We are experiencing one of the mildest winters I think we've ever had since I moved to Utah from California almost 18 years ago! So WHY, I ask you, am I experiencing the WORST dry skin I've ever had in my life this winter?? Answer me that riddler!
While you ponder that oddity of Mother Nature...let me share with you something I made to help combat the problem! BODY BUTTER!
I admit, I have never used Body Butter before. The thought of rubbing "butter" all over my skin just wasn't appealing to me. That was until I saw a picture of a homemade batch that someone had made. It looked so creamy and fluffy I wanted to grab a spoon! And even better...I couldn't believe how EASY it was to make.
The recipe I used comes from Susan Powers website Rawmazing.com.
Body Butter
1 cup shea butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup almond oil (you can substitute olive oil, jojoba oil, any organic, liquid oil that is healthy.)
1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler.
Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
2. Stir in almond oil and essential oils of your choosing.
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| I added probably 20 to 25 drops of Lavender oil, but when it was finished it was still hard to even smell. Next time I will use more. |
3. Wait until oils start to partially solidify....
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| I put mine on the back porch to cool. (Yes, that is snow on the ground ). Didn't take long. :-) |
......then whip until a butter-like consistency is achieved.
This should only take a few minutes.
4. Place in clean, glass jar and enjoy! A little goes a long way.
So for the last two days I have been using this stuff every chance I get! At first it felt really strange to put on because as soon as it comes in contact with the heat of your skin, it basically melts and feels....well...oily. Imagine that! lol. But after working it into my skin for a few seconds, the oily feeling is gone and it just feels smooth and moisturized! If I need to handle something right away after putting it on, I would just wipe off the palms of my hands slightly, just so I didn't get my cell phone (or whatever) oily.
That is my first experience with Body Butter! Suffice it to say...my body LOVES it!
UPDATE: March 6, 2012
I wanted to just post a short "update" of sorts to this post and reiterate how much I am loving this stuff! When I first looked at my four jars of this stuff I thought I'm NEVER going to be able to use it all! Like I said above...a little goes a long way when you're just rubbing it occasionally on your hands, etc. But lately I have started literally SLATHERING myself with it when I get out of the shower (I probably use a good 1/4 cup!) and then letting it "soak in" while I dry and style my hair and do my make up. By the time I get dressed it's no longer oily and my skin feels SOOOO soft!!! Now THAT'S what body butter is supposed to do! I think. :-)
Body Butter that looks good enough to eat (but I wouldn't recommend it) is today's.....
Thanks for sharing this recipe - it looks fabulous! Lately I've been making just plain whipped coconut oil (whip it like you've done above, don't have to melt the coconut oil first) with some lavender essential oil added. Our family uses it for everything...daily moisturizer, lip moisturizer, for minor cuts and scratches (both the coconut oil and lavender EO have antibacterial properties). Just last night my little guy woke up with some pretty severe growing pains in his leg. I used the whipped coconut oil to give him a nice long leg massage, and the lavender essential oil really helped to calm him.
ReplyDeleteWe are a family with 4 kids and one income, so the coconut oil is very economical for us as a little bit goes a long way! I already have the almond oil, so when I get a little extra money in the budget I'll be excited to pick up some shea butter and try out your body butter recipe!
It looks wonderful. Do you know how long it will store, and will it separate?
ReplyDeleteWow! This is truly impressive. Thanks Jill and thank you Emily!
ReplyDeleteThat does look good enough to eat!
ReplyDeleteEmilyM...the more I learn about coconut oil...the more I am amazed at all it can do! I think I will try the plain whipped coconut oil too. Cuz I'm just a curious person like that! :-) Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteSheri...I'm not really sure how long it will store. You could store it in the refrigerator if you wanted. I'm guessing it will keep as long as the respective ingredients would normally keep.
You are welcome Dragos. :-)
Jenny...I know! But I wouldn't suggest it. ;-)
Sheri...as long as you keep the body butter in a cool place it shouldn't seperate. Coconut oil melts at about 74 - 76 degrees, so if your body butter gets to that temperature I'm guessing it would melt/seperate.
ReplyDeleteI'm allergic to shea butter. What can I use to substitute? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBTW I love your blog! (just in case you don't read that often enough)
No snow = no moisture = dry skin! I'm having the same problem in Colorado. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you use Doterra! I have Doterra coconut oil. I can't wait to try it! Thank you again for more good things!
ReplyDeleteThanks EmilyM! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnony...you could actually probably just eliminate the shea butter altogether (see the first comment above by EmilyM) and still have it whip up nicely. I might try that next time. The hubster seems to have an aversion to the "chocolate smell". Who could have an aversion to THAT?? lol
lisabella...but of course! Didn't think of that. duh. :-) It's been a KILLER dry year this year!
nursedawn...doTerra is amazing stuff. Thanks for the kind words. :-)
Where can you buy coconut oil and shea butter?
