Oil is such a HUGE part of my life. As a Massage Therapist, I use oil on a daily basis at work, I cook with a large variety of oils and best of all, I love making my own body butter, which is essentially a whipped blend of various oils. I use it daily, and it's one of my favorite gifts to create for the masses. Today, I am going to teach you my recipe and process, so you can have it at home too! Please feel free to ask any questions. I will try to give you as many links as I can to where I purchase my supplies as well, and if you have any advice, I welcome it openly. I am always willing to try new things and update my own practices.

Most of the ingredients and packaging are purchased from www.bulkapothecary.com, but the Shea Butter, I purchase on Amazon. Usually, from different sources every time based on pricing and availability. The Essential Oils, I purchase from www.massagewarehouse.com, but are available from a number of sources.

PLEASE NOTE-- The Coconut oil that I use does not smell like coconut oil. Also, it has a 92º melting point. This allows a little more solidity to the butter as well as doesn't alter the scent of the finished product. -- I have made batches with regular coconut oils that I cook with. However, I usually blend in a vanilla scent that accents the already present Coconut Oil, and I cut the Olive Oil in HALF so that the butter does not stay too soft with the lower melting point.

Ingredients:

16 oz Coconut Oil. (92 degree melting point)

16 oz Olive Oil

16 oz Mango Butter

16 oz Shea Butter

Essential Oils (for scent) - 10 ml per batch

Supplies:

Large Pot For Water

Large Metal Bowl for Double Boiling

Food Scale

Hand Mixer

Plastic Spoon

Spatula

Containers for finished Butter

Labels (optional)--Purchased from www.labelsbythesheet.com

Step 1: Measuring Out & Melting the Oils

I use a food scale to measure out my oils. Because I buy in bulk, its the easiest way to be consistent from batch to batch in texture and yield. I choose to measure in fluid ounces. Also, you should be able to zero out the scale once your measuring bowl is on the scale to ensure consistent measuring.

Set up the pot and bowl on the stove as a double boiler. I have my temp set to medium/high.
Measure the Coconut Oil First- 16 oz and add it to the bowl
Measure the Mango Butter Second. 16 oz and add to the bowl
Measure the Olive Oil Third. 16 oz and add to the bowl.
Using the plastic spoon, stir these three ingredients together until fully melted.
Once fully melted, measure 16 oz of the Shea Butter. Add the Shea Butter to the bowl and stir until fully melted.
Remove bowl from heat as soon as melted. Put bowl into the Freezer to begin cooling.

*The Shea Butter is added last and kept on the heat for as little time as possible. If you over heat Shea Butter, it can potentially begin to turn grainy*

Step 2: Cooling & Whipping the "Butter"

After making these Body Butter Batches various times, I found a timing process that allows me to stop watching the cooling process like a hawk. When I first started, I was opening the freezer door what felt like every 10 minutes. Since i've timed it out, luckily, you don't have to do that! Woot!

Leave the bowl of oil in the freezer for 60 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the freezer (At this point, it will have the beginnings of a white film on the top)
Using your hand mixer, at high speed, mix the oils very well. 3-4 minutes. At the end of this first mixing, the oils will begin to look opaque, but still liquid.
Put the bowl back in the freezer for 15 Minutes.
Remove Bowl from freezer and mix well. It will be a brighter color, and will be harder on top, but blended, will look like garlic butter sauce.
Add in your aroma oils of choice! For a batch this size, I use a full 10 ml. bottle of essential oils. Pour in the oil and mix for another minute. I decided to use a premixed blend from Lotus Touch. Purchased here. Today's Blend is called 'Spiritual Healing' It is a blend of Orange, Basil, French Lavender, and Rose Absolute.
Put bowl back in freezer for 12 minutes.
Remove from freezer and mix again. It should start looking like less liquid and more like creamy butter consistency.
As the mixture cools and starts to harden, use your spatula to scrape the sides and bottom, as the Butter touching the bowl is much colder and harder. Once scraped, mix again until well blended.
Put bowl back in freezer for 5 minutes.
Upon removing the bowl from the freezer this last time, it should feel pretty hard to the touch, and will take a minute for the mixer to start blending smoothly. Scraping the edges and bottom will be a little tougher, but take the time you need. As it mixes, it will warm a little and start blending well, and finish looking nice and whipped.

Time to move onto the next Step!

Step 3: Packaging

As I mentioned above, I enjoy making body butter gifts for friends and family, and have even sold some batches to people wishing to give them away as gifts. So I want to show you how I package for that process as well.

However, if you are using this body butter for home purposes, feel free to put the whipped butter in any container you wish. I've used Tupperware, canning jars, recycled containers of all kinds for my personal use butter. For the 'gift' versions, I do like to be consistent and professional. I purchase 4oz containers here. Please note, at Bulk Apothecary, Lids are purchased separate from the containers. Be sure to pick up both.

Using your spatula, put product into the bottom edge of the jar first, then fill in the middle. I tap the container on the counter to release any air bubbles that have been trapped. Keeping the jar clean, I wipe the edge clear of any spills and put on the lid.

*Once packaged, you can store these in the fridge for 6-8 months.

Since I live in Texas, right now, it's so wonderful to take a jar of this butter and apply right out of the fridge. It's cooling to the touch, and the texture is so silky. There's nothing better. *I do have to warn the people I give this to to keep below 75º F.--They get soft in my house, but don't turn to liquid-- As it's made of oil, it does melt in the summer sun. When transporting, I do use cooler bags to keep them solid.*

Once you have put your Butter in a suitable container, then ENJOY! You are finished and you will LOVE the way this feels. It's amazing how the whipped texture really does feel like butter. So silky and smooth, your skin will undoubtedly thank you!! And if you love it as much as I do, Please Vote for this instructable entered in the Oils contest!

If you're interested in a Lotion Bar version that doesn't melt quite as easily, check out my Lotion Bar Instructable!

Step 4: Labels for Gifts (Optional)

So I have a pretty solid love of making things pretty. Hence, why I love creating complete packaging! Here's how I make my labels to use for the gift versions of my Whipped Body Butter.

Deciding on a design, usually I name the "flavor" around the aromatherapy I use, I was influenced by the blend name from Lotus Touch. Then I have a regular logo I have used on all my packaging. Very important if you want people to easily recognize your branding.

I use an Apple desktop computer, so I use the Apple OS included layout program called Pages.

I found 1x4 vinyl labels here that are inkjet compatible. Two of these labels fit, going around the sides of my 4oz jars, so essentially I have a front label and a back label. * I've attached photos of alternate versions as well *

I printed out 2 sheets of labels, as I ended up with 19-4oz containers of Body Butter for this batch.