Published: · Modified: by Celine · This post may contain affiliate links · 126 Comments
This super fluffy whipped body butter will leave your skin feeling smooth and nourished. Learn how to make DIY body butter in 10 minutes with a few simple steps. No cooling in the fridge required - easy-peasy!
You can make your own DIY whipped shea butter at a fraction of the price of store-bought. Making homemade body butter will give you total control over the ingredients, and you can customize it to your liking by adding your favorite essential oils.
Over the years we've made plenty of whipped body butters together, from mango whipped body butterto non-greasy whipped shea butterand even beeswax whipped body butter. Thiswhipped body butter is so nourishing and moisturizingduring the winter months and is my go-to remedy for dry irritated skin, even eczema. Perfect right after a soothing DIY oatmeal bath!
Jump to:
- What is Body Butter?
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Equipment
- How to Make Homemade Whipped Body Butter
- How to Use Whipped Body Butter
- Whipped Body Butter FAQs and Troubleshooting
- Whipped Body Butter Recipe (printable)
What is Body Butter?
Whipped body butter is a very rich body cream meant to soften rough skin and protect sensitive skin. It's made of natural butter and oils (like shea butter or mango butter) with a little bit of liquid oil mixed in.
This allows the butter to be soft enough to be whipped. The process of whipping produces a smooth and spreadable body butter that is light and airy.
Natural body butters are extremely nourishing to the skin and very easy to make at home with few natural ingredients. Unlike homemade lotions, body butters do not contain water. They don't require the use of preservatives but still have a relatively long shelf life.
Find out more about DIY moisturizers: body butters vs lotions
Why you'll love this recipe
- it stays soft, fluffy, and spreadable
- it's quick and easy to make
- you'll only need 4 main ingredients
- made without coconut oil (which makes it feel less greasy)
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, see full disclosure here.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup shea butter
- ¼ cup cocoa butter
- ⅓ cup apricot kernel oil
- 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (cornstarch or arrowroot powder; optional)
- 10 drops of lavender essential oil
- ½ teaspoon of purple mica (optional for color)
- Shea butter: a fantastic moisturizer for all skin types filled with skin-loving fatty acids. It won't clog your pores and can even help with acne. You can use refined or unrefined shea butter, but I recommend odorless refined shea butter for this. Raw shea butter has a distinct smoky scent that isn't very pleasant to most people
- Cocoa butter: great for eczema, dermatitis, and dry skin with many soothing properties
- Apricot kernel oil: a lightweight oil that absorbs readily into the skin. You could substitute for any carrier oil you have on hand, like olive oil, argan, rosehip, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, or sunflower oil
- Arrowroot powder: If body butter feels too greasy to you, adding a small amount will work wonders. Substitutions: cornstarch or tapioca starch (optional)
- Essential oils: there are many different essential oils that can be addedfor scent and skin benefits. Great choices are sweet orange, chamomile, and lavender essential oil (optional)
- Mica (skin safe): for color (optional)
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- digital kitchen scale (recommended) or measuring cup
- small glass container
- microwave, double boiler, or water bath
- spatula
- sharp knife
- wide mason jars with lids
How to Make Homemade Whipped Body Butter
There are different ways how to make body butter. Most homemade body butters have to be melted and cooled prior to whipping. My preferred method is to whip the shea butter at room temperature and add melted cocoa butter. This is a fast way to make whipped body butter and prevents the shea butter from becoming grainy.
- Add cocoa butter and apricot kernel oil to a glass container
- Melt in the microwave using 20-second bursts or in a double boiler on low heat until cocoa butter is just melted (Caution: container will be very hot at that point)
- Let cocoa butter mixture cool down until warm NOT hot to the touch (~ 100° F/ 38° C)
- Cut shea butter into small chunks and add to a mixing bowl
- Start whipping shea butter using a stand or hand mixer on high speed until it appears white, fluffy, and smooth (no more chunks)
- Little by little add melted cocoa butter mixture, and mix well after each addition.
- Whip on high speed, until you see trailings in the butter and body butter, holds a soft peak
- Add drops of essential oils, mica, and tapioca starch (if using) to the body butter
- Whip until mica, starch and essential oil are mixed in, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula often
- Let body butter cool down fully
- After 12 hours check if it is still soft and spreadable. If not: Add more apricot kernel oil (start with 5g) and whip again, repeat the procedure until body butters stays soft
- Using a spoon or a piping bag transfer it into a mason jar, fill it loosely
- Store in a cool spot away from direct sunlight
How to Use Whipped Body Butter
Body butters do a fantastic job at healing, softening, and moisturizing the skin. Their rich texture creates a natural barrier on top of the skin, protecting it and locking in moisture.
