For years I was disgruntled with my store bought lotion choices. The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database had confirmed that even the most “natural” of body products I had found were still pretty toxic.
I have spent an accumulation of HOURS standing in the health food store trying to find a lotion with ingredients that I was willing to slather on my body. And I always came home empty handed. I will admit that I grew to love coconut oil after a shower, but I still longed for a fancy body lotion – one that smelled delicious and left me feeling pampered. A girly-girl lotion.
Then I discovered homemade body butter (inspired by this post that I discovered on Pinterest). I was delighted to find that this homemade lotion is super simple to make, and I got to work concocting the perfect blend of ingredients. The trick, is to use the right combination of solid and liquid oils to make a consistency that can be whipped – just like you would do with softened butter to make a whipped cream frosting.
Yes. This homemade lotion is really as sensual and decadent as it sounds.
My two year old calls it chocolate cream, for obvious reasons, and it's particularly satisfying after a day at the beach. I think you're gonna love this stuff.
Whipped body butter homemade lotion ingredients
- 1 cup of cocoa butter – find unrefined cocoa butter here
- 1/2 cup coconut oil – find coconut oil here
- 1/2 cup of jojoba oil or other liquid oil (almond or a mild olive would work great too)
Whipped body butter homemade lotion method
- Using a double boiler gently melt cocoa butter and coconut oil until completely liquid.
- Stir in jojoba or other liquid oil.
- Allow to chill in the refrigerator until the oil mixture begins to firm, but has not turned completely solid. This may take longer than you expect – several hours at least.
- Using a standing mixer or hand mixer, whip the semi-solid mixture until white peaks form.
- Scoop into glass jars and allow to chill for an hour in the fridge.
Notes:
This homemade lotion will remain whipped in moderate temperatures. If your home is particularly hot, you may want to store your body butter in the fridge. If you forget and your whipped butter melts back to oil, simple re-chill and re-whip.
The consistency of this lotion is true to its name: whipped body butter – and as such, it does leave a thin layer of oil when applied. Personally, I love the idea of my skin drinking up the nutrient-dense goodness from these oils. If you prefer a body lotion that absorbs more completely, check out this simple recipe for homemade lotion from Mommypotamus that I also love. Either way, there's no need to cover your body with synthetic junk ever again.
Do you make homemade lotion or have you tried my whipped body butter? Please share any tips or comments below!
I am definitly going to try this! Thanks!
I’m way too busy working on a farm to make my own body butter. I’ve done a lot of research to find safe, environmental-friendly, cruelty-free products, using EWG’s site and other research, and I buy all my body products from Nourish. They make a completely chemical-free organic body butter. The fresh fig scent is so lovely. (Their body/face lotions are amazing.)
http://nourishorganic.com/collections/moisturize-and-protect/products/organic-body-butter
I’d love for you to give my organic, chemical-free, non-toxic, sustainably sourced body butters a try. 🙂
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ScratchMommySkincare
How can something be chemical-free? Everything is a chemical.
Dear Irrikate:
Language evolves with time, particularly vernacular English. In current usage, everyday use of “chemical” may differ from academic or scientific uses of the word “chemical.” The reader is advised to consider the word’s context. If the context is natural body products, the informed reader may consider that the word “chemical” is being used colloquially to describe substances, usually known or suspected toxicants, created or extracted by humans in laboratories or factories.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Brown
Educator & Editor since 1987
Please stop spamming everyone’s holistic blog under body butter recipes. A DIY blog is not an appropriate venue for trying to drum up customer sales.
Thank you Fina, I was thinking the same thing
I make pure soy candles, can I use my soy flakes to make body butter
Tammy, I have the exact same thought! I wish I could find the answer, guess I will be experimenting 😉
Tammy, I did some further research. Cannot substitute soy wax because it is pore clogging. Hope this helps!
But their products unfortunately contain alcohol AND soy lecithin. An ethical company would use non-gmo organic vit e to preserve!!
Exactly! 🙂
Vit E is not a preservative. It will only inhibit bacteria for a short period, but can’t do anything for mold. There is NO natural preservative that will work for lotion, or any other water-based personal-care product. A lotion will last 2-3 months MAX from the date of production without molding (if it contains water). Consumers expect even natural products to last longer than this. A big-time manufacturer has no choice but to use SOME type of preservative. Your best bet is to make yourself or buy from a small-time crafter off Etsy or someplace similar.
If you make your own body butters at home and sanitize all the equipment, store it in a cool place and use a clean instrument to dip into the butter not your hand there shouldn’t be a problem with contamination. Water based homemade products are the products you should preserve. Natural vegetable oils and butters will keep without using a preservative if you are careful while making it and storing it. Vitamin E oil is an antioxidant that will help preserve to a degree that is why most women put it in their homemade body butters. It’s also very good for the skin!
Question- Instead of coconut oil, can you use shea butter?
Hi Jen – Shea butter has more of the consistency of the cocoa butter. I would sub it for that.
I find that shea butter has more of a butter texture, where as i just grated my cocoa butter like a hard block of cheese. Is your cocoa butter the same way? I buy the product of west Africa 100% pure cocoa butter. If not what brand do you use because I’m definatly hoping for something not as hard….
I’ve been making my own body butters for some time using a recipe similar to this. I use Shea butter and cocoa butter with some kind of oil (I use jojoba or almond oil mostly). My cocoa butter is very hard similar to a block of cheese and my shea butter (high quality unrefined shea butter) is very moldable almost the consistency of clay (if you know what that is like). Hopefully this helps. My recipe is 16 oz. shea butter, about 4 oz. cocoa butter (I go by smell. I don’t use refined products so the chocolate smell can get very strong quickly with too much cocoa butter), and around a cup to a cup and a half of oil and essential oils if I have any on hand that I’m wanting to use. I also started to use glycerin (not glycerol which is a preservative whereas glycerin is a vegetable by-product and incredibly moisturizing) with a lot of success.
Dont’ add water to the oil and butter solution. If you don’t have Vit. E (tocopherol) to help presrve the lotion it will go bad quicker. I don’t use any preservatives and use Mason jars to store the products. If I store them in a cool dark place they stay for a long time.
