Making Body Butter in Your Own Kitchen for a Fraction of the Cost

I've shared this recipe before on the blog (back in 2015) but I never actually showed you guys how I make it so I decided to fix that this week. It's a staple in my home and I was running low plus had a request from a family friend so it seemed perfectly timed to update this post a bit. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the years!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 C Cocoa Butter
• 1/4 C Sweet Almond Oil
• 1/4 C Coconut Oil
• 1/4 C Shea Butter
• 1/2 tsp Vitamin E Oil (optional)
• Essential Oils of Choice (optional)

NOTE: A single pound of these 'butters' will likely last you nearly a year's worth of lotion or body butter for one person or several months for a family so there is no need to over purchase.

EQUIPMENT:

• Small saucepan
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Knife
• Spoon
• Electric Mixer
• Container to hold your body butter

PROCEDURE:

1. Measure out your ingredients. You will likely need a knife to cut the cocoa butter. 
2. Place the Shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil in a double boiler or, like I did in the video above, place a glass or metal bowl in a small saucepan of water on low heat. You do not want the mixture to boil or smoke. The ingredients will melt fairly quickly even on low heat.
3. Once everything has melted, remove from heat and mix in the vitamin E oil and any essential oils you wish. I prefer peppermint as it smells delightful with the cocoa butter but sweet orange, lavender , or citrus work very well also.
4. Allow the mixture to cool until it has just begun to set up. You can just leave it on the counter for a few hours and go about your day or be like me and toss it into the fridge or freezer to speed up the process. 
5. Once it has begun to set up you will use the electric mixer to beat the mixture into the creamy consistency we are looking for.  NOTE: If you let the mixture get to hard/cool then it is easy to apply a little heat and mix with a spoon for a minute or two to get back to the correct consistency.
6. Add it to a jar and allow to finish setting up for half an hour or so.

I have been using this recipe for 4 years now and absolutely love it. I even have requests from family friends for batches from time to time. Let me know how you tweak the recipe to fit your needs and preferences. What other DIY household items would you like to see made next?

Until next time,