But remember: They lack water!
Which means they will never be able to hydrate your skin. Most of us need hydration of the skin unless we live in a very humid climate. Drinking a lot of water is great, but it will never reach the outermost layer of your dermis.
So,
- apply body butter on damp skin after a shower to lock in moisture
- use it on top of a body lotion
- massage into very dry areas like hands, elbows, knees and heels before bed
- treat body butter as an add-on product to a skincare routine that already provides plenty of hydration
Whipped Body Butter FAQs and Troubleshooting
How to make whipped body butter feel non-greasy?
Add powders and/or clay: small amounts of cornstarch, arrowroot powder, tapioca starch or clays can help cut down on greasiness.
Use Isopropyl Myristate: it's a synthetic oil that helps butters and oils absorb faster and deeper into the skin. I use it in my Non-Greasy Shea Body Butter and it's amazing!
Choose butters and oils that absorb fast: mango butter, rosehip seed oil and camellia seed oil are great choices for body butters that won't feel greasy. I have a Mango Body Butter for you, that I love.
If you want to find out more, check out how to make body butter less greasy.
What is the shelf life? Do I need a preservative?
Stored in an airtight container away from heat and sunlight the shelf life of body butter is 3-6 months. If at any point it starts to smell rancid, discard it.
This body butter is completely oil-based. Since it doesn’t contain any water, you don't need to add a preservative. You can add a small amount of Vitamin E oil (5g) to extend the shelf life.
Can body butter lighten skin?
Body butter is filled with nourishing healing oils which might even skin tone and give skin a lighter appearance. Shea butter has a high content of vitamin E which is said to reduce the appearance of dark spots and help with skin brightening. It may take 3 months of regular application to see results.
How to prevent body butter from hardening?
To achieve a mousse-like, creamy texture that doesn’t deflate or seize up, you need to carefully balance the ratio of the soft butter (shea butter), brittle butter (cocoa butter) and liquid oil (apricot kernel oil). But the consistency also depends on the ambient temperature. Just like the butter we eat, it will be harder the lower the temperature and softer in a warm climate.
After your body butter has come back to room temperature whip it again. To make sure you’ll love the consistency of your end product, leave the body butter out at room temperature for 12 hours and check if it’s still soft and spreadable. If not add another 5g of liquid oil (in our case apricot kernel oil), whip it again and wait to see if it improves. Repeat this step until desired consistency is achieved.
Will whipped body butter melt in hot weather?
Body butter will melt if exposed to high temperatures (like in a hot car, delivery truck or someone’s doorsteps when shipping). Make sure you store it in a cool place (70–74 Degrees F). Adding beeswax, like I did in my body butter with beeswax is also going to help keep it from melting is slightly warmer temperatures.
How to make body butter to sell
Simple body butters are great for personal use and gifting, but for retail purposes they have one big disadvantage: they melt! Depending on your formulation they might become soft at temperatures starting at 76 degrees F. This is a challenge when you consider shipping in warm weather or even selling at farmers markets. A better choice would be to go with an Emulsified Body Butter Recipe which is a lot more heat resistant.
What is the purpose of body butter?
Body butter is used for healing, softening and moisturizing rough and dry skin on areas like elbows, knees, heels, feet and hands. It's a rich and thick cream that creates a protective layer on the surface of the skin. It is not designed to hydrate the skin, however, since it contains no water. That's why It's best used after showering on damp skin or on top of a lotion.
Can I eat body butter?
No, don't eat it! Body butters are made with natural butters (like shea or cocoa butter) and often contain essential oils or fragrance oils that are not meant to be ingested.
Are body butters better than moisturizers?
They serve two different purposes: body butters aim to heal very dry skin and absorb at a slower rate. Lotions and moisturizers are designed to hydrate the skin. Body butters contain only butters and oils and need no additional ingredients whereas lotions contain water and need a preservative.
Can I add zinc oxide to body butter as a sunscreen?
You can add up to 45g of non-nano zinc oxide to turn it into sunscreen. You would add it with the cornstarch at the whipping stage. I would use homemade sunscreen with caution since you don't know how effective it's going to be.
