Homemade Body Butter with Coconut Oil

Michigan is growing on me, but there are times (like this morning) when I really miss the humidity of Houston. I’m tired of having dry cracked skin. I mean, I’ve always had a love affair with lotion, but it was definitely not a daily requirement for my whole body living on the Gulf. Skip to the homemade body butter with coconut oil recipe.

Homemade Body Butter with Coconut Oil

Now that I live where the air is a lot more drying (even with a home humidifier), I literally have to lotion myself head to toe morning and night. Dry skin problems suck, y’all.

I know that I can just buy some “organic” lotion at the store-but for the sheer quantity of lotion that I go through, I’ll go broke.

So I’ve been working on creating a homemade body butter with coconut oil (which is extra emollient and smells divine). I think that I’ve finally nailed the recipe (after lots and lots of fails).

And with this recipe, as long as I apply it directly out of the shower, I can actually make it a whole 24 hours between slathering myself.

Want to make your own?

Homemade Body Butter with Coconut Oil

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (measured solid) 
• 1 tablespoon shea butter 
• 1.5 tablespoons beeswax 
• 1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon jojoba oil 

For the scent, you can use 1-2 vanilla beans or 20 drops of your favorite essential oil. I opted to make vanilla body butter this time, but I’ve made all different scents. Some of my favorites are neroli, grapefruit, lemon-ginger, and angelica.

This recipe will give you instructions that use vanilla as your main scent. If you are using essential oils, you’ll add them at the very, very end (high heat destroys them).

In a heatproof jar or double boiler, combine all of your ingredients (except the vanilla or essential oil). 

If you are using vanilla beans, slice the beans open (carefully!) and scrape out the vanilla paste into a glass jar.

Then, chop the whole beans into pieces and place them into your jar. 

Put the jar into a small pot of water (make sure that you do not allow water into your jar) and bring the water to a rolling boil.

Stir frequently until everything is melted and combined (about twelve minutes).

Let your mixture sit for another ten-fifteen minutes to completely infuse the vanilla. 

Remove the pan from the heat.

Using an oven mitt, pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small glass jar.

If you are using essential oils, add them now and gently stir to combine. 

Let your body butter sit on the counter for twenty-four hours to harden. 

If you’re like me and you go through a lot of body butter, go ahead and double the recipe.

This stores well out of direct sunlight for about a month, if it lasts that long.

 

 Have you made a homemade body butter with coconut oil?