Quick and Easy: How to Make Body Butter

Natural body butter is one of the best ways to deeply moisturize and nourish your skin without relying on chemical-laden lotions. It’s thicker than typical store-bought moisturizers and made with rich, natural ingredients such as shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and jojoba oil.

Homemade body butter helps restore dry or cracked skin, especially on areas that need extra care, like elbows, heels, and knees. It creates a protective layer that locks in hydration, leaving your skin soft, smooth, and glowing.

For the best results, apply body butter right after a warm shower or bath. The warmth from your skin helps the butter absorb more effectively and seals in moisture for all-day hydration.

Making your own homemade body butter is another way of at least attempting to limit your exposure to all those nasty and questionable chemicals found in most lotions and moisturizers. Making your own body butter is so quick and easy that anyone can use it to complement their natural skincare regimen.

• It’s a much better option since you can customize any particular body butter recipe to the scents you prefer while simultaneously using the ingredients your skin needs.
• The basic ingredients found in most homemade body butter variations can all be stored at room temperature.
• Since the ingredients won’t spoil, you won’t need to store your body butter in the fridge.
• Again, the essential ingredients are shea butter, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil, or other plant-derived oils. Some people may also use ingredients that are not plant-derived, like tallow.

More on that here: “What is Tallow?“

A Brief Look at Common Body Butter Ingredients

The options for the various main ingredients you can use in your own homemade body butter are almost endless. So, let’s take a deeper look at some of the most common ingredients. Remember, there’s no hard-and-fast rule for homemade beauty concoctions, so experiment a bit with the ingredients you decide to use.

I’d suggest trying each main ingredient by itself if you haven’t used it before to see which one has the qualities you like the best.

Shea Butter

Shea butter comes from the oil-saturated seeds of the African Shea tree. It’s a superb moisturizing oil with well-known anti-inflammatory properties that protect the skin from sunburn while helping the skin heal from abrasions and minor cuts. It also nourishes skin with vitamins A, E, and K, as well as a number of essential fatty acids.

Plus, its nutty scent makes it a good natural base for homemade body butter.

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa oil is a very commonly used vegetable oil that’s extracted from cocoa beans. We all know what cocoa beans are used for. That’s right, chocolate.

Due to the strong aroma and taste of cocoa beans, cocoa butter retains these same characteristics. This oil is edible but also quite high in fat. Much of the marketing surrounding cocoa butter claims that it’s a miracle oil for stretch marks, but one scholarly study from 2008 says otherwise.

While it may not be a miracle oil for stretch marks, it is still incredibly useful for optimal skin health.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is actually not an oil but a liquid wax derived from the jojoba plant. It keeps moisture in the skin and is more like skin sebum or whale oil than other kinds of vegetable oils. Jojoba oil is non-digestible, meaning that it will pass through the human digestive system without being broken down and absorbed into the body.

Jojoba oil is commonly used for the hair and scalp due to its close similarities to human skin sebum.

Coconut Oil

Among the variety of uses for coconut oil, it’s very commonly used as a base in body butter. One scholarly study even showed that coconut oil naturally has an SPF of about 8, so it’s also a moderate protectant against the sun’s harmful rays.

Not only has coconut oil been demonstrated to be a wonderful skin moisturizer, but one study shows that it’s also proven to be an effective treatment against gingivitis and plaque buildup in the mouth. Besides all the health benefits, coconut oil is especially great for cooking as well, especially in brownies.

Whipped Body Butter

This simple whipped body butter uses a few nourishing natural ingredients and comes together quickly once everything is melted and cooled.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup shea butter
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup jojoba oil
• 5 to 10 drops of essential oil of your choice

Instructions:

1. Place the shea butter, coconut oil, and jojoba oil in a glass bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with a few inches of water, or use a double boiler.
2. Warm over medium heat until fully melted and the mixture turns semi-clear.
3. Move the bowl to the refrigerator for about 1 hour, or until it thickens and begins to solidify.
4. Whip the mixture with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the essential oil while whipping.
5. Transfer the whipped butter to a clean container and refrigerate for an additional hour to set.

This butter may soften during warmer months because of the coconut oil. Store it in a cool place or refrigerate if you want a firmer consistency. Shelf life is about six months at room temperature. Apply anytime for soft, hydrated skin.