Do you mean that eliminate the coconut oil with your recipe? I have made the original recipe twice now and feel as though it is drying to my already dry skin. I think it may be the coconut oil, because I have had trouble with straight coconut oil drying my skin in the past. I would really like to find a recipe that doesn’t use coconut oil but ends up with a nice whipped consistency.
And yes for clarification there is NO coconut oil in my recipe. If your lotion is drying I would suggest not using almond oil or decreasing the amount of almond oil your recipe contains. Another alternative to almond oil is grapeseed oil or olive oil. Additionally, adding aloe juice could help with moisture problems. Aloe juice is incredibly moisturizing and many recipes I have do contain it, but I haven’t tried it out yet so I can’t give an educated suggestion as to its use. And don’t forget glycerin.
The following website (http://urbanbushbabes.com/2011/12/shealoe-butter-diy-for-hair-and-skin/) has a recipe for a shea aloe body butter that looks good and calls for aloe gel or juice. It does contain 2 T of coconut oil, but suggests olive oil as an alternative. Honestly, any oil would work (grape seed, pumpkin seed, olive oil, jojoba oil, mango oil…. doesn’t matter as long as its an oil)
I have a bunch of cocoa butter a friend gave me. I am allergic to coconut so I’ve been searching all over for a recipe using cocoa and no coconut oil. thanks for the tips. If you don’t mind sharing I’d love to know how much olive oil you use. I didn’t realize that almond oil could be drying, so that’s good to know as well.
I like the idea of glycerin. How much should i approximately use though? and at what stage?
Hi Andrea!
I would love to make my own body lotions. Where is the most economical place to obtain the raw ingredients such as glycerin veg based and shea butter?
Does the lotion last longer if refrigerated?
Are there natural preservatives that would extend the life of the lotion?
Thanks so much!
Hi Andrea, I am very interested in using your recipe. Can you please tell me how much vit c and glycerine you used and when you added it? Thanks.
You have to have a set amount of the butters and a set amount of the oils to make the consistency whipped. You can change any butter for a different butter and any oil for another oil. Just pick the ones you want but use the same measurements! You can also use the essential oil you want to use. Just do a little research to make sure the essential oils you want to use are in fact good for the use you are going to use it in.
beautiful
This looks positively amazing. I kind of want to lick it because it looks so awesome. 🙂 Can’t wait to try it!
Hi, where on your resource page do I find the information to buy the high quality coconut oil and raw cacao butter? Thanks! =)
You can find the coconut oil and raw cacoa butter here: http://holisticsquid.com/real-food-resources/
hi!im from malaysia i am so inspired by your body butter recipe that i’m trying hard to fond the ingredients!lol however, i was thinking of adding a little bit of essential oil-lavender maybe but would like to know at what stage do i add in the essential oil?tQ 😉
Hi Farina, I suggest you add any essential oils just after step 2, before you chill in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir after adding.
Can you let me know how much this would make? I’d like to use it as a Christmas gifts and fill some 7 oz jars.
Hi Amy – I wish I had an answer for you, but every time I make this, I make big batches. I’ve never measured my final product. Sorry!
With the amounts of ingredients listed above I was able to fill almost six 4 oz Ball canning jars.
For some reason my computer blocks all the links on your resource page. Could you just tell me the name of the companies so I can just google them?
Hi Farrah – Wilderness Family Naturals or Mountain Rose Herbs. 🙂
Is it possible to add a “reply” button so that readers can respond to specific comments?
Thanks for the great post.
Hi Beth – I don’t think so, but I will look into it. Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
Strike that – DONE! 🙂
This looks absolutely awesome. I cannot wait to make it!
Thanks Libby! I think you’ll love it. Let us know how it turns out! 🙂
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back tomorrow when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts! 🙂
What is the shelf life of this body butter? Does it ever “go off”?
Also – could you add essentials oils?
Just made this and it turned out amazing! My daughter wanted to eat it. 🙂
LOVE this body butter recipe! So awesome for my little eczema man and also for my face….kept smelling the cacao butter all night!
Does this work will with your son’s eczema? My little girl gets it so bad and we haven’t found any lotion that really works well. Some just don’t moisturize and others that smell good end up stinging.
Hi Kimberly – I tend to prefer more of a thick salve with eczema, though no cream will really resolve it. To heal eczema you really need to treat from the inside out.
How do you treat excema from the inside out?
Hi Tishara – I explain in detail in my e-book – The Eczema Cure. You can find it here: http://holisticsquid.com/the-eczema-cure/.
I am also wondering about a sustitute for the coconut. My son doesn’t get along with coconut at all…I would hate to slather myself and get him sick.
Hi Angela – I haven’t experimented with alternatives to coconut oil in this recipe, but since coconut oil is solid when chilled but liquid at body temperature, it’s neither exactly like cocoa butter or a liquid oil like jojoba.
I would probably first try to divide that quantity between the two remaining oils, bringing the cocoa butter up to 1 1/4c. and the jojoba up to 3/4c. That may work, but no promises, because I haven’t tested it.
Let us know how it turns out!
I know this is an old thread, but I have a couple of solutions to the coconut-oil issue: One option is using unhydrogenated palm kernel oil (Spectrum Naturals has a good one), and the other option is using ghee made from organic butter. The only real difference is that one provides a vegan product and the other does not.
You could Try any type of “butter” for Example a Mango Butter… Shea Butter, you can get an Olive Butter… The Substitutes are endless. 😀 But you Definately Will need a “butter” to make this recipe work. If you don’t then it will just be a big sloppy mess. The solid Oil is what makes this firm, and able to be “Whipped” into a nice consistancy.
Made this today and added some organic lavender essential oil (therapeutic grade from a reputable maker) – divine! Oh, and if you don’t have a double boiler (as I don’t) just set a metal mixing bowl on top of a pot of water. Worked like a charm! I have several pregnant friends and am making another batch for them to use on their growing bellies.
Awesome, Anne! So glad you like it. It will make a great present for pregnant moms. Great for postpartum too!
