Introduction: Amazing Homemade Body Butter

I read articles all the time about how fabulous Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Almond Oil, and Coconut Oil are for your skin. But when I go to the store and read the label that is advertizing just one of those ingredients, it's usually listed among the last three ingredients with 20 other ingredients above it including water, chemicals, stabilizers, fragrances, etc.

I decided I could do better and make a totally amazing body butter with just the amazing ingredients and none of the fillers or chemicals. This is the recipe for my second attempt.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup Cocoa Butter (I used Raw Organic Cacao Butter)
  • 1/2 cup Shea Butter (I used 100% Pure Organic Raw Wild Shea Butter)
  • 1 cup Coconut Oil (I used Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil)
  • 1/2 cup SweetAlmond Oil (Food Grade)

Equipment:
  • Double Boiler or Large Sauce Pan and Medium Glass Bowl
  • Wisk
  • Stand or Hand Mixer
  • Glass Storage Container(s) that can hold 2 and 1/2 cups

Step 1: Get Melting

If you have a double boiler, use that. If not you can use a large sauce pan and a medium glass mixing bowl as pictured.

Fill the pan a little less than halfway with water, place the glass bowl inside it, and turn the heat to medium high. Keep an eye on you water and make sure it doesn't boil (a few small bubbles are okay). Just turn the heat down to medium or medium low if things start getting too hot.

Begin by melting the Cocoa Butter first, it has the highest melting temperature and will melt faster if it's in tiny pieces. So shred it, shave it, or even chop it up so it will melt quickly. It's also easier to measure in small pieces. Add the tiny pieces of Cocoa Butter to the glass bowl and stir till fully melted. It looks like clarified butter or ghee.

Next add in the Shea Butter and stir till fully melted.  

Once the Shea Butter is fully melted, add the Coconut Oil.  

Once those three ingredients are melted, remove the pan from heat and carefully lift the glass bowl out of the pan using pot holders. 

Add the Almond Oil, which should be liquid at room temperature. 

Allow the oil mixture to cool for 15-20 minutes.


Step 2: Whip It!

This step is important. I didn't whip my mixture the first time I tried to make this and the Cocoa Butter solidified in tiny little pearls throughout the mixture, which I didn't care for. They did melt into the skin when rubbed in, so if that sounds good to you go ahead and skip this step.

Pour your melted oil mixture into a stand mixer or you can use a hand mixer, but be really careful to not allow oil to splatter on you, since it's still pretty hot. This would be the point to add in some Vitamin E or Essential Oils if you'd like, but I didn't.

Start with your mixer on low and gradually bring it up to speed. Finally, whip it on the highest setting for 3-5 minutes. 

Step 3: Chill It

Pour your mixture, which should be about 2 and 1/2 cups into a glass storage container(s) of your choice. 

Place mixture in the freezer, till it solidifies. Maybe about an hour. I didn't babysit it.

When you remove it from the freezer it is ready to use, but it is also really cold and kind of hard. Leave it out over night and it will come to room temperature and stay solid. My house is about 70 degrees or below in the winter and it stays semi solid, like butter. You can use it in it's liquid form too if it doesn't stay solid at your room temperature. Just note that in it's liquid form, it's a bit messier and easier to over apply. So apply the liquid form sparingly.

Apply a thin layer and rub it in. It works really well, I only apply it once a day or every other day.

It smells like Cocoa Coconut and feels AMAZING! Beware that your dog may try to lick any exposed skin! 

This great for people with sensitive dry skin or skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Just make sure no one you give this to is allergic to almonds or tree nuts. People with eczema often have allergies, so it's a great idea to check.

Makes a great gift for expecting mothers, instead of those nasty store bought cocoa butters.

Makes a great massage oil too. ;) 

Also if you poured it into tiny jars like baby food jars and dressed them up with a bit of ribbon and tissue paper, they would make awesome favors for a bridal shower or spa themed party.  You may need to make a double or triple batch if you use these as favors.

Enjoy your Super Amazing Body Butter!  Let me know if you have any questions.