A solid body massage bar is easy to make at home and is an excellent alternative to commercial body lotions! Basically, you put it on your skin, wait till it melts a little bit, and then slide it gently – the bar releases nourishing oils, and you indulge your skin with it!

No packaging needed, 100% zero waste product, and a perfect DIY Christmas gift! (for other zero-waste cosmetics recipes check this post) 

SOLID BODY MASSAGE BAR 

We use cacao butter as a base for this product: it is an excellent emollient (it locks the moisture in your skin) and is solid at room temperature (so it helps prevents our bar from melting).

You can also add some other butter and vegetable oils, but not too much, as it can soften the bar. For this project, I have taken mango butter (an excellent emollient that helps restore the skin’s natural protective barrier) and cherry oil (you can easily replace it with sweet almond oil).

Since we make a massage bar, we opt for oils with good spreadability and a relatively slow absorption rate (sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, and macadamia nut oil are good choices). 

ESSENTIAL OILS 

Instead of artificial perfumes used in commercial products, we use essential oils that provide our massage bar with a subtle aroma. Just keep in mind a few things: 

• The overall concentration of essential oil in your bar should not be higher than 2% (this is the safe level for leave-on body cosmetic products)
• Avoid oils that can cause skin irritation (like clove oil, cinnamon oil, etc.)
• Remember that some essential oils are phototoxic (orange, lemon, bergamot essential oil); if you want to use citrus essential oils for your massage bar, then opt for FCF (furocoumarin-free) type of oils. 

RELAX AND UNWIND: SOLID MASSAGE BAR TUTORIAL 

This step-by-step video tutorial teaches how to make your own Zero Waste Body Massage Bar! This solid massage bar made with natural butter and essential oils takes excellent care of your skin, moisturizes and protects it, and its sublime aroma will help you to relax and unwind!

It makes a great gift as well:) Grab the recipe in this short video tutorial: 

 

TRY DIFFERENT AROMAS

Try different essential oil combinations for your massage bar:

• For calming massage bar: chamomile, lavender, frankincense, estragon, and clementine essential oils
• For uplifting massage bar: ylang-ylang, clary sage, bergamot (FC free), grapefruit essential oils 
• For energizing massage bar: rosemary, lemon, pine, tea tree essential oil
• For a sensual massage bar: ylang-ylang, sauge, patchouli 

 

Enjoy! 🙂