Homemade body butter is waaaayyyy better than lotion — because it lasts longer.
And it can be better for your skin depending on how you make it.
And no, this body butter is not frosting, but it does look good enough to eat, doesn’t it?
While I love my tallow balm and tallow bars, I was looking for a spreadable all-over-body lotion, something thick and rich that would stay in place while nourishing the skin — and using just a few ingredients, including essential oils.
Hello, body butter!
I remembered hearing about body butter, so I looked around online for ideas. Most were more complicated than I wanted them to be (i.e. lots of ingredients or steps). Then I saw where my friend Renee blogged about making a body butter with the same ingredients I was hoping to use: shea butter and coconut oil.
I wrote to Renee for more information. Like always, she was so helpful. She pointed me to the Full Body Conditioner recipe in her eBook, My Buttered Life: Summer Edition. (A recipe I have been meaning to try for ages…) That was the push I needed. I tried it and loved it. My whole family does, too!
And the best part? She’s given me permission to share the recipe with you. Her eBook also includes 4 other recipes: sunscreen, tan enhancer, bug repellent bar, and foot protector bar.
Whipped Homemade Body Butter
Ingredients
- 12 ounces organic shea butter
- 3 ounces coconut oil
- 12 drops essential oils
Instructions
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Weigh and place shea butter and coconut oil in a medium sized bowl.
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Melt in double boiler and stir with a wooden skewer.
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Refrigerate until hardened, 2 to 3 hours.
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Whip using stand up mixer, occasionally scraping down the sides. (This takes 10 to 15 minutes.) When the mixture is fully whipped to your desired feel, whip in essential oil(s).
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Scoop into jar(s).
Recipe Notes
Melt first. The melting stage is essential so you don't have little solid bits of shea butter in your finished product. Don't skip it. 🙂
Storage. I put my body butter in wide mouth half pint jars for our own use. They're easy to hold and it's easy to dip your fingers inside. Or, I use the tiny (and cute) 4-ounce quilted jelly jars for gifting.
Whipping. If your mixture is too cold, whipping is hard. Give it 5 minutes to soften at room temperature and try again. Conversely, if it doesn't whip, it's not cold enough -- so chill it more.
Essential Oil “Flavor” Ideas
- Wardee’s butter (I looooveeee this) — add 20 drops cedarwood, 13 drops sandalwood, 7 drops ylang ylang, and 4 drops patchouli
- Citrus — add 12+ drops of your favorite citrus or citrus blend
- Lavender — add 12+ drops lavender
- Chocolate Mint — use organic cocoa butter instead of organic shea butter, add 12+ drops peppermint essential oil
Made body butter before? If not, I hope you’ll give this a try! What are your favorite “flavors”?
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I haven’t tried body butter before but I love the stuff! I’ll have to give this a try.
Jenny — I think you’ll love it. 🙂
Will it affect the consistency at all if I skip the essential oils? Not a big fan of scented lotion.
Although chocolate mint does sound yummy. 🙂 I only have shea butter on hand.
Kim — The essential oils aren’t essential, so go for it!
Can I use unrefined shea butter? Will it whip up just as well?
Michelle Raducz-Coolbaugh
Do you have any tips for cleanup? I’ve made a few different things with these solid ingredients and find cleanup can be tricky.
Leah — That’s a great point and another reason why I like to do a big batch. So I don’t have to clean up a bunch of smaller batches. 😉 I would love to hear from others on clean up tips!
Wipe up everything first before washing with hot, soapy water. If you use paper towels, use those, or anything you can find that you’d toss afterwards (even newspaper!). Treat it like bacon grease – remove as much as possible before washing.
Renee — Thanks! I’m about to do a batch tomorrow so I will try wiping everything off first. 🙂
Heat your liquids in a used coffee pot carafe that can be designated as product making. That way you don’t have to get it clean if you are continually putting the same ingredients into it. It works great for making different lotions and care products.
Find a child with dry skin and use the extra stuff on them before wiping with paper towels (as stated already). 🙂 I do that when I bake with coconut oil–I save the measuring cup and then scrape all the extra out and use it as lotion. 🙂
Wouldn’t it be better to whip before it gets hard?
Anne — It doesn’t whip if it isn’t hard. It’s just soupy and deflates and basically nothing happens. Which is okay — shea butter is pretty soft if isn’t too cold.
I just made some with a different recipe and it’s so nice and creamy.
1 cup of cocoa butter (melted) with 1/2 cup of coconut oil, add 1/2 avocado oil or jojoba oil.
Smells like mild suntan lotion. 🙂 I put them in 2 small Fido’s in my bathroom cabinet.
The almond oil… Is that 1/2 teaspoon, 1/2 Tablespoon, 1/2 cup? I’d like to make the one that smells like suntan oil. ????
1/2 cup
You can play around with the ingredients if you stay at about a 2 cup total.
HTH
I’ll bet you could make this with tallow…?
