Homemade Body Butter
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A simple homemade body butter that works great for shaving your legs too.
A couple of weeks ago I ran across an article about additives in cosmetics and skin care products that was quite disturbing. Of course, I freaked a tad and thought about tossing everything in our home. After I calmed down, I decided to chill out and take a gradual approach, beginning by making some homemade versions to use. I started with what we had in our home, specifically our kitchen. My thinking is if I put in in my body I should be okay with putting in on my body.
I began by creating a body butter of sorts with only three ingredients we usually have on hand: coconut oil, honey, and citrus. A simple mixing of the three created a fresh, smooth cream that I’ve used to shave my legs, as well as a moisturizer for really dry areas, especially my dry, cracked cuticles. OR add a spoonful to some hot tea (Carrie from La Pomme de Portland recently share that handy tip).
*Please note, since this homemade body butter does not contain preservatives it is intended for use within a week or less when covered and stored in a cool dry place. The recipe shared below makes a bunch, so consider splitting it with friends or dividing the amounts used to be able to use within a week. If a longer shelf life is desired, look into using an oil soluble preservative and replacing the fresh citrus zest with an essential oil.*
As I said, I’ve primarily been using it to shave my legs. While there’s no lather, it’s pretty cool, because once I’m out of the shower or bath, my legs are already moisturized with no need for anything else. Very handy dandy, indeed. It can also be added by the spoonfuls to a hot bath as a bath oil/moisturizer.
Coconut oil and honey alone have so many healthful benefits, so just imagine what combining the two will do for your skin, without all of the junkity junk so many other skin care products can have. Be sure to check the notes below, and if you try this one soon, let me know what you think!
A few notes:
– Recipe is intended for using within a week. For longer shelf life, delete citrus zest, store tightly covered in a refrigerator, and consider using an oil soluble preservative.
– Store covered tightly in a cool dry place.
– Note that Coconut Oil is used for this recipe, not coconut milk, or coconut water.
– Primarily I’ve been using this as a shaving cream for legs, and moisturizer for dry areas like elbows, cuticles, and feet, as well as an addition to bath water. I’ve called it a body butter for lack of a better term, so test on others areas before using as an all-over body moisturizer.
– For this batch I added the zest of grapefruit for a fresh scent, but any citrus zest will do, or a favorite essential oil added to your preference could be substituted. Just imagine the wonderful combination of scents you could create!
– The “recipe” below makes a large amount, which is perfect for splitting with a friend, or having some to keep in the kitchen and bath to keep those cuticles nice and hydrated.
– Although mixture starts out soft, it will firm up, solidifying more after a day or so.
– Be aware that since it’s an oil base it can make the shower floor or tub quite slippery, so be careful!
– Since there is citrus zest in the mixture, there may be little pieces of zest that you will need to wipe off. Essential oil can also be used for scent.
How to make Homemade Body Butter:
- 1 1/2 cups of coconut oil measured as solid
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons zest of grapefruit or other citrus (substitute essential oil to preference)
- Mix all together until combined and smooth.
- Transfer to a container and cover.
Amy! I made this today using lemon after you shared the “recipe” with me and added a heaping teaspoon into the tub for a relaxing soak, shaving my legs, etc.
Oh my heavens! This body butter is PERFECTION!
I do not ever want to be without this body butter. My skin feels amazing and my cuticles really haven’t looked this good in a long time! Love, love, love it, my friend!
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 body butter. The fresh fig scent is so lovely!
Seriously? If you have time to do research you should have time to make your own body butter.
ha ha
Yes you have time! It only takes a few minutes!
Agreed
I agree. I’ve been looking at other body butter websites and have seen the same obnoxious post elsewhere. If you have time to tell everyone across the web about some website, I’m pretty sure you can mix together a couple ingredients.
I feel you responding to the farmer’s wife to be quite offensive!
Who cares if you are offended? the farmer post just came across as total spam, they are such a hard working farm girl but they had time to research and buy this particular product, then had time to tell everyone else about it, please!
I understand that not EVERYONE wants to make their own products. EVERYONE has a talent and calling, and they should be concentrating on this, not worrying about making all of the DIY stuff they can make. Sometimes it is feasible, sometime not! Sometimes it is easier to just buy it, sometimes not.
