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How Do I Make Body Butter?

Sheri Cyprus
Sheri Cyprus

Body butter is simple to make at home; many people like to use it on rough, dry skin or pregnancy stretch marks. There are many different recipes for various body butters online. The exact amounts and specific ingredients vary per recipe depending on the quantity and texture you prefer when you make body butter. Five parts of liquid shea butter to one part of liquid coconut oil is one option to use when starting to make butters. The basic ingredients to make body butter include cocoa and shea butters, coconut and/or olive oils, beeswax and an essential oil such as jasmine or sandalwood.

The butters, oils, beeswax and essential oil may be melted using a double boiler on the stove or a microwavable container in the microwave. It’s important not to over-melt the mixture when you make body butter. To cool the butter, add the top section of the double boiler or the microwave container into a bowl filled with ice water.

Avocado can be added to body butter.
Avocado can be added to body butter.

When the body butter is chilled, you can use a whisk to whip it up before placing it into jars. Body butters in attractive jars tied with ribbon make great gifts. When you make body butter for yourself, you could also make some for gifts. Be sure to label the product and add an expiration date of two months since the butter should not be used any longer than that.

Coconut oil is a popular oil to use in body butter.
Coconut oil is a popular oil to use in body butter.

Water shouldn’t be added to body butter unless a preservative will also be included. If water is used in the butter, bacteria will grow. If you want to make body butter than has a creamy consistency, without adding water and a preservative, using mango butter rather than cocoa butter is a good idea. Cocoa butter creates a firmer texture that some people prefer. Some body butter recipes call for cornstarch to be added as a thickener.

Beeswax is used to make body butter.
Beeswax is used to make body butter.

The best time to use body butter to moisturize the skin is after a shower. Variations on the basic butter such as adding avocado can create even more moisturizing properties. Avocados are naturally rich in moisturizers as well as vitamins thought to be extra beneficial to the skin such as vitamin E. Experimenting with different Internet recipes when you make body butter can be fun and allow you to choose combinations of ingredients that you enjoy.

Discussion Comments

Ocelot60

I love to add jasmine to body butter. This essential oil is very fragrant and refreshing. It's clean, crisp scent is great for the warm summer months when you prefer a nice smell that isn't overpowering.

Rundocuri

@raynbow- I think you will like making body butter with pure almond oil instead of olive or coconut oil. Almond oil is very moisturizing, yet it also has a smooth consistency. Adding it to your body butter recipe will make the finished product very creamy.

I also like that almond oil is not extremely greasy feeling on the skin. After you have completely mixed all of the body butter ingredients together, you will find that smoothing it over your skin creates a moisture-rich feeling. It is the almond oil that will give it this consistency.

Raynbow

I like to make body butter at home, but I'm not always happy with its consistency when I make it with olive oil. I prefer a soften texture, though I don't think that olive oil is as moisturizing as I would like it to be. Does anyone have a suggestion for another type of oil I can use the next time I make homemade body butter?

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    • Avocado can be added to body butter.
      By: Richard Villalon
      Avocado can be added to body butter.
    • Coconut oil is a popular oil to use in body butter.
      By: alexmisu
      Coconut oil is a popular oil to use in body butter.
    • Beeswax is used to make body butter.
      By: matin
      Beeswax is used to make body butter.
    • Shea butter is often used to make body butter.
      By: Elenathewise
      Shea butter is often used to make body butter.
    • Cocoa butter is a basic ingredient in many body butters.
      By: svl861
      Cocoa butter is a basic ingredient in many body butters.