DIY Christmas Lotion Bars with Essential Oils + Vegan Variation

A little holiday scent can make an everyday moment feel special. These DIY Christmas lotion bars with essential oils bring that cozy feeling to your routine, with festive shapes and your favorite seasonal scents.

With their star, mitten, snowflake, and gingerbread shapes, the bars look a little like a tray of holiday shortbread. The Christmas tree blend combines Douglas fir, sweet orange, and cardamom for a woodsy, citrusy scent with a hint of spice.

Each bar feels smooth and creamy as it warms in your hands. Keep one nearby to enjoy throughout the season, or wrap a few and tuck them into a gift box for someone special. These little bars make excellent stocking stuffers too.

You can make these lotion bars with beeswax or try the vegan variation. Either way, they’re a lovely handmade addition to your Christmas gift list.

Because the bars are firm, they wrap, ship, and stack neatly, which makes them an easy handmade Christmas gift. They also look more festive in the bathroom.

Lotion bars feel richer and oilier than water-based lotions. They work best for hands, elbows, and feet.

If you avoid animal products, you’ll also find a vegan variation with candelilla wax below.

What You Need to Make Christmas Lotion Bars

Ingredients

• ½ cup Beeswax Pastilles
• ½ cup Coconut Oil
• ½ cup Carrier Oil, such as sweet almond, jojoba, or olive (carrier oil)
• 1 tsp Vitamin E Oil (optional)
• 20 to 30 drops essential oils, optional (scent blends below), or leave them out for an unscented bar
• Vegan Variation: ⅓ cup Candelilla Wax in place of the beeswax (details below)

Materials

• Christmas silicone mold
• Double Boiler
• Small saucepan and a heatproof bowl that sits on top without touching the water
• Silicone spatula or spoon for stirring
• Small baking sheet to carry the filled mold

This lotion bars recipe makes about 15 bars with the mold I used

A note on beeswax: Pastilles measure more consistently than a block, so if you only have a block, grate it first so it melts evenly, and your ½ cup is accurate. The three base ingredients are equal parts by volume, which makes the recipe easy to scale.

How to Make Christmas Lotion Bars

Step 1: Melt the Beeswax and Coconut Oil in a Double Boiler

Add the beeswax, coconut oil, and carrier oil to a double boiler. Heat over gently simmering water, stirring occasionally, until everything has melted and the mixture looks clear and even.

Beeswax takes the longest to melt, so keep stirring until no pastilles or flecks remain.

If you don’t have a double boiler, fill a small saucepan with a couple of inches of water and set a heatproof bowl on top. The bottom of the bowl should sit above the water, not touch it. This gentle, indirect heat helps prevent the ingredients from scorching.

Don’t let the contents get exposed to water or steam. Even a little moisture can get trapped in the finished bars, causing them to spoil faster.

Stay nearby while the mixture heats. Melted wax can burn, and the water can simmer away, so top it up if needed.

Note: Beeswax can be difficult to wash out. Use a bowl and spatula set aside for projects, and wipe them with a paper towel while they’re still warm. Never pour leftover wax down the drain.

Step 2: Cool the Mixture Briefly, Then Add Essential Oils

Using an oven mitt, carefully lift the hot bowl off the heat and let the mixture cool for a minute or two before adding the essential oils.

Essential oils are delicate, and some of their scent can fade when added to very hot wax. This short pause helps the fragrance last.

Don’t wait too long, though. The beeswax may start to set around the edges, and you want the mixture to stay pourable.

Choose a blend from the scent recipes below and mix well to distribute the scent throughout the mixture. Stir in the vitamin E oil, if using.

For unscented lotion bars, leave out the essential oils.

Step 3: Pour the Melted Ingredients into the Silicone Mold

Place the silicone mold on a small baking sheet. This makes it easier to move the filled mold without spilling.

Slowly pour the mixture into each cavity, filling it to the top. A measuring cup with a spout makes this easier.

If the mixture starts to thicken before you finish, briefly place the bowl back over warm water to loosen it.

