Plantain Lotion Bar Recipe

This plantain lotion bar recipe only takes a few simple ingredients and is easy to make. The recipe makes luxurious lotion bars with great benefits for the skin. Once you get started making these all natural lotion bars from fresh flowers, weeds and herbs you will not want to stop. They also make a great gift!

Using the lotion bars on your skin makes it feel soft and silky! The lotion in solid form can be used as massage bars for rough elbows and knees and do not have a greasy feel. Even better than regular lotion!

Plantain is a very common weed found growing everywhere and is sometimes considered a nuisance. However, plantain is not only edible, but has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Plantain weed contains many healing compounds that can reduce inflammation, improve digestion and promote wound healing.

Benefits of Plantain

This article by MedicineNet includes a lot of information about plantain including how to identify, the many uses and how to use plantain. The article states, that “Plantain poultices have traditionally been used to treat wounds. This plant has anti-microbial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties that may help heal wounds. A study of 40 people with diabetic foot ulcers found that a gel of aloe vera and plantain weed helped significantly reduce the size of the ulcers compared with people who received a placebo gel. The people who used the aloe vera and plantain gel also didn’t experience any negative side effects.”

The website Indigo Herbs has an interesting article about plantain. The article includes folklore history, traditional uses and benefits. The article includes a discussion of the benefits of plantain including for respiratory heath, immune boosting, digestive and gastrointestinal health, and skin health. it states that plantain “is considered one of the best healing herbs on the planet.”

How to Make Plantain Lotion Bars

To make salves, lip balm, lotions and lotion bars, you need to start with an infused oil.

How to Make an Infused Oil

To make the plantain lotion bar recipe, the first step is to pick the the fresh plantain.

Next is to dry the leaves and flowers. The drying process can include air drying by spreading them in a single layer on a dish towel or paper towel and letting them dry for several days.

The other option is to use a dehydrator set at a low setting to dry.

The next step for the diy plantain lotion bars is to make an infused oil with the dried plantain by steeping the dried plantain in a carrier oil over a period of time. As the dried plantain infuses in the oil (later strained), the natural essential oils in the leaves are drawn out and into the carrier oil. Different kinds of oils can be used including sweet almond oil, safflower oil, avocado oil, sweetgrass oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, jojoba oil or coconut oil.

Add the dried plantain to a glass jar. I like to use a pint mason jar.

The amount of oil you want will depend on how many lotion bars or other items that you want to make. You will add about twice as much oil as your dried flowers or herbs. For example, you can add the flowers or herbs to a pint jar about halfway and then fill the jar almost to the top. If you want less, you can fill the jar about 1/4 up with herbs and then 1/2 way with oil. Also, you can make more than you plan to use for now and save the additional oil for later.

There are several options for making the oil infusion:

Slow infusion method: Just add the lid to the jar and put it away in a dark place for 4 to 6 weeks. Shake the jar every once in a while. You can also put the jar in direct sunlight for a couple weeks to infuse the oil.

Fast double boiler method: Place the jar in a saucepan of a couple inches of hot water and heat the water on low for about 2 hours. Or add the oil and dried herbs or flowers to a double boiler pan and let it simmer but not boil for 1 to 2 hours.

Fast crockpot method: Add your dried herbs or flowers and oil to the crockpot, make sure that the oil covers the herbs. Heat the oil slowly and keep the crockpot on warm. Try to keep the temp between 120-130 F. Let it heat for several hours.

Making the Plantain Lotion Bars

The next step is to strain the dried plantain leaves from the infused oil.

Once you have the infused oil, you add the amount desired to a double boiler, then add the beeswax and shea butter. The measurements for solid lotions bars are equal amounts of oil,  beeswax,  shea butter. A lot of recipes for lotion bars and salves that I have seen use measurements in grams and oz. I feel it is easier with simple measurements. I wanted to start with a small batch, so I used 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup beeswax and 1/4 cup shea butter. Cocoa butter can be substituted for shea butter.

Stir until the beeswax and shea butter are melted.

Pour the mixture into small silicone molds or heatproof candy molds.  I love these flower molds.

Option is to add essential oils or fragrance oils and coloring with mica powder to the mixture.

Let the mixture set up and harden in the silicon mold. It does not take very long to set up to make these homemade plantain lotion bars.

Enjoy!

Enjoy making and using these homemade lotion bars made from natural ingredients and herbs and flowers. It is very easy to make small batches of these solid moisturizing lotion bars. The homemade lotion bars also make great gifts!

See my website at www.HawkPointHomestead.com to learn more and for additional made from nature recipes, such as my sage salve recipe, purple dead nettle salve recipe, elderflower salve, elderflower lotion bar, rose petal lotion bar, peony lotion bar, white clover lotion bar, honeysuckle rose lotion bars and my flower jellies including my dandelion jelly recipe, redbud jelly recipe, lilac jelly recipe peony jelly and apple blossom recipe.

The website also includes canning recipes and other favorite great recipes, plus posts about other homestead-type activities, such as gardening and raising chickens.

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Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only.  It should not be seen as medical or any other advice. I am not a medical expert so individual precautions should be considered.

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