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.
Judy wrote on May 30, 2013
I made this body butter right before we went on a trip to the beach, it turned out so wonderful! My husband has had some problems with skin cancer recently on his arms and so he uses this to help his arms look better. Normally they look dry and crusty.
I used 25% coconut oil, 25% Shea butter, 25% kokum butter & 25% almond oil. Yes, it does melt the moment I put it on my skin, but I just thought that’s what it was supposed to do. I am keeping the extra jars in the reefrigerator until I get ready to use them.
Thanks for giving us the recipe 🙂
Veronica wrote on May 28, 2013
I’ve been using NOW Foods essential oils for a few months and I really like them. They smell good and quite a bit cheaper. If you want a consumable oil I’d suggest getting a flavoring. You can get them at the grocery store or Michaels or other craft store. Not sure that kind of oil would work for this recipe though.
Lea wrote on May 25, 2013
DA,
I just made my body butter with grape seed oil as a liquid part and it worked just fine. You may also use any vegetable cooking oil from a grocery store, most of them are good for your skin. I would suggest virgin olive oil, but Susan might come up with something better.
DA wrote on May 23, 2013
What can we use in place of almond oil that’s cheaper or easier to come by and has the same benefits? Also, what do you think of that NOW Foods brand on Amazon that has all sorts of essential oils? I’ve tried contacting their customer service and they don’t give me a straight answer whether their peppermint oil is safe to eat and how to use it in place of mint extract, just to find a book, so I don’t know if they really know their product and if it’s safe. I’m planning on ordering that same shea butter and some coconut oil to make something like this, along with beeswax for lip balm, but everything says to use almond oil.
megan wrote on May 22, 2013
My coconut oil is liquid these days (over 76 degrees in my house) – still considered a solid? Also, any trouble cleaning the mixer after this? I just had a toss a blender canister that was beyond cleaning from the last time I made lotion 🙁
Susan wrote on May 23, 2013
If it is liquid, it is not solid. No, this won’t ruin your mixer.
Benja wrote on May 22, 2013
Hi! Super looking body butter, thanks for posting the recipe. May be i can add moringa oil and/or sesame oil in place of almond oil? I suppose with ‘herbal active’, the shelf life would be extended quite abit.
pia wrote on May 21, 2013
Hi, it looks great, want to make it, but you write several times 75% solid to 25% liquid…but the recipe says 1 cup butter and ½+½ cup oils….surely that is 50/50, not 75/25? What am I missing here? Thanks!
Pia
Susan wrote on May 21, 2013
Coconut oil is hard at room temp. It is a solid. So, 75% (shea butter and coconut oil) and 25% (almond oil)
Gloria wrote on May 20, 2013
I made this tonight and it whipped up well, however the moment I put it on my skin it melted to an oil – I had doubled up on the liquids bc I used almond as well as grapeseed oil! My mistake!
I have also run out of Shea butter – can anyone else suggest another creamy ingredient I can add to rescue it?… It would be such a waste to throw this away.
Susan wrote on May 20, 2013
Gloria, put it aside, order the shea butter and make the recipe with the correct ratios. 🙂
Zaskira wrote on May 16, 2013
I made this with
2 cups shea butter
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup avocado oil
1 ounce jojoba oil
20 drops vitamin E
20 drops vanilla essential oil
I had a big jar (one quart) so I doubled the recipe
Anyways, I’m 20, and this is the first time I made a body butter–
it came out beautifully!!!! It smells so lovely, thank you ^_____^=