“Decadent, smooth and rich.”
This Christmas I am, once again, attempting to make (almost) all of my Christmas gifts. A great gift to give is something that can be used up. Natural body products are not cheap to buy, but they can be fun and economical to make.
I have not ventured down the homemade lotion road yet for one very good (in my opinion) reason. Quite simply, lotions are made from an emulsion of oils and water. Water, including rose water, distilled water and even aloe vera products, is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, and if you want an all natural lotion with no preservative in it, then you need to be VERY careful when making them. Or, keep them in the fridge.
There are natural ingredients that contain antibacterial qualities, but it isn’t easy to gauge how well they work, and how long they will extend the shelf life of your product. Some companies use products such as grapefruit seed extract as “natural” preservatives, but when studied further, grapefruit seed extract is NOT a natural product and does contain synthetic ingredients, including parabens etc. Vitamin E oil can help increase the shelf life, but it is not a preservative and certainly cannot be a guarantee of a bacteria-free product. Rosemary oil extract is another all natural product that contains antibacterial properties but once again, is not strong enough to guarantee a bacteria-free product. Some people use Borax, but I am not convinced of its safety and so I don’t use it in my laundry, much less my cosmetics.
Body butters are oil-based and contain no water-based ingredients. They are a mixture of oils and butters. They are very hydrating, but they tend to be greasy. I have been searching for a way to make oil-based butters smooth and light. I have finally come across a simple way of dealing with butters: you whip them. Like whipping cream. This makes them soft, light, and less oily since there is air whipped into the product. You can add any essential oil you like, and the overall appearance, texture and hydration is decadent. The final product feels and looks like whipped cream. I was very tempted to eat mine…
One thing to keep in mind with whipped butters, however, is that they are really only an oil and they will “melt” back into their oil state IF the temperature at which they melt is reached. For example, a coconut oil-based whipped butter will melt at 24C (depending on what temperature your oil melts at. Different coconut oils have different melting points). Other butters may have a slightly higher melting point. If your house gets higher than that melting point, or you keep it in a steamy bathroom, or on top of the dishwasher (which I did) it will melt back into an oil and you will have to re-whip it. You can keep it in the fridge if you are worried about the temperature.
Does it stay like whipped cream for a long time! YES! It does. How long? I don’t know, but it hasn’t melted on me yet, and so I’d say weeks at least, if not permanently.
I have found this “cream” to be very effective as an eye cream, and as a hand and body lotion. I don’t usually use night creams, but I think it would be great for that too. I do use it as a day cream on my face but some would probably find it too heavy for this. I don’t add essential oils to this recipe because the fragrance of the cocoa butter is enough to satisfy my fragrance requirements! With a mild and delicious cocoa fragrance, it isn’t necessary to add extra fragrance, but you certainly can if you like. Do not use citrus essential oils in body products since they are photo-toxic when exposed to sunshine. I am not a huge fan of the smell of coconut oil and so I choose the coconut oil that is fragrance-free.
Is this product non-greasy? No. It doesn’t contain alcohol or any other ingredients that “dry it out”. But it is much less greasy than heavy, pure body butter, and it will depend on the butters and oils you use (some are less greasy than others).
Over the next few weeks I will be playing with different ingredients, including kokum and mango butter, two butters which are less oily than cocoa butter and coconut oil. I have shea butter which is extremely hydrating, and I will also be experimenting with infusing herbal extracts such as calendula, chamomile, green tea and lavender, into some of these oils to make whipped butter recipes that provide soothing, calming and anti-aging properties. Subscribe to be updated regularly or “like” us on facebook so you know when these new recipes are available.
Ingredients:
6 oz. Coconut Oil (fractionated coconut oil is less greasy but any kind will work)
2 oz. Cocoa Butter
Essential oil if desired.
Materials:
- Electric mixer and stainless steel bowl
- Scale
- Small pot
- Pyrex measuring cup
- Whisk or fork
- Spoon
- Spatula
- Storage jar and lid
Directions:
- In a small pot or double boiler, over low heat, melt 2 oz. of cocoa butter.
- Add and melt 6 oz. of coconut oil.