As far as the rude comment you received, totally uncalled for. When you have other priorites to deal with, as in this case a farm, family and more to take care of, the LAST thing on your list is getting out the mixer, zesting an orange and mixing it up.
This is clearly spam. A person working on a farm, too busy to make body butter would not be looking at a blog post on how to make body butter and then taking time out of her busy schedule to tell everyone she is too busy to make body butter 🙂 Thanks for your recipe!
exactly, well said
Well Said. I totally agree with you
I made this and it feels really sticky. Probably due to the honey. How do you keep it from feeling sticky?
I tried this with traditions coconut oil. do you have to a certain type of coconut oil?
You should use UNrefined coconut oil as it is pure. Refined has been messed with so much in processing that all the nutrients are gone.
I just tried this out and no matter how much I mix the ingredients together it doesn’t thicken like in Amy’s pictures. Could this be because I live in the tropics – the coconut oil does not solidify in natural state – and may be need to refrigerate it?
When you purchased it was it a solid?
It never is. I should say the temperature outside is 28-30C all year round and the coconut oil is always in golden liquid form. May be I need to look for a “paste” version of it.
New development! Just figured the mixture I put in the fridge last night has turned white and looks a lot like yours. will let it thaw a bit before using and continue to store in the fridge. Excited much! Thanks for sharing and commenting Amy! 🙂
Glad to hear it, Nat! The olive oil I purchase is always solid and white when purchases. Hopefully for you it’s a temperature thing. While not necessarily handy, you can always keep it stored in the refrigerator if necessary.
So I made this and it had this terribly strong coconut smell that was terrible. I substituted gardenia essential oil for the citrus. Is it just the oil or what?
Did your coconut oil smell strong to begin with?
I love making my own beauty products! Next up, your homemade body butter!
This looks so good, I want to eat it.
Doesn’t the honey leave your skin sticky?
Yes!
I added more coconut oil & it’s great!
is there a natural way to add color to home made body creams that will not get on skin?
Yes…it does. Made some today and it feels awesome…then all of a sudden it’s like my skin is ‘tacky’ not sure what to do now except only use in the shower instead of after.
Coconut oil is great to use before sunbathing (if you do that sort of thing 🙂 you won’t burn. At least it works for me.
I agree — coconut oil is my one and only “go-to” for sunbathing. I spent 2 months in Costa Rica — wonderful tan, no sunburn — coconut oil only!
How cool!! I want to slather that all over my scaly, dry winter skin!
This is such a cool idea!! I use coconut oil on my feet and will definitely try this “recipe”!
Ahhhh…this looks so creamy and soothing, perfect for my winter (yes, it’s still winter here!) parched skin!
Yummy! I love to use coconut oil on my body! It’s so lovely! Can’t wait to try it with these ingredients!
My hands can always use something rich and creamy like this to lubricate my hands especially being in water all day. What a great recipe and so simple and a nice gift to give someone for Mothers Day, a birthday or even the holidays. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Sadly, and I hate to bring this up but make sure any citrus fruit you use has not been coated with wax or any other noxious unwanted stuff. I have found that every citrus fruit I come across lately is coated. That said, I am going to do this beautiful remedy for my dry skin! Thanks for making it so simple!
There is a simple way to remove the wax off of any fruit, you would soak the fruit in water and a little white vingear. I hoped this helped; I also heard that if you buy organic fruits they don’t come with any wax.
Some organic fruits come with wax! Always check by pouring boiling water on them…you’ll see it
Jasmine – That is very true!! What I would reccomend that you do is to peel an orange or what ever fruit you like and shave the zest from the inside rather than the out. If there is indeed a wax coating on it though – you could always give it a good scrubbing in your kitchen sink with some hot water which is as hot as you can stand it, and it should melt off the skin if I am not mistaken. Although if you are worried you can always visit some of your local farms or farmer’s market and buy stuff that is locally grown, then you will not have that issue. And if I am not mistaken I do believe that organic citris does not have the wax on it.
