About Body Butter Lotion Making Supplies
Try making your own body butter at home with a few simple ingredients. You will find that this rich body butter will soften your skin, and at a much lower price than the store-bought variety. It will also make a great gift for friends and family.
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Body Butter Supplies
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To make body butter, you will need a butter for a base, such as shea butter or cocoa butter, as well as liquid oils, like olive oil and almond oil. Choose an essential oil to add for fragrance, such as lavender oil. Make sure to choose a good quality fragrance oil that is safe to use and will not irritate your skin. Many variations exist, and after you have tried making your own body butter, you might have a few of your own ideas. You can also substitute the essential oil for strawberry flavoring to make strawberry body butter.
You will not need to spend much on your supplies to make the body butter. You may find some oils in bulk at your local health food store, so you can purchase as much or as little as you like.
Equipment
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You will need a double boiler to make your body butter. This allows the ingredients to be heat without burning. Alternatively, you could use a microwave. You will also need a mixer and clean bowl to mix it in, as well as a clean container to put your body butter in when it is finished. Try using an empty face cream container that has been cleaned.
Making Your Body Butter
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Many online recipes for body butter can be found (see links in Resources). The basic method for preparation is easy to follow. Melt the shea butter using a double boiler, and then stir in the oils. Allow the mixture to cool partially. Mix the ingredients together with a mixer. Spoon into a clean container.
You could also make a body butter stick by simply spooning the body butter into a mold for lotion bars. Another container with a similar shape could work as well. Keep it from melting in the summer by storing it in the refrigerator or another cool spot.
Using Essential Oils Safely
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Essential oils have many healing properties, from conditioning your skin to uplifting your mood. However, you must use them properly so they do not have adverse effects, like giving you a skin rash. Normally, they should be diluted in a solution of 15 drops of essential oil to 1 oz. carrier oil, as the Nature's Gift website suggests. Apply the same principle to your mixture. Test the oil on your skin before you make your body butter, too, just to make sure you are not allergic to it. Dilute it in a solution of carrier oil, such as almond or olive oil, as described, and apply to a small patch of skin. The Aroma Web suggests putting a bandage over the area and waiting 24 hours to see if you have an adverse reaction to the oil. Treat your oils like medicine, it adds, keeping them out of reach of children and always using them with care.
Furthermore, some oils, such as citrus oils, should not be used within 12 hours of sun exposure, says Nature's Gift. Make sure you have all the necessary information about the oil you are using. The resources below are a great starting point for learning more about essential oils.
Experiment with Scents and Flavors
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The scent of body butter can also be therapeutic; it has the power to transform your mood, helping you to be more calm, focused or energized. As mentioned, you can also substitute the essential oil with flavoring (as long as you make sure the flavoring will not expire for some time). Try using different oils or flavorings you find pleasing. You will have different choices you can use, depending on what mood you are in. You can also give some to friends and family for Christmas, birthdays or other occasions. A gift basket featuring body butter made by you would be a wonderful treat, especially because you made it yourself.
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