Dry skin is the worst. Sometimes it feels like no matter how often I slather on lotion, my legs, elbows, and hands feel scaly and parched. Regular moisturizers just canโt seem to keep up with all the drying effects of hot showers and copious hand washing, especially when temps start to drop!
So if there was ever a perfect time for a decadent body butter, this is it. With just 2 ingredients, this creamy lotion definitely does this trick! Hereโs how to make body butter with ingredients you probably have around the house. Seriously, itโs that simple!
How to Make Body Butter
You might remember this citrus body butter from last year. Whipping butters and oils makes a super rich combination that your skin will definitely soak up.
This time I wanted to keep it simpleโjust coconut oil and shea butter. You can add essential oils or other butters if you want, but for me, the mild coconut smell is a perfect reminder of summer.
Why shea butter?
I guess you could even make body butter with just coconut oil, but I wanted to get all the goodness of shea butter, too. In a clinical trial, it performed just as well as a medicated cream containing ceramides to heal dermatitis [source].
Shea butter also has antioxidant effects to protect skin from free radicals [source], as well as anti-inflammatory effects that soothe irritated skin [source]. So why wouldnโt I want to use this amazing natural plant oil on my skin?
Melt oils together
Since I donโt have a double-boiler, I place a small heat-proof jar inside a saucepan filled with 1โ2 inches of water. That way, the oils can melt slowly, without getting damaged or so hot they catch on fire.
Then cool quickly
Place your melted oils in the refrigerator or freezer to help them cool down more quickly, stirring frequently to keep chunks from forming. The longer you whisk the butter after cooling down, the fluffier itโs going to beโthe texture of this is completely customizable to your (or your gifteeโs) preferences.
If youโre a little pressed for time, you can pop the mixture in the freezer for about 20 minutes before whippingโthe only requirement is that the mixture should be almost solid before whipping it.
How to get fluffy body butter
The trick to getting fluffy body butter is to heat your oils until theyโre just barely melted. Then let them cool for at least an hour before you whip the mixture with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. This is way more important than people think.
How to avoid grainy shea butter
There are different types of beneficial fatty acids in shea butter [source], but the thing is, they cool down at different rates. When a product using shea hasnโt been blended and cooled properly, thatโs when products can get a little grainy, thanks to the shea butter.
Luckily, itโs easily avoided by rapid coolingโat least cooling down faster than room temperature. So cooling in the freezer or fridge is a must.
What to do if itโs not whipping
If your body butter isnโt getting as fluffy as you would like, I have found that it helps to whip it as well as you can. Then place it back in the refrigerator or freezer for another 5โ10 minutes. Usually, it will have firmed up just enough to give it some body.
And just a heads up, the body butter doesnโt stay as frothy as it looks immediately after whipping. It may harden some, but it will still easily rub into the skin without feeling super greasy. Shea butter also has a higher melting point than coconut oil, which helps keep this super luscious whipped butter from just melting in the summer heat.
Body Butter FAQs
Can I add colorant to my body butter?
If you want your body butter to have a color, I recommend sticking with colorful herbs, like turmeric, beet root powder, and chlorella. Theyโre non-toxic, and theyโll give your butter some beauty-boosting benefits thanks to vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Just make sure to add a small amount to avoid staining your clothes.
Can I use this body butter on my face?
Sure, if you want to! Just melt a teaspoon or so between your hands and pat into skin.
Do I have to melt the oils before mixing them together?
At room temperature, coconut oil and shea butter have a tendency to be pretty chunkyโeven after beating with a hand mixer. But melting them together and letting them cool gets rid of the chunks and gives you a smooth, buttery consistency.
What can I use in place of the coconut oil?
Look for other solid-at-room-temperature oils and butters, such as ghee, cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, or palm oil (although, for ethical reasons, palm oil should be a last resort). Just note that you might need to add liquid oils to get the right consistency for whipping.
2-Ingredient Body Butter
Equipment
- Double boiler
- Hand mixer
- Glass container with lid
Materials
- 1/2 cup shea butter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
Instructions
- Pour 1โ2 inches of water in a small saucepan.
- Place a heat-proof jar or measuring cup in the saucepan, and add the shea butter and coconut oil.
- Stirring frequently, heat the oils over low heat until theyโre melted and well combined.
- Pour the mixture into a separate bowl and pop into the refrigerator until cooled to room temperature (about an hour). Youโll want to stir every now and then to help the oils cool evenly and prevent any chunks from forming.If youโre in a hurry, you can place the oils in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Just make sure to stir frequently.
- With a hand mixer, beat the oil mixture for 5โ7 minutes at a medium-high speed. The mixture should turn white and become fluffy, sort of like frosting. If youโre having trouble getting it to fluff, increase the speed and move your hand mixer up and down through the lotion add a little air. You can also try placing the whipped body butter back in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes before whipping again. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of your bowl occasionally.
- If you plan on adding essential oils or colorants, you can do so now. Roughly 5โ10 drops should be enough, but youโre free to add as much as you like.
- Transfer the mixture to a glass container with a lid and store in a cool, dark place like a drawer or medicine cabinet for up to 6 months.
Notes
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician who has been practicing for more than 20 years. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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I cannot tell you enough how much I LOVE your blog! I do have a question about adding colour to body butters – would soap colourant work? Or even food colouring? I do want the colouring to be as natural as possible. Thanks!
I made a batch of this today and am excited to use it!
Hello, I want to ask if the craem is suitable for using it for face? Thank you.
You melt them down so that they can mix together. Both ingredients are solids and shea butter is quite thick. Melting them doen makes sure they are thoroughly combined. Technically your could just mix them together but it would be quite hard. Also shea butter has little bead things in them and I’m pretty sure melting them down with coconut oil will melt them down but I’m not completely sure. Also you want the mixture to be solid but not hard so you can whip it more easily. I hoped this helped you out! But overall I would say just melt it down.
I love it!!!!
Hi,
I really enjoyed your recipe but I was wondering, do you have to keep in the refrigerator?
Thank you!
No, there’s no need to refrigerate it!
I really enjoyed reading your post!
Coconut oil has become my go-to beauty product. I’ll have to add this second ingredient and attempt this at some point this weekend.
I wonder if there is a good substitute for coconut oil that can be used in this recipe instead. Thinking maybe Hemp Oil? I know most people rave about coconut oil. But I do not like it. Starts off great. But over several weeks, I notice it actually makes my skin drier and more wrinkly. And that is using the purest unrefined organic one too.
I love this website! But honestly I dont find the smell of coconut oil pleasant. But this body butter is still genius.
Why do you have to melt the ingredients down just to put them in the refrigerator so they can get hard again? Can you just take it straight from the tub and whisk it together?
You melt them down so that they can mix together. Both ingredients are solids and shea butter is quite thick. Melting them doen makes sure they are thoroughly combined. Technically your could just mix them together but it would be quite hard. Also shea butter has little bead things in them and Iโm pretty sure melting them down with coconut oil will melt them down but Iโm not completely sure. Also you want the mixture to be solid but not hard so you can whip it more easily. I hoped this helped you out! But overall I would say just melt it down.
Really nice recipe.
I’m always on the lookout for posts like these, especially when they are so easy. At least with homemade beauty products you know exactly what’s going into them. No nasty chemicals!