Looking for a simple way to gift yourself with some self-care? These lavender and cocoa butter bath melts will leave your skin feeling silky smooth while also providing you with aromatherapy benefits. Double a batch and gift some to a friend so she can enjoy these too!
Add a little luxury to the bath with these moisturizing cocoa butter bath melts. They are made with ingredients so natural that you could eat them, and you might just want to! The aroma of cocoa, coconut, and lavender makes my mouth water for what is essentially a gourmet truffle. These truffles, however, are best used in the bath, as the silky soft oils melt in the warm water and soak into your skin, leaving it moisturized and soft.
What are Bath Melts?
After a long day, I like to take some time to myself and give my body a break. A bath is a time for self-love and relaxation, soothing aching, and tired muscles. I never have one without adding a little bit of something extra.
I have found myself reaching for bath melts more in the winter months as my skin gets dry. Bath melts are a luxurious way to moisturize skin and keep it soft. Made of moisturizing body butters, you pop one in the bath and watch them melt into the water. Then, your skin soaks up the oils and from the butters and softens, allowing you to sit and relax in the aromatherapy provided by lavender.
I like to use a bath melt when I think my skin needs some extra love and attention. For dry and overworked skin, you can skip taking the time to lotion up your body after the bath. You get two for one with a bath melt!
Why Cocoa Butter is Your Skin’s Best Friend
Cocoa butter is the edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean and the main ingredient in chocolate. In fact, the flavor and aroma of chocolate comes from the cocoa butter and true chocolate can only be called by that name if it contains 100% rich, smooth cocoa butter.
While used to make tasty desserts, cocoa butter is also a prominent ingredient in skin care. It is also full of antioxidants and is so good at moisturizing skin that it is very often used in skincare products. High in fatty acids it helps to nourish the skin and improve elasticity. The fats create a protective barrier over the skin, helping to really lock in that moisture. Some people have also used cocoa butter to help smooth scars, wrinkles, and stretch marks.
When my skin is feeling dry, these bath melts are the first thing I reach for. At room temperature it is solid but as you add it to a hot bath it melts and the oil disperses into the water and absorbs into your skin while you soak.
What About the Lavender and Coconut Oil?
The other half of the moisturizing duo of these bath melts is coconut oil! Coconut oil is made from extracting oil from raw coconuts or coconut kernels. Super rich in saturated fats, it is known to help improve overall moisture content of dry skin and can help to reduce eczema symptoms.
The fatty acids also have antimicrobial properties which makes it safe for skin infections like athletes foot, acne, cellulitis, and other bacterial infections.
While super moisturizing, there are also some aromatherapy benefits to these bath melts as well. Lavender is always a favourite with me when it comes to bath time. It is the perfect relaxation herb, promoting calmness, easing stress, and providing anxiety relief. If you like to take a bath before bed, lavender has always worked as a wonderful way to ease me into a sleepy mood.
All together, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and lavender create the perfect combination for a relaxing hydrating bath melt.
How to Make Bath Melts
If you are looking for a way to inject a little more self-care into your routine or know of someone who could use some pampering, then make up a batch of these luxurious bath melts and turn a hot bath into a heavenly treat.
Materials
Makes 12 bath melts
- 55 g cocoa butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
- Turkish coffee pot
- Spatula
- Silicone ice cube tray to use as a mold
Make it!
Melt the oils in the small pot over medium low heat. Stir constantly and keep a watchful eye on the oils. You want them to just reach the melting point and not overheat.
When the oils have melted and combined, add the essential oils and stir well.
Immediately pour into silicone molds. I used a silicone ice cube tray but a candy mold will also work. A small pot with a pour spout makes this job a lot easier. I use this Turkish coffee pot for all of my natural skincare recipes because it is small but tall, has a long handle to keep your hands away from hot oils, and has a spout which makes pouring much easier.
Sprinkle dried lavender buds on top of the hot oil, dividing the tablespoon up evenly between the bath melts.
Move the silicone mold to the refrigerator to cool for two hours, and you’re done. Store the finished bath melts in the fridge or a cool place if your house is warm so that they don’t melt before you want to use them!
Pop one or two bath melts into a tub filled with hot water and soak for at least twenty minutes.
A word of caution: the oils will make your bathtub slippery after you drain it. Be careful when stepping out of the tub. After your soak, be sure to give it a quick clean and wipe so it’s safe and ready to go for the next person.
For many, many more natural skincare recipes and gift ideas, check out The Natural Beauty Recipe Book!
More Skincare Recipes:
- Vanilla Bean Winter Lotion Bar
- Decadent Chocolate Mint Lip Balm
- How to Make Bath Bombs the Easy Way
- A Sweet Homemade Honeycomb Soap Recipe
- Soak Your Troubles Away with Homemade Tub Tea
Lavender and Cocoa Butter Bath Melts
Equipment
- Turkish Coffee Pot
- Silicone ice cube tray to use as a mold
Supplies
- 55 g cocoa butter
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 1 tbsp dried lavender flowers
Instructions
- Melt the oils in the small pot over medium low heat. Stir constantly and keep a watchful eye on the oils. You want them to just reach the melting point and not overheat.
- When the oils have melted and combined, add the essential oils and stir well.
- Immediately pour into silicone molds. I used a silicone ice cube tray but a candy mold will also work. A small pot with a pour spout makes this job a lot easier. I use a Turkish coffee pot.
- Sprinkle dried lavender buds on top of the hot oil, dividing the tablespoon up evenly between the bath melts.
- Move the silicone mold to the refrigerator to cool for two hours, and you’re done. Store the finished bath melts in the fridge or a cool place if your house is warm so that they don’t melt before you want to use them!
- Pop one or two bath melts into a tub filled with hot water and soak for at least twenty minutes.
- The oils will make your bathtub slippery after you drain it. Be careful when stepping out of the tub. After your soak, be sure to give it a quick clean and wipe so it's safe and ready to go for the next person.
Another delicios idea! Love this blog <3
These are simply Fantastic!
Can these be put in the freezer until you are ready to gift them?
You bet! I keep mine in the fridge.
I love your blog, thanks for sharing so much info with us. I have a question re lavender flowers/buds. I find they always discolour and go ugly brown. Do you find that or how do you avoid it? Thank you!
Hi, I’m wondering if Shea butter could be used instead of Coco butter?
Hi, not for this recipe. The beauty of it is in the melting point of the cocoa butter and how it feels on your skin when in the bath. Shea is heavier and stickier and is better applied directly to skin.