Lotion Bits - All Natural - Melts in the Palm of Your Hands

Lotion Bits - kids love them! Keep them in a small jar in the bathroom and after a shower just grab one, put it in the palm of your hands and rub your hands together! The solid shape will "melt" in your hands and you can put it all over! My nieces love it because it's not just lotion, but it's safe and non-toxic and they like to use it on their lips as well! If you only need a little, you can grab a thinner piece - for the whole body grab a big one!

Items Needed:

• 4 1/2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil (this can be found in any grocery store)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter or Shea Butter (must shred or chop up into small pieces)
• 4 1/2 tablespoons of Beeswax (must shred or slice up before melting it) - or get pellets like this one: 1 lb Pure BeeswaxPellets - Cosmetic Grade (I prefer to buy this online as the stores near me don't have many options)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of Sweet Almond Oil - This is my favorite brand for oils - Now Foods Sweet Almond Oil - 4 oz. (I've also discovered Avacado oil & it's amazing for dry skin)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of Lanolin - Now Foods Lanolin Pure, 7 Ounce
• A few drops of Vitamin E
• Small Ice Cube Tray or Mould to pour the lotion into (the ones I used were from our local dollar store)
• Measuring cup and measuring spoons, a glass measuring bowl & small pot for a double boiler
• *Optional: I used a little beet juice to dye the lotion light pink
• *Optional: essential oils for scent
• *Note - Please ignore the big bottle of aloe gel in the photo as it was not used

Instructions:
The items and ratios listed are for a whole tray full of lotion bits - more or less. The amount you can make from this batch depends on your ice cube tray or mould size. If you don't have lanolin, you can substitute it with some more almond oil or another oil of your choice. The recipe is very versatile - so if you have a different type of oil or butter to use, that is fine! I purchased the lanolin at a local health foods store.

Take a small pot and fill it about halfway with water (you may need to empty some of it out). Put it on the stove and get the water nice and hot - medium heat should be fine. Then, put in all your ingredients, other than the vitamin E oil, and put it in a glass measuring bowl with a handle on it. Place it in the water (double boiler) on your stove. Every once and a while, mix it around with a spoon or a wisk. Continue to mix it until it is a pure liquid. Then remove it from the heat and add the vitamin E drops and any essential oils at this time. Wisk everything in and then pour into the mould or ice cube tray. Then you can put the tray into your fridge or freezer and let it harden. It doesn't take long - then remove it and pop them out. You may need to use a small skewer or knife to push some of them out of the mold.

That's it - you're done! You can then put them in a small container and take them with you on the go - or you can leave them in a jar in the bathroom! They're healthy, all-natural and wonderful for your skin!

*Optional: I also dyed some of mine with beet juice. I purchased a beet, put it in boiling water for about 20 minutes, turning it throughout. Then, sliced it into chunks and put it in my juicer. The process of dying lotion with it is not always easy and doesn't always work - it can sometimes try to separate. It sometimes works and sometimes doesn't -I'm still practicing it myself. But, I've had more luck incorporating it in in the beginning stages of melting all the ingredients together. So, if I am having problems I will use my handheld electric wisk to really blend the color with the ingredients. Good luck and if you discover an easier way, let us know! I have heard of people using beet powder without problems - but I have yet to buy some.


^{Holly Mann is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.}