In our family, we have a tradition of saving one gift to open on January 6th, which marks the feast of the Epiphany, ending our Christmas season. I wanted to find a fun and educational way to teach our kids about this feast, which honors the arrival of the three kings who brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I thought it would be a great idea to create a homemade product combining all three.
I had already made Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh Lotion Bars, but I was looking for a smoother lotion that was simple to make and involved my kids. While making it, we learned about the benefits and meanings of each ingredient.
Gold was easy to explain, but frankincense and myrrh were less familiar. Some suggest frankincense represents teaching and sacrifice, while myrrh symbolizes death and embalming. Both had practical uses too. Frankincense helped with hormone balance and healing, while myrrh was often applied to the umbilical cord to prevent infection and promote healing. Both are known for their calming and soothing properties. Frankincense and myrrh come from the bark of specific trees and are considered medicinal herbs.
I also wanted to teach my kids about oil, water, and how they emulsify, which turned into a fun homeschool science project. We used an ingredient called emulsifying wax to help with this. Though there’s some debate about its natural origins, it’s derived from plants and more processed than beeswax. It works well for emulsification.
We first tried to blend oil and water together in a blender, but they separated after a few minutes. Adding emulsifying wax made them stay combined, giving us a lotion-like texture.
Unlike my purely oil-based homemade lotions, this one includes water, so it won’t last as long. You could add a natural preservative to extend its shelf life, but I skipped that. I made a small batch and used it up within two weeks, storing it in the fridge.
Have you ever done a DIY project with your kids? How did that go?