How to Fix Grainy Shea Butter
Discovering that your shea butter turned grainy on you is disappointing but your body butter will still be good to use. Find out how you can fix grainy body butter in my post Grainy shea butter? Here's how to fix it.
Whipped Body Butter Recipe (printable)
Yield: 200g that fill 2 4oz jars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Active Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Whipped body butter made with rich shea butter and lovely lavender essential oil. Fluffy and skin loving - so good!
Materials
- 3.52 oz/ 100 g/ ¾ cup shea butter
- 1 oz/ 28 g/ ¼ cup cocoa butter
- 2.6 oz/ 75 g/ ⅓ cup apricot kernel oil (you could use any lightweight oil here: argan, rosehip, jojoba, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (cornstarch or arrowroot powder; optional)
- ½ teaspoon of skin safe purple mica (optional for color)
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
Tools
- mixing bowl
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- digital kitchen scale (recommended)
- spatula
- wide mason jars with lid
Instructions
- Add cocoa butter and apricot kernel oil to a glass container
- Heat in microwave using 20 second bursts or in a water bath until cocoa butter is just melted (Caution: container will be very hot at that point)
- Let cocoa butter mixture cool down until warm NOT hot to the touch (~ 100° F/38° C)
- Cut shea butter into small chunks and add to mixing bowl
- Start whipping Shea butterwith stand or hand mixer until it appears white, fluffy and smooth (no more chunks), scrape down sides with a spatula as needed
- Little by little add melted cocoa butter mixture, whip after each addition.You want to add small amounts each time.
- Whip until mixer leaves a trailing in the butter and body butter holds a soft peak
- Add essential oil, mica and starch (if using) to body butter
- Whip until well mixed in,scraping sides of bowl with a spatula as you go
- Let body butter cool down fully
- After 12 hours check if it is still soft. If not: Add more apricot kernel oil (start with 5g) and whip again, repeat procedure until body butters stays soft
- Using a spoon or a piping bag transfer into mason jar, fill it loose
More Body Butter Recipes
- Best Natural Butters to Use for Skin Care
- Grainy Shea Butter? Here's How to Fix it.
- How to Make Body Butter Less Greasy
- Breastmilk Lotion Recipe
Reader Interactions
Comments
Jenny
Step 2 the shea butter gets hard; in Step 6 I'm directed to start beating it. Do I need to soften it up before I beat it?
Reply
Celine
Hi Jenny,
That's a good question. The shea butter has to be room temperature in order for it to get nice and fluffy otherwise you're left with a more gloppy consistency. I even like my shea butter to by just a little chilled. Technically you could leave out the step of melting and cooling the shea butter again. I like to do that, because I find it's easier to whip that way since you have a nice smooth surface instead of a bunch of clumps.
I hope that helps.
Let me know how it turned out.Reply
Paula
Can’t wait to try this! What’s the shelf life. Do you reds preservative thanks!
Reply
Celine
Hi Paula, good question. The shelf life is determined by the oil or butter with the shortest shelf life. In this case it’s most likely the hemp seed oil which typically has a shelf life of 6 months. To be absolutely sure check the expiration date on your supplies and take it from there.
Body butter doesn’t contain any water so you won’t need a preservative.
Where I live it’s very hot right now. If you live in a warm climate it’s a good idea to store your body butter in the fridge. High temps will turn your fluffy body butter into a sad gloppy puddle 😉Reply
Jeneen
I can't wait to true this😊
Reply
Nancy
How many jars does this make? I apologize if I missed it...
Reply
Celine
HI Nancy, good question and no you didn't miss it 😉 I forgot to put it in there, my bad. This recipe will make about 24 oz of finished product. So, if you're using a 4 oz jar you would need six of those. Happy Tinkering!
Reply
Julie
Celine,
Followed instructions exactly and just have soup!! Is there anyway this can be saved?
Help!!
JulieReply
Celine
Oh no! I’m guessing the cocoa butter and hemp oil where still too warm when you poured it in the Shea butter. Summertime is a little tricky to be making this project since room temperatures can run higher than usual...
You can absolutely save this badge. Put the whole thing in your fridge. When the sides start to set up a fair bit, take it out and whip it up. It probably won’t be as fluffy, but it will still be light and spreadable. Remember to then keep your finished product in a cool place.
