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DIY Body Butter Recipes With Essential Oils

The best essential oils for body butter are largely personal preference, as long as you avoid skin-irritating oils and dilute your essential oils appropriately. First, let's look at some general guidelines and then some homemade body butter recipes, along with suggested essential oil blends.

Dilution of Essential Oils for Body Butter

When making body butter, consider how strong you want the essential oil content. Generally, aim for a one to three percent dilution, depending on the essential oils you use, your sensitivity to them, and how strong you want the scent. Guidelines:

1% = add 6 drops essential oil to 2 tablespoons oil or butter
2% = add 12 drops essential oil to 2 tablespoons oil or butter
3% = add 18 drops essential oil to 2 tablespoons oil or butter

Example: If a recipe contains 1 cup (8 tablespoons) combined oil and butter, and you want a 2% dilution, you can add up to 48 drops essential oil.

Tips for Making Body Butter

This article includes instructions for both whipped and non-whipped body butters.

Here are tips for all butters:

Make sure your tools and storage jars are clean, preferably sterile.

If you don't have a double boiler, use a glass bowl or Pyrex cup set in a pan with about an inch of hot (not boiling) water.

Store your body butter (in glass containers) in a cool place. If your home regularly gets above 75°F, store the butter in the refrigerator.

For whipped butters, if the mixture will not whip or stay whipped, chill it longer. If the whipped mixture is lumpy, let it soften and then whip again.

Whipped Body Butter Recipe

Makes 2-1/2 to 3 cups.

1-3/4 cups shea butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
25 to 40 drops essential oils (see suggested blends)

Melt shea butter and coconut oil in a double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted.
Remove from heat. Let cool about 30 minutes.
Stir in the grapeseed oil and essential oils.
Cover the mixture and set in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, until the mixture has a consistency like soft butter.
Place the mixture in a glass bowl. Use a mixer and whip the mixture until it's soft and fluffy.
Spoon the mixture into a clean glass container. Use as desired.

Suggested body butter essential oil blends:

Balancing and grounding: 15 drops patchouli, 5 drops cedarwood, 5 drops ylang ylang

Calming and soothing: 20 drops lavender, 10 drops vetiver, 5 drops sandalwood or marjoram

Comforting and warming: 20 drops bergamot, 10 drops Roman chamomile, 5 drops cassia

Cooling and energizing: 20 drops grapefruit, 5 drops peppermint, 5 drops wintergreen

Rejuvenating: 20 drops frankincense, 10 drops cedarwood, 10 drops white fir

Uplifting: 20 drops orange, 10 drops lemon, 5 drops peppermint

Source: Annie and Will

Release & Let Go Whipped Body Butter

Makes about 1/2 cup.

2 ounces (56 g) shea butter
1 ounce (28 g) cocoa butter
2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
17 drops lavender essential oil
15 drops bergamot mint (Mentha citrata) essential oil
8 drops petitgrain essential oil

Melt the butters in a double boiler over low heat.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Stir in the almond oil.
Freeze until just solid (about 20 to 30 minutes).
Whip until creamy (add a little extra almond oil if you want more fluff).
Stir in the essential oils.
Place butter to a 4-ounce glass jar.

Source: Natural Living Lab

Whipped White Chocolate Peppermint Body Butter

Makes almost 1 cup.

1/4 cup cocoa butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon red raspberry seed oil
10 to 15 drops peppermint essential oil

In a double boiler over low heat, melt cocoa butter, coconut oil, and avocado oil, stirring gently.
Remove from heat and then let cool for a few minutes.
Stir in the red raspberry seed oil.
Place the pan to the refrigerator or freezer. Let cool until the liquid just starts to set but is still soft enough to whip (you’ll see the oils start to thicken and become a whitish color). In the refrigerator, this will take an hour or more, but in the freezer will take only about 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove from refrigerator or freezer.
Add peppermint essential oil.
Use a mixer to whip the mixture until light and fluffy. This may take a few minutes. If the body butter doesn’t whip, it may not be cool enough, so put it back in the refrigerator or freezer and let it chill a little longer.
Store in an airtight container. This body butter is shelf-stable, so it can be stored at room temperature.

Source: Delicious Obsessions

Non-Whipped Body Butters

Dry Skin Butter

For chronically dry, itchy, and irritated skin, use the following blend of essential oils for body butter.

Makes about 1 cup.

1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) beeswax
2 ounces (1/4 cup) jojoba oil
1/4 cup cocoa butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
38 drops myrrh essential oil
28 drops helichrysum essential oil
18 drops geranium essential oil

Combine beeswax, jojoba oil, cocoa butter, and coconut oil in a glass Pyrex cup. Set the cup in a pan of water over medium-low heat.
Stir gently until the mixture is completely melted.
Remove the mixture from the heat.
Stir in the essential oils.
Place the body butter in clean glass containers. Cover and let set.

Source: Heart of Aromatherapy

Relaxing Body Butter

This blend helps you relax and get a good night’s sleep. Makes about 1/2 cup.

3 tablespoons shea butter
1 tablespoon cocoa butter
18 drops lavender essential oil
15 drops cajeput essential oil
12 drops sweet orange essential oil
12 drops bergamot essential oil
3 drops rose absolute
2 drops ylang ylang essential oil

Melt the butters in a double boiler over medium heat.
Remove from heat.
Mix in the essential oils.
Pour into a 4-ounce glass jar.

Source: Aromasense

Immune Support Body Butter

This blend helps you relax and rest while supporting your immune response.

1/2 ounce beeswax
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
1.5 ounces shea butter
26 drops sandalwood essential oil
16 drops juniper berry essential oil
16 drops lavender essential oil
14 drops patchouli essential oil
4-ounce glass jar

Melt the beeswax in a double boiler over medium heat.
Add coconut and sweet almond oils. Stir gently as they melt together.
Gradually add small chunks of shea butter to the mixture, stirring gently.
Remove mixture from heat.
Stir in essential oils.
Transfer the mixture into a glass or PET jar, cap it, and freeze it for at least 30 minutes to prevent graininess and ensure a smooth texture.

For children, make the body butter as directed above, but adjust the essential oil drops:

13 drops sandalwood
8 drops juniper berry
8 drops lavender
7 drops patchouli

Source: Aromahead Winter Immunity Booster Guide

About the Author

Carol Wiley is a retired massage therapist and freelance writer with a deep interest in essential oils. She uses her experience and knowledge, along with research, to bring you information about aromatherapy and massage and links to more resources.

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