Can you heat this on low in a pot on the stove, or does that wreck the properties of the oils?
Hi Telina, thanks for the question. As long as you gently heat the coconut oil and cocoa butter just until they are melted, it shouldn’t affect the properties of the oils.
Can you give me an idea of how much each batch makes with your recipe?
How long does this body whipped cream last without the preservatives?
Hi Asti – There is no reason why the whipped body butter should go bad. It only contains 3 oils don’t really go rancid quickly.
I love how smple your recipe is and I decided to make it myself. However I am having a problem with getting my mixture to set up. I have been mixng the oils now off and on for about an hour now, and it is not anywhere near a whipped like consistency-it looks more like coconut cream. Please give me any advice on how to correct this! thanks!!
Hi Kristen – It sounds like you may need to refrigerate your oils so they are semi-solid. Like butter would be if you just left it on the counter. If they are too liquid it won’t fluff. Hope this helps!
Could I add a couple drops of vanilla to make it smell more strong?
Sure!
About 24 hrs after making this it sets like a good lip balm would. I need a softer consistency. What do I do???
try a little less of the solid oils and more of the jajoba. i know when making lipbalm if you want it softer you do less of the solids and more of the liquid oils. it would be worth a try!
Please Help! About 24 hrs after making this it sets like a good lip balm would. I need a softer consistency. What do I do???
Hi Anel – Hmm. I haven’t had this issue. Is it still whipped at this point? Is it particularly cold in your house? Give me some info, and I’ll do my best to help you figure it out.
Thank you Emily! Hmmm, I have used the same ratio coconut oil to cocoa butter, perhaps the coconut oil is the culprit? I’m thinking add a touch of rose water? That brings the shelf life down to 3 months but I’ll fly through it in less! What do you think?
Is it whipped (white) and hard or is it the consistency of lip balm (dense and yellow)?
You could certainly experiment with the rose water. When I make lotion with water or tea it definitely spoils faster. Let us know how it turns out!
It comes out whipped and airy but hard. I have upped the oil now it’s smoooth and silky. Whoo hoo! It’s not going to handle heat at all, though. And heat we have plenty of in South Africa!
Emily,
I’m giving up and doing it exactly your way. Does your body butter remain relatively intact in your climes? Summer is here in South Africa and my product is seperating. Ugh. So I want to know, is it the greater amount of cocoa butter keeping it solid-ish or do you have days where this butter is an oil and you have to start again?
Anel – It will not stay whipped in hot weather. In that case I would store it whipped in the fridge until it cools off. Once it melts to an oil, you just need to soften it to whip again. I usually keep some like this in my car and use it like a balm when I need it on the go.
Hey
im just curious how much volume this gains when whipped?
Hi Amy – At least double the volume, maybe a bit more.
Hi, is there a reason you use glass jars and not plastic? Will plastic make it go bad faster? Thanks!
Hi Faith – It would probably be fine to store this in plastic. As a rule, I don’t usually store food in plastic due to the likelihood of chemicals leeching into our food. So I mostly have glass around and use it for everything.
I use raw shea butter instead of cocoa butter for this same recipe with the same results. I’ve also added white granulated sugar (aka castor sugar) to one of my jars to make a whipped sugar scrub. How much? Until I liked the consistency, I think it was almost a 1:1 ratio. As far as adding anything water based for scent or to change consistency, I don’t as this will cause spoilage as it is a vehicle for bacteria and mold. I suppose you could keep the product in the refrigerator, but then it would be hard when you used it.
I just made some of this and my toddler was very disappointed that it wasn’t whipped cream when he tried to lick the beater. ^_^ It is *super* luscious and decadent! Some for my friend, some for me- best kind of gift. Thanks!
Lol. I don’t blame him, Katy. I sort of want to lick the beater too. 😉
I just attempted this recipe and cannot believe how small the yield is! I must be doing something wrong. After whipping the consistency is more like pudding than this whipped airy white fluffy stuff shown in your pictures. Not sure what I am doing wrong? I used ingredients exactly as listed. When I started whipping my refrigerated mixture looked very yellow and waxy. It did whip up lighter but not white like yours. I made 4 batches and got 4 -500ml jars? Doesn’t sound quite right does it?
Hi Duari – Sounds like you need to keep whipping. It takes longer than you’d expect, an it sounds like yours just hasn’t been whipped long enough.
Is it possible to over-whip this? I put my batch in my kitchen aid 5 pro stand mixer & after about 35-40 minutes the center was nice & light and whipped, but the parts closest to the bowl were still hard. I started removing the parts that were whipped & kept going (have just passed the 1 hour mark). My last bit just doesn’t want to whip up light. A bit disappointing. I wanted to make this sooner but had to wait a week & half for my shipment of cocoa butter to arrive from Mountain Rose Herbs. It arrived today & our gift exchange that I’d planned to make these for is tomorrow afternoon (plans already in the AM so can’t make more then). Not sure I have enough time to make enough to fill my jars tonight (have 2 little ones and don’t want to keep them awake with the noisy mixer). Any advice for the next time I try this since I have lots of cocoa butter now? Keep whipping? Possible to overwhip? Temp in my house is 66 & the oils were soft – butter like to slightly harder when I started whipping. Thanks! It does smell lovely!
Wow! If you have been whipping with that giant mixer for that long…. That is definitely my problem. I am using a hand mixer. If I keep going for an hour it will probably blow up!! Plus my arm will feel like Jello! I have been storing my mixture in the fridge all week as I haven’t had the time for this obviously Olympic proportion mixing session until today. Hoping that a little warm up and I can start mixing! I too am making this for gifts (for coworkers). In retrospect I probably should have made a test batch a month or so ago when I first found this recipe but I didn’t so…..it mis time crunch today. Thank you all for helpful posts! If I hadn’t seen Amy’s post I ,probably would have mixed another 5 minutes and thought “phewy this recipe isn’t for me”. But at least I know what I am up against. I wish that the author would have included a yield with the recipe as well as a little more specifics on what color product should be at certain points as well as EXACTLY how long this mixing process was going to take!