Step 5: Let the Bars Set Completely Before Unmolding

Leave the bars to cool and harden at room temperature. Keep the silicone mold on a level surface so the undersides of the bars set evenly.

Setting time depends on room temperature and depth of the mold. The bars should feel firm all the way through before you unmold them.

Flip the mold over and gently press the back of each cavity to release the bars. If any stick, return them to the fridge for a few minutes and try again.

Store the finished bars in a cool, dry place, away from heat and direct sunlight.

Vegan Lotion Bar Variation

The Vegan Swap: Use 1/3 cup candelilla wax in place of 1/2 cup beeswax. Everything else stays the same.

Candelilla is a plant wax from a desert shrub. It is firmer and more concentrated than beeswax, which is why you use about two-thirds the amount.

Follow the same steps, but let the wax melt a little longer over the double boiler, as candelilla melts at a higher temperature than beeswax. Stir gently until it becomes a smooth mixture, and no flecks remain.

Expect a slightly firmer, glossier bar. If it feels too hard or does not glide easily, remelt it with a splash of carrier oil. If it feels too soft, remelt it with a teaspoon more candelilla.

For a fully vegan batch, choose a plant-derived vitamin E oil or leave it out.

Troubleshooting Tips for Perfect Lotion Bars

Lotion bars are forgiving, and most problems come down to temperature or the wax-to-oil ratio. Here’s how to fix the issues that commonly arise.

Bars Are Too Soft or Greasy

Coconut oil softens at around 76°F, so bars made or stored in a warm kitchen can feel soft. Move them somewhere cool first. If they are still too soft once fully set, remelt them and stir in a tablespoon more beeswax.

Bars Are Too Hard or Waxy

Remelt the bars over the double boiler and stir in a splash of carrier oil, then pour them again.

Bars Stick in the Mold

Sticking usually means they have not finished setting. Put the mold in the fridge for a few minutes, then flex the silicone from the back of each cavity.

A White Film Appears on the Surface

This is called bloom, and it is normal with beeswax. Wipe it off with a soft cloth or leave it, since it does not change how the bar works.

The Scent Is Faint

Essential oils lose some scent when added to very hot wax, so let the mixture cool for a minute or two first (as in Step 3), then stir well. Stick to 20 to 30 drops. Do not add more.

How to Use a Lotion Bar

Quick Answer: Warm the bar in your hands for a few seconds, glide a thin layer over clean, dry skin, then rub it in with your fingertips. One or two passes are plenty.

Lotion bars work because the skin’s warmth softens the surface of the bar, so a small amount of oil and wax transfers as you glide it on. Keep the bar in a small tin or a dish beside the sink, or tuck it in your bag, and use it on your hands, elbows, and feet.

A few honest limits: the finish is richer and oilier than a water-based lotion, so it will not feel like a light, fast-absorbing body lotion. And because coconut oil and beeswax soften with heat, keep the bars out of hot cars, sunny windowsills, and steamy bathrooms.

Lotion bars are one of many bath and body projects you can make at home with essential oils. Explore the full collection of DIY bath, body, and home recipes, where you will find scrubs, soaps, balms, and more to make and give.

Essential Oil Blend Recipes for Christmas Lotion Bars

Essential oils are optional in this recipe, and the base stays the same whichever scent you choose. Pick a blend below, keep the total at 20 to 30 drops, and you can make a different batch for every person on your list.

Christmas Tree Farm Blend

• 10 drops Douglas Fir
• 10 drops Sweet Orange
• 5 drops Cardamom

Douglas Fir is fresh, crisp, and evergreen, like a Christmas tree farm in December, while sweet orange is bright, sweet, and juicy, like an orange tucked into a holiday stocking.

Cardamom is warm, lightly spicy, and a little sweet. It’s a gentle substitute for cinnamon, which is more common in Christmas blends.

If you prefer pine over fir essential oil, use 10 drops of pine in place of the Douglas fir.

This blend includes citrus, so check the note below on citrus and sun exposure.

