How To Make A Massage Bar: Quick, Easy And Lush!

Do you want to know how to make a massage bar? Then you have come to the right place!

I love massages. They feel amazing, reduce muscle tension, increase blood flow, can improve your immune system and lower blood pressure. Massages are great and my massage bar recipe is quick, simple and easy to make.

Making your own massage bar requires only a few ingredients that all work together to nourish, protect and moisturise the skin while also working as an awesome tool for longer lasting massage.

A massage bar is simply a mix of natural butters, oils and wax that are melted together and poured into molds and left to set firm at room temperature. You can choose to add essential oils like I do as they add a beautiful aroma and set the mood.

My massage recipe contains slow absorbing oils and occulsive beeswax that give you time to complete your massage. It is totally luxurious to use and will have you wondering why you hadn’t tried them sooner.

There are so many benefits to making your own massage bar. In this guide, I will be running you through all you will want to know about how to make massage bars, what massage bars are, the benefits of them and so much more.

So, lets get started and make a massage bar!

What Is A Massage Bar?

Homemade massage bars are a mix of natural butters, oils, wax and essential oils – which are optional but can do wonders for the skin and mood.

To make a massage bar, you simply need to gently melt the above ingredients and pour them into moulds. Once they have come back to room temperature they will be firm and ready to use.

Massage bars are solid and easy to use. They melt upon touching the skin and contain no preservatives because they are oil based. They are great for massage as they reduce friction on the skin making it easier for the hands to slide and glide. This can also increase the level of comfort when receiving the massage. It also feels good when you are rubbing it on.

My massage bar recipe is a mixture of ingredients that you would typically see in a natural massage bar and for good reason. Each individual ingredient is so good for your skin, nourishing, protective and moisturising – and I go into more detail about each ingredient further below.

Why Make Homemade Massage Bars?

I can think of plenty of benefits of making your own homemade massage bars and I have listed some of them below.

Makes Massage Easier

Using a massage bar helps the hands to glide and slide over the skin reducing the friction between the skin and hands. This makes the massage feel even better!

Nourishing And Soothing

This massage bar contains ingredients that are super moisturising, nourishing and protective for the skin.

The ingredients in this massage bar contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help protect the skin from infection and soothe inflammation.

Easy And Quick

My recipe for a homemade massage bar is simple, quick and easy. It won’t take you more than a few minutes and leaves you with luxurious, high quality results.

Natural And Chemical Free

Making your own massage bar means you can use ingredients that are natural and chemical free which gives you peace of mind that what is going on your skin is full of goodness.

Eco-Friendly

Making your own massage bar is an eco friendly solution to purchasing massage lotions, massage creams and massage oils that often come in tiny plastic containers that can accumulate quickly.

High Quality – Cost Effective

Making your own massage bar can save you money if you are a massage lover like me.

My massage bar recipe contains ingredients that are nourishing, protective and moisturising for your skin and similar products can be super pricey when purchased from a store.

Makes A Great Gift

Massage bars are an awesome DIY gift to give your loved ones. They will appreciate your efforts and be totally impressed with the results.

Ingredients For The Best DIY Massage Bar

One of the best things about this easy massage bars recipe is that you only need a few ingredients to make it work and to be enjoying relaxing massages in no time. You don’t have to use the exact ingredients I mention below and can use any that suit your skin and give you results.

I give you some alternatives below so if you want a homemade massage bar without beeswax (for example, a vegan massage bar recipe), you can do this.

eBay and Amazon Australia are quick and easy places to buy these ingredients and all the gear you need. Below, I direct you to the best place to buy each ingredient or you can click here to buy now on Amazon or here for eBay. This is how I buy all of these ingredients.

Shea Butter

If you experience dry skin like I do, shea butter could be an awesome product for you. Shea butter contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fatty acids that all help to soothe, moisturise and soften your skin. It will leave your skin nourished and protected.

Shea butter is easy to use and apply as it melts when it comes into contact with skin. It has the ability to soften (emollient) and create a barrier on the skin to hold in hydration for longer (occulsive). It is a total all-rounder for the skin.