ReplyDeleteI find coconut oil at vitacost.com. So far, it is the cheapest source of extra virgin coconut oil that I've found. You can get 54 oz. for around $20. I cook with it and it is the healthiest oil for cooking. Great on the skin too!!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of whipping it up. I make a very simple non-petroleum jelly that I found on Care2.com
ReplyDelete2 ounces olive oil
1/2 ounce grated beeswax
12 drops grapefruit seed extract
1. In a double boiler over simmering water and medium heat, combine the olive oil and beeswax, and heat until the wax has melted.
2. Remove mixture from the heat and add the grapefruit seed extract.
3. Beat with a hand mixer until creamy.
Makes 1/4 cup. Store in a glass jar with a screw-top. This jelly will keep for a year.
............................
I have changed up the oils to almond oil and coconut oil too. The beeswax keeps it firm and keeps moisture locked in. I use this on lips, hands, feet, everything.
~Jody
I can't wait to try this. It looks amazing!! Do you have a suggestion for where to buy good quality shea butter? Thanks for this tutorial and all of the others. I love your blog!!
ReplyDeleteI bought my coconut oil and shea butter through Amazon.com. If you click on the ingredients in the recipe above...it should take you to where you can purchase them on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteAnother comment above mentioned vitacost.com as well. :-)
Does it matter what kind of coconut oil you use? I found mine cheap at Walmart. It was $5.96 for 31.5 ounces but it seems like all this other stuff on the web costs double or triple what I paid.
ReplyDeleteIs there a difference in the coconut oils? Where do you buy shea butter..or do you have to order it on line? I love all your great ideas
ReplyDeleteJill,
ReplyDeleteI have posted a question twice and it keeps disappearing???? Since this is my 3rd attempt over the past couple of days, I'll be short. =+) Is there a difference between shea and cocoa butters? I have bought the other ingredients in the past, but never shea. Your link attached in the ing. list for shea is for cocoa butter and you said your husband doesn't like the "chocolate" smell. I just want to make sure I get the right thing when I order. THANKS a BUNCH! Here is to the 3rd post being the charm. =+)
Do you mean shea butter or cocoa butter? Two very different things. Your link that says "shea butter" links to cocoa butter on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteDiane...I'm sorry your question has been getting lost in the shuffle!
ReplyDeleteGood catch there! It is supposed to be shea butter! (Although cocoa butter would be just as good...just has a cocoa smell to it).
I have updated the Amazon link to SHEA BUTTER. Shea butter shouldn't have any smell to it...which would make it better for adding your own essential oil fragrance.
I hope this answers your long-awaited question! :-)
The top photo with all the ingredients shows cocoa butter (not shea butter) in the melting pot. Just confirming that it's definitely shea you used for this recipe? I've been looking for a cocoa butter (whipped) that worked like a whipped body butter frosting forever so I would be delighted if you really had used cocoa butter. LOL! =)
ReplyDeleteI have made something similar before, but I use about 2 Capsules of Vitamin E oil in mine, and haven't tried using it with coconut oil. I may just have to try it with that in it. The Vitamin E oil is a sort of preservative.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing your recipe!
ReplyDeleteWell Anne-Marie...you should be delighted because while I didn't MEAN to use cocoa butter...lol...I did in fact use cocoa butter. The recipe called for shea butter and I thought that's what I had ordered, but was apparently mistaken. I have since learned that either butter will work...but shea has no smell...unlike cocoa butter...that has a definite chocolate smell...which is fine by me! But might not be for others. So there you go. I hope that helps! :-)
ReplyDeleteDeborah...I think the Vit E oil is a good idea as a natural preservative.
Ellen...you are very welcome!
Oh my goodness! This is a very chatty post! :)
ReplyDeleteSo, does the recipe make 4 jars? If so, it looks easy enough to make a 1/2 recipe. Good to know that you used Cocoa butter & it worked, because I LOVE that smell! Maybe that is why you had a hard time smelling the lavender - ha, ha!
Shea butter has a smell, I order raw shea butter from Amazon (the same kind you linked) and use it at night before bed since it makes my skin so oily. It doesn't smell awful, it just smells different, like the inside of a seed or plants. You can melt it (double boiler method) and add E.O.'s so you don't smell its regular smell.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering how this turned out so white in color if you used shea butter! I am going to try this tonight after I make some deodorant!
I've been making my own body products for about 4 years now.