Want to diffuse a similar scent? The Christmas Tree Blends collection has eight diffuser recipes built to recreate a fresh-cut tree.
Insert Note on Ratios block pattern here.

Winter Woods Blend (Citrus-Free)

• 10 drops Cedarwood
• 8 drops Douglas Fir
• 6 drops Frankincense

Woodsy, resinous, and quiet, like a cabin on a snowy afternoon. With no citrus in the blend, it is a good choice for anyone who will use the bars in the sun.

To diffuse a similar scent, explore the Winter Forest Diffuser Blends collection, with 20 woodsy recipes.

Orange and Ginger Spice Blend

• 12 drops Sweet Orange
• 7 drops Ginger
• 5 drops Frankincense

Sweet, zesty, and gently spicy, a good fit for anyone who loves a gingerbread kitchen. This one includes citrus, so the sun note below applies.

For a similar scent in your diffuser, the Citrus and Spice Blends collection has 12 recipes.

Before You Choose an Essential Oil Blend

• Citrus and sunlight: sweet orange, like other citrus oils, can make skin more sensitive to sunlight. If the bars will be used on skin that gets sun, choose the citrus-free Winter Woods blend, or keep them for covered skin and evening use.
• Cinnamon and clove: I leave cinnamon bark, cinnamon leaf, and clove out of leave-on recipes like this one because they are known skin sensitizers. That is why the Christmas Tree Farm blend gets its warm spice from cardamom.
• Patch test: try a small amount on your inner arm before using a bar more widely, and keep it away from your eyes.
• Allergies: the bars contain beeswax and coconut oil, and sweet almond oil if you choose it. Skip any ingredient you are allergic to.
• Pregnancy and children: if you are pregnant or nursing, check with your healthcare provider before using essential oils on your skin. For children, ask your pediatrician first. The bars are also lovely unscented.

Ideas for Customizing Homemade Holiday Lotion Bars

Swap the Carrier Oil

Sweet Almond: Light and smooth with a very mild scent, though not suitable for anyone with a nut allergy.

Jojoba: Silky and light-feeling, with a long shelf life.

Olive: Rich and a little heavier, with a faint earthy scent. For help choosing, see my guide to carrier oils and infused oils.

Add an Infused Oil for a Softer Scent

Replace the carrier oil with an infused oil for a gentle, natural scent, with or without essential oils. Pine Needle Infused Oil: A fresh, forest scent.

Frankincense Infused Oil: A warm, resinous scent. See how to make pine needle infused oil, or look out for my frankincense infused oil tutorial, coming soon.

Infused oils are subtler than essential oils, so they suit a lightly scented bar. Strain them well and make sure no water or plant bits are left in the oil, since moisture can cause the bars to spoil.

Use a Different Mold

Any silicone mold with a festive shape will work. Larger cavities make fewer, bigger bars that take longer to set, while small cavities set quickly and suit stocking stuffers. To check whether a mold holds enough, fill each cavity with water, pour it into a measuring cup, and compare the total to the 1½ cups of melted mixture this recipe makes.

Homemade Christmas Lotion Bars: Presentation & Gifting Ideas

Wrap two or three bars in a cellophane bag tied with red ribbon, or tuck one into a small tin so the shapes show through. Add a tag with the scent name and ingredients, which is helpful for anyone who may be allergic to any of the ingredients.

Lotion bars pair naturally with other small handmade gifts.

Slip one into a Christmas gift basket for her alongside a few homemade snowflake sugar scrub bars and a Christmas cookie lip balm, or add a jar of luxurious Christmas hand cream for a matching hand set.

Make a few to add as stocking stuffers, or batch a few bars with other ideas in these DIY Christmas gifts for coworkers.

Christmas Lotion Bar FAQs

Fun, Festive Christmas Lotion Bars for the Holidays

Cookie-shaped Christmas lotion bars are simple enough to make on a quiet evening and pretty enough to give away. Pour a batch this week, and you will have gifts ready before the holiday rush begins.