DIY Body Butter
A while ago, I had heard about this thing called the "Zero Waste Movement " that sparked my interest. Since I'm a busy mom of a toddler and infant, my time is scarce and I wanted to look for recipes and products that were earth-friendly but not a pain in the butt to create or use. I figured the easiest place to start would be with personal care products (soaps, shampoos, etc.) I stumbled upon this recipe on Lauren Singer's 'Trash is for Tossers' blog and decided to give it a try. It's basically equal parts raw shea butter, raw cocoa butter, coconut oil, and almond oil melted together in a double boiler, refrigerated, then whipped into a body butter (add it a few drops of scented essential oil if preferred). Sounds simple, right?
Actually, yes, it was REALLY FREAKING SIMPLE. Once I had the ingredients in hand, I was surprised at how well it turned out and how fast it was to make! I slightly increased the ratio of shea/cocoa butter to oils after tinkering with the recipe a few times, which resulted in a thicker, creamier consistency rather than oily (which I prefer). It was rich and creamy and so yummy smelling I wanted to eat it like brownie batter (pro tip: don't eat it). I chose to forego the additional essential oils since I prefer a vanilla/sugary smell thanks to my former addiction to Bath and Body Works' Warm Vanilla Sugar lotion. Not as sweet smelling, but now I can have a guilt-free, unnecessary chemicals-free body lotion knowing I'm not continuously tossing plastic lotion bottles in the trash!
Below is my take on the recipe and the ingredients I used. This recipe should be enough to fit into an empty Bonne Maman preserves jar (IMO these jars make excellent containers and/or drinking glasses). I realize that the ingredients do come in plastic packaging, but I'm working on finding alternate products that are packaged with glass or other eco-friendly materials instead (because I'm in no way perfect and love the convenience of Amazon Prime). I go through about a jar every 1.5-2 months since the lotion is so thick I don't need to use as much of it for full coverage like regular store-bought body lotion. I'm hoping this will be a good starting point to experiment further and one day come up with my own unique recipe! Let me know what you think!
DIY 'Trash is for Tossers' Body Butter
- 3/4 cup unrefined shea butter
- 3/4 cup unrefined cocoa butter
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup sweet almond oil
A Few FYIs
Actually, yes, it was REALLY FREAKING SIMPLE. Once I had the ingredients in hand, I was surprised at how well it turned out and how fast it was to make! I slightly increased the ratio of shea/cocoa butter to oils after tinkering with the recipe a few times, which resulted in a thicker, creamier consistency rather than oily (which I prefer). It was rich and creamy and so yummy smelling I wanted to eat it like brownie batter (pro tip: don't eat it). I chose to forego the additional essential oils since I prefer a vanilla/sugary smell thanks to my former addiction to Bath and Body Works' Warm Vanilla Sugar lotion. Not as sweet smelling, but now I can have a guilt-free, unnecessary chemicals-free body lotion knowing I'm not continuously tossing plastic lotion bottles in the trash!
Below is my take on the recipe and the ingredients I used. This recipe should be enough to fit into an empty Bonne Maman preserves jar (IMO these jars make excellent containers and/or drinking glasses). I realize that the ingredients do come in plastic packaging, but I'm working on finding alternate products that are packaged with glass or other eco-friendly materials instead (because I'm in no way perfect and love the convenience of Amazon Prime). I go through about a jar every 1.5-2 months since the lotion is so thick I don't need to use as much of it for full coverage like regular store-bought body lotion. I'm hoping this will be a good starting point to experiment further and one day come up with my own unique recipe! Let me know what you think!
DIY 'Trash is for Tossers' Body Butter
- 3/4 cup unrefined shea butter
- 3/4 cup unrefined cocoa butter
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup sweet almond oil
A Few FYIs
- The consistency of the body butter changes depending on the climate. I live in Texas, so I found that this stuff is creamier/oilier in the summertime but hardens during the winter, even if I leave it in the bathroom with my thermostat set consistently at the same temperature year round.
- Experiment with trying a little bit on your arm/leg to test for potential allergic reactions. Same with your face - I found that it was a great body lotion but was too thick/creamy to use as a face moisturizer and made me break out.
- Follow the recipe to a T - I noticed essential oils are added AFTER the other ingredients are melted and cooled completely. Might not be a good idea to heat essential oils along with the other stuff...
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