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My skin has been going through a rough patch this spring. It has been dry and irritated in the past few weeks as I have been spring cleaning, and I wanted to try a new moisturiser. After some research, I came across the skin benefits of avocado oil and thought, why not? I blended it with the uplifting scent of clary sage and lime essential oil to create a nourishing, restorative lotion bar that will leave your skin soft and smooth. This quick and simple recipe takes a few natural ingredients and turns a humble lotion bar into an elegant concoction.
Table of Contents
- What are Avocado Clary Sage Lotion Bars
- How Do They Work?
- How to Use Them?
- DIY Avocado Clary Sage Lotion Bars Recipe
- Substitutes
- FAQs
What are Avocado Clary Sage Lotion Bars
Avocado Clary Sage Lotion Bars are firm lotion bars created to moisturise the skin. Infused with nourishing avocado oil and soothing clary sage essential oil, they can help relieve dryness and protect the skin from external nuisances such as detergents and pollution. In addition, calming scent of clary sage has a calming effect on the mind.
How Do They Work?
Avocado oil, cocoa butter and beeswax are the ultimate moisturising dry skin ingredients. They create an effective barrier between the skin and the environment, restoring its natural moisture levels, protecting it and conditioning it, whilst essential oils provide a subtle fragrance.
Here is the list of ingredients I have included in the formulae and how they benefit the skin.
Beeswax is a natural occlusive that can help improve skin hydration by creating a protecting film on the skin, locking the moisture in and making your skin smoother and more supple.
Cocoa Butter: Applying cocoa butter to the skin can help soothe, soften, and moisturise the skin. Praised for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, it can also help protect the skin by neutralising oxidative stress caused by UV radiation.
Avocado Oil: You may know about the amazing benefits of avocado for your health, but did you know it is also good for your skin? Avocado oil is packed with antioxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids, making it an excellent emollient for dry and mature skin. Renowned for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and softening properties, applying avocado oil to the skin can help:
– boost collagen production
– speed up wound healing
– repair dry, rough and chapped skin
– moisturise the skin
– fights free radicals and oxidative stress caused by UV radiation
– reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
– soothe itchy skin
Fractioned Coconut Oil is a fast absorbent oil with many skin benefits. Adding it to the formula here should help the skin absorb nutrients from thicker avocado oil.
Clary Sage Essential Oil is a potent muscle relaxant known to relieve muscle pain, spasms, and tension and calm the mind, making it helpful for anxiety and stress-related issues.
Sandalwood Amyris Essential Oil is loaded with skin-friendly antioxidants and has a balancing effect on dry skin. It is also known for its ability to replenish moisture in the skin.
How to Use Them?
To keep your skin moisturised throughout the day, massage the lotion bar to your skin after the warm shower while your skin is still moist – it will help lock the moisture in. To get started
- Rub the bar between your palms for a minute or two to soften it and free up the ingredients.
- Then glide the bar over your skin, rubbing the moisturiser in a circular motion, not forgetting dry, problem areas. As oil releases from the bar, it will spread over your skin and moisturise it, leaving it soft, smooth and hydrated.
DIY Avocado Clary Sage Lotion Bars Recipe
DIY Avocado Clary Sage Lotion Bars
Difficulty: Beginner Formulator100
g10
minutes30
minutes40
minutesDIY Avocado Clary Sage Lotion Bars are a simple moisturising remedy for dry skin. Grab the recipe below!
Ingredients
- Phase A
5.00g beeswax
73.00g unrefined cocoa butter
10.00g coconut oil
10.00g avocado oil
- Phase B
1.00g vitamin E
0.60g clary sage
0.10g lime essential oil
Directions
- Bring 2-3 cm of water to a simmer over low heat in a saucepan.
- Weigh out the beeswax, unrefined cocoa butter, mango butter, coconut oil and avocado oil in a heat resistant glass beaker and place it into the water bath to melt the ingredients.
- When fully melted, remove the oil mixture from the water bath, allowing it to cool for a minute before placing it into a cold water bath. Keep stirring to avoid graininess until the mix temperature drops below 40°C.
- Add vitamin E and essential oils.
- Continue stirring until you notice the trace building up. Now you can pour the mix into the mould, allowing the bars to set overnight.
- Once firm, remove them from the mould, label and store them in an airtight jar.
Skin Patch Test
- Do a skin patch test first if you plan to give these lotion bars a try. Although ingredients included in the recipe are natural and safe to use on the skin, some people may be sensitive or allergic to some of them. Apply a small amount of the product onto a clear patch of skin. Somewhere you can leave it alone for 24-48 hours. If your skin turns red, itchy, or you experience any irritations, discontinue using the product.
- Please consult your healthcare professional before using essential oils if you are pregnant.
Shelf life and storage
Lotion bars should keep well for six to twelve months if stored well. Keep them away from direct sunlight in a dry, cool room or a draw. If they change colour, smell or texture, dispose of them and prepare a new batch.
Equipment
round or oval silicone mould
Substitutes
Please remember that swapping the ingredients in the formula will alter the final product. Consider how the ingredient you switch will affect the final product’s texture and smell when making changes.
Beeswax: Candelilla wax and carnauba wax are beautiful vegan waxes that you can use instead of beeswax.
Butters: Cocoa butter is a unique butter that is difficult to swap, but you could try switching it with illipe butter instead. You can trade mango butter for shea, mafura or sal butter.
Avocado oil is a highly stable and versatile emollient that you can replace with olive oil or rice bran oil.
Essential oils: Ylang-ylang and jasmine essential oil are suitable substitutes for clary sage essential oil. Before switching essential oils, be mindful that some can cause sensitisation. You can learn more about the safe use of fragrance ingredients by visiting https://ifrafragrance.org.
FAQs
Can I apply lotion bars to my face?
If your skin is dry to normal, your facial skin should be fine. However, if your skin is oily or acne-prone, I wouldn’t recommend applying lotion bars to your face, as they can block pores and exacerbate the problem. Lotion bars are made with nourishing oils and butter and can leave an oily feeling behind.
Can I use lotion bars in the shower?
As I haven’t included preservatives in the recipe, I wouldn’t recommend using these lotion bars in a shower as water attracts microbes. You can use thems right after a shower or bath for lasting hydration. Oils and butter in the formulae will help you retain moisture and preserve your skin’s health.
Will lotion bars melt?
Lotion bars soften when rubbed against the skin. They will not melt, though, as they are formulated to stay firm enough for an easy application.