- Once oils are melted but NOT boiling, immediately remove from heat, pour into mixing bowl and refrigerate.
- Once your mixture looks slightly opaque, remove from fridge and whip. I use a stand mixer which makes the process go a lot faster. It will get creamy quickly, but won’t whip immediately.
- Once it is creamy put it back in the fridge for another 5 minutes or so and whip again.
- Once it starts to whip like whipping cream, you know you have it. If it doesn’t, put it back in the fridge for a few more minutes and try again. It could take up to 10 minutes of solid whipping to turn it into whipped butter. It will get quite “stiff” and feel like chocolate mousse if you whip it long enough.
- Once it starts to form soft peaks you can add your essential oil (if desired) and you are done!
- Spoon it into jars and put lids on.
- Store in a cool location.
Notes:
- If you are looking for a good source to purchase body product ingredients check out Mountain Rose Herbs. Exceptional quality, certified organic ingredients.
- Cocoa butter helps increase or maintain skin elasticity and is very hydrating.
- Coconut oil is, among many other things, rich in antioxidants and contains natural microbial and antibacterial properties making it a great oil choice for body products.
- A little goes a long way. Use a small amount!
This post has been shared on Frugally Sustainable’s Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways 56, Farm Girl Friday Blogfest #12, Homestead Barn Hop #91, Seasonal Celebration Wednesday #42, Wildcrafting Wednesday and Waste Not Want Not Wednesday #8.
Wow, this looks amazing. I don’t have a stand mixer but I’m sure I can stand there for 10 minutes if that’s all it takes. Thank you so much!
It should work fine
Give yourself an hour since it needs to cool off in the fridge several times, but it would work well.
once again we are on the same page! lol I’ve been looking for a recipe just like this one. Thank you thank you!!
Enjoy it! And thanks for commenting.
How about shea butter? Is it a good ingredient for hand, face or body creams?
Absolutely! Shea butter is a fantastic ingredient for moisturizers and I am going to experiment with some shortly!
Do the ounces have to be exact? I do not own a scale, but I wanted to try this out this Friday with my sister. Thanks for your help!
No, they don’t. In fact, if you just keep the ration 3 to one, coconut oil to cocoa butter you’ll get the exact same results.
Enjoy!
Thank you!
so interesting! I never knew any of that about the dangers of DIY lotions but am really tempted to make your whipped body butter-and you’re right it does look delicious
thank you for the recipe. I am trying to use as much “natural” products as I can. we have 5 grand kiddos and some of them have allergies, so nana makes the salves and ointments for them. they love it and will use them as they know that nana would never hurt them.
Looks yummy:) I have not made my own body butter before but I like to make my own scrubs. Someday I will try this.
I’ll be making another batch of whipped body butter soon and can attest to this being wonderful for skin. I add some jojoba oil into the mix as well. Next time will add a tablespoon of beeswax as I understand it’s an emulsifier. It was quite soft in hot temps but now, with house temp at 20C for winter, it’s like Noxema (if you know what that is). Definitely want to let it cool well before beating or you’ll start to wonder if it’s actually going to work–the more whipping, the more volume. Thanks for the post: I always like to read about other’s experiences
That’s exactly the texture! Of noxema. Let me know how the beeswax works!
Did the beeswax work?
This looks so easy! Thanks so much for sharing it on Waste Not Want Not Wednesday! I’ve pinned it on my WNWNW board, and please check back on Wednesday to see if you’ve been featured!
Hi Free Range Mama! I really love your post! This whipped body butter looks good enough to eat! I think our readers would really enjoy reading this. I would love for you to come share it at Seasonal Celebration I really hope that you will put Seasonal Celebration on your list of carnivals to visit and link to us every Wednesday!
http://naturalmothersnetwork.com/
Rebecca x
Thanks! I did
This looks amazing…my skin is crying out for a liberal application
I would love to have you link up to the blog hop I co-host, Wildcrafting Wednesdays!
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2012/12/wildcrafting-wednesday.html
Wow, this is the yummiest (and I bet tastiest) creme I have ever seen! I did make homemade lotion last Christmas and I was happy with the results but this looks even more enticing! I am definitely going to try this one. Thank you!
