Copycat Lush Cocoa Butter Bath Melts

It’s that time of year again: bath season (did you think I was going to say the holidays? Yeah, that too.) True to their name, copycat Lush bath melts are butter-based bath products made to dissolve in warm water and coat your skin in a layer of hydrating oil. If there’s one thing Lush does right, it’s making the most luxurious, skin-nourishing bath oils.

I don’t know about you but we’re only one month in and already I’m desperate for some R&R outside of all the parties and festive hoopla. All I want is to run a hot bath and toss in some of the amazing-smelling bits and bobs I saw at Lush recently.

Lush bath bombs, bubble bars, and Christmas tree bath melts are at the top of my list. I love making my own since I get to control the ingredients and save a little money in the process.

Plus they’re perfect for wrapping up and giving as gifts to all the other frazzled ladies on my list. Add a string for some festive charm and… I mean, does it get any cuter than that?

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Cocoa Butter Bath Melt Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Usage
• FAQ
• More Cocoa Butter Recipes

Ingredients

I made these bath melts as close to the original as I could. They contain some easy-to-find things like cocoa butter, baking soda, shea butter, and essential oils as well as some harder-to-find ingredients like cupuacu butter and carnauba wax.

Since they don’t need to be identical to be amazing, I purchased what I could (cupuacu butter), subbed out what I couldn’t (carnauba wax), and scrapped whatever I didn’t think was necessary. And they came out perfectly.

• ¾ cup cocoa butter
• ½ cup shea butter
• ¼ cup cupuacu butter
• 2 tablespoon beeswax
• 2 tablespoon baking soda
• 20 drops ylang ylang essential oil
• 10 drops grapefruit essential oil
• ½ teaspoon chlorella for color - I ground it into a super fine powder using a coffee grinder.
• Kitchen twine or string

Instructions

Hint: To make a bath melt that's all one color, just combine the wax and butters in a small bowl and melt. When the wax cools a little, add your essential oils and pigment for color, then pour it directly into the mold.

Substitutions

• Cocoa butter — You can swap the cocoa butter for more shea butter or try kokum butter or mango butter.
• Color — If you don't have chlorella, try matcha for green bath melts. Or you can use artificial colors or any kind of food-safe dye.
• Essential oils — Any of these bath bomb essential oils would be perfect in bath melts too.

Cocoa Butter Bath Melt Variations

We all know someone who loves bath bombs and Lush bath products, so why not treat them with these very simple quickfire bath melts?

Basic Cocoa Butter Bath Melts

• ½ cup cocoa butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil (e.g., lavender, chamomile, or rose)

Instructions:

1. In a heatproof bowl, melt the cocoa butter and coconut oil using a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave. Stir until well combined.
2. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding the essential oil.
3. Pour the mixture into silicone molds of your choice.
4. Place the molds in the refrigerator for a few hours or until the melts harden.
5. Once set, remove from the molds and store in a cool, dry place.

Sweet Almond and Vanilla Bath Melts

• ½ cup sweet almond oil
• ½ cup cocoa butter
• ¼ cup shea butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla oleoresin

Instructions:

1. Melt sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter together in a heatproof bowl using a double boiler.
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract or vanilla oleoresin.
3. Pour the mixture into molds and refrigerate until solid.

Chocolate Mint Bath Melts

• ½ cup cocoa butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ¼ cup grated dark chocolate
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil

Instructions:

1. Melt cocoa butter and coconut oil together in a heatproof bowl using a double boiler.
2. Stir in grated dark chocolate until fully melted.
3. Add peppermint essential oil and mix well.
4. Pour the mixture into molds and refrigerate until hardened.

Equipment

We like plastic or silicone molds for easy removal. You can find molds in various shapes and sizes to add a decorative touch. These and these are similar to the ones we used.

Storage

Store your cocoa butter bath melts in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Using airtight containers helps prevent them from absorbing moisture and losing their effectiveness.

Usage

To use, simply drop a bath melt into a hot bath and let it dissolve, releasing its nourishing oils and lovely scent. Enjoy your homemade bath melt for a relaxing and rejuvenating me-time experience.

If your bars are large and there’s enough oil in each bar to last for a few baths, you can break it into pieces and toss one or two small chunks in the tub. The oils will float on top of the water, softening your skin as you soak.

You can also hang the bar over the faucet and let the running water melt some of the oils before setting the rest of the bar aside.

You can also do what I do when I'm feeling lazy and want to skip putting on moisturizer: use the bar as an in-shower skin conditioner. Simply let the hot water soften the oils a bit, then rub it over freshly washed skin. Hop out and dry off as usual.

FAQ

More Cocoa Butter Recipes

Looking for other cocoa butter recipes? Try these:

This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Haley, a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, cosmetic and surgical dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

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