As for the recipe, it looks so easy!! I am anxious to try it myself!! How would you mix the coconut oil?? In a blender? Or will it soften as you stir by hand with a wisk??
I used an electric blender, but I think it may soften a bit if mixed by hand.
I just wanted to say that if your fruit does have a wax coat on that you use the vinegar method (as mentioned by Jasmine)
Because heat (and smoke) kills off any vitamin C. However if you just want the scent, then go for it!
I love this! My sister in law made some lotion bars that were fabulous. I will pass this on to her and maybe she will make it for me!
So creamy – it looks like a perfect dessert…I mean body cream!
Oh my goodness I need to make this immediately. LOVE!
Going to try but have a question. Since coconut oil hardens, this won’t clog the pipes will it?
Yes, it will. I do oil pulling with coconut oil and have to spit it in the trash. So, be prepared to clean the pipes or find another way to use it.
Yes it can. I use coconut oil for oil pulling as well as for shaving creme and moisturizer. My advise to you is to use Dawn. Chase the water down the pipes with HOT water and Dawn (they use dawn on sea life and birds that have been coated in oil from spills). This usually helps with my drains. Also, hair absorbs a lot of oil, so any hair in the drain will help with that as well (obviously clear the drain afterwards… LOL). I have yet to have any problems with my drains due to using coconut oil and I’ve been using it for a year now.
Also, a great cleaner and way to get the oil off of your shower is to combine distilled vinegar and Dawn (one part each). Spray onto the surface you wish to clean, then leave for 30 minutes to an hour. Rinse or rub off. No scrubbing needed. Even takes care of soap scum.
This looks so good. I’m going to make it this weekend. I did have one question. How long will it last before going bad? I don’t use a ton of lotions since it is so humid where I live and I’d hate for any of it to go to waste.
You can use a little extra citrus powder with this or some vitamin E oil to help, but the zest and the honey are both full of natural preservatives. As they age, they will mostly just dry out (think what happens to the honey that stays in you cupboard too long). In point of fact, honey was the primary source for embalming for many ancient cultures all over the ancient world ranging from Egypt to China to Scandinavia.
honey is self preserving when it is 100% honey. If you add it in a fraction in a product, it becomes a source of contamination. Bugs love it.
I would recommend adding something to keep it from going bad. Vitamin E oil is a great option to increase its shelf life.
While Vit E would be a great addition for it’s skin loving qualities, it is an antioxidant and will only prolong the shelf life of the oils. It is not a preservative and will not prevent the growth of mold or bacteria (highly likely with the addition of fruit zest)
I’d use a broad spectrum preservative like Phenonip in addition 🙂
I am going to make this with maybe a little less honey, definitely the vitamin e and I am going to try grapefruit essential oil for the scent since is less likely to become contaminated by bacteria. I would try making an amount that would last about two weeks at a time. Since I have dry skin I use oils and body butter as an all over moisturizer and I love coconut oil.
I was wondering, how do you get it so frothy? I know you mix it with a mixer. Do you mix it until it’s fluffy? When I bought my jar, it was oil on top and solid on the bottom. Then I poured it out in a bowl and mixed it together and poured it back in the jar. It was grainy, like sand. Is that the way its going to be? Or is it because I didn’t add anything to it? Sorry for all the questions. It’s just that this is my first time using natural products. Also, how do I store it? In the fridge or at my night stand…thanks again
Goyi,
The kind of coconut oil I buy is pretty solid right out of the jar. I mixed it with the honey and zest until smooth. I store mine in my bathroom cabinet. If you choose to store it in the refrigerator, it will just be more firm.
I wonder if you could freeze it in an ice tray and take one out one cube at a time?
Coconut lime! What a perfect combo…will be trying it that way!
does this cream makes you skin color darker? Because usually these winter butter creams make your skin darker or they for dark patches on your skin.
I actually made my own lotion with Coconut oil (and EVOO with Beeswax) and it does NOT darken skin. It did actually lighten mine a tiny bit, though.
Works great for my itchy skin after I have been in the sun. Yes I have an allergy to the sun ;(
I do find it rather sticky but it works GREAT!!
Yum! This body butter looks creamy, zesty, and totally eat-able! Thanks for the awesome recipe!