Amy – It sounds like the hard bits on the side are probably too hard to whip and need to be softened. This is a bit like making a whipped butter cream frosting. It needs more firm than liquid but not completely solid in order to whip up nice and fluffy.
I did end up re-melting & starting over with the hardened bits and I did get more to whip. However, my lovely whipped cream has hardened up again since putting in a jar & I have to pull out blobs and let it melt on my skin. The only thing I can think of is that I ended up getting more coconut oil in there than was called for. I will definitely keep trying as I have another pound of cocoa butter to use & the cream certainly makes my skin feel & smell wonderful.
Thank you so much!!! You were exactly right! I needed significantly more mixing! I have to be honest….after my first attempt I was disappointed with the outcome. It didn’ t yeild nearly as much as I would have hoped for the cost of supplies and it was way too greasy! However, after mixing for a longer period of time (mine took about 30 minutes with a hand mixer) VOILA!!!! Perfect! Beautiful! I couldn’t believe how much more this recipe yielded after whipping! I finally felt like I got what I paid for! It smells amazing! and moisturizes like a dream. And I now have enough to give as gifts to my coworkers. Thank you so much for sharing, and for the tip when I got stuck!
The best way I’ve found is to whip the life out of it, then put it in the freezer for 5 mins or so, then whip the life out of it again, then back to the freezer for another few minutes, etc, etc, etc, until it’s huge and fluffy in volume.
Hot Aussie summers have always infuriated me with whipped body butters, but I think I may have found a neat little trick to avoid the ‘heatwave melt factor’, by adding a smidgeon of melted soy wax to the mixture. Don’t ask me yet how much – I’m still experimenting! 🙂
if no db can I just be really careful?
What’s db?
Double Boiler?
Ah! All you need for a double boiler is a bowl placed over a pot of boiling water. I use a metal mixing bowl over a medium sized sauce pan. 🙂
I have a question- do you have to whip body butters? could you not leave them as is mixed and like a block?
You could. They call that a Lotion bar.. If your oils are hard enough. You will still get all the moisturizing properties. Either way your whipped butters turn out,they will still moisturize your skin WAY better then any Store bought that is filled with Chemicals. 🙂
Help!
I ordered all of the items required to make this as gifts this year. Everything has arrived, except for the cocoa butter. I went searching all over town today, bought my 16 jars, too…and it still hasn’t arrived! Gulp.
Can you think of a sub for the cocoa butter?? Eek. :/
Would any of these work?
http://www.livestrong.com/article/191122-cocoa-butter-substitutes/
You could use shea butter in place of cocoa butter. It has a similar melting temp.
I only have a blender, not a hand mixer or kitchenaid. Could the blender work?
Maybe, but it would probably work better to whip it by hand.
I lovey he ingredients but it became very hard after whipping.
I love ingredients but it became very hard after whipping. Any hints? Maybe I used too much cocoa butter?
I am making this right now and it smells good enough to eat! Yum!!!
Hello, I just ordered all the ingredients and I can’t wait to try this out! I was looking for a quick, simple, natural moisturizer and this is just fab! And it’s cheap if you come to think of it. Where I live for 250 g of final product you pay *calculating this in $*….hm 12,62 $. Woohoo!
I love you Squid! Thank you for the recipe and directions! I used apricot oil, cuz it sounded yummier than jojoba and was way more affordable (hubby is in school so we are poor!) and it all worked beautifully, first try!!! My skin is totally drinking it up. It doesn’t stay oily or greasy at all. Amazing. Thank you thank you! I’m allergic to a chemical that’s in EVERYTHING, so instead of living in a bubble, I’m making my own products. You’ve been so helpful. Thanks a million!
This looks amazing!! I tried making it today, but when I put it on my skin it literally melted on to me like butter/oil, is is supposed to be like that or did I add too much oil ? I wouldn’t mind if it was a little oily but I felt like i greased myself up lol. And if it’s supposed to be like that, is there anything I could add to it to make it thicker and less oily? Thanks, Love your post!
Same here. The consistency looks great, but as soon as I pick some up, it starts melting and goes on like oil. I don’t mind this at all, but just wondering if it is supposed to be like this.
Hi Emily, This body butter recipe looks and sounds wonderful! I will be sharing it on my Pinterest board for green beauty and on Twitter and FB. Thanks for the great recipe!
It”s not super easy to get this to the perfect temperature, but after a few tries I got it. I cut the recipe in half and its a good amount for a regular size jam jar. I have it on a shelf in my not cold or hot bedroom and I can’t wait to see if it holds.
A question about adding essential oils to scent the body butter… does it affect the consistency? And how many drops should I add?
Just made this today and it worked perfectly! I used Shea butter instead of coco butter otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. It is a bit oily, but my skin has been super dry this winter so I love how it just soaks in! Wonderful.
Hi Gail,
How much did your recipe yield approx? Mine came out nice and fluffy but only filled an 8oz jar 🙁
I made this with one problem….. it’s not yielding very much. About one 8oz jar full 🙁 I whipped it for about 20 min without any change in size. It has a nice white whipped texture, just not very much. Do I need more butter? Should I melt everything down and add more butter? What gives it the size?
Thanks so mcuh
I made this and when I started mixing is got hard then started looking whipped. When I put in containers it eventually hardened and does not look whipped anymore. How can I keep it looking whipped?
Also, it gets all stuck in my beaters, so I have to stop and get it out then continue to mix. Also, the butter on the sides of the bowl that harden, should I just heat them up or heat up all?
The “batter” should be the consistency of soft butter when you whip it. It will harden if you keep it in cold temps and melt in hot temps because it doesn’t contain any nasty preservatives to keep it uniform in all conditions. I consider this part of the charm of natural body products. 😉
I made this this morning as a birthday present for my friend, wish I could attach a photo, it looked so pretty and she loved it. Thanks for the inspiration!
YAY! You’re welcome, Sophie! 🙂
I found your post through impintalish and I just love this – it looks so yummy and like it will make your skin baby soft! One day, when I get an awesome mixer, I will absolutely be making this! : )
-Mel the Crafty Scientist
I have made 3 batches of this all with regular hand mixer! first one was christmas gifts for friends, coworkers and family. just ordered next batch of cacao nibs to make next batch. so what i am saying is……… dont wait for a nice big mixer! once you and your friends use this you will never go back to the crap in the stores!
