3 Ingredients, all you need to make a natural body butter
As I became more aware of what I put in and on my body, I started to look at labels on everyday items that I use. And I was not impressed with some of the ingredients listed. If I wanted to embrace a more natural lifestyle, I would have to give up these products.
I realized that even though the lotion I used did its job, that it was not the best for me. Some ingredients in our skincare are toxic for us, some are bad for the environment and some you don't even know what they are. With this in mind, I started to look at clean and natural alternatives that I could purchase. However, I was not having too much luck.
Finding alternatives was not an easy task. Not only I had to actively read the labels on products and educate myself on what is and isn't good for us but I also had to like it and it had to work with my skin.
I have eczema and finding a lotion that works for me at its worst can be challenging. Eczema is a condition where certain areas of your skin can become inflamed, itchy and it may even crack. A body lotion or butter will not heal it but it will help soothe the skin during flare-ups.
I tried a few different natural and clean options and I was not impressed. I either did not like the smell, the way it feels when you put it on, or in some cases the price.
As this was becoming a little frustrating I decided to give it a try and make my own natural body butter. I did some research and spent some time on Pinterest and soon enough I was making it in my kitchen.
This natural body butter is easy to make and has very few ingredients. Both of these facts make it perfect for me. I do not mind a little DIY. But if I am honest, if it takes forever to make or if I have to go on a wild goose chase for the ingredients, it quickly loses its appeal. Most of the body butters that I have seen, have these ingredients and then more ingredients are added on. I find that just these key components do the trick and I do not need anything else.
You only need 3 ingredients
Shea butter- anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Highly moisturizing and soothing
Coconut oil- may reduce inflammation, antimicrobial, and moisturizing. Also known for its antioxidant properties
Sweet almond oil- keeps skin hydrated and contains vitamin E
You will also need
Container- once you finish preparing your body butter you will need a container to store it. I use a wide mouth mason jar with a lid.
Measuring jug- you will need some sort of vessel to melt and mix all ingredients. I use a glass measuring jug as it helps with keeping track of my quantities. You can also use a glass or stainless steel bowl.
Blender- to whip up the butter I use my nutribullet and have used it every time. As I already owned one, I did not want to purchase something else. I believe you could try it with a hand mixer or any blender you may have on hand.
Making the body butter
As I mentioned above, I use a mason jar with a lid to store my natural body butter when finished. My container holds 400 ml (13.5 oz). Depending on your container you may have to adjust your quantities.
I start by melting in a bain-marie or double boiler 150 ml (5 oz) of shea butter. I then add 150 ml (5 oz) of coconut oil. The key is to make sure that you have equal quantities of the shea butter and coconut oil. I have tried other ratios but this works best for me.
I also prefer to measure both ingredients in their liquid state rather than when they are solid. For that reason, I will melt the shea butter first before I add the coconut oil. The shea butter does take a little bit longer to melt. But by melting them one at a time, I make sure of the volume I get before adding anything else.
Once both are melted, I fill the remainder of my measuring jug with sweet almond oil to the 400 ml mark. This will be the last 100 ml (3.3 oz) you add in.
Then it is time to allow the mixture to cool off by placing the container in the fridge. Or if you are impatient like me in the freezer.
Once the mixture because a soft solid texture I blend it. For this step, I use my nutribullet but you can use a hand mixer or any blender you have at home. After you blend it, pour your butter into your final container, and voila you have your all-natural, DIY, 3 ingredients body butter.
Tips:
To help you with different size containers, keep in mind you want 1 part sweet almond oil and the remaining 3 parts split into equal amounts of coconut oil and shea butter.
Purchase the best quality ingredients you can find or afford. I buy raw extra virgin and cold-pressed coconut oil. The shea butter I use is unrefined, raw, and natural. And the sweet almond oil is also natural.
Shea butter has a strong nutty and smokey smell when purchased unrefined and raw. If the smell puts you off, you can add essential oils. The first time I did the body butter I added about 20-30 drops of lemon essential oil and it still worked great. I have now gotten used to the smell of the shea butter and don't find a need to add any essential oils to the body butter when I make it.
Use a spoon or stick to remove the butter from the container. This is a rule I have for all skin and hair products that you must scoop out. I try not to put my hands in it for fear of contaminating it somehow. This is especially true of DIYs I make. I have a small wooden spoon that I keep on top of the container and use only for the body butter.
Lastly, if you make this body butter and it does not go with your skin, please stop using it and look at other natural alternatives out there. Just because it has worked so well for me, it may not be for you.
So go ahead and give this all-natural, 3 ingredient body butter a try and you may love the results.