The products you apply to your skin are just as crucial as the food you consume. Homemade body butter is a simple yet effective way to deeply nourish your skin, which is the largest organ in your body and absorbs everything you apply to it.
Creating your own skincare products allows you to utilize simple, unprocessed ingredients, promoting both health and well-being.
Ingredients and Their Benefits
One of the key ingredients in this body butter recipe is shea butter, a solid fat extracted from the nuts of the African shea tree.
With a melting point of about 89°F (32°C), shea butter remains solid at normal room temperatures but melts upon contact with warm skin, making it ideal for moisturizing.
For this body butter, the recommended ratio is two parts shea butter to one part oil. Specifically, you’ll need:
– 16 ounces of shea butter
– 8 to 9 ounces of oil (such as jojoba oil, olive oil, or coconut oil)
If you don’t have access to the suggested oils, you can substitute them with coconut oil and olive oil, which are both easily available at most grocery stores.
Additionally, raw cacao butter can be added for an extra layer of richness. While it’s optional, cacao butter helps maintain the body butter’s solid consistency in warmer environments, making it especially useful in humid or hot rooms like bathrooms.
Creating Your Own Skincare Products
In addition to body butter, you can also create nourishing facial oils. A blend of jojoba oil, rosehip oil, moringa oil, sea buckthorn oil, vitamin E, and various essential oils such as frankincense, helichrysum, vetiver, rose, and lavender can provide exceptional benefits for your skin.
Essential Ingredients for Nourishing Body Butter
Creating a nourishing body butter involves a selection of high-quality ingredients, each contributing unique benefits to the skin. Here are the key ingredients you will need:
1. Shea Butter
Shea butter serves as the foundational ingredient for body butter, renowned for its nourishing properties.
It is a rich source of fatty acids, particularly stearic acid and palmitic acid, which hydrate, protect, and soften the skin.
Shea butter is particularly effective for soothing inflamed or cracked skin, making it ideal for dry areas such as hands and feet. It also aids in healing various skin conditions, including eczema and rosacea.
You can find shea butter at local food co-ops in the personal care section or order it online.
2. Jojoba Oil
Derived from the seeds of a flowering shrub native to the southwestern United States, jojoba oil is technically a liquid wax that closely mimics the skin’s natural sebum.
This unique property allows it to absorb easily into the skin without leaving a greasy residue, making it suitable for use as a facial oil.
Jojoba oil is rich in antioxidants and provides excellent hydration, contributing to overall skin health. It can also help soothe skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.
Available at food co-ops or online, jojoba oil is a versatile addition to your body butter.
3. Moringa Oil
Moringa oil is extracted from the seeds of the moringa tree, which is indigenous to India.
This oil is known for its quick absorption and high content of antioxidants and oleic acid, which calm skin inflammation and combat premature aging.
For the best results, ensure you choose unrefined moringa oil. It can be conveniently ordered online.
4. Sea Buckthorn Oil
Characterized by its deep orange hue, sea buckthorn oil imparts a rich yellow color to body butter.
This oil is exceptionally high in antioxidants, vitamins, and omega fatty acids (3, 6, 7, and 9), making it a potent anti-inflammatory agent.
Sea buckthorn oil is especially beneficial for calming inflammation associated with skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
It’s important to use only a small amount, as excessive application may temporarily tint the skin orange. You can purchase it online.
5. Pure Essential Oils
Adding pure essential oils can enhance the therapeutic properties of your body butter. I recommend using doTERRA 100% pure essential oils.
Some nourishing options include lavender, rose, frankincense, vetiver, ylang ylang, blue lotus, yarrow, and vanilla.
You can find frankincense, lavender, and ylang ylang available for purchase online.
For cost savings, consider opening a wholesale account, which provides access to a variety of essential oils, including frankincense and lavender, at discounted prices.
Homemade Whipped Body Butter Recipe
Creating your own whipped body butter is a rewarding and straightforward process that can yield enough product to fill 4 to 5 half-pint mason jars. If you’d like to produce a larger batch, simply double the ingredients to make 8 to 10 jars.
Ingredients
– 16 ounces shea butter
– 2 ounces cacao butter
– 4 ounces jojoba oil
– 4 ounces moringa oil
– 1 ounce sea buckthorn oil
– 2 vitamin E capsules
– 25 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
– 20 drops frankincense essential oil (optional)
– 20 drops ylang ylang essential oil (optional)
– 10 drops rose essential oil (optional)
Note: The basic ratio for this recipe is two parts shea butter to one part liquid oil. This ratio can be adjusted to suit personal preferences. If you do not have all the listed oils, feel free to substitute them with a combination of jojoba, olive, or coconut oil, totaling 8 to 9 ounces of liquid oil per batch. Additionally, essential oils can be customized or omitted; however, if you have concerns about skin inflammation or premature aging, incorporating frankincense essential oil may be beneficial.
1. Melt the Butters and Oils:
In a medium-sized pot, combine the shea butter, cacao butter, jojoba oil, moringa oil, and sea buckthorn oil.
Heat the mixture over very low heat until the shea and cacao butters have completely melted. Once melted, stir to combine and remove from heat.
2. Add Essential Oils and Vitamin E:
Pour the melted mixture into a heat-proof glass or metal bowl. Allow it to cool until it is warm but not hot, to preserve the potency of the essential oils.
Snip the ends of the vitamin E capsules and squeeze the liquid into the bowl, discarding the capsules. If desired, essential oils can be added now, or you can wait until the mixture has set and whip it with an electric mixer.
3. Set the Mixture
To allow the body butter to set, place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can put it in the freezer for about an hour.
It’s perfectly fine if the mixture is not entirely solid before mixing, as a partially liquid state will make it easier to whip.
4. Whip the Body Butter
Once the mixture has set, use an electric mixer to whip the body butter until it reaches a light and fluffy consistency.
If you haven’t added the essential oils yet, this is the time to do so.
5. Store and Enjoy
Use a spoon to transfer the whipped body butter into jars. Optionally, label the jars and consider giving them as thoughtful gifts or keeping them for personal use.
This homemade whipped body butter is an excellent project to do with children and makes for delightful gifts or personal pampering. Enjoy the nourishing benefits of this natural skincare product!
Conclusion
Making your own body butter not only ensures that you’re using high-quality ingredients, but it also allows you to customize the formulation to meet your specific skin needs.