I made this body butter. I LOVE It! After about 3 weeks I noticed that my skin was dry and had dry patches? Have you or anybody else experienced this? Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you
Hi! I am beyond excited to make this. Do you think you can use sunflower or safflower oil in place of the jojoba/almond/olive? That is what I have handy.
Thanks!!
I made this lotion tonight ,and it is awesome I love all these ingredients. Thank You for the recipe its awesome.
I’m going to try this. I have been using straight coconut oil on my skin for over a year now. I love it!!! I’m curious, after this is whipped, will it have a tendency to melt like coconut oil does at 76 degrees, or does the cocoa butter and jojoba keep it from melting?
I’ll search when I’m done here, but have you done your post on gut flora that you mentioned?
Thanks! I’m looking forward to your future posts.
It melts, so when the weather gets hot you can either use it as a body oil or store it in the fridge.
I love the way this looks! I’m going to make this for my mom for mothers day and I just bought the ingredients for it. A really helpful lady at the store told me that if I add the contents of one vitamin E capsule after it had been whipped will make it last MUCH longer! Can’t wait to actually make this! Thank you for posting it 🙂
I rarely buy cocoa butter anymore, so can i use mango butter instead of Cocoa Butter? Do you think the consistency will be the same?
I’ve never used mango butter, but if it has the same melting point as cocoa butter it should work fine. Let us know how it turns out!
All I have is 7 oz of cocoa butter (8 ounces = 1 cup). If I use just the 7 oz will there be a major difference in how the lotion turns out if I use the regular amounts of the other oils? Thank you! I can’t wait to make this for my mom for mothers day 🙂
I’m not sure, so to be safe I would use the proportions of the recipe.
Hey. Made this yesterday but by this morning it had gone hard. So read through some of the comments and re melted the butter … whipped it for 30 minutes this time and it looked perfect, thought I had saved it.. just checked it now its still whipped but gone hard again. . Please help! I’m using an electric hand whisk. Maybe that’s the problem?? I don’t want to waste it all..time and money.. could I maybe add some water? Suggestions please. THANKS in advance x
hi! just saw your comment and wanted to share my experience. this whipped body butter will always be hard at certain temps after you whip it. the whipping keeps it at the right temp (warm-ish) to stay whippy-like 🙂 but then hardens at lower temps once the whipping stops. cacao butter and coconut oil will always do this. but, of course, if it is too hot it all will melt. this, i believe, is just the nature of the beast. it is possible adding a little more oil can change this but i am not sure. adding water will change the whole thing all together so would not risk losing it all. i made this last week and i have just been using the hardened mixture as a body moisturizer and it turns to oil the minute it hits your skin anyway. i hope this was helpful – i don’t have the perfect answer. good luck!
s-j90 – if the temp in your house is cold, it will harden. If the temp in your house is hot, it will melt. As Adrienne mentions above, this is both the beauty and curse of all-natural products, but the good news is that it still make a great skin lotion in either of the three densities.
Hi. Regarding the coconut oil. I am assuming you lather on the coconut oil THEN all natural sunscreen on top of this. Does that effect the sunscreens effectiveness?
What about adding in some vitamin e oil, anyone try it? Read it has anti-aging properties.
Also can this be used as a face lotion also or is it just for the body?
Hi Raczyk, thanks for your question. I use it for body and face, though depending your preferences you may find it too heavy for a face lotion. It really is up to you.
Would it be possible to purchase this whipped body lotion from you? I don’t want to make it at this time.
Thanks.
Deb Adams
Hi Deb – Thanks for the question but no. I don’t really do anything like that.
I tried your recipe and it whipped up just fine but the final product was very oily to me…any suggestions on what i may be doing wrong?
Hi Jenny, thanks for your comment. It really is about personal preference. Why don’t you try this homemade lotion from Mommypotamus?
Did I see something here with this including the magnesium oil? I want to make that and I think I figured out the magnesium to buy. Do the flakes (mixed with water) work better, or should I just buy the liquid form? I don’t know if I prefer cocoa butter or shea, would one be better than the other with the magnesium? Ha! I feel like I have a lot of questions, I don’t want to waste of resources… 🙂 I can’t wait to make this. Thank you!
I’m just about to start on this recipe! the only downside is I only have plastic jars, I washed them really well and treated the with Gerdex just to be sure! Wish me luck! <3
greetings from venezuela.
I just found this recipe and can’t wait to try it!!! I have jojoba butter on hand will this be okay instead of the jojoba oil?
Hi Katie, thanks for your question. I’m not sure tbh…what else is in the jojoba butter?
Can’t wait to try!
Hello,
I see your suggested sites to purchase the coconut oil and cacao butter, but do not see the cacao butter listed anywhere on it. Am I searching under the wrong headings on this site? Please help. I was hoping to purchase all 3 products from a reputable source online and start whipping ASAP. Thank you
Hi Basia, thanks for your question. My resources page has been updated along with the sources. You should be able to find everything you are looking for now! Thanks!
How much essential oil do you use to scent and any suggestions for tropical smells or floral.. I tried rose absolute and used almost 15 ml with no scent .. I used coconut oil and Shea butter.
Thanks
And lavender is something I can’t tolerate..
I’m no longer seeing unrefined cocoa butter on your resources page. Any suggestions? Thank you! I just made it with shea butter and I don’t really care for the smell of it. I think cocoa butter would be much better. Thanks!
Hi Cindy, the links are updated on the resources page so you should be able to find it now. Thanks!
Is there a better alt to coconut oil? I wont use it. The explosion of people using it has put our planet in grave danger. Many animals are now endangered due to coconut oil. They have to knock down thousands of acres of forests to grow coconut trees to meet the demand 🙁
That’s palm oil, not coconut.
Both of your links are for the cocoa butter.
I add a few drops of doTERRA grapefruit oil, wild orange oil, and 2 heaping spoonfuls of grassfed beef tallow to this recipe, and it turns into a body firming butter that smells like one of those chocolate oranges that you see a lot around Christmas time! YUMMY!!!
