My skin gets super dry and itchy in winter, and regular lotion just won’t cut it. I love using rich and creamy body butter to keep my skin soothed and nourished, so I was thrilled to discover that it is incredible simple to make at home. This homemade whipped body butter is thick and luxurious, and you can use any scent or fragrance that you like – I made my batch a sugar cookie body butter (yum!)!
What You’ll Need:
- Coconut Oil
- Raw Shea Butter
- Almond Oil
- Fragrance or Essential Oils, if desired (I used Sugar Cookie Fragrance)
In a small saucepan, melt the oils together over low heat. I used 1/3 cup each of the coconut oil and shea butter and 2 tbsp almond oil. Carefully pour the liquid oil into a chilled bowl, mix in 20 drops of fragrance or essential oil, and allow to sit until the oil begins to harden. You can throw the bowl in the fridge if you want to speed up the process, but be careful not to let it get too hard! You want the oil to be firm, but not solid, for the next step (about the consistency of softened butter). When the oil is ready, whip with a mixer for several minutes until the body butter is fluffy and the volume has increased.
This stuff smells SO good – like warm cookies fresh from the oven!
The oils in this recipe are all naturally moisturizing, so it feels like a luxurious spa treatment every time I apply it. My dry winter skin is finally happy!
This recipe makes just over a cup of body butter, so it fits perfectly into one of these short little mason jars. Package it with a cute bow, and you have an easy peasy DIY holiday gift that’s ready for giving!
I love this sugar cookie body butter, and I’m already planning my next batch. I think a relaxing nighttime lavender body butter would be incredible, but a zesty citrus fragrance would be awesome, too! What fragrance would you try first?
You may also enjoy our other DIY bath & body product tutorials:
[riview id=297 num=2000 orderby=title order=asc size=200×200 showtitle=always lightbox=0]
Bethany says
Because of this coconut oil, will this melt if it gets too warm?
Heidi says
I haven’t had any issues with mine melting because the shea butter helps to stabilize the body butter mixture. I do store mine in a closed and cool cabinet, though. 🙂
Melissa says
This is wonderful and smells great!!! Do you know how it would hold up in shipping?? I would like to send some to my sister
DavetteB says
An FB friend came up with a way to make the butter without melting and chilling. As long as your shea butter is warm enough to mash with a fork, you can cream it with the mixer (just like you would do real butter for cookies), then add in your oil (keep whipping) and it comes out like fluffy frosting. 🙂 I made mine orange, but sugar cookie sounds yummy!
BTW, Plant Therapy has an essential oil blend called Sugar Cookie available now along with other seasonal blends, for those that prefer a natural scent. HTH
Shellie says
Thanks for these wonderful DIy Soap recipes.
MariLynn says
What is the shelf life for the body butter?
Heidi says
Approximately 3-4 months. 🙂
Julia says
Can you use extracts instead of oils? I have mint vanilla strawberry excactbut no oil
Leslie Jackson says
I absolutely love this idea. I think I am going to try this with my daughter to make as gifts for clients. I love the jars. Where did you purchase them? They are perfect.
Heidi says
Thanks so much, Leslie! The jars are available on Amazon HERE or you can occasionally find them at Walmart. 🙂
Clare says
So that’s where I went wrong! I tried to make some cream for my dry chapped hands using essential oils and coconut oil but it’s really greasy – and I think it’s because I just melted it and didn’t whip it!
Heidi says
Yes! It definitely loses most of that greasy feeling once you whip it! There’s still a little bit of oily-ness to it, but just enough so that it absorbs nicely into the skin. 🙂
Dawn says
Can Jojoba oil be used instead of almond oil?
Heidi says
I haven’t tried it, but I would think that it would be an acceptable substitute! Let me know how it works out if you try it!
Tracey @Let's Go Junking says
I’ve always wanted to try to make my own body butter. There is no excuse not to try it now. Thanks for the great tutorial.