One of the things I’ve enjoyed making myself is the homemade body butter. There is something about mixing your own moisturiser from scratch that makes you feel healthy- you know what goes into the mixture.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using store-bought body moisturisers, but for people who enjoy trying out new ideas, or for those trying to live as naturally and chemical-free as possible, this body butter recipe is a must try. The good thing about this recipe is that it uses natural products that are easily available and inexpensive.
Ingredients
Shea butter
Cocoa butter (optional)
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Essential oil
Electric mixer
Storage jar
Steps
Place the shea butter, cocoa butter, olive and coconut oil in a bowl. Do not add the essential oil yet. Put the bowl in a bigger pot filled with water, and slowly bring to a boil. This process melts the ingredients so that they become easier to whip, and they don’t solidify after mixing.
Remove the smaller bowl as soon as the shea butter and other ingredients have melted. Be careful not to overheat the contents. Remove the bowl as soon as all traces of solid has disappeared.
Leave the mixture to cool down.
Once cool, pour the mixture into a mixer bowl. If you are using a hand mixer, you can continue with the bowl you melted in.
Add a few drops of essential oils like Lavender, Lemon, Eucalyptus oil, etc., for fragrance. You can skip this if you don’t have any at hand, or if you don’t mind the raw smell of shea butter. Ensure that you use only a few drops of essential oils so as not to get an overpowering smell. Also, do not apply essential oils directly to your skin.
Once all the ingredients are combined, whip using a hand or electric mixer. This should look foamy, as if you are mixing egg whites for a cake mixture.
When you see that the mixture is very fluffy and well incorporated, turn off the mixer and allow the butter to sit for a few minutes. You can place it in the fridge.
After ten minutes, bring out the butter from the fridge and whip again for five minutes.
Pour the mixture into an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place. If you place it in the open, the butter could solidify a bit, but it will easily melt as soon as you apply it to your body.
There you have a very easy recipe for an amazing body butter. Try it out and see the beautiful changes to your skin.
About the author: Amina Salau is a writer and editor running The Illuminated Pen. You can find her online at www.theilluminatedpen.com and on Twitter (@_Aminah)
