How to Make On-the-Go DIY Lotion Sticks With Shea Butter

Ashley | CosmicAsh
by Ashley | CosmicAsh
14 Materials
$65
2 Hours
Easy

Want to learn how to make a DIY lotion stick? In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a nourishing on-the-go solid lotion stick. This lotion stick recipe is packed with nourishing ingredients that your skin will thank you for. Let’s jump right into it.

Tools and materials:

  • Shea butter (or butter of your choice)
  • Cocoa butter (or butter of your choice)
  • Organic beeswax 
  • Sweet almond oil (or any carrier oil of your choice)
  • Calendula oil
  • Coconut oIl
  • Skin-safe fragrance
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Jug
  • Pot
  • Bowl
  • Spatula
  • Storage containers
  • Scale
Shea butter lotion stick recipe

1. Make the lotion stick recipe

Measure out your ingredients using a scale. You’ll need 1.75oz shea butter (or any other butter of your choice) and 1.75oz cocoa butter (or any other butter of your choice)


Cocoa butter is great for healing and fading scars and damaged skin. Shea butter is good for dry skin and it has anti-inflammatory properties.

Lotion stick recipe with beeswax

Now, add the beeswax. I prefer to use white beeswax to give my lotion bar a lighter color. Beeswax locks in moisture and protects the skin from many elements. It can also repair damaged skin and relieve skin irritation. For this recipe, you’ll need to add 3oz beeswax.


This is an essential ingredient because beeswax helps bind the shea and cocoa butters together. 

Melting the butters and beeswax

2. Melt the butters and beeswax

Place a bowl over a boiling pot of hot water on medium-low heat. Then, add your shea and cocoa butter and the beeswax into the bowl. 

Double-boiling the butters and beeswax to melt them

Stir the contents thoroughly until everything melts. After 10-15 minutes, your oils and butter should break down. 

Adding oils to the lotion stick recipe

3. Add your oils

Now, it’s time to add in all your oils. I use a 70:30 ratio, with 70 being the butter and 30 the oils. Add 2oz sweet almond oil and 1oz coconut oil or any other carrier oils of your choice.


Then, add 0.5oz calendula oil. This has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. It's useful for healing wounds and soothing the skin.


Once all your oils are incorporated, give it a good mix. Then, remove it from the double-boiler and let it cool. 

Cleaning the jars with rubbing alcohol

4. Prep your jars

Before you pour the contents into your jar, make sure to wash the jars thoroughly and clean them with rubbing alcohol. 

Adding fragrance oil to the lotion stick recipe

5. Add your fragrance oil

Fragrance oils are best added at a certain flashpoint. My manufacturer’s instructions state that the fragrance oil should only be added when the mixture is below 120 degrees.


While you wait for the mixture to cool, measure out 0.2oz of skin-safe fragrance.


I usually like adding my fragrance oil when the mixture is around 100 degrees. The lotion should start getting a little cloudy. That way, condensation won't happen.

How to make solid lotion sticks

6. Pour the mixture

Now, it’s time to put this in your jars! After adding the fragrance and giving it a good mix, pour everything back into your big pouring jar.


Then, go ahead and pour! Make sure to fill each right to the top. The color of the DIY lotion stick will turn lighter once it’s hardened. 

Adding labels to the DIY lotion sticks

As you can see, the color lightens during the solidifying phase. This would be a good time to label your jars. Then, close them off with the lid. Lastly, test your product to ensure you don’t get any skin irritation. 

DIY lotion sticks

DIY lotion stick tutorial

There you have it; you now know how to make solid lotion sticks! You’ll find that this DIY lotion stick will glide on very smoothly and is even perfect for traveling. Thanks for joining me, and happy lotion-making!

Suggested materials:
  • Shea butter (or butter of your choice)
  • Cocoa butter (or butter of your choice)
  • Organic beeswax
See all materials

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Comments
Join the conversation
 2 comments
  • Glenda Glenda on Apr 24, 2022

    I am going to try this. If I may ask where did you find the sticks. I like the idea of sticks better than digging into a jar getting the lotion under my nails. Thanks in advance.

  • Joanne McTiernan Joanne McTiernan on Apr 30, 2022

    What size are the containers? Are they plastic? Where did you purchase them?

    How do you get the lotion out? Do they twist up or push upward? Thanks, I love solid lotions!


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