Lotion bars (a review of a d.i.y. beginner)

After making the lip balm I really wanted to make something else. I started to look up recipes for hand crème as my hands get easily dry and I have problem with my cuticles. After typing “hand crème diy” in Pinterest I got some pages with hand lotion bars. I got really intrigued by this. They seemed very easy to be made so I decided to give them a chance.

Indeed, it is very simple to make them. I made the first batch with unrefined shea butter and I must admit I was very disappointed with the scent despite the addition of sweet orange oil. So I meted this batch and added more sweet orange oil and lavender oil and some lavender but I still could smell the shea butter. Shea butter is really great when it goes about hydration but the scent of unrefined butter is something I can not bear. For me it smell as rotten milk but a friend of mine said that she liked the scent of my bars so perhaps is just a matter of personal preferences.

The second batch I made replacing shea butter with cacao butter and I loved it scent. It is really nice.

BUT, in all posts I have read about lotion bars authors claimed that they (bars) changed their life and they (bloggers) will never ever return to commercial hand creams. Well, I must admit that my hands are softer after using these bars and my cuticles really improved. On the other hand, I need to say that the way of application is not really easy. It takes a while before bars melt, and it takes really long when you have cold hands, which is my problem. So to apply this cosmetics I need to first worm up my hands (on a cup of tea, for instance). Secondly, it takes a while until hands are not more oily. It is not something I can use at office just as I did with my Dove cream. But the hydrating effects lasts longer than this of my Dove. And I know what I am putting on my skin! Perhaps I should make a real hand cream instead of bars. I think I will experiment with this a bit. Once I learn more I will share my thoughts. For now I share some photos of my mini bars.

P.S. To be honest, I really regret that I do not have anyone close by (a friend, not just anybody) that could experiment a bit with me.