How To Make Homemade Body Butter (Easy Recipe!) (2024)

Last Updated on by Jean Choi 1 Comment

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How to make healthy, nourishing body butter with 3 simple ingredients that are skin-safe, chemical-free, and super hydrating! Your dry skin will thank you, and so will your wallet.

How To Make Homemade Body Butter (Easy Recipe!) (1)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

One of my favorite things to do after I shower (besides checking Instagram for 10 minutes in my towel) is slathering on myHomemade Body Butter. My skin has always been on the dry and sensitive side, so I need all the help I can get! You might think I don’t need it as much in the summer, but summers are the driest in California, and I can definitely tell the difference in the way my skin looks and feels during the warmer months.

I started making my own body butter about 2 years ago when I couldn’t find a moisturizing lotion with ingredients I was satisfied with that was also in my price range. They all contained hormone disruptors and chemical fragrances that I did NOT want near my skin. And if I did find something to my liking, it was way out of my price range.

I love that I can control all the ingredients in the body butter I make at home, and the best thing is that it works! I switch it up with different scents from different oils, but the recipe is really perfect as is if you don’t like a scent.

This homemade version will work for most skin types, but it’s always recommended to use a small amount in one area of skin to test for any allergies or irritations.

How To Make Homemade Body Butter (Easy Recipe!) (2)

Amazing Store-Bought Options

Here are some of my favorite body products and butter fromBeautycounter, all with anEWG ratingof 1 or 2 (that’s like getting the best grades for having the safest ingredients from your toughest teacher!). If you’re concerned about finding natural products, EWG is a great resource. They even have an app!

Beautycounter makes a ton of beauty products that are made with natural ingredients and is my first stop when I’m looking for something that I can’t or don’t want to make myself.

How to Make Body Butter

All the things that make this body butter edible (yes, you can eat shea butter!) make me feel confident about using it every day. Our skin absorbs SO MUCH of what we put on it, so it’s important to use thesafest possible ingredientsin our products. There are no chemicals, preservatives, or artificial fragrances, just simple, natural ingredients.

I love how smooth and fluffy this body butter is, and it immediately soothes my skin all year round! Plus, It’s such a simple recipe and yields the most luxurious body butter!

Ingredient Notes

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  • shea butter:This main ingredient is moisturizing and full of vitamins and fatty acids. It has a nutty aroma and is actually edible!
  • organic coconut oil
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • Optional: 1 tsp vitamin E oil (It’s a great anti-aging antioxidant!)
  • Optional: 20-30 drops of pure essential oils of your choice (lavender essential oil, tea tree, peppermint, citrus oils, sweet almond oil, etc.).

Step-by-Step Instructions

How To Make Homemade Body Butter (Easy Recipe!) (4)
How To Make Homemade Body Butter (Easy Recipe!) (5)
  1. In a double boiler or a saucepan over low heat, melt shea butter and coconut oil and stir until they are melted.
  2. Remove from heat for 10 minutes, then stir in extra virgin olive oil, vitamin E oil, and essential oils if using. Transfer to a glass bowl.
  3. Place the mixture in the fridge for 1 hour until it sets and solidifies a bit.
  4. Use a whisk, or electric mixer like a hand mixer, or stand mixer to whip until it reaches a fluffy consistency.
  5. Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
  6. Use like regular body lotion. A little bit goes a long way!
How To Make Homemade Body Butter (Easy Recipe!) (6)

Expert Tips & Variations

  • You can customize your DIY body butter recipe according to your preferences by adding drops of different essential oils (lemon, lavender, orange, etc.).
  • These make great Christmas gifts and birthday gifts, and “just because” gifts! Simply purchase empty glass containers with lids online and fill them with this recipe. Tie a bow around the outside and gift it to your friends and family.

Storage Tips

Store at room temperature in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. It has a pretty long shelf life, but you’ll probably use it all up before then, anyway!

When the weather is warm, the body butter may liquify. If needed, store it in the fridge and whip it back to the desired consistency.

More DIY Recipes

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Homemade Dish Soap

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If you make this recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!

How To Make Homemade Body Butter (Easy Recipe!) (7)

How To Make Body Butter (Easy Recipe!)

How to make healthy, nourishing body butter with 3 simple ingredients that are skin-safe, chemical-free, and super hydrating! Your dry skin will thank you, and so will your wallet.

Print Pin Rate

Keyword: homemade body butter, how to make body butter

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a double boiler or a saucepan over low heat, melt shea butter and coconut oil and stir until they are melted.

  • Remove from heat for 10 minutes, then stir in extra virgin olive oil, vitamin E oil, and essential oils if using.

  • Place the mixture in the fridge for 1 hour until it sets and solidifies a bit.

  • Use a whisk or a hand mixer to whip until it reaches a fluffy consistency.

  • Store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

  • Use as a regular body lotion.

