Immune Boosting Lotion Bars

 

It’s that time of year when everyone seems to have the sniffles, sneezes or sinus issues. I’m constantly washing my hands and trying to avoid contact with anyone even remotely sick. Unfortunately, I work with the public on a regular basis, so I am washing my hands even more. My hands get dry and cracked quickly with all that washing. I thought now would be a great time to make some new Immune Boosting Lotion Bars with a protective blend of essential oils.

The Immune blend is a proprietary blend formulated to support healthy immune function. Wild orange essential oil, combined with melaleuca, frankincense, eucalyptus and rosemary offer a fragrant, natural and effective alternative to synthetic options for immune support. This means it basically smells like fall and has you wanting to curl up by the fire with a good book and apple cider. While you’re chilling in your flannel, this oil is busy helping your body work at it’s best by supporting the body’s natural antioxidant defenses.

I combined the immune synergy blend with coconut oil, shea butter and all natural beeswax, plus a little vitamin E oil to helps moisturize my frequently washed hands throughout the day. Ready to make them? Let’s get started!

Gather your Ingredients:

Immune Blend Essential Oil
Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil
Unrefined Organic Shea Butter
Organic Beeswax Pastilles
Vitamin E Oil
Silicone Baking Cups

Combine equal parts (by weight) Coconut Oil, Beeswax and Shea Butter in a tall glass jar or bowl. Because these three items are very different in texture, I find that weight is the easiest form of measurement. You could use a Digital Kitchen Scale to easily accomplish this. I used 5 oz of each, plus 2 teaspoons Vitamin E Oil, which made 10 lotion bars and filled one Altoids tin. You are welcome to use covered tins like these Empty Tins if you don’t have any empty Altoids tins lying around.

Now, melt these ingredients in a double boiler on the stove. That means heat some water in a pot on the stove and put your glass jar in said water until the ingredients melt. I highly recommend having a tall mason jar dedicated specifically to making lotion bars. Solidified beeswax is not the easiest thing to clean up. I use one jar only for my items containing beeswax. Once the item is made, I wipe out the inside as much as possible before it all hardens and screw the lid back on for a future use.

Once everything is completely melted, remove from heat to slowly cool. After about 10 minutes, the concoction should still be liquid, but not scalding hot. Now is the time to add your essential oils. If you put them in immediately after removing them from the heat, they become less effective. For 15 oz of melted lotion, I used about two-thirds of a 15 mL bottle, or 167 drops. I also added 50 drops of wild orange essential oil just to help temper the cinnamon and clove smell. Stir well and pour in to your molds.

Allow to harden completely before attempting to unmold the bars. The altoids tin allows me to carry it in my purse at all times. I just wash my hands, dry them off, then rub my fingers inside the tin to melt just enough to rehydrate my hands. The high melting point of the beeswax keeps the bar from melting too much. Stay healthy and hydrated friends! What else do you use to boost your immunity during the cold and flu season?