Exfoliate and moisturize with these easy DIY Exfoliating Lotion Bars. Made and scented with coffee, these lotion bars help keep skin silky and your mind alert!
Even though we have more time as of late, taking the time to wash, exfoliate and moisturize seems like a huge thing. And if you’re a mom, you know that showers tend to be more rushed than anything as you fight for the ten minutes in which a toddler isn’t bursting in to join you.
These lotion bars help kill two birds with one stone because they both exfoliate and moisturize. Made with only four ingredients, lotion bars give you the best of both worlds.
Moisturizing
Combining shea butter and coconut oil is a dry skin dream as both are super hydrating. Shea butter is high in fatty acids which your skin loves and is said to have some healing properties. It’s one of the two bases of countless DIY products and a staple for anyone starting out.
Coconut oil is the be-all, it does a little bit of everything. For these lotion bars, it helps nourish the skin but also acts as a barrier to the water (oil and water never work together).
A lot of people find using just coconut oil on their skin to be too greasy, combining it with shea butter helps smooth it out.
Coffee
I used coffee as the base of the exfoliation for these lotion bars. Not only is coffee easy to come by in the house but it’s also gentle. When it finely ground it’s not too rough on the skin, but it does the job of removing dried skin and unclogging it.
Plus, who doesn’t like the smell of coffee?
How To Use The Lotion Bars
You’ll want to use these lotion bars are the end of your shower. Before you turn the shower off, grab a disc and rub it around your legs to exfoliate. The coffee will come onto your legs but so will the oil.
Rub it in to help slough off dry skin.
Quickly rinse off the coffee but don’t “wash” as this way the lotion won’t be scrubbed off. Then, pat your legs dry and you’re good to go!
The reason these are made into individual discs is to help them keep longer. The more water you get into lotion the less shelf life it will be.
Since you’ll be using these in the shower, mini portions are best. Store the rest in a jar in the fridge or cupboard and use as needed.
One thing to note is that these lotion bars work best for your legs. While they are gentle enough for your face, they tend to be a bit too oily for most people. So use a different scrub (this honey lip scrub is one of my favorites) and lotion to prep your face for sunshine.
With warm weather coming, and because we have a bit more time, everyone’s skin could use some love. Use these lotion bars to help get rid of dry winter legs and nourish the skin underneath and get ready to get outside.
Ingredients in The Lotion Bars
- ¼ cup beeswax
- ¼ cup shea butter
- 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup coffee grounds
DIY Exfoliating Lotion Bars
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup beeswax
- 1/4 cup shea butter
- 3 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/4 cup ground coffee
Instructions
- Heat a small pot of water to a rolling boil.
- In a mason jar or double boiler, heat the beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil until melted fully.
- Let cool a bit before whisking in the coffee so that it doesn't “brew” in the mixture.
- Whisk in the coffee and pour or spoon into small silicone molds (see note).
- The grinds sink to the bottom of the jar a bit so spooning into the molds or whisking every couple of pours is necessary.
- Let sit on the counter for 24 hours to harden. Pop from the molds into a jar to store and use when you need them!
- Makes 12 discs depending on the mold.