Yes, I think so! Tallow is more like the shea butter — so replace some of the shea butter with tallow. 🙂
I was wondering the same thing about tallow. I find that tallow heals my skin like nothing else.
I’m loving this idea…I’ll have to get back to you with my scent selection. 😉
Has anyone ever tried adding cologne or your favorite perfume? Would like to make some for a friend with her favorite scent but would hate to waste it if it won’t work.
Linda — That’s what I’m doing with my favorite essential oils. I think it could work with perfume too, but I haven’t tried that specifically. I do wonder about the alcohol/water content in the body butter — how would that affect it? I don’t know. It’s worth a try though 🙂
I agree with Wardee – it depends on whether you have alcohol or water in the perfume.
Is it greasy?
Alicia — Yes, a little — but in a good way. Not like putting straight coconut oil or olive oil on. This is more like a thick lotion.
Hi I make whipped body butter all the time and I add some arrowroot powder to the mixture and it takes away some of the greasy feeling 🙂 Hope this helps
How much arrow root pertaining to the recipe gifted?
Can you mix shea butter and cocoa butter in the same batch?
I just did and I will let you know how it turns out! I’m planning on adding cinnamon and clove essential oils. 🙂
Melissa — Yes, you can 🙂
Michelle — How did it turn out?
I don’t have a stand mixer, would a regular hand mixer work?
It might; I don’t really know. I have heard of people using a stick blender and whipping their body butter right inside a quart size jar.
I was thinking how easy clean-up would be if you could whip this in a clean milk or orange juice carton, the 2 litre size…what do you think? Jennie
That’s a good thought – I’d be a little cautious of the blender tearing up the container. It might work, though!
Hi Wardee,
I’m just wondering if this needs to be refrigerated or if I can keep in my bathroom? How long will it last?
Thanks!
Christine — If you’re in a very hot climate you might need to keep it cool. A fridge is too cold, though. Otherwise, no cooling necessary, whether summer or winter.
I made this with 8 oz cocoa butter, 3 oz of coconut oil, a splash of avacado oil and several drops of seabuckthorn oil. Now that it is whipped and has hardened in my jar, it is hard again and when I scrap off some to use it is very greasy. Any ideas on how to remedy this or is this the way it is supposed to be. Wish it was creamy!
You may be able to remelt and do it again. I’m not familiar with seabuckthorn oil (sounds like a fun one to try!). Before doing the remelt, maybe try storing it in a slightly warmer environment? If you do remelt try adding more cocoa butter because it sounds like it needs more fat to hold up.
People, this’ll feel greasy for a bit, but eventually soaks in! The skin loves it!
Karey — Thanks! You’re so right!
I made this last night in minutes with lemon essential oil. It doesn’t harden like coconut oil and feels better than a greasy oil, has a staying power that the entire family is using on very dry hands. The kids love it!
Jelaine — That sounds luscious. Thanks for sharing!
I made a wonderful coconut lime and also a ginger lemongrass blend.
I’ve been using a salve on my son for his eczema, but we need something a little thicker, that will stay with him longer. I’m going to try this. What are your suggestions for EOs to use for eczema. It seems every combination I try doesn’t seem to work. Thanks!
EO for eczema that you might try would be Melrose and Lavender.
Also if you’re familiar with Young Living they have a wonderful product called Ningxia Red. It’s a “juice” that might help boost his immune system.
I have a similar condition and lavender has helped. I just found out about the melrose so I’ll add that next.
Good luck
Chickweed is great for eczema – use chickweed infused oil for products OR make a tincture (or eat some in salad).
the herb plantain has wonderful healing no properties for eczema. You can google a recipe for plantain & chickwed salve.
I’m interested as well, for my son!
I’ve made 3 batches so far and each one I love a little better!! The first one was very small, to make sure it would do and come out like the picture I had seen. The last one was a batch about this size, in order to gift some…love this stuff! I also add about a tablespoon of pure vitamin E oil to mine (the bigger batch). I’m just sold on vitamin E and it’s ability to “heal”! I’ve also added the cocoa butter which lends to that “white chocolate” fragrance! 🙂
Why is my face skin frying in the sun?
I use Frankincense and carrot seed oils. It had an earthy smell, but over time it had actually worked on the laugh lines and someone guessed my age by looking at my hands and it was 12 years younger than I actually am!
Could you replace the coconut oil with Argan oil, since argan is so much better for your skin? Do you think it would turn out the same texture or too runny?
I too am curious about this. I have a sensitivity to coconut but would love to try this recipe.
Wardee, I am really surprised you didn’t cite more local vendors for the supplies for your Whipped Body Butter. For instance: http://libertynatural.com/ or http://www.essentialwholesale.com/ or http://www.shayandcompany.com/home.php or https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/catalog/ingredients/butters to name a few. I buy ingredients from all of these vendors for the products I make and I have always had a wonderful experience with the quality of the products and the quality of the service.
Cindy – Thank you for mentioning them! I didn’t know about the first 3 and I didn’t know MRH carried butters. Thanks again!