I made my third natch last night. I ise ot liberally amd absolutely LOVE the stuff. I will never go back to usimg commercial lotion.
How many ounces does this recipe make?
What would be a good substitute for coconut oil or could i just eliminate it all together? I mixed coconut oil the last time when i melted down my coconut butter and i think it’s what made my skin actually dry! I can tell when I have a slight allergy to lotions by how my skin starts to crack or itch and since i have used cocoa butter before i take it was the coconut oil
Hey! I made this butter and it turned out beautiful. Unfortunately I cannot tolerate the coco butter that I added. Is there another butter that does not smell (Shea smells too) that I can substitute for the coco butter? Thank you.
just found this site and love it. Has anyone considered or tried incorporating raw goat milk into any of the mixes? I have my own goats and and a excess supply of raw milk. I also make goat milk butter and wonder if it could be used in any way. Thanks in advance for any thoughts and or comments.
How long can we store this??? x
what does it smell like? I have been thinking of making it and scenting it with jasmine and benzoin essential oils. how much should I use?
Hi Emily, thanks for asking. It kind of smells like chocolate and you can use as much as you’d like to depending on how strong you want the scent to be.
I kinda want to eat this…..It looks so light and fluffy like whipped cream. Actually considering that two of the three ingredients are food I probably could haha
I just found this recipe and can’t wait to see how it turns out! Thanks for a simple, natural recipe. I am so frustrated with all of the chemicals used in every product on the market.
I have a question…I’m relatively new to the holistic world, and I was thinking about trying some magnesium supplementation too, could I just mix some flakes right into this or does it need a separate application? Thanks! 🙂
Thanks for the question, Becky. You could probably just add it in there, if you wanted to.
Yes-I tried this recipe but I used 1/2 shea butter, 1/2 cocoa butter, coconut oil and almond oil. It is so decadent! It absorbs pretty quickly, I found without feeling too greasy. I’m using it on my son’s skin – he has keratosis pilaris. We are also using your suggestions of cod liver oil and dessicated liver. I am also adding liver to my meatloaf. Your postings seem to come at perfect times for my family! Thanks for posting this recipe!
Hi Colleen, thanks for your comment. I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Thanks so much for the recipe. Trying to find something I am not allergic to that will help hydrate my skin. Can’t wait to try it! Ordered my ingredients. Thanks again for sharing.
Thanks so much for this, I’m making this right now. Only problem: the mixture is still very hard… does it need more whipping?
Hi Tasje, thanks for the question. I’m not sure what you mean by hard. If it is whipped and hard, then it’s simply because your home is cold, but it will still work fine.
This looks really good but do you ever worry about bugs being attracted to your body? Such as if you put this stuff on right before bed?
Hi Daniel, thanks for asking and no, I’ve never worried about this nor has it been a problem for us.
Also, could this be used as a shaving cream? Anyone used it for that?
Im definitely going to try this!!:)
Hi. Where I live (Brazil), coconut oil is always liquid. Is it ok to consider it a “hard” oil for this recipe? Or do I need to use mango or shea or something that’s actually hard at room temperature?
Hi A, thanks for the question. Give it a go and let us know how it turns out. We’d love to hear about your experience.
This recipe looks delightful! Love the look and texture of your lotion. I especially like using jojoba oil as I use it in my own books. I like it because it closely resembles our skins’ sebum and it’s exceptionally good for softening the skin and reducing fine lines. Thanks for sharing your recipe, looking forward to try it. 🙂
Can’t wait to make this for the women in my family for Christmas. I am wanting to make it Chai scented. Should I just soak the tea leaves in the oil over night? Or how would I do this?
Hi Autumn, thanks for the question. You can certainly do this, although the longer you soak the tea leaves, the stronger the scent will be. You can just strain them out once done.
Hi Emily, I made this tonight using a hand mixer. It looked whipped but I did not get any volume. I have put it in jars anyway. It is quite cool in my house and the cream has gone hard, do you think it is because of the temp or because I did not whip it long enough. I do not really want to melt it down to start again because I added vitamin e oil. Any ideas? Will heating it again destroy the vitamin e? Thank you
Hi Pru – Thanks for your question. I don’t know about the vitmain E, but you could probably warm it over low heat if you want to re-whip it.
I want to use this recipe to make lotion bars. Can I skip the whipping step and pour right into molds and hopefully still get a great product to use?
Hi Angela – Thanks for posting your question. Since I haven’t done it myself, I can’t promise it will work. However, if you do give it a try, let us know how it turns out. 🙂
This looks amazing and I’m planning to make it for the ladies in my family for Christmas. Just wondering about something, you called for 1 cup of cocoa butter and 1/2 cup of coconut oil, which are both solid oils- so did you mean 8 oz for 1 cup? Or did you squish it down into a cup/half cup measure? Many thanks!
I love this.. Been using it for about two months, and find that my cracked heels are no more! I use different EOs depending on who and what it is for. Wonderful recipe!!!
Just made my first batch of this. In Florida, in December. It was 78F in the house. I rotated it into the refrigerator several times during the whipping, it was kind of obvious when it had had enough. Added 1/2 oz lavender essential oil, smells nice when you open the jar, but fades pretty quickly on the skin. I can already tell it won’t hold in the summer without refrigeration, we keep the house at 80. I’m calling it Whipped Winter Body Butter. And looking for a source of non gmo soy lecithin for a summer lotion.
I have a question. I made this and whipped a bit too much…making it more of a body butter, rather than a whipped body butter. I used a combo of shea butter and cocoa butter, along with the other ingredients. I have been using this for over a month now, and I am not feeling as though it is moisturizing my body. I feel the same way about straight coconut oil. Why is that. I often put it on both at night and morning right after a shower. I always wake up with super dry skin in the morning. I kind of thought that after a while my skin would be less dry in between applications. Any insights?
Do to the lack of preservatives in this recipe, is it a good idea to use a spoon rather than fingers to remove the body butter from the jar? I wonder if putting fingers (especially wet fingers) would make it go bad sooner.