Shea butter contains anti-inflammatory properties which can help to soothe the skin, making it a great choice for massage.

If you or the person you are giving the massage to experience acne prone or oily skin, it is often not recommended to use shea butter on this skin type as it may have the potential to clog your pores

I personally love to use shea butter. It is an awesome product that provides a creamy and rich consistency to products and provides a heap of benefits to the skin. However, please ensure you are only purchasing unrefined shea butter as the refined version has lost most of its nutrients (and thus, its benefits).

If you don’t have shea butter, you can switch it to another butter like mango butter or cocoa butter to make a cocoa butter massage bar. This massage lotion bar recipe does work well though and has a great consistency so use shea butter if you can.

Click here to buy it now.

Almond Oil

Almond oil is slow absorbing oil on the skin, so it makes the perfect oil for massage. It helps to soften the skin and reduce moisture loss. It also works nicely to smooth out any wrinkles, scars and stretch marks on the skin.

Almond oil contains anti-inflammatory qualities and offers a tiny amount of SPF protection. However, it’s not enough to use over sunscreen.

I love using almond oil on my skin and it helps to make a long lasting and nourishing massage bar. However if you have acne prone or oily skin, it is not always recommended to use almond oil.

This body massage bar recipe works great with almond oil which is a slow absorbing oil. This means it stays on the skin for longer which is exactly what you want for a massage bar.

However, if you want to use a different carrier oil that you love on your skin, you can. This could be coconut oil, safflower oil or any others you enjoy.

Click here to buy it now.

Beeswax

Beeswax is a great ingredient for helping to firm up this massage bar. If you live in a warmer or tropical climate, beeswax is a particularly handy ingredient for reducing any melting from the shea butter.

Beeswax is commonly used in all varieties of skincare and cosmetic products from makeup, lip balms, ointments, moisturisers and much more.

There is also plenty of medicinal and cosmetic benefit of using beeswax on your skin. It is a great product for the health of the skin. Like shea butter, it works as a skin softener (emollient) and creates a barrier on the skin to maintain skin hydration and block pollutants entering the skin (occulsive agent). It is also known as a natural exfoliant.

Beeswax can be used to calm, hydrate and soothe skin and it can help with several skin issues. It can help repair damaged/wounded skin, in skin cell regeneration, soothe irritated skin and reduce pollutants from entering the skin by creating a thin, long lasting barrier.

Other great benefits of beeswax include its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help those who experience conditions relating to dry skin such as psoriasis and eczema.

If you want a massage bar without beeswax, for example to make it vegan, you can use another wax like candelilla wax or jojoba wax.

You can also leave out this ingredient if you wish and add more butter instead. However, if you live in a warmer climate, you may find that your massage bar struggles to stay solid without a wax.

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Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Ylang ylang oil is a great choice of essential oil in skincare as it holds so many benefits for the skin.

It can be used on all skin types and is particularly helpful for dry, oily, sensitive or mature skin types.

Ylang ylang essential oil is a natural aphrodisiac and a natural antiseptic. It can help to regulate your skins’ oil production and is hydrating and moisturising for your skin – leaving it soft and supple.

This awesome oil can also help to increase circulation and lower your blood pressure. The aroma is totally sensual and uplifting, it can enhance the mood by reducing stress, sadness, anxiety and it encourages relaxation and sleep.

I really like using ylang ylang essential oil in my massage bar as it helps me to feel relaxed and sleepy which makes it perfect for evening use.

Essential oils are not a mandatory ingredient and you can leave them out. However, they do wonders for enhancing the mood and provide a lovely aroma.

Click here to buy it on eBay now.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender oil is an awesome choice of essential oil for your skin. It is my personal favourite.

It holds antimicrobial, antiseptic, fungicidal, anti-inflammatory properties and more. Lavender oil has the ability to help the growth of new skin cells – which makes it a great option for mature or aging skin. It can help heal cuts, burns, bites, rashes, scars and it can help to soothe irritated skin from conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Lavender oil can be used by all skin types. However, it can cause dermatitis if it is overused.