I love using my essential oils to make body creams, toothpaste, deoderant, and home cleaning products. There are however a few citrus oils best avoided when one will be exposed to sun. Citrus Oils can cause Photosensitivity or photo-toxicity. This means one will sunburn much quicker and sometimes significantly more harsh than simply having sun exposure alone without essential oils on your skin. Citrus oils that are photosensitive include Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Wild Orange, Bergamot, and Tangerine. There are also non citrus oils that are photosensitive. They include Angelica, Cedarwood, Neroli, Ginger, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, and Patchouli. My favorite carrier oil for face cream is coconut oil. My favorite essential oils for face creams are Frankincense, Myrrh, and Sandalwood. These oils along with the coconut oil encourage healing, are anti-scarring, and have an anti-bacterial effect if one is prone to infected hair folicles. Would love to see other recipes that avoid these photosensitive oils! Happy mixing and keep it sunsafe!
Sweet/wild Orange, Tangerine, and Mandarin are not phototoxic, and the citrus oils that are considered phototoxic can be used if diluted within certain perameters. Check out the FB group Safe Essential Oil Recipes which is run by the aromatherapists at Plant Therapy. HTH
Can you recommend a great place to purchase the essential oils online? I have been repeatedly disappointed and really need some recommendations. Especially a good sandalwood and eucalyptus. Love the butters!! TY
I have been pleased with Native American Nutritionals oils or Plant Therapy sold on Amazon.com. You can go to UsingEssentialOilsSafely.com for more info. and independent testing results on various brands.
Plant Therapy has wonderful, pure oils and they have free shipping to the US … always! And great sales every so often. Best customer service ever. Better to purchase from them rather than purchase their oils through Amazon. http://www.planttherapy.com .. and no, I don’t work for them 🙂
I love Young Living oils. Best quality I’ve found and many are GRAS. I love LOVE essential oils and making my own body butters, lotion, deoderant, etc. No chemicals. Yea!!!
I’m not very familiar with shea butter yet, but am excited to try this out! Is the shea butter in the recipe raw/ unrefined (like hard chunks)? Or is it already a whipped consistency? I’m just trying to figure out what I should buy. Thanks!
I have very fair skin and a few problem areas on my arms (very dry and red patches) so I would add about 2 tablespoons of Neem Oil to the recipe because it works wonders on sensitive problem skin.
I love the ideas that you share. I just starting making my own soaps and lotions and your website has been wonderful.
Can you answer a question about this recipe for me? When you say “stand up mixer” is that a basic kitchen stand mixer? Or are you using an immersion blender?
Hi you said you usually double the recipe and then you said it made a quart, was that how much the orginal recipe made or is that after you doubled it?
Haben — That’s after I doubled it.
Thanks, Wardeh. I finally made this as a Christmas gift, with a full 6.5 oz jar of cocoa butter with jojoba, a big spoonful of coconut oil, and several drops of peppermint. It’s delightful. The small batch is harder to whip up with a stick blender, though–I had to keep scraping the butter off the top of the blender and returning it to the mixing bowl, then starting over. But it is somewhat more “whipped” than the original.
I mix geranium and lavender in my unscented lotions, so I would try that EO combination in this body butter recipe. It is a comforting/calming aroma. Whenever I wear it, I get compliments.
Hello I would like to try the body butter but all I have is a stick blender would it work for the whipping?
Hi Tina,
Wardee has seen online recipes where people do it, so it’s worth a try! Perhaps use a small amount.
Millie
Traditional Cooking School
I really like this recipe, however, I have a question. After whipping it, I put it into jars. When it set up, it’s harder than I thought. Did I whip it to long or is it suppose to be this way.
Hi Annette,
If the room temp is cooler, it will be firmish – scoop some out with your fingers and warm up with your hands before spreading. Whipping longer ensures more air in the butter and therefore is softer. So we’re thinking you could have whipped it longer.
Millie
Traditional Cooking School Support
I’m making unscented body butter for my husbans new tatoos. I made a large batch thinking I could freeze some and add essential oils later…is it possible to do that??
Hi Stacey,
Wardee said, “I’m not sure, my thought is that freezer burn would introduce moisture into it and that wouldn’t be good. I would store in the fridge instead.”
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Can I use whisk to whip the shea butter? , maybe I would came out more soften and creamy
Hi, Daramola.
It would be very difficult to whip this by hand. I don’t know that it would get smooth. But you can try. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
After this is done does it need to be kept in the fridge or at a certain temperature or can it go at a farm stand outside like soaps too?
Hi, Paige,
Wardee mentioned in a previous comment above “If you’re in a very hot climate you might need to keep it cool. A fridge is too cold, though. Otherwise, no cooling necessary, whether summer or winter.”
Please let me know if this was helpful or not.
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
Does this need a perservative? How long will it last without?
Hi, Sarah.
Shea butter has a shelf life of 2 years from the manufactured date so if you’re using fresh shea butter a preservative would not be needed if you’re using the final product regularly.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Thank you!