Hi Rachel – Thank you for your question. You can do this if you’re worried, but I don’t.
Sorry, I meant “Due to….”
Was wondering if aloe could be added to this without messing it up?
Hi Tender, thanks for the question. Please let us know if you give it a try. We’d love to hear about it.
Hey I just made this recipe with the measurements it calls for and it made a little over three 8oz jars. Wanted to share that seeing as some people were questioning how much it makes and I also was unsure going into it. by the way this lotion is seriously awesome! thank you!
Thanks, Bianca! Great to know!
Did you happen to use 8 ounces to get your cup of coconut oil, or squash the solid coconut oil into a 1 cup measure? (I’m only concerned because the liquid oil can easily be measured in 1/2 cup, but not so much with the solids!)
I’m eager to make this, but don’t want to mess up with the proportions! Thanks for your help!
Hi Emily,
I enjoyed reading your post and luv your pictures! the butter def looks good enought o eat and is wonderful for your skin. I look forward to reading more of your articles.
Happy Holidays!
I can’t wait to make this!!! W en should add and Essential Oil or Fragrance Oil??
Hi Kristina, I like to use essential oils bc they come from real plant sources as opposed to fragrances which are usually synthetic and can contain pthalates and other chemicals. Happy Holidays!
And when is best to add them?? Thanks 🙂
How much does this yield? It just says to put in jars… how many jars of what size? And how long does it keep? Thank you 🙂
I made this body butter the other day it is seriously *amazing*!!! I made it for myself and my dad who has horrible eczema and added in a few oils to help him and it has been amazing. Thanks for the recipe!!
Thanks Maliya! Glad you’re loving it. 🙂
Awesome! I used olive oil in mine. I’ve tried a few different variations of homemade body butter and this is by far the best. Smells nice, looks pretty, isn’t sticky, and soaks in well. My first batch looked so yummy after whipping it with the blender that I tried a small taste. Of course, it doesn’t taste as good as it looks, but I love that it’s perfectly edible. Thank you for such a simple and great recipe!
Hi Tara – Thanks! So happy you like it.
Hello! I’m excited to try this recipe! May I ask what the shelf life is for this lotion?
Hi Liz – Great question. Because it doesn’t have water, I find that it lasts for a long time, however it will harden in the cold and melt in heat.
This stuff is amazing! I love it! So easy to make, too. Thank you for your fabulous site!
I also am curious about the shelf life also. I made this body butter and loved it! However, I put it in my closet, and the next time I went to use it there was something that looked like mold on the bottom of my mason jar. Is there something different I should do to prevent this, or should I just keep it in the fridge?
Was the jar possibly contaminated with water?
I tried this and it turned into a solid lump….any suggestions as to why this happened?
Hi Jessica – That’s so strange. It’s hard to say without knowing more. Did you use an ingredient or procedure different than the one listed above?
I had the same issue when I made my batch. I absolutely LOVE the smell and the feeling of this after it melts onto my skin. But when I start mixing it, it goes from a very soft, semi solid state as you say from the fridge, to this mass that is too hard for the mixer to mix it anymore within a few seconds. I really want mine to look and feel creamy like yours does. Any suggestions?
Oh, and I did do one thing differently than your directions. Instead of putting the oil in the fridge for several hours, I put it in the freezer for a few minutes. It came out looking as you described…but do you think this could be the difference between yours and mine? Thank you!
Mine also turned solid while it was in the fridge. I just let it sit out on the counter for a couple hours, and it stayed solid, but got soft. (Like butter does.) I just whipped it up from there and it turned out perfectly!
Well, I finally got around to making this, and it is WONDERFUL. Thanks, Emily!
Just made this and it is everything I hoped it would be! Smells divine. And looks so pretty sitting in a glass jar!
Thanks LJ Life! So happy you love it 🙂
Just wanted to say that I love this body butter! I made a half batch if this and it’s lasted me quite awhile. I scented it with a little ylangylang and mandarin and it’s glorious! I had a travel container of it that melted, and I actually like that consistency a bit better. I’m gonna try making more and skip the whipping part! Enjoy!
P.s. I’ve been hearing about the benefits of probiotic soaps and lotions. Does anyone know if there’d be any harm in adding some shelf stable probiotic powder to this lotion? I’m doin’ it unless I hear otherwise!
I have wanted a slow masticating juicer for about a year now, along with a Vitamix, but we are making improvements on our home and buying these items, although high on my priority list, aren’t as high on my husbands, and I guess a new roof is kind of important. LOL! I love fresh made REAL juice and since I am also an eczema sufferer this would be so helpful in helping me to stay on track with a healthier lifestyle!! Thanks for the opportunity!!
I love this stuff. I’m getting ready to make a second batch to share!
Hi ladies. I’m not seeing a link or resource page for where I can buy shea butter through a reputable company. Has anyone tried mango butter?
I can’t wait to try this! I’ve been making lotion bars, but sometimes want a more creamy, luxurious feeling lotion. This looks like just the thing! Thank you!
Can this be made without using coconut oil?
Hi Angie – If you try making it with another oil let us know how it turns out 🙂
Just made this! Great recipe, super easy! For my olive oil, I used an herbal blend that I had been soaking for about 5 months. I also added a few drops of lavender and peppermint essential oils. It smells so heavenly! I divided it up into small jars, and now I have some to give away.
Thanks for this!
That sounds lovely Tessa! Thanks for the great ideas 🙂
So should I be putting natural lotion/body butter on me and my toddler after baths/showers? I hadn’t been, is that a mistake?