Let me know how it goes.Reply
Sabrina
What shea butter an coco butter do you use that has no scent?
Reply
Celine
it has to be refined or deodorized
Reply
Debbie Crawford
Hi Celine, Do you have to worry about bacteria or mold? Do you disinfect your equipment.
Reply
Celine
Hi Debbie, good question. I do desinfect my equipment with 99% rubbing alcohol. However, there’s no water in this product. That’s why I didn’t add a preservative. But you could if you’re worried it could get in contact with water, I recommend Optiphen.
This body butter has a shelf life of about 6 months, depending on how fresh your oils and butters are. Overtime those will go rancid. Even a preservative can’t prevent that. What you can do to extend the shelf like is add a little vitamin e oil to your body butter before whipping it up.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions!Reply
Deb
I melted the Shea butter (100% shea) and let it cool for several hours but it never got hard again. All still very liquid. What’s that about?
Reply
Celine
Hi Deb, did you try putting it in the fridge? Sometimes in the summer room temperatures can be too warm. Remember to store your finished body butter in a cool place, if you live in a hot climate.
Reply
Linda
Thabks for sharing this. I have a question when mixing in the cocoa butter.. do I whip as I add the cocoa butter or just add the cocoa butter and mix using say a spatula?
Reply
Celine
Hi Linda, yes you want to whip it with a mixer. I will add that to the instructions;)
Reply
Krisztina
I tried the recipe but the Shea butter smell is so unpleasant that I could not stand next it.. I added 20drps lavender essential oil, 10 drops of sweet orange oil, 20 drops calendula oil and still could not get rid of the Shea butter smell can you please help in explaining how did u manange. M making a baby body butter n I want to smell good..
your prompt response will be highly appreciated.
Thanks
KrisztinaReply
Celine
Hi Krisztina, I used refined Shea butter and didn’t have an issue with the smell. Unrefined Shea butter however can have a smoky odor that can be unpleasant. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to get rid of the odor if you bought the unrefined type.
Victoria
Hi! I wanted to use Sweet Almond Oil in place of the jojoba oil, would that work?
Reply
Celine
Hi Victoria,
yes, I imagine it would work.Reply
Joanne
Thank you for your post, I have tried several different ones before and never quite got that whipped texture at the end. So far this one seems to be great although I didn’t have any dry oils so did substitute it for coconut oil but it looks great!! Hopefully it won’t go too dense later. Thanks again 👍
Reply
Celine
Hi Joanne, I’m so glad to hear. Coconut oil has worked well in the past for me. Hope it stays fluffy for you:)
Reply
Tracie
I just bought hempseed oil..I doubt I dump the whole thing in there...how many drops??
Reply
Celine
Hi Tracie, for a fairly large batch you'll need 2 oz. But you can easily split the recipe in half.
Reply
Naomi
Do you use refined shea butter and refined cocoa butter? Also, can you use food coloring or mica powder in replacement of the clay to add color? Thanks!
Reply
Celine
Hi Naomi,
I use refined shea butter simply because I can't stand the smoky scent of the unrefined one. Unrefined cocoa butter could work, but your body butter will have a slight chocolat-y scent to it. Mica definitely works, if you use food coloring use gel based food coloring. You don't want to introduce anything that contains water or you will have to add a preservative.
Hope that helps, CelineReply
Yan
Ow wow that’s amazing thank you for this post I’m from Russia and sell natural cosmetics in my district , I want to add something new to my shops and will try to make this one soon
Reply
Simay
I did it but somethings wrong its not fluffy.. my cocoa butter and liquid oil was at 37’ celcius.. ı dont know whats wrong but its just soup... Will wait for more in the fridge. Then whip it i hıpe i can save tha batch
Reply
Celine
Yes you will be able to whip it up once it’s cooled. No worries!
Reply
Bobbi
Help! My body butter is hard as a rock, what did I do wrong???
Reply
Celine
Hi Bobbi, did you use shea butter or another butter? What was the temperature in the room you whipped or stored it?
Reply
Maria
How long is the shelf life? I tend to use product slowly would you recommend any kind of preservatives?
