Learn how to make whipped body butter using shea butter as the base and a few additional ingredients!
How to make whipped body butter
I love using shea butter for skincare, but raw, unrefined shea butter is pretty dense on its own. I know some people like to take just a bit in their hands and melt it as they rub it on, but I decided to whip up a body butter by mixing some of my shea stash with coconut oil, jojoba oil, and lavender essential oil.
Why shea? Raw, and unrefined shea butter contains vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids that are awesome for your skin. Using shea is a centuries-old remedy for moisturizing and reducing skin inflammation.
Now, let me warn you…this stuff is oily! It’s much thicker than a body lotion, and I probably wouldn’t wear it in a hot or humid climate. However, it’s an excellent body butter for dry winter skin, especially for spot-treating ashy knees and elbows. I especially like using it on my legs. I made a small batch because a little goes a long way.
Here’s what I used:
- 1/4 cup raw, unrefined shea butter
- 1/8 cup coconut oil
- 1/8 cup jojoba oil (or another liquid oil, like sweet almond oil)
- 10-15 drops lavender essential oil (only for scent–you can leave this out)
- Disposable aluminum tin and pan to make a double boiler
- Small bowl and hand mixer
And here’s how to make whipped body butter!
(Don’t use any ingredients you’re allergic to, and always spot test new ingredients to make sure you don’t have a reaction to them. Do not use any homemade products without consulting with an appropriate medical professional first.)
Step 1: Heat water and add shea and coconut oil to the tin
I put about an inch of water into the pan and begin heating it up on the stove using medium heat. While the water is heating up, I add the shea butter and coconut oil in the disposable aluminum tin (not the pan). Using a disposable tin is great because I can just throw it out with the recycling afterward.
Step 2: Add the tin to the pan
I place the tin in the pan; the warm water will begin melting the shea butter and coconut oil. This is a double boiler. I remove the tin from the pan when the mixture is completely melted. (Below is a photo of what the “double boiler” method looks like. I took mine off of the stove for the photo.)
Like this DIY lemon scrub? Check out my DIY eucalyptus salt scrub recipe, my baked bath salts recipe, and my DIY honey and beeswax lip balm!
Step 3: Add additional oils and mix
After a few minutes of cooling, I add the jojoba oil and lavender oil (if using for scent), stir, and dump the mixture into my glass bowl.
Step 4: Chill the mixture
Now it’s time to chill. This is a very important step–if I don’t do it, I won’t get that “whipped” body butter look and feel. I put my bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes. I really just want the mixture to solidify to about the consistency of butter. If I let it get too cool, I just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds. I know what consistency I need because if it’s too hard, it just won’t whip.
Step 5: And whip!
I whip the cooled mixture using a hand mixer. Store in an air-tight container and enjoy! Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, but your body heat will melt it as soon as I rub it on my skin:
Pin my whipped body butter recipe!
