Body butters are great on very dry skin! This recipe is a base recipe with many different uses. I made this for my husband because he has type 2 diabetics and has very very dry skin. He has not found a good moisturizer. I have very dry skin also because we live in the South West. Body butters are super awesome to replenish dry chapped skin, but I have a difficult time spending the money on body butters when I can make my own. It is so easy to make and is inexpensive once you have the ingredients you need. The most expensive product is the Shea butter. The other ingredients are inexpensive to use for this recipe because you don't need very much. All the ingredients can be used for a lot of different things. Follow through and let's make some butter!

Step 1: What You Will Need

This recipe is a base recipe for a lot of my favorite potions.It is best applied to damp skin, then rubbed into the skin and a little goes a long way! It works for heels and elbows. It is a great addition to a favorite lotion or body cream that might need a little more moisture. Add a few drops to your shampoo for conditioning. It is so soothing for the skin! You can experiment using different oils and butters until you get a mixture you like. Keep the ratio of butters and oils close to the original recipe for best results. Use similar textures of oils and butters. I can't guarantee any changes would not fail. If it is too oily you can add Aloe Vera Gel or Arrow Root flour to cut down on the greasiness. The Aloe Vera is a very good additive however because it contains water, add the Aloe Vera to the mixture in small containers so if the mixture spoils, not much is wasted; if it does not get used within a week or two. When water is added to a homemade recipe it affects the shelf life. Refrigeration is recommended to make it last longer. I did adjust the recipe so you won't be making a huge amount and then not like it. I am not a pro! Here is what you will need:

Ingredients:

7 Tablespoons Shea butter
1/2 teaspoon Coconut oil
1/8 teaspoon Jojoba oil, Olive oil can be used if you don't have Jojoba
1/8 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon essential oil optional I used fig This sounds like a lot but for some reason the Shea butter absorbs the essential oil and it takes more for scent to come through.
Eye shadow optional (Kool-Aid will work sometimes for a dye, you just need to experiment. )
If using this for a lighter body butter add your favorite moisturizing cream to the base until you have desired
results!

Supplies:

Measuring spoons, small glass dishes, glass mixing bowl, Mixer and beaters, storage containers with secure lids, scissors, embellishments, marker,tooth pick, wooden spoon, and label.

This is a sampler recipe. I did not measure but it makes about 1/2 cup.

Step 2: Measure and Mix Ingredients

Measure the ingredients.
Mix thoroughly.
If the Shea butter is hard and won't mix, leave it out at room temperature until it becomes warm enough to spread but not too soft. If it gets too soft, chill for several minutes watching closely. The mixture is tricky, because it won't whip if the butter is too soft and it takes forever to whip if it is too hard. You have to experiment. The good news is you can't ruin it! Well, I have never ruined it! I do not like using the microwave because it destroys all the good stuff in products. If you will be heating the oils, which I don't recommend, do not heat the essential oil with it. Add the scent after the mixture is softened.

Step 3: Method

Beat the mixture for about 3 minutes.
Chill for a couple of minutes.

Step 4: Add Color and Mix Again

Remove mixture from the refrigerator.
Add coloring, I used a few flakes from the purple eye shadow and it did not color my skin. It was very pretty in the bottle!
Mix thoroughly.
Beat again for 2 minutes.
Chill for a few minutes.

Step 5: Whip and Store

Whip the mixture again for about 2-3 minutes.
Spoon into the container you are going to store it in.

Step 6: Decorate

I love to decorate my bottles of homemade potions! I used a scrap piece of purple fabric and cut it in the shape of a circle using the pinking shears and placed some lavender on top! I also used a purple fingerlings bag and made a jar cover the same way. I like to store my homemade body butters in glass containers. The problem using them is, they are breakable and I use them after a shower or bath. So I wrapped my jar in a sock. It works perfectly to protect my glass jar! Use what ever suites you!

Step 7: Sunshiine's Final Thoughts

I made a lot of recipes using a lot of different moisturizers and my husband has noticed how much softer my hands have been. They are hydrated and feel so wonderful! I have used them on my face and several people have noticed a difference in my skin, being tighter and having less wrinkles! It feels amazing! I use the body butter after a shower or bath when my skin is still a little damp. It rubs in fairly quickly. The important thing I need to share here is, the body butter should last for a long time in a cool dark place. If water comes into contact with the ingredients it could go bad. If you smell any bad odors throw it away. I suggest if you use it in the shower or tub, store it in one of those plastic flip top bottles. I think it would prevent water from getting inside when you are applying it after a bath. It is best not to store it in the bathroom. If the mixture is too oily for you, try adding a tablespoon of Arrow Root flour. This is supposed to be oily! Oh yeah, if the body butter melts, chill for five minutes or longer and re-whip! Mine melts about 72-74 degrees. If this happens in the summer or if you keep your home above 72 degrees F in the winter, store in the refrigerator and let it set out a while before you use it. You can place the bottle over some warm water and it should melt enough to use but you may want the whipped texture and decide to whip it up again.

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sunshiine