Olive Oil Body Butter Recipe

This simple body butter uses only a few ingredients and creates a rich, creamy moisturizer that absorbs beautifully into the skin.

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces unrefined shea butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (herbal infused if you have it)
• 10 to 20 drops essential oil of your choice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place the shea butter and olive oil in a heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan with a few inches of water or use a double boiler.
2. Warm over medium heat until the mixture is fully melted and smooth.
3. Remove from heat and add essential oils if you are using them.
4. Let the mixture cool until it turns opaque and begins to thicken.
5. Whip with a hand mixer until light and creamy. If it is not whipping well, allow it to cool a bit longer before mixing again.
6. Refrigerate until completely cooled, then transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Store in a cool, dry place. When properly stored, this body butter has a shelf life of about six months.

Whipped Body Butter With Cocoa

This rich, chocolate-scented body butter is deeply moisturizing and perfect for dry skin. It blends nourishing butters and oils into a fluffy, whipped cream texture.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup shea butter
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup jojoba oil or almond oil
• ½ cup cocoa butter
• 10 to 30 drops essential oil of your choice (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients except the essential oil in a heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of water or use a double boiler.
2. Warm over medium heat until everything is fully melted and blended.
3. Remove from heat and refrigerate for about one hour, or until the mixture begins to thicken and turn opaque.
4. Whip with a hand mixer for about 10 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
5. Return the mixture to the fridge until completely cooled.
6. Transfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in a cool place.

Body Butter Bars

These simple body butter bars are rich, nourishing, and perfect for everyday use. They also make thoughtful, handmade gifts that people genuinely love.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup beeswax
• 1 cup shea butter or cocoa butter, or mango butter
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• Essential oil of your choice (optional)

Instructions:
• Combine the coconut oil, beeswax, and chosen butter in a heat-safe bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of water or use a double boiler.
• Warm over medium heat until everything melts together, stirring gently.
• Remove from heat and mix in the vitamin E oil and any essential oils you want for fragrance.
• Pour the mixture into silicone molds of your choice.
• Let the bars cool and fully harden before removing them from the molds.

Use any fun mold shapes you like for holidays, gifts, or themed occasions. These bars are easy to make, affordable, and always a hit with friends and family.

It Really Is That Simple

No matter which recipe you try, homemade body butter is incredibly simple to make. Each version can be stored at room temperature for up to six months, and you can refrigerate it for even longer shelf life.

Remember that the purpose of heating the ingredients is only to melt them. You are not cooking anything. As soon as everything is melted together, remove the mixture from the heat. If you feel unsure, start by melting your ingredients over low heat until you’re more comfortable with the process.

Making body butter is an easy, practical step toward reducing your family’s exposure to questionable ingredients found in many conventional products. It’s also a fun project to do with your kids, or even with a friend who would love to learn a new natural living skill.

Homemade DIY Body Butter FAQs

What are the basic ingredients needed to make homemade body butter?

Most recipes start with a blend of shea butter or cocoa butter, coconut oil, and a liquid carrier oil such as jojoba or almond oil.

Can I add essential oils to my body butter, and how much should I use?

Yes. Essential oils add fragrance and can provide additional skin benefits. A few drops up to one teaspoon is usually enough, depending on the batch size and strength of the oils.

How long does homemade body butter last?

Homemade body butter will last for several months when stored in a cool, dry place. Use clean hands or a small spatula when scooping it out to help preserve freshness.

Do I need to refrigerate my body butter?

Refrigeration is optional. If your home is warm and your butter softens too much, placing it in the fridge will help maintain a firmer, whipped texture.

What’s the difference between whipped body butter and traditional body creams?

Whipped body butter is made without water and contains only oils and butters, making it thick and rich. Traditional creams contain water, emulsifiers, and preservatives, which give them a lighter consistency.

How do I achieve a whipped texture for my body butter?

Use an electric mixer to whip the melted and partially cooled ingredients until they become light, airy, and creamy.

Is it necessary to use a preservative in homemade body butter?

No. Because body butter contains no water, preservatives are not required. Some people choose to add a drop of rosemary essential oil for its antioxidant benefits, but it is optional. Avoid getting water into the container to prevent contamination.