Notes

Expert Tips & Variations

  • You can customize your DIY body butter recipe according to your preferences by adding drops of different essential oils (lemon, lavender, orange, etc.).
  • These make great Christmas gifts and birthday gifts, and “just because” gifts! Simply purchase empty glass containers with lids online and fill them with this recipe. Tie a bow around the outside and gift it to your friends and family.

Storage Tips

Store at room temperature in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. It has a pretty long shelf life, but you’ll probably use it all up before then, anyway!

When the weather is warm, the body butter may liquify. If needed, store it in the fridge and whip it back to the desired consistency.

What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsem*nt, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Thank you for your support and understanding.


How To Make Homemade Body Butter (Easy Recipe!) (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for body butter? ›

Basic Body Butter Formula:
Shea Butter50gms
Coconut oil25 gms
Sweet Almond oil25 gms
Essential oil10 to 12 drops
Apr 4, 2022

What oil is best for body butter? ›

Because both shea and cocoa are solid at room temperature, you need an oil that is liquid at room temperature to soften the mixture and make it spreadable. For my liquid oil, I like to use jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, or sunflower seed oil.

What is the ratio of butter to oil for body butter? ›

When formulating body butters, it is good to start with a generally recognized ratio and then experiment. Two key ratios that I use as a starting point when I am formulating are the 70:30 or 60:40 butter-to-liquid oil ratio.

How do you keep homemade body butter from hardening? ›

We suggest using a dermatologically safe and organic oil such as coconut oil or almond oil. But the ultimate solution to keep whipped Shea butter from hardening is the use of Jojoba Oil. Jojoba oil offers significant skin advantages, but it also helps preserve whipped Shea butter and prevents it from hardening.

Which butter is best for skin? ›

Shea butter contains linoleic acid, which has benefits when applied topically, especially since skin cells can't make this acid on their own,” says Bailey. Shea butter also contains potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, which Bailey explains are responsible for this butter's medicinal properties.

What is the best emulsifier for body butter? ›

Ritamulse SCG (Emulsimulse, ECOMulse), BTMS-50, or Emulsifying Wax NF will work instead of Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG-100 Stearate, though they won't feel as nice. BTMS-25 and Olivem 1000 will also work, though I find they thicken up faster and it is harder to make a smooth emulsified body butter with them.

How do you make toning body butter? ›

How To Make Body Butter (Easy Recipe!)
  1. 1/2 cup shea butter.
  2. 1/4 cup coconut oil.
  3. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
  4. Optional: 1 tsp vitamin E oil It's a great anti-aging antioxidant!
  5. Optional: 20-30 drops of essential oils lavender, tea tree, etc.
Mar 8, 2024

How to add fragrance to body butter? ›

Fragrance - You can fragrance whipped body butter using both fragrance oils and essential oils. The typical usage rate for both is about 2% of the total recipe, but double check IFRA guidelines to make sure you comply. Vitamin E - Vitamin E T-50 is an excellent antioxidant for products containing oils.

Do you apply body oil before body butter? ›

Apply body butter first, then add a layer of body oil to seal the moisture in. Ordering your products this way is important because the ingredients in your body butter aren't able to penetrate through oil, meaning you may not feel all the hydrating benefits.

How to formulate body butter? ›

Directions To Make
  1. Melt cocoa butter and shea butter in double boiler. Remove from heat as soon as melted.
  2. Add sunflower oil, vitamin E oil and essential oils to mixture and mix well.
  3. Pour into containers and allow body butter to firm.

What equipment do I need to make body butter? ›

Equipment:
  1. Double Boiler or Microwave: For melting your solid oils.
  2. Mixing Bowl: To combine your oils.
  3. Whisk or Electric Mixer: To whip your body butter into a creamy consistency.
  4. Containers: To store your finished body butter. You can use jars or tins with lids.
Sep 28, 2023

How do I make my homemade body butter less oily? ›

Incorporate clay and/or starch

Starches and clays can do a lot to reduce the oily feel of a body butter; I especially like cornstarch because it's so readily available. Check out this formulation for an example of how to incorporate it, and how much to use.

Do you need a license to make body butter? ›

You don't need a license to make cosmetics, but that doesn't mean manufacturing is a free-for-all. Whether you do it at home or your business, you must manufacture your cosmetics in an environment that avoids adulteration.

How long can homemade body butter last? ›

The shelf life of body butter, as long as it contains only oil based ingredients is around 6 months. There is no preservative required. Oils and butters last quite a while. Typically, they last 6 months or more.

Do you use body butter in the shower or as lotion? ›

How Do You Use Body Butter? The best way to use body butter is to apply it after your daily shower or bath. Once you've enjoyed your daily shower or bath, pat your body dry with a towel. As a top tip, leave a little moisturise on your skin and do not rub or dry your skin completely.

Why is my homemade body butter so greasy? ›

Try raising the melting point a titch

The faster a body butter melts, the more likely you are to feel like it's oily. Try raising the melting point a wee bit so it doesn't melt as quickly; I like a bit of stearic acid or cetyl alcohol for this job.

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