Made it, but I have a small complaint in that due to the nature of the oils, coconut oil in particular, when you apply the lotion it instantly melts into your skin, turning back into an oil as opposed to being a cream that you rub in your skin. I despise this quality of the lotion. I am confident other ingredients could take away this quality of the lotion, however since I’ve already used the coconut oil I’m stuck with it for now. It is by no means a lotion you can put on and then do work in afterward, unless you or your employer doesn’t mind oil stains everywhere…
I just made this body butter last week and its working great! I used Shea Butter I stead of cocoa and added 4drops of cold pressed Lime EO and Vanilla extract. I had to exfoliate my hands as it didn’t seem to absorb well there, but is now better. I also found that if I put it on right after a shower, it seems to lock in the moisture better. Thanks for posting this recipe! I gave a small jar to a friend to try and she likes it also. It is a bit oily until absorbed, but no big deal =)
Hey,
I’m a blogger and I’m thinking about writing about my experience with this body butter recipe as well as another from Wellness Mama. I’m hoping you’ll be fine with that and I will (of course) direct my readers to you and give you the credit that is due. I absolutely love my Whipped Body Butter though – great stuff 🙂
Hello!
I made this at home and it worked! I really like it, but two of my kids don’t like to smell like cocoa butter. Mine also turned out a more yellowish than white (probably the cocoa butter I have). Anyway, if I keep the same ratios (ie: 1 cup solid oil, 1/2 cup solid oil, 1/2 cup liquid oil), can I use other oils too? Better yet, do you have any other recipes or combinations for body butter?
Thank you!!!
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer – Thanks for your comment. You can try using shea butter in place of the cocoa butter for a different scent. Let us know if you try it using other oils, we would love to know how it turns out! 🙂
I was wondering could we just put all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until it is finally whipped?
Hi Tammie – Thanks for your question. I haven’t tried making it this way, but if you give it a go, be sure to let us know how it turns out. 🙂
I absolutely love this whipped body butter!! Thank you for sharing!!
Hey!
I wanted to know if it was possible to add essence oil scents in to the mixture with out upsetting the balance.
Both my sisters love vanilla and one lives in England the other here in the states. I wanted to make them something special and i love your recipe.
So i wanted to know before i give it a try my self is it okay to add a few drops of vanilla and or honey to give it a slight kick that will make my sisters super happy!
Also what is your shelf Life on your mix i use it up to fast to really keep track. Just So i can send a note letting them know how long to expect it to last , along with the keep it in a cool area and in the dark so it wont oxidize .( i think i spelled that right..)
Hi Abby – Great question. Because it doesn’t have water, I find that it lasts for a long time, however it will harden in the cold and melt in heat. As for the essence oils, I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. Hope that helps!
Hi! Loved the recipe, but I’m wondering, would this butter stain my clothes? Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi! I have been experimenting with different whipped lotions – such as this one and one I found on Thank Your Body. Certain people in my family found the lotion a bit too oily after it was done whipping. Are there good substitutes to use for people with oily skin, or should I have let it set for longer before whipping? I’m definitely gonna try this again 🙂 Thanks!
i was wondering if I can use grape seed oil instead of jojoba oil??
Hi Veronique, there is no reason why you couldn’t use grape seed oil. Personally, I am not a fan as it is a new-fangled oil which is not particularly nutritious at all. Hope that helps!
What size jars did you use and how many were you able to fill? I am doing this as part of a Mother’s Day gift.
Hi Demitris, thanks for your question. Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you as I normally make large batches at a time. I normally use whatever mason jars I have on hand at the time. Sorry!
I’ve been using this as my base recipe for about 2 years. I switch out the oils and butters with equal composition frequently dependant on my needs. If I use a butter that is exceptionally hard I just add a little extra liquid oil to balance it out. I love playing with it and use different ingredients based on the needs of my skin in relation to the season or climate. Sometimes it’s lighter and other times a little stiff. It always leaves my skin soft and smooth though. Essential oils are a great addition to this butter. Google their properties before adding though because they have more effect than just fragrance. You also want to be careful of the amount used. Essential oils have medicinal properties, so educate yourself, then experiment. I’m leaving for Costa Rica in the morning so I made a batch today and added lavender and lemon grass essential oils as an insect repellant. I’ll see how well it works when I get there! lol! I also pay attention to the properties of the oils. I stay away from heating oils, such as sesame, in warm climates and summer. Some oils/butters are also more drying/moisturizing than others; ie almond and coconut oils. Google the oils/butters you are going to try and see if it’s right for your skin type. This butter recipe does go on oily (it’s all oil) but absorbs very quickly. I use jojoba oil frequently. I even use this on my face. I wash with a homemade organic body/face wash, then apply this and I’m good to go. Thank you for sharing this!
Can-making body butter and body peeling Thanks
My body butter comes out like whipped cream consistency at the beginning, but when I let it set in a glass jar it gets pretty hard. It still melts when it touches my skin and looks like it would be fluffy, but it isn’t. Is there any way I can keep the whipped consistency, am I doing something wrong or is it because my house temperature is about 68 degrees?
Thank you
Hi Dallas, your room temperature can certainly contribute to the oils hardening again. The best solution the problem is to whip it up again.
Are you aware that the coconut oil and the cocoa butter are the oils with the highest comedogenic ratings? Means they clog the skin pores like nothing else.
I have a question. How long will this hold for? I’ve heard that it doesn’t last long…
Hi. The recipe looks amazing. can I use mango butter instead of cocoa butter?
Hi PinkDazzle! I’ve never tried with mango butter before but that sounds lovely. If you do try it out, please let us know how it turns out. We’d love to hear about it.
Hi guys! Quick questions – if I find this recipe is a bit too oily, what should I decrease? The amount of almond oil? Also, I’ve been seeing DIY kits for sale in some parts of Ottawa and was wondering if anybody here has bought something like that and what your thoughts were?
I made this the other day and it came out hard. Does that mean I whipped it too long? Is that possible? Or maybe I let it Harden too much? It was not butter-like at all. I used coca butter wafers so I’m not sure if I used too much? Can you give me any insight into this?
Thanks!
Hi Gloria,
If you’re making this in colder temperatures, this could be why it goes hard very quickly. Also, I am not sure about the cocoa butter wafers as I didn’t use those. You may need to try and whip it up in the warmest part of your day but it may very well harden again. I hope this helps.
xoxo Emily
WE LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! I made 2 years ago for a friend for Christmas (made a ton he just ran out!) My husband lived it so much it’s the only lotion he uses!! Thank you so much!!!
hey, this looks amazing, I will make this Whipped body butter homemade lotion. thanks so much!
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