ReplyDeleteThe reason you can't smell the essential oil in your lotion is because your adding it to the mix when it's hot. You can't add essential oil when it's hot, you ad it in at the very end of the process when everything is cool. The heat destroys the essential oil, and it's useless. Also if you keep this lotion in a cool place it will keep for several months. If you have alot of heat-simply place it in your refridgerator-it feels so awesome on a hot summer day. Watch for any discoloration (black/brown) once that appears, it's time to toss and make more.
I made this today but I think I did something wrong. It only made 1 1/2 jars. I didn't have almond oil so I just used coconut and shea butter. I let it cool in the refridgerator until solid then whipped until fluffy (about 7 minutes.) Any suggestions????
ReplyDeletemelting the shea and coconut oil as I write this. Can't wait to try this recipe!!
ReplyDeleteHow much does this recipe make? Can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe made enough to fill the four small jars you see in the pictures above.
ReplyDeleteStephanie...how big were your jars? Mine were the LITTLE ones!
I have an allergy to coconut, is there a substitute for it in this recipe?
ReplyDeleteJill- I love coconut oil (use it for everything.) In your recipe, would you replace the shea butter with coconut, then add the remaining oils? I am very excited to try this. Thanks so much for sharing it with us :)
ReplyDeletelisalwright...I think you could just as easily use olive oil or almond oil for this as well.
ReplyDeleteBecca...I love coconut oil too! Removing the butter and using only coconut oil might work. I say go for it and let us know! ;-)
I can't wait to try this...20 years ago I bought a body butter at a ren-fair and have never found anything like it again...from your pics it looked just like the one right before you whipped it...so I'm going to try it both ways and see what I like better.
ReplyDeleteRaw shea butter does have a smell! Its a very earthy smell, not sweet at all. I think I would prefer cocoa butter with coconut oil, that sounds like a dessert ;) I made mine with shae and I am not loving the smell. I might try whipping it again with some additional EOs.
ReplyDeleteI tried this and it works so well, I'm addicted! But instead of the 1/2c of Almond oil, I tried a 1/2c combo of olive oil, argan oil, 2 Vitamin E capsules, and some cocoa butter, dab of honey with orange essential oil and rosehip essential oil. It smells and feels amazing! Thank you for this recipe :) I have found myself slathering it on too after showers ;)
ReplyDelete-Amy
http://aliceinstyle-land.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the great recipe. What could be used as an alternative to coconut oil (as I'm allergic)? Would it be ok to replace it with more of the vegetable oil or would beeswax be needed for a firmer consistency?
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Fran
Have been using this Feb 29th and I absolutely love it. I cannot believe how different my skin had become in just the first few days of use. (even my skeptical husband now uses it on occasion) Finally no rashes because it is all natural. I didn't have EO at the time but got used to the scent right away. I have given small amounts to friends to try and they are all hooked and have asked for the recipe. Thank you for all the wonderful things you post!!
ReplyDeleteFor anyone interested in finding cheap essential oils, regular oils, lavender flowers, chamomile flowers, etc....I have found that vitacost.com is the place to go (for what I need anyway) It is much cheaper than I find at stores and even online. I have a referral code that will get you $10 off. It is free shipping on orders of $49 or more; otherwise, the shipping is just $4.99. (I always find at least $49 of stuff I need) Hope this helps someone :) They don't sell shea butter or cocoa butter, but I find those pretty cheap on ebay.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vitacost.com/Referee?wlsrc=rsReferral&ReferralCode=60253244
Found your recipe on Pinterest. I made a half batch since shea butter is so terribly expensive in the stores, even at the co-op. Mine didn't whip up as nicely, but I used a whisk instead of my mixer-didn't feel like cleaning up that big of a mess. I got a little nuts with the EO, used Jasmine. At first it was wayyy too scented, but now it's really nice. I have bad fragrance allergies, but can tolerate most essential oils. I'll be ordering shea butter from Amazon, maybe some cocoa butter too. I agree with everybody else-even though mine didn't get as fluffy, it's a fantastic moisturizer. My cuticles split and bleed in the winter, and after two days I can already see a difference. Sounds weird, but I keep touching my skin-I'm 61 and my skin hasn't felt this soft in years! Once I get the shea butter from Amazon, I'll make an unscented batch to use on my face. Nobody will know how old I am-LOL!
ReplyDeleteFor those allergic/sensitive to shea you can use olive butter. It's supposed to have the same characteristics as shea. You can find olive butter here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/olive-butter-p-1783.html
Can't wait to make this. I think will make great gifts! Can you tell me how much this will make?
ReplyDeleteThis recipe made enough to fill the four small jars you see in the pictures above. :-)
ReplyDeleteFran...you could substitute Palm Kernel oil for the coconut oil....or just take out the coconut oil and use more shea or cocoa butter.