Reply
Celine
Hi Maria, the body butter should be good for around 6 months. Since this product doesn’t contain water a preservative isn’t necessary but you could use a broad spectrum preservative if you wish like optiphen plus. To lengthen the shelf life of the body butter you could add vitamin e oil. I would suggest making a small amount at a time. Happy Tinkering:)
Reply
cindy glenna
HI i have made this recipe 3 times and did not get a fluffy result at all. It gets too hard, and almost waxy.I
Im not sure how your coming up with fluffy, but any tips would be nice thanksReply
Celine
Hi Cindy, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve had body butter that hardened, but it was mainly due to the room temperature being too cold. I’m not sure what could make it feel waxy, but I’ll ask other DIYers if they ever encountered that. In the meantime you could try to omit the cocoa butter and add more Shea instead. Will get back
to you soon.Reply
Lisa3002
Hi, I love your site. I made your Charcoal vetiver soap as my 2nd soap ever. Can’t wait to try it after it cures, it smells divine!
I’m going to try this lavender mousse but notice a few comments mention hemp oil. I don’t see hemp oil in the ingredients. Is it missing from the ingredients? If so, how much? And when to add it?
Reply
Celine
Hi Lisa, I’m so glad you enjoy your soap. I changed the recipe after some folks had trouble with it. You can basically use any soft oil you have on hand. 🙂
Reply
gloria donna wamsley
Where do you get the ingredients from. Recipe sounds great.
Reply
Celine
Hi Gloria, I’ve linked the ingredients if you click on the name of the ingredient to a place you can order. Depending on where you live you could also order from a bath and body supply company like Brambleberry or Wholesale Supply Plus. Happy Tinkering 🙂
Reply
Jezreel Gill
My grandmother loves lavander and I just made a dye from blueberries. It did not mix well this go around with my lip balm but I was going yo mix it with arrow root powder ('dehydrating'in oven again if too wet). Do you think the 'dye' would mix well with this?
Reply
Celine
Hi Jezreel, I wouldn’t use it in this body butter you run the risk of your product growing mold if there’s still any moisture left in your dye. Happy Tinkering!
Reply
April
Hi! I made this and it turned out wonderful in the beginning. Nice fluffy texture but, I put it in a glass jar with a lid and about an hour later it was hard butter. I can still grab some and it will melt in my hands and moisturize really well but, no more fluffy. Any suggestions? I followed the recipe to a T except I used cornstarch because that’s what I had on hand and you said it would work as a substitution. Disappointed because I was so happy with the way it turned out 😞
Reply
Celine
Hi April, I’m sorry your body butter didn’t come out great. Interestingly enough the same thing happened to me recently. I never had an issue with this recipe until I changed the brand of my shea and cocoa butter. I’m still trying to figure out why this happens... here’s what you can do: melt the body butter you made completely and add more hemp oil or another soft oil to the mix. Let everything cool to room temperature and whip it up like you did before. Let the butter rest overnight if it hardened again repeat the process. If you’re happy with the result go ahead and pack it in your jar. It might not end up being quite as fluffy but at least soft and spreadable. Again I'm sorry. Happy Tinkering!
Reply
Rebecca Dillon
This looks amazing! What a great recipe for dry winter skin.
Reply
Celine
Thank you, Rebecca. It's very moisturizing.
Reply
Cyna
What a wonderful recipe, Celine! I love natural colour Brazilian clay provides, so pretty!
Reply
A Life Adjacent
What a lovely recipe! This looks like the perfect body butter to use before bedtime. Love that fluffy texture and stunning colour!
Reply
Celine
Thank you!
Reply
Celine
Thank you 😊
Reply
Melissa
I used Brazilian purple clay and it didn't change the color. I also doubled the recipe. I am letting it set for the 12 hours and see how it goes. Thanks.
Reply
Celine
HI Melissa,
I'm sorry you didn't get the color you expected. I will change the recipe to purple mica. I've heard from a few readers the Brazilian clay is not as strong in color as it used to be. They might have changed the supplier. I hope you still enjoy your body butter.Reply
T
Hello - Awesome recipe! I might have missed it but, when do we add the tapioca starch?
Reply
Celine
You can add it in with the essential oils. Happy Tinkering 🙂
Reply
Ellie
I left this overnight, and it was still soft, hardened up just a bit...should I still whip it again with a bit of apricot oil?
Reply
Celine
Hi Ellie, it depends on your preference. I don’t mind it if it’s a little firm as long as it’s still spreadable. Happy Tinkering 🙂
Reply
Kelley Turner
A printable recipe that dosen't require 10 pages of great BIG pictures would be nice
Reply
Celine
you got it.
