Using Essential Oils for Body Butter Recipes

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 DIY Whipped Body Butter

Remember these tips when making whipped body butter:

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

• If the mixture won’t whip or stay whipped, chill it longer.

• If the whipped mixture is lumpy, let it soften and then whip again.

• If you don't have a double boiler, use a glass bowl or Pyrex cup over a pan of hot (not boiling) water.
  

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

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 of choice (see suggested blends)

1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil in a double broiler over low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted.
2. Remove from heat. Let cool about 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the grapeseed oil and essential oils.
4. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until the mixture has a consistency like soft wax or softened butter.
   
5. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl and whip with a mixer until soft and fluffy.
6. 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 (may make skin sensitive to sun), 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

Body Butter for Dry Skin

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

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

Source: Heart of Aromatherapy

Whipped Sandalwood Body Butter

Makes about 1-1/4 cups.

• 1/2 cup mango butter
• 1/2 cup shea nut oil
• 2 tablespoons organic pomegranate seed oil
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 40 to 50 drops sandalwood essential oil

1. Combine mango butter, shea nut oil, and pomegranate seed oil in a double boiler. Heat on medium and stir until completely melted.
   
2. Remove the mixture from the heat and then stir in the vitamin E oil and essential oil.
3. Place the mixture in the refrigerator until it starts to thicken, about 20 to 40 minutes.
   
4. Use a handheld mixer to whip the mixture until it is fluffy. (If you whipped too soon and the mixture doesn't become fluffy as desired, put it back in the refrigerator to cool more, and then whip it again.)
5. Place your whipped butter into containers.
   

Source: Mountain Rose

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

1. In a double boiler over low heat, melt cocoa butter, coconut oil, and avocado oil, stirring gently.
2. Remove from heat and then let cool for a few minutes.
   
3. Stir in the red raspberry seed oil.
4. 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. 
   
5. Remove from refrigerator or freezer.
6. Add peppermint essential oil.
7. 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.
8. Store in an airtight container. This body butter is shelf-stable, so it can be stored at room temperature.
   

Source: Delicious Obsessions

Helichrysum-Frankincense Body Butter

Makes about 1 cup.

• 2 tablespoons beeswax
• 1 tablespoon mango butter or cocoa butter
• 3 tablespoons aloe butter
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 25 drops helichrysum essential oil
• 35 drops frankincense essential oil
• 20 drops lavender essential oil

1. In a double boiler, melt the beeswax.
2. Add the mango or cocoa butter.
3. Add the aloe butter and stir until all ingredients are melted.
4. Stir in the avocado oil.
5. Remove the mixture from heat.
6. Add the essential oils, stirring gently.
7. Pour the body butter into two 4-ounce (120 ml) glass jars.
8. Set the jars aside to cool with the lids placed gently on top (to prevent the essential oils from evaporating).
   

Source: Aromahead

Creamy Body Butter

Makes about 3/4 cup.

• 1/4 cup grated cocoa butter
• 2 tablespoons light sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon grated beeswax
• 18 to 36 drops essential oils for body butter
  
• Clean, dark glass jar with lid

1. Melt the ingredients, except for essential oil, in a double boiler, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from heat as soon as melted.
3. Stir in essential oil and stir mixture until well mixed.
4. Pour the hot liquid into the jar.
5. Let cool completely and then stir again.
6. Place lid on jar and store in a cool, dry location. (It'll keep for 4 to 6 weeks.) Use as desired.

Adapted from EcoBeauty

Buy essential oils from Aromatics International (recommended).

Rocky Mountain Essential Oils.

Become a Certified Aromatherapist.

Aromatherapy for Massage Therapists.

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