need beeswax. I usually go to my local honey farm and get my beeswax from there but you can also order it online from amazon and it comes in pellet form. This will make life so much easier than having to try to grate your beeswax.
How do you pick the liquid oil you want to use?
This is where you get to pick the oil you want to use, based on your skin type and goals. There is something called a comedogenic scale and it tells you how likely an oil is to clog your pores.
The scale goes from 0-5 with 0 being unlikely to clog pores and 5 being highly likely to clog pores.
Tallow falls around a 2 on the scale so depending what oil you pair it with, it can be great for a variety of skin types.
If you have oily or acne prone skin, you will want to stick to oils with a rating of 2 or less, leaning more towards the oils that are around a 0.
On the other hand, if you have very dry skin, thick skin or scar tissue, you may want to pick an oil that is closer to a 5.
What are the comedogenic ratings of different liquid oils?
As I mentioned above, tallow falls around a 2 so it can go either way when making skin care, depending what oil you pair it with.
Liquid oils you may want to use if you have oily skin…
Hemp oil
Liquid oils you may want to use if you have dry skin or scar tissue
Keep in mind that none of these oils are liquid at room temperature so if you use them, you may end up with a hard bar. To combat this, decrease the beeswax to 1/8- 1/4 part. You will still want some beeswax as it will keep your bar hard in warmer temps.
What essential oils should you add?
Essential oils in this tallow lotion bar are completely optional. I love the smell of the beeswax without adding anything to it but sometimes, you want essential oils for the properties they contain. Here are a few you may want to try.
*Remember to always consult a physician before use as some essential oils can interact with medication. Never use on children before consulting a medical professional.
Lavender- for the calming effects with stress, pain or sleep. This is a great one to use before bed.
Peppermint- for a lively pick me up when you are feeling sluggish. Peppermint may also help relieve sore muscles.
Frankincense- for the anti-aging properties. May also help with mood and sleep.
Tea tree- may help with acne.
Lemon- may improve mood and provide a boost of alertness.
How do you make these massage bars?
- Use a scale to weigh out 1 part of tallow and 1 part liquid carrier oil. For this lotion bar, I used 70 grams of each. (This filled 3 medium sized moulds.)
- Grate in, or weigh out your beeswax. I used 1/4 (so 12.5 grams-ish) but if you live in a warm climate, or it is summer, you may want to use 1/2 part (35 grams.)
- Place the bowl on the double boiler (or pan filled with water) and heat over medium high.
- Stir gently until all of the oils are melted. Turn off the heat and set it aside to cool.
- Once the bowl is cool and handleable, move it back to the scale and add your essential oils (no more than 1% the total weight.) Stir gently and then pour into the moulds.
- Let the bars harden until firm and they are ready to use!
How do you clean up after making these bars?
When I first started making my own skin care, I was a bit confused as to how I could clean up after without ruining my drains or dishwasher. This is what I have learned.
- Use paper towel to wipe the bowl and any utensils you use clean. You want to use something disposable or you will have the same problems with clogging your washing machine.
- Put hot soapy water into the bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. Pour the water outside on a patch of gravel.
- Your bowl should be ready to go into the dishwasher but if it still looks greasy, repeat the steps above.
The recipe...
Tallow Lotion Bar Recipe
1-3
servings30
minutesIngredients
1 part tallow
1 part liquid oil
1/4- 1/2 part beeswax
*Optional- no more than 1% of the total weight in essential oils (this will be different depending on how large your batch is.
Directions
- Weigh out your tallow, liquid oil and beeswax in a medium sized, heat safe bowl.
- Place it on your double boiler and heat it up until all of the oils and wax have melted.
- Take the double boiler off the heat and allow it to cool until the bowl is handleable but the oils are still liquid.
- If you are using essential oils, now is the time to add them in, weighing it out and stirring gently.
- Using a spatula, scrape the oils into a silicone mould and allow it to harden at room temp or in the fridge until it is fully set.
- Pop it out of the mould and it is ready to use!
Recipe Video
Notes
- If you do not have a double boiler, you can use a pot of water and place the bowl over top. Be mindful to not get any water in it or the lotion bar will go rancid a lot quicker.
- If you want to use essential oils, make sure you have a kitchen scale as you do have to be precise when using essential oils in skin care.
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This post was all about a tallow lotion bar recipe.