Reply
Tyrie
How much lavender oil can be safely added to this recipe? I used unrefined she’s butter and I’d like to mask some of the smell but safely lol
Reply
Celine
you can add 2 g. Happy Tinkering:)
Reply
Tyrie
Thank you and mine turned out great. I wish I could have gotten the purple a little darker but it stayed beautiful and fluffy. Thanks again
Reply
Celine
I’m glad to hear that!
Reply
Jasmine Muhammad
Hello
What would be the measurements say for a 6oz container as opposed to a 24oz batch?
Reply
Celine
Hi Jasmine, this recipe fills 2 jars loosely that are 4 oz each. For a 6 oz jar I would make the same recipe, fill up the jar don’t pack it in too much and use the little bit of left over up quickly or fill a smaller jar.
Reply
Monica
Hi I was wondering if you could help. I made a batch of body butter i used different ingredients and applied your concept. Can out beautifully and still holding its texture. So thank you. I have a slight issue. My butter is transferring color. I happened to notice because i have a white blanket and saw yellow (which is the color of my butter). Is there a reason why this happened? How can I avoid that?
Reply
Celine
Hi Monica, I’m glad you like the way your body butter came out. Some butters or oils naturally have a yellow tint to them. Did you use any additional color?
Reply
Nichole
Hello I tried the recipe and love it but I only get barely a little over 4 oz and I read it makes 24? What am I doing wrong
Reply
Celine
Mine filled 24 oz by volume not weight after it was whipped. I also scooped it in very loosely in order not to squeeze all the air out.
Reply
Sarah Schroeder
Ok 24oz by volume. But won't gravity condense the product over time? Like wont gravity flatten it making the jar appear pretty empty??
Im making this for Christmas gifts. But it seems that 1 batch only makes 8oz jar. Right? I've never made body butter before. I want to make sure its in budget to make. I realize making is cheaper than buying.Reply
Kristine
Hi there how can we make the whipped not melted if we shipped it especially in hot weather?
Reply
Celine
Hi Kristine, unfortunately that’s not possible with this product. You might want to look into making a lotion that won’t melt.
Reply
Priyan
Hi,
I stay at Ireland. It has 10-13 degree Celsius now. Do you think if I use cacao butter and almond oil, the butter would stay fluffy in this temperature by any chance if i use more oil? Its winter here and I have extremely dry skin, was hence looking for something very moisturizing and chemical free. Your recipe came up when I searched body butter that stays fluffy even in cold climates and does not harden. It would mean a world to me, if you could help.Reply
Celine
Hi Priyan, I think it would, but you will have to do a little experimenting on the amount of oil that’s perfect for your region. Follow the steps outlined when I explain what to do if body butter is too hard until you find the right consistency. Good luck!
Reply
Nikki
How do i get the essential oil smells to stick ? I used to make it and the smell sticked well but now when I make it the smell is like not existent . Would you know why ? I’m assuming something with the temperature when i add the oils maybe .
Reply
Celine
Let the butter cool down until it’s only slightly warm to the touch before adding the essential oil. It’s also possible that you’re using a low quality oil or one that’s past it’s prime in terms of freshness.
Reply
Alefiya
Hey!
I made shea+olive oil body butter. it was fluffy after whpping but was finding it hard to spread. Can u please tell me what went wrong. and what shall I do to make it spreadable. plus what shall I add to make it less sticky.thanks
Reply
Celine
You can add more olive oil like I talk about in step 12. Add a small amount, whip and see if it stays fluffy.
Reply
Dawn
Good evening and thank you very much for sharing this recipe, I cannot wait to try it. Can I add activated charcoal to this recipe and if so, how much would I add. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.
Reply
Celine
I have personally never tried activated charcoal in this recipe. I would keep the amount low 1/2 - 1 tsp. Keep in mind that it could stain your clothes.
Reply
Dawn Howard
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I cannot wait to try it.
Can I add activated charcoal to the recipe and if so,how much would I add? Thank you.Reply
Sarah Schroeder
Hello! I want to make this for Christmas gifts. But I am struggling to understand how much ingredients I need to result in the finished qty I need. You said 24 oz. by volume. But won't gravity eventually settle the butter so that the jar looks empty? Because this makes 8oz by weight, yet filling a 24oz jar by volume. so., tomorrow, If I make 1 batch, fill 6-four oz jars, will they settle between now and Christmas appear half full?
