Renee Harris
Is your Coconut Oil Allergy messing with your Skin Care Choices?
Every now and then I hear from a potential customer that they’re very interested in our lotion bars, but they have a coconut allergy… they get a rash or blistering from the use of coconut oil. Dermatologists call this contact dermatitis. If you’re allergic, you need to stay away from coconut oil. Instead, you could try making your own olive oil lotion bar.
Coconut Oil Allergy Symptoms
- hives
- eczema
- rash
- blisters
The good news is, it’s actually quite rare.
Still, with so many products containing coconut oil, it’s difficult to find products that are void of coconut oil. Coconut comes in both 76-degree coconut oil and fractionated coconut oil. Seventy-six degree coconut oil is considered a fixed oil because it is solid at very low temperatures but melts at slightly above room temperature (76° F). Fractionated coconut oil, on the other hand, is liquid at all times.
So what is someone with a coconut allergy to do to make their dry skin smooth?
We already know that lotion bars made with shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax are the ideal dry skin remedy since no water is contained in the bar.
The next best fix for dry skin is to substitute the coconut oil with another carrier oil, like olive oil.
The Benefits of Olive Oil in a Lotion Bar
- contains antioxidants that fight free-radical damage
- it’s hydrating
- it’s been used on skin since Ancient times
- manages sun damage
Now it’s time to make a lotion bar using olive oil instead of coconut oil!
Olive Oil Lotion Bar Recipe
- 3.5 oz olive oil (I highly recommendthis one)
- 1 oz shea butter
- 3.5 oz beeswax (or 4.2 oz in warmer months)
Use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients. The scales are inexpensive and super valuable when making skincare products.
Directions: Melt the above ingredients in a double boiler.
Stir the mixture using a wooden skewer or popsicle stick.
Pour into a mold, which can be ice cube trays, cupcake pans, or any other heavy plastic or metal “mold.”
Cool to room temperature. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours and then pop out.
It’s ready to use.
Make sure to clean up your supplies (wipe out all lotion residue with a paper towel before washing with hot water and soap) while everything is still hot so that there’s no wax left on your Pyrex.
Best Olive Oil for Lotion Bars
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To be honest, you can use any olive oil to make a lotion bar.
But if you want to go straight to some amazing Greek olive oil which we also use in our cooking, then try Kasandrinos Olive Oil.
If the ingredients you put on your family’s plate are just as important as the ingredients in your skincare, then you’ll appreciate the hand-picked, organic olives from only the current year’s harvest, made into oil that’s been stored only in temperature-controlled storage and PGI certified. Did I say it’s from Greece? So lovely!
I chatted with the co-founder, Tony, to get the scoop on why their olive oil is so special.
- the olive trees are hundreds of years old so the olives are more flavorful and nutrient-dense
- every bottle has the harvest date and production date (fairly similar to MadeOn!)
- each batch gets tested at 2 3rd party independent labs
I was hooked when he sent us a bottle, plus some samples, which I took on a recent weekend getaway.
It’s delicious on bbq’d zucchini, adds warmth and zest to a homemade vinaigrette, and yes, it even makes a nourishing lotion bar!
Try it here –> Kasandrino’s Olive Oil for food or lotion bars!
Kasandrino’s is offering MadeOn fans 50% off your first month’s subscription of Kasandrino’s Olive Oil OR 25% off a one-time purchase.
You will love this oil!
