Body Butter

As soon as I posted my goals for 2015, someone requested body butter which I had to make to fill the order. Perfect, as one of my goals was to post about making your own bath and body products. Body butter is the most complex of the products I will post about, meaning the rest will be very simple.

Body butter is a thick, rich cream for all over your body. I use it after my bath. It is great for doing massage and removing make up, too. The recipe can be simple or complex depending on your interests and willingness to get exotic ingredients. Since it does not have any preservatives it needs to be used within six months or refrigerated. It should also be stored away from sunlight.

I buy my ingredients online at Bramble Berry, they are a soap making supply company. They have a nice selection of fixed oils, butters and essential oils. They are not too pricey and they have no minimum order. If you decided to go fancy you may want to look at their website. If you are just making the body butter for your own use and are not concerned about the cost you can probably find some interesting oils to use at your natural food grocery store.

I get my containers from Sunburst Bottles, I prefer plastic to glass in this case since my body products are in the bathroom with the tile floor.

I will give you both the simple and more complicated recipes, both yield 10 ounces. At the end of this post I will also discuss the different properties of the oils and butters. I used to teach workshops in making your own bath and body products, I found my old handout and they were quite informative.


Laurie's Simple Body Butter
             

6 oz. olive oil

2 oz. coconut oil (solid)

1 oz. cocoa butter

1 oz. beeswax

Laurie's Fancy Body Butter

6 oz. sweet almond

2 oz. avocado oil

1 oz. shea butter

1 oz. beeswax

1 tsp. essential oil

1 Oz. = 2 Tbsp.  2 Oz. = 1/4 cup       6 Oz. = 3/4 cup

The minimum of wax is about 1 oz. this is assuming you will use at least 1 oz of a butter or coconut oil, if you want it stiffer add more wax. The lighter oils like olive* and sweet almond make good bases while the heavier oils like avocado add texture and body as do the butters. 

* It is better not to use a fancy virgin olive oil, it is a waste of money and will impart a strong smell to your body butter.

1) In a heavy bottom saucepan place all your ingredients except the essential oil.

2) Heat gently, stirring occasionally until everything has melted. Do not over cook. 

3) Once the mixture has cooled slightly add your essential oil stir in gently. 

Now you have a choice.  

Option #1 You can simply pour carefully into plastic containers, using a small ladle. Be careful not move the containers until the body butter has cooled enough to set.

OR

Option #2 To make a creamy product, you can whip some air into it. I use a bowl with ice cubes and an immersion wand. I will scrap down the slides of the pan and beat until it turns opaque and begins to solidify, don't wait too long though.

 

 Scoop or pour the creamy body butter into your containers.

 

Ingredients

Here is some information about the properties of ingredients you will use to make these products.

Oils

Apricot Kernel oil –type 2

It has moisturizing, nourishing and revitalizing properties and it is particularly helpful for dehydrated, delicate, mature and sensitive skin, and it helps to sooth inflammation. This finely textured oil spreads easily.

Castor oil -type 2

This oil, derived from the castor bean and obtained by cold pressure, is rich in fatty acids and very moisturizing and lubricating to the skin in general.

Jojoba oil –type 2

Jojoba oil is very similar in composition to human natural skin oils. It penetrates the skin rapidly to nourish it. Since it has antioxidant properties, it can keep other oils from going rancid.

Olive oil- type 1

It is good oil for skin care, especially mature, inflamed, or dry skin, as it provides disinfectant, anti-wrinkle, and wound healing properties. It retains moisture to the skin by forming a breathable layer, and it does not block the skin’s natural functions while performing is own. Some people may find certain grades unpleasantly strong smelling.

Shea Oil -type 2

It is high in vitamin E and A, linoleic acid and fatty acids, making it good for all skin types. Shea oil is absorbed quickly by the skin and works well for rehydration

Sunflower Oil-type 1 or 2

It has large amounts of essential fatty acids as well as a high amount of Vitamin E .Its vitamin E content makes it especially helpful for delicate and dry skin. It has a protective effect on the skin and is healing when applied to leg ulcers, bruises and skin diseases.

Sweet Almond oil- type 1

It is an excellent emollient (softening and soothing to the skin) and also helps the skin to balance its loss and absorption of moisture, suitable for all skin types. It will help relieve irritation, inflammation.

Wheat germ oil-type 2

It is used to nourish dry or cracked skin and soothes skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis; also helps to prevent and reduce scarring and may prevent stretch marks. Mature skin, in particular, will benefit from wheat germ oil. Be aware that this oil can impart a strong odor to your body butter.

Butters:

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is solid at room temperature. Using a percentage of coconut oil in cosmetics is moisturizing; too much of it can be drying. Its saturated nature resists rancidity. This oil can be used to replace some of the beeswax to achieve a more solid product.

Shea butter

Extracted from the kernels of the fruit of the shea nut tree (Butyrospermum parkii). It is high in vitamin E and A, linoleic acid and fatty acids, making it good for all skin types. Shea Butter is absorbed quickly by the skin and works well for rehydration.  It is soft at room temperature.

Cocoa butter

Cocoa Butter is obtained from the fruit of the cacao tree (Theobroma Cacao) in Africa. It prevents drying of the skin and development of wrinkles. It reduces degeneration of skin cells and restores skin flexibility. It is solid at room temperatures, but melts easily on contact with the skin.

Mango butter

Mango Butter has been extracted from the fruit kernels of the Mango tree (Mangifera indica). It contains a high content fatty acids, so is great for moisturization after exposure to the sun and other harsh elements. It is a soft solid at room temperatures, but melts readily on contact with the skin.

Beeswax

This is the oldest and purest wax in the world. It helps to emulsify and thicken lotions and creams, hold together lip and body balms, and forms a protective barrier between your skin and the environment.

The basic recipe uses these proportions for 10 ounces, meaning the total ounces should be 10.

For a richer product you could use 4 ounces of a type 1 oil and 4 ounces of a type 2 oil.

6 or 4 oz. type 1 oil

2 or 4 oz. type 2 oil

1 oz. butter ( or solid coconut oil)

1  oz. beeswax

1 tsp. essential oils ( optional)