Reply
Celine
Hi Sarah, the body butter will settle slightly. I have a jar here I made in February and it still looks full. If you’re on a budget I would definitely omit the clay for color. It doesn’t add to the recipe except for visual interest. Let me know if you have more questions.
Reply
Olivia Green
In the most recently updated recipe, can you replace the apricot kernel oil with cold pressed extra virgin olive oil?
Reply
Celine
Hi Olivia, yes you can but olive oil has a pretty distinct smell that might be noticeable in your body butter.
Reply
Olivia Green
Will the scent of the olive oil and unrefined shea butter be too hard to mask with essential oils?
Reply
Celine
Yes, you can’t really mask it entirely.
Reply
ashley
Hey!! My butter consists of about 50% oil and it is still hard after i whip it. At first it is very soft then it hardens after a while. Should I double whip it to get the creamy consistency?
Reply
Celine
Is your room temperature pretty low? I would try whipping it again and if that doesn’t work use a little more oil.
Reply
Alicia
Hi! Thank you for the recipe. I used hempseed oil and it’s ever so slightly soupy and slightly gritty feeling. I mixed it several times on high speed but can’t seem to get the initial grit feeling out Can I fix this somehow?
Reply
Celine
Hi Alicia, if it’s soupy your room temperature is too warm. The grittiness comes from the Shea butter. I would add a little more Shea butter and melt the entire batch again. Then quickly put your mixture in the fridge that way hopefully the Shea butter will not get grainy. Once it’s cooled down completely take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature and whip. Hope that helps!
Reply
Anah D Shields
Hi Celine,
I love this recipe. The first time I tired it it came out amazing. Then I tried it with mango butter instead of cocoa butter and it came out great, but just recently I tried it and it came out like soup so I thought ok I didn't let it cool down enough and the room was warm so I tried the freezer but it comes out more creamy then fluffy. I follow the instructions to the T. I am so sad how do I get the fluffy back? Help.Reply
Celine
Hi Anah, try whipping it again at room temperature
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Sandra L Gaines
Hello, I would like to try this but make triple butter using shea, mango and cocoa. I assume add the same amount of mango as cocoa butter? Will this work and how much should I increase the oil?
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Celine
Hi Sandra you’ll have to give it a try. Changing a recipe is always a little tricky. If it comes out too hard you can always add more oil
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Shivangi
Hi Celine,
I live in a very Humid region, so my problem is I did followed your recipe in the exact way you have mentioned above but since the temperature here is humid n hot my body butter was turned more like a body lotion. 😞
So I tried again. And this time I put half the quantity of Argan oil ( which I used as a base oil) mentioned in your recipe. But still that doesn’t help. Obviously it was better then the 1st batch I made, but still not soufflé-ish.
So now I want to ask you that, is it important to use a base oil along with our Cocoa and Shea butter? Can I use just the combination of these butters along with essential oils and whip them up to made my body butter? Does, not using any oil will cause any reaction or damage to once skin?Reply
Celine
You can use butters only, that’s fine. Let me know how it works out.
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Sana
Hey, if I use any esther, will the shelf life change?? Thanks.
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Celine
No it won’t.
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Elizabeth Perez
Wow! I cant wait to try this method. I have been making body butters for years now, it wasn't until recently that someone had asked for a more whipped butter. so I looked it up. And I found this recipe. I cant wait to try this. Might be a new addition to my body products. Thank you for being so informative with this recipe.
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Celine
Can’t wait to hear how it turns out.
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Dawn
I have Shea butter and mango butter on hand for this recipe. Can I substitute more Shea or mango butter for the cocoa butter?
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Celine
Yes you can.
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Ana Bravo
Hi Celine,
I don´t have apricot oil, on hand right now but I have sweet almold, avocado, macadamia, calendula and argan oil.
Can I substitute for one of these ?
Thank youReply
Celine
Hi Ana, you could use any one of those oils. It’ll be a great substitution.
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Ana Bravo
Hi Celine,
I made 2 sample batches, half the recipe (someone here doesn’t like lavender 😉) so 1st for me with half of the amount of corn starch.
Whipped beautifully but after some time had hardened, meaning no “whipped cream” consistency anymore. That is fine by me, as it’s still spreadable. Just a little to oily for my taste.