If you have acne prone or oily skin it may be a good choice of essential oil as it has the ability to unclog your pores and kill bacteria living on the skin. It can also help to smooth out the appearance of wrinkles, scars and stretch marks.

Other great benefits of lavender essential oil include easing muscular aches and pains, joints pain and inflammation. For your mood, it can help to reduce anxiety, sadness, stress and aid in relaxation and sleep.

Note that these essential oils have specifically been chosen to make a solid massage bar that are best to use when you want to relax and calm your mind. They’ll help remove anxiety and stress and help you feel sleepy. If you want to take a massage that is invigorating and helps you feel alert, you could swap these for oils like peppermint and rosemary. Or any other essential oils that you love.

Click here to buy it on eBay now.

How To Make A Massage Bar

It’s finally time to learn how to make your very own massage bar.

It is simple, quick and easy to make and will take you no more than 10 minutes to whip up and have ready to use. The recipe below creates a luscious and luxurious massage bar that smells beautiful.

The first thing I recommend you do is to collect all of your equipment and ingredients before beginning to make it a totally smooth process.

Then all you do is mix and melt the ingredients together. So simple. I use my double boiler to do this which you can buy for cheap on eBay here.

I recommend you follow the quantities of ingredients that I have below the first time you learn how to make your own massage bar. If you don’t have a digital scales, you can buy one like mine on eBay here.

However, take note of what it is like afterwards and you may need to adjust slightly the ingredients in your massage bar. This is because in hot climates, it may melt too easily and in cold climates, you may find it too hard! You can adjust it for your circumstances.

If you find it melts too easily, take away two grams of almond oil and try two extra grams of beeswax.

Similarly, if it’s too hard, add two grams of almond oil to the recipe and take away two grams of beeswax.

Store your back massage bar in a dark and cool place to help it last as long as possible.

Pure Relaxation Massage Bar Recipe

Yield: 50g

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

This massage bar is perfect for relaxing massages that help remove stress and anxiety and help you feel sleepy at the end of the day. Perfect to help you relax while giving you healthier skin.

Print

Ingredients

• 34g Shea Butter
• 7.5g Almond Oil
• 7.5g Beeswax
• 0.5g Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
• 0.5g Lavender Essential Oil
• Double Boiler
• Mould

Instructions

1. Have all ingredients weighed and ready to go
2. Set up your double boiler or pan and heat-safe bowl with water on a low heat
3. Add the shea butter, almond oil and beeswax
4. Stir gently until everything is melted and well mixed. This usually takes a few minutes
5. Turn off the heat and allow to cool a little (but not solidify) while still stirring
6. Mix in the ylang ylang and lavender essential oils
7. Pour it into your mould
8. Wait for your new massage bar to completely set. You can place it to the fridge to do this if you wish

Notes

This recipe only makes one or two massage bars depending on your mould size. If you want to make more, you can double or triple the ingredients. The main thing to ensure is that you never use more than 2% essential oils.

How To Use A Massage Bar

When you are ready to use your homemade massage bar, simply rub it either between your hands or directly onto the area skin you are massaging.

Your skin will provide enough warmth to melt and apply the massage bar, and you can use as much or as little as you want by rubbing it onto the skin until the desired level of product is achieved.

The benefit of applying a massage bar over a massage oil is that it is much easier to control the amounts being applied to the skin.

There are no preservatives in this massage bar as it is oiled based so try your best to keep any water away from your bar as this can make it expire quickly.

You could also use this massage bar as a solid moisturiser. However, if you are looking for a super moisturising lotion bar you check out my recipe here.

Final Words

I hope you have enjoyed this guide to making your very own homemade massage bar. I hope it has been useful and inspired you to create your own massage bar.

They are quick and easy to make, super nourishing and moisturising, luscious and luxurious to use and totally set the mood for a massage.

Want to learn more? Click here for my best lotion bar recipe or here for my massage oil. Looking for something more for sore muscles? Find my warming sore muscle balm here or find all my DIY skincare recipes here.

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