A How To Guide: Instant Pot Hard Lotion

Last Updated on June 23, 2019

As you read the title, what intrigued you the most? Was it the “Instant Pot” or the “Hard Lotion?” Maybe it was a combination of the two? Or you may be asking yourself, “What is hard lotion and why on earth would someone want to use an Instant Pot to make this Instant Pot Hard lotion?

I promise you I’m not going crazy in 2017. At least not just yet. We’re only into the first week. Give me a few months and we’ll see where I sit on the crazy scale…LOL!

Welcome to the season of Winter. Dry and itchy skin caused from cold and dry, sometimes wet, conditions. In order to fight the dry, itchy and cracked skin, lotion is one way, if not the most popular method, of protecting and healing our skin. However, contrary to popular belief, liquid lotion is not as beneficial as one might presume.

A lotion bar is just as the name suggests – a solid bar of lotion. Don’t confuse it with soap. Although it appears similar to a bar of soap, it certainly isn’t.

Keep in mind that I am a licensed cosmetologist and massage therapist. Sharing my knowledge of this wonderful product is not something I take lightly. I thoroughly studied the benefits of solid lotion in my skin care class and have been mesmerized by the benefits ever since.

Here are some benefits:

The bar of lotion stays solid even at room temperature or below.
It can be applied anywhere on the body but is especially helpful for dry elbows, knees, feet, etc.
Lotion bars are typically made from natural products like cocoa butter, shea butter, beeswax, jojoba oil, avocado butter, sweet almond oil, hempseed oil and essential oils.

Since purchasing my Instant Pot, I have researched recipes almost everyday. I can’t tell you the amount of time and money I have saved from the daily use of this magical contraption.

Well, I figured since I’m in the business of saving money, why not make my own lotion bars in the Instant Pot within the comforts of my home. It’s just too cold outside and I’m not a winter weather type person anyway. Besides, I’m in the business of saving money!

As I began researching for this post, I realized how dry my own kids’ skin were. As you glanced at the graphics, I’m sure you noticed the lotion bars were formed into dinosaurs.

My younger two boys are all about those thunder lizards, even if my oldest is growing out of his dinosaur phase. Look how adorable these dinosaur lotion bars turned out! If you have a child who loves dinosaurs or just want to make these for yourself or as a gift, they are just so cute!

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Below is a list of items you will need. You will also find a printable copy at the end of the post, too!

Materials:

1 cup beeswax pellets

1 cup cocoa or shea butter wafers

½ cup coconut oil

15-20 drops essential oil (your favorite scent. I have a fondness for Lavender or Rose)

Silicone dinosaur mold

Large canning jar

Baking sheet

Bamboo skewer

I have found Amazon to be one of the most convenient places to buy the items used.

Directions:

1) Layer beeswax, cocoa butter, and coconut oil in the canning jar. Use the bamboo skewer to lightly mix the ingredients in the canning jar.

2) Place canning jar in the center of the Instant Pot insert. Lock lid into place, leaving the steam vent closed. Note: you are locking the lid in place not for pressure but to keep the heat in so that the lotion melts evenly.

You don’t use water in this recipe because you are not pressurizing- just melting. You can do this on the stove top, microwave, crock pot etc too- however, I have used all those methods and prefer the Instant Pot hands down. 🙂

3) Press the sauté button. Set cook time to 30 minutes. (If the cook time is not automatically set to 30 minutes, you may have to manually set the cook time by pressing the + button until reaching the desired 30 minutes).

4) After the cook time has expired, remove lid and stir ingredients in the jar with the bamboo skewer. Add desired essential oil and give it another stir. Carefully remove the jar with oven mitts.

5) Set silicone molds on the baking sheet. While the lotion ingredients are still hot, pour into the molds. Use the oven mitts to keep from burning your hands. Fill each mold ¾ of the way full.

6) Using the baking sheet as support, set filled molds in the freezer to harden. This will take approximately 15 minutes depending on your freezer. When the lotion bars are hard, pop the lotion from the silicone mold. Store in an air tight container until ready to use.

7) To use the lotion bar, just rub the lotion over your skin. Your body temperature will melt the bar slightly so that your skin can absorb the lotion.

Tips: For easy clean up, wash the canning jar with hot water and dish soap after pouring lotion into molds.

Now you know what a hard lotion bar is and how to make one. Next, how do you use the lotion bar? Here are some tips:

You can use it right in the shower! Hot water opens the pores in your skin so that your skin is more receptive to lotion. Sound weird? I don’t know of many people who use skin lotion in the shower, either. If you don’t use it in the shower, the next best time is immediately after your shower. Take advantage of those open pores!

Hold the lotion bar in your hands. Your body heat will begin to melt the lotion to make for easier application. Once your bar begins to melt from your body heat, you have a couple of choices. You can either rub it directly onto your skin where it needs to be moisturized OR you can rub the lotion bar onto your hands and then rub the area that needs moisturizing.

Don’t have an Instant Pot? I got you covered! You can get one below!

Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker, 6Qt/1000W

Also, as a Young Living Distributor, I only use Young Living Essential Oils in my recipes. If you haven’t signed up as a distributor, I am a part of the Oily Family team and let me just say that they are amazing! Anyone who signs up under my distributor number (1726375) as a Young Living Distributor and purchases the Premium Starter Kit, I personally give you an Essential Oil Guide found here:

Reference Guide for Essential Oils Soft Cover 2016

I would love to have you on my team! My Distributor number to sign up is 1726385.

Don’t forget to print out the recipe for later!