A few winters back, one of my beehives didn’t make it thru the winter. It was a wild little colony that had built comb without frames — totally their own design.
When I opened it, I saved the honeycomb that still had honey, and then melted down the rest of the comb to see how much beeswax I could get.
It took a lot of cleaning to turn that comb into usable wax, and in the end, I didn’t have much. But I wanted to put it to good use, and homemade lotion bars felt like the right place to start.
If you’ve never used one, a lotion bar is basically lotion without water. That means no preservatives, no bottles, and no mess. You just warm it between your hands or glide it over your skin, and it melts right in — sealing in moisture and leaving your skin soft. Perfect for dry hands, elbows, and heels.
After a few test batches, I found a blend I still use today: shea butter for deep moisture, castor oil and jojoba oil for softness, and beeswax to protect skin and keep the bar solid. I scent mine with pure essential oils — my lavender, sage, and frankincense blend is one of my favorites. It’s earthy, calming, and gentle enough for everyday use.
Where to get beeswax
Even with healthy hives, you don’t get much wax unless you have a lot of colonies. A whole hive might only give you a couple pounds, and that’s not nearly enough for the number of bars I make each year.
I still keep bees, but now I also source beeswax from my relative’s honey farm so I can keep making lotion bars without cutting corners. The recipe and process are exactly the same as the first ones I made from my own hive.
If you’re making your own, you don’t have to have bees — you can buy beeswax pellets online (Amazon has plenty) or from local beekeepers. Beeswax pellets melt faster and are easier to measure than big blocks of wax.
DIY Beeswax Lotion Bars Recipe (Small Batch)
Here’s my DIY lotion bar recipe scaled down to make six 1.25 oz lotion bars — just enough to keep a couple for yourself and gift a few to friends.
Ingredients:
• 2.5 oz beeswax (pellets or grated block)
• 3.1 oz shea butter
• 1.25 oz castor oil
• 0.6 oz jojoba oil
• Equal parts lavender, sage, and frankincense essential oils — total about 0.15 oz (2–3% of total batch weight)
Instructions:
1. Melt the beeswax in a double boiler over low heat.
2. Add the shea butter and stir until completely melted.
3. Stir in the castor oil and jojoba oil. Remove from heat.
4. Add the essential oils and stir well.
5. Pour into silicone molds or a muffin tin. Let cool completely before removing.
Tip: I love using this silicone mold — it makes six round lotion bars with a bee design on top. The finished bars look beautiful and make great gifts.
Why You’ll Love These Homemade Lotion Bars
• Natural ingredients: only beeswax, butters, and oils your skin will love
• Long-lasting: a little goes a long way
• Mess-free: perfect for purses, diaper bags, or travel
• Customizable: swap the scent for your favorite essential oil blend
These beeswax lotion bars melt right into your skin, leaving it soft and protected without feeling greasy. They’re a simple, plastic-free way to care for your skin naturally.
And if making them yourself sounds like one more project you don’t have time for, I’ve got fresh, handcrafted lotion bars ready for you in my shop — no mess, no measuring, just the goodness ready to use. Get one for yourself– strait from my farm to you!