I tried this today (THANK YOU SO MUCH!), but I ran into a little problem so I thought I better ask where I went wrong. Mine seemed to skip the soft peak stage and went right back to the solidify stage… How long do you leave it in the fridge the FIRST time when you are trying to get it to be opaque (approximately of course)?
The temp in my house today is about 69-70 degrees so that shouldn’t be the problem, but perhaps I left it in the fridge too long??? Any help would be appreciated. Even the semi-solid stage of this combination is fantastic on the skin! I love it and thank you so much for posting the recipe!!
Do you mean that your oils are whipped but more like solid white egg whites? Or just like a hard body butter? It depends on how hot you got your oils in the first place, as to how quickly it cools, and also what size of bowl you have, what temp your fridge is at etc. I would take it out in 5 min increments and try it. It gets creamy but doesn’t stay soft/creamy no matter how long/short/temp your whip it. Once it gets back to the original room temperature it should be more like egg whites, or Noxema if you are familiar with that. When you wipe your finger through it, it almost crackles with the air in it. Unless your house warms up enough to start melting it, it won’t stay in that “creamy” stage that it goes through. Does that help? it does remain whipped, however, and soft and spreadable. If it goes back to a solid oil then you know it has melted. Good luck!
Free Range Mama, I want to thank you so much for linking up to Seasonal Celebration Wednesday with your fabulous tutorial! Be sure to pop by and this Wednesday to see if you have been featured. Rebecca x
I’d love to try this! We’ve run into the same issues while making our own body butters and creams. This one looks so light and fluffy…good enough to eat! Thanks for sharing it with us on Wildcrafting Wednesday #67 and I hope you’ll join us again this week!
I love natural DIY body products, I make my own scrubs, massage oils, etc. Unfortunately I’m also allergic to Coconut Oil. It’s very frustrating since so many of these types of recipes contain it. Actually almost all commercial products also contain it. Do you think switching to another oil would work as well in this recipe? I know coconut seems to have almost magical properties. I wish it would magically stop making me break out in a rash!
The key is to use 60% or LESS butter, and then the rest liquid oil. So you can certainly make it without coconut oil. I’d try a combo of shea butter, cocoa butter and grapeseed or almond oil! mmmmm….
Just the question I needed answering! My itchy kid can not use coconut based products either so was hoping I could substitute with almond oil and shea butter as I regularly use those so have them in the house.
I bought unrefined Illipe butter, but cannot find a DIY recipe to use it. I actually made an error in ordering, I meant to buy the refined Illipe butter; this stuff came in a block and is very solid. The one time I tried to make a a lotion (butter) with added Shea butter, it came out much too hard to get out out of the jar, once heated up a little it feels like silk on my skin. So, how can I get to be more creamy?????? Thanks a lot. Kitty.
They key to whipped body butter is to have 60% or LESS from a butter, the rest from either coconut oil or a liquid at room temperature oil, like almond, grapeseed, even olive or canola. If you use too much butter, it will be too hard and won’t work the way it should. So, use about half your butter, and half coconut oil, or grapeseed oil etc and it should come out fine! Add some essential oils if you like. Enjoy!
Great recipe! This is a good idea for a thoughtful gift for friends and family.
I wanna try but I searched a lot of web site said that the coconut oil clogs pore. Is this good for skin??
Coconut oil is very good for the skin and unless you have exceptionally oily skin, or are allergic to it, your skin will soak it up! Enjoy!
An excellent gift I received this Christmas was a wide assortment of skin care products from Bath and Bodyworks. As I’ve gotten older, I guess my skin just isn’t as good at taking care of itself anymore.
This looks amazing and simple to make. Borax received a rating of F from the Environmental Working Group as it may “contain ingredients with potential for developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects; respiratory effects; skin irritation/allergies/damage.” I no longer use this product in my household. You can read more about it (and read up on other cleaners) here: http://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners.
Thank you for this recipe!
Could I substitute raw mango butter for the cocoa butter?
Absolutely!