HOMEMADE BODY BUTTER

Are you looking for some last minute gift ideas for those special people in your life? Or maybe like me you have really dry skin during the winter and you’re looking for inexpensive ways to make your own non toxic personal care items to keep your skin hydrated.

Today I wanted to share how I make my own homemade body butter. I’ve been making this for several years now along with my own body scrubs. I have very sensitive skin and also a sensitive nose. I don’t like using any products with harsh or strong fragrances. For that reason, I started making my own homemade lotions and body scrubs. This way I am able to control the ingredients I put in them.

This recipe is easy to make and it also makes a great gift for friends and family. You will need to stock up on several basic ingredients, however they have long shelf lives and you’ll be using them up in no time, there’s no reason any of it should go to waste.

What You Will Need

Container. I used this plastic one that I actually had left over from a previous body butter that I had purchased from a friend, but I typically use little ball jars. Either one works. Both can be found on Amazon
Pot and Glass Bowl
Mixer
1/4 cup shea butter
1/4 cup cocoa butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup olive oil – you can use almond oil or jojoba oil as well
10-15 drops of essential oil or a combination of oils. I used one my favorite oils from Far&Wild called Calm.

How To Make It

To make your whipped body butter you’re going to measure all of your ingredients. You’re going to bring a pot of water to a boil with a heat-safe glass boil over top. This will create your double boiler. Measure and add all your oils to the glass bowl. Allow everything to melt and become combined. Remove it from the heat and add in your essential oils. Place your bowl in the fridge to help harden it up. You don’t want it to completely harden, you should be able to poke your finger into it. Now you can add it to your stand mixer to whip it up. Once whipped transfer it to your preferred containers. This body butter will keep for about 3 months – 6 months

You may want to adjust your oils to suit your skin type. Lavender, ylang ylang, and rose are great for every skin type, oils like tea tree and frankincense work well for acne prone skin, while bergamot and orange are nice for oily skin, and rosewood and chamomile work well for dry skin. Just be careful when using oils like orange and lemon, they can react to sunlight so just be sure to give your skin enough time before going into direct sunlight.

If you want to make this a sunscreen, skip the citrus oils and add in some zinc oxide to make your own sun protection. You can do this with a couple TBSP shea butter, 1/2 cup almond or olive oil, 1/4 coconut oil, 1/4 cup beeswax, and 2 TBSP zinc oxide. For a seasonal touch consider oils like peppermint or add in one vanilla (you can even use vanilla extract if you don’t have a vanilla essential oil.)

How Long Will This Last?

This should last for about 3 months on the counter, but you can extend its shelf life by keeping in in the refrigerator. You want to store it in a cool, dry place and not in direct sunlight.

Can I double this recipe to make more?

Of course. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to suit your needs. It is definitely easier especially if you’re planning to give some away as gifts. I love making a crochet washcloth to go along with any scrubs or lotions I make as gifts.