The 2nd sample batch I used just a bit of baby powder fragrance oil and 2 tsp of corn starch, no colorant.
This one really looked like whipped cream when finished (OMG), but hardened just the same in the jar.
Still spreadable so totally usable and not so oily.
With the 2nd batch (better whipped) I filled 2 jars to the top with roughly 72 gr./each, just for us. (these would take 200 gr of nutela).
I have a question though: does yours maintain the fluffiness ? I’m afraid that if I put more oil it’ll feel too oily. I also live in the Netherlands…so very cold right now, but I don’t think this is the only issue.
Any ideas for troubleshooting? Thank you so much for the recipe, it’s amazing 😉 !
Best regardsReply
Celine
Hi Ana, yes, mine stays fluffy in the jar. I would try using more oil sometimes just adding 5g of oil make a difference. Try using a "dry" oil like Camellia oil, it absorbs right away and is awesome. let me know how it goes. Celine
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Ana Bravo
Hi Celine,
Followed your advice and added 5 more gr of avocado oil. Green, after whipped turned into a light yellowish tone, Beautiful texture and colour as well.
Thank you so much !
Celine
That’s great 😃
Maggie
Do you ever have a problem with the body butter ruining your clothes? I have made and used body butter for a number of years and have tried different combinations of oils and butters. I typically apply my body butter after my night time shower and have noticed that the oils become embedded in my pajamas, leaving a stale oil/grease odor, even after laundering. I have stopped using my homemade product for this reason, but am wondering if there is a remedy. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
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Celine
Hi Maggie, I never had that happen to me. Personally, I use my body butter sparingly and only on parts where my skin is very dry (elbows, knees, hands and feet). I hope that helps. Celine
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srishti
hi!! needed to thank you!! worked sooo sooo well! the most beautiful butters i've ever made :*
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Celine
I'm glad to hear!
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K o
Ok! I've made this three times now and this is the easiest method:
Melt Shea, cocoa, and the liquid oil together and mix. Leave overnight in fridge. Let it come to room temp the next day. Whip it on high speed and then add cornstarch. That's it. It works well for me because the Shea butter I buy has little crumbles and requires melting anyway.
The first time I made this it went as planned. The second time my Shea was crumbly so I melted it but it didn't solidify fully in the fridge before I started combining it with the other oils and so it didn't work and it was less fluffy (more of a butter consistency and still amazing, I'd add). Third time I accidentally turned it into a soup during the step where you add in the cocoa and liquid oil (oil was probably too hot), so I put it in the fridge overnight and it was perfect after whipping the next day.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
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Celine
I'm glad you made it work! Enjoy!
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Karen Cotton
If I want to substitute the essential oil for fragrance oil, how many ounces of fragrance oil do I need to add?
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Celine
It depends on the manufacturer. There should be guidelines on the bottle or website. Look for a "leave on product" suggested amount.
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Ness
HELP I accidentally melted 100 g of cocoa butter (instead of 28 g) with 75 g of sweet almond oil in the microwave! So stupid. I have enough cocoa butter to make a new batch, but not enough sweet almond oil. Do you think grapeseed oil would work too? And do you think I could put a few drops of vitamin C (15%) in the body butter as well? I also don't want the mixture of cocoa butter and sweet almond oil to go to waste. It's solid now but it's really hard, so I don't think it could be used as a moisturizer by itself unless I want to use a knife and melt it in the microwave every time. Do you have any suggestions as to what I could do with it?
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Celine
Hi Ness, yes absolutely grapeseed oil is great. For your cocoa butter and almond oil, I would melt the whole thing again and add maybe 75 g of grapeseed oil. Then put it in the fridge until it starts to turn almost solid. Whip it up with a hand mixer and let sit at room temperature. Let me know how that works. It should be spreadable and softer at this point.
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Marie gilus
Hi Celine,
Can I use raw cocoa butter to make whipped body butterReply
Celine
yes you can, but it will have a slight odor.
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May
Hi, I was just wondering how to access the recipe card? Sorry if I missed it.
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Celine
Hi May, if you click on "jump to how to" right in the beginning below the title it will take you there.
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Maysie
Hi Celine! I was just wondering if the cocoa and Shea butter needs to be pure- would the kind sold at chemists and pharmacys be ok?
Thankyou!Reply
Celine
It needs to have no other ingredients except for cocoa and shea butter. The one sold in pharmacies is likely mixed with other things already.
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