Homemade Body Butter Recipe
I made my first batch of body butter today. I think my life has changed forever. Delightful, decadent and easy, I have wanted to try making it for a long time. I was convinced that it would be difficult and not work the way I wanted. Boy, was I wrong.
I love creamy body butters. Living in a climate that gets quite cold and dry in the winter, they are a must in my house. But two things have always bothered me. They can be quite expensive and also, full of ingredients that are less than desirable for your skin and health.
We often forget that our skin is the largest organ on our body and absorbs what we put on it. If you are using lotions and body butters with chemicals in them (fragrances, preservatives, color additives, etc.) be aware that your skin absorbs the chemicals, too. Not exactly desirable. I often just use almond oil on my skin after a shower but sometimes I want something a little more decadent. Body butters, made with pure oils and essential oils for fragrance are just the thing.
I called my friend Jen Vertanen, who writes the blog, “The Wholehearted Life”, knowing that she has spent years playing with recipes for home made soaps and lotions and asked her opinion on ingredients. She told me to use 75% solid to 25% liquid oil. Sounded easy enough.
I measured out shea butter (I use this shea butter: organic raw shea butter
I wanted to use rosemary as one of my scents. I didn’t have any rosemary essential oil so I added fresh rosemary as the oils were cooling. I also stirred in the almond oil at this point. Once the oil was cool, I strained out the rosemary, added peppermint (just a few drops, it is strong) and sweet orange essential oils and tried to whip the butter as instructed in other body recipes that I had researched. Nothing happened. I was about to give up and just let the oil harden when I had an idea.
I placed the oil mixture outside (it’s cold…it’s Minnesota) and let it partially set up. At that point, I tried whipping it again in the kitchen aid mixer and, success! A beautiful body butter, so simple to make, smelling delicious and with a texture that was like clouds of silk.
*Because of the popularity of this recipe on pinterest, I am getting many, many questions that are more suited for an expert. This is a raw food site, this was my first attempt at body butter, it worked better than I could have hoped for and if you make this recipe as stated, it will work great for you too!! I am sorry but I can’t answer the technical questions. Cheers!*
IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH YOUR BODY BUTTER WHIPPING: you probably rushed this step. It needs to be cooled significantly….like in the picture.
I have to admit, I am pretty excited at how easy it is to make. I used sweet orange, lemon and lavender in my second batch. Heavenly. You can just use the basic recipe and add your favorite essential oils. Just make sure they are skin friendly!
A few people have asked about jars. I use these: Weck Jars
TIPS: PLEASE READ!
- You can use what ever oils you wish, just make sure you keep the ratio 75% solid to 25% liquid. SO IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO ANY OF THE ABOVE LISTED OILS, JUST REPLACE THEM WITH AN OIL THAT YOU ARE NOT ALLERGIC TO. Just make sure you replace a solid for a solid and a liquid for a liquid.
- The chilling step is crucial. If you don’t chill it properly, it won’t whip or stay whipped. About 20 minutes in the freezer usually does the trick for this batch. Make sure you scrape down the sides before mixing.
- Since this recipe does not contain any water, it will not mold. You should keep in a cool place but it does not have to be refrigerated.
- I do not know the exact shelf life but I know it will keep at least a few months, plus.
- The body butter melts as it goes on and gets a little oily but absorbs beautifully, quickly and leaves your skin very soft.
- You can order the shea butter here: Raw Shea Butter
You can order the coconut oil here: Coconut Oil
You can order the almond oil here: Almond Oil
You can order the Weck Jars here: Weck Jars
Alternatively, coconut oil and almond oil are quite easy to locate at your local coop, Whole Foods or health food store.
- This recipe has been tested many times. If you don’t follow the recipe, you will not get the same results.
- Many people ask for exact amounts of essential oils. I start with at least 20 drops of what ever oil I want to use and just increase slowly until I am happy with how it smells. So…be free! Use your own creativity here.
Body Butter
MAKES 2 1/2 to 3 CUPS WHIPPED BUTTER
- 1 cup organic raw shea butter
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (solid)
- 1/2 cup almond oil (liquid)
- Melt shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
- Stir in almond oil and essential oils of your choosing.*
- Place oil mixture in freezer or outside to chill.
- Wait until oils start to partially solidify (see photo) then whip until a butter-like consistency is achieved.
- Place in clean, glass jar and enjoy! A little goes a long way.
*Not all essential oils are skin friendly or child friendly. Please do your research before adding.
Amy Bacheller wrote on January 23, 2012
Wow, this looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! For shea butter, I found some at my local healthfood store made by Sensibility Soaps. They call is Nourish and say it’s raw, organic shea butter. I want to try it with cacoa butter! Essential oils also act as a natural preservative so anything made with them lasts longer. Thanks for the inspiration, Susan!
Shari wrote on January 23, 2012
Thank you Susan!
Shari wrote on January 23, 2012
Thank you for sharing such great recipes — raw and otherwise. I love rawmazing.com! If you ever come to Denver, please, please give a class. I would help with whatever you need. Thank you again 🙂
liz wrote on January 21, 2012
I would love to make this! But I have a question that Im hoping someone can help me with, Im allergic to almonds….could I use almond oil? if not what could I use instead? Thanks 🙂
Susan wrote on January 22, 2012
Yes, you can use olive oil, or any other liquid oil that is cold pressed and healthy.
Sheila wrote on January 21, 2012
I want to make this butter very soon! I’m totally in love with your website and with everything that you post, recipes, etc.! Awsesome! Thank you for being so very generous to share so many wonderful recipes with your viewers. Do you have more beauty recipes? Thanks! 🙂
Raw Antonia wrote on January 20, 2012
Whoa, that looks amazing! Almost good enough to eat!
But… Is it absolutely necessary to add essential oils for fragrance? What does the body butter smell like without fragrances? I have quite sensitive skin and an even more sensitive nose and i prefer creams that have no fragrance at all, or at least a very subtle fragrance. I don’t even like wearing perfumes because of this.
I have a few more questions: can i use something like cinnamon buns for a subtle fragrance instead of essential oils? Does the body butter maintain that consistency or does it harden further? How long does the body butter keep for and what are your suggestions regarding storage? I have never made my own body butter so i have absolutely no idea how to go about this.
Thanks very much for sharing!
Susan wrote on January 20, 2012
No, you don’t have to use essential oils. It will smell like the shea butter and the coconut butter. I don’t know what cinnamon buns is but I am guessing it isn’t a natural fragrance? It maintains a light fluffy consistency. It’s shelf life is the same as the ingredients used. Cheers!
Jessica wrote on January 19, 2012
I love this! Your packaging is beautiful, and the body butter looks amazing!
I want to make some too, but I have some allergies- one of them being almonds. Can you recommend an alternative to almond oil?
Susan wrote on January 19, 2012
You could use olive oil, jojoba oil, any organic, liquid oil that is healthy. Cheers!
Mary Childress wrote on January 19, 2012
Sounds delisious…
Please just be careful with the citrus blends… and skin friendly is right. We had the Bergamot essential oil. Which I found out is a citrus…. and some citrus’s, actually become pototoxic when exposed to the sun causing bad burns as we have experienced. After several trips to the ER and to the Dermatologist and my daughter burned over 30% of her body and on pain meds WOW what a trip! ……. lime juice too….. Ive seen this a couple times and was shocked at it, Bergamot oil should not even be sold in concentrated form. (my opinion) only .04% is to be used in perfumes… astounding that It is even available in concentrate….
Sherri Edens wrote on January 19, 2012
Oh so glad you shared this!!! Been looking for body butter, and
can’t find anything I like. So might as well make my own!!
Thankyou!!!