Homemade Whipped Body Butter
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Homemade whipped body butter is light, fluffy, and incredibly moisturizing. This is the best body butter recipe, and it’s made with just a handful of ingredients, like coconut oil and shea butter.
I have always dealt with dry skin. Since I currently wash my hands 720 times a day due to the many wipings of small children, my hands have seen better days.
Not even kidding, I have a red line across my wrist where my hands are a different shade of pink from washing. Sad, but true.
Luckily, my homemade foaming hand soap is moisturizing, but with the accumulation of washing my hands every three seconds, I still need more help.
This coconut whipped body butter recipe has helped so much. Once you apply a tiny dab, you will just want to keep feeling your soft hands.
But this isn’t just for your hands, hence the name. You can use this over your whole body to leave your skin feeling super soft and moisturized.
Why You Will Love This Recipe:
A little bit goes a long way. You really only need a bit of this recipe to moisturize your hands or body.
It will leave your skin feeling super soft, moisturized, and rejuvenated.
It’s healthier than many store-bought options. Ditch those harmful and toxic fake fragrances found in many products, and instead, use 100% therapeutic grade essential oils to scent this. My current favorite is wild orange and lavender.
Does whipped body butter melt?
Yes. Since it is made from oils and shea butter, it will melt if left in temperatures too warm. If it does melt, you can let it harden and use it as is, or whip it up again.
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Tips:
- While coconut oil and shea butter are the main ingredient in this recipe, you can swap out the jojoba oil for almond, olive, avocado oil, or your favorite nourishing oil.
- Add a drop or two of vitamin E for extra moisture.
- After the butter and oils have melted, stick it in the fridge for faster cooling time, but still make sure it doesn’t get too hard. It needs to be whipped before it becomes solid.
- Many people feel coconut body butter can be too greasy. To combat this, I would recommend using less and rubbing it in more, or you can add 1 1/2 teaspoons of arrowroot powder to help absorb extra oil.
Homemade Body Butter Recipe
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup shea butter
1/2 tsp jojoba oil
10-20 drops essential oils, optional
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Watch The Tutorial
How To Make Whipped Body Butter
In a double boiler over medium low heat, add coconut oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter.
Stir occasionally until melted.
Once it has melted, take it off the heat. You can add essential oils now or after it has started to set up.
Place in a cool spot, like the refrigerator, until it starts to thicken a bit. It should be thickened without being too hard. If it is too hard, it will not whip properly.
Next, place the mixture in a stand mixer or a bowl.
Using the whisk attachment, start whipping the oils slowly and bring it up to medium high speed until fluffy. It should form stiff peaks and will resemble cake frosting.
The first picture below is at about half way. After about a minute or so, it will look like the second picture.
Store in a container in a cool place (especially during the warm months). It may start to melt a little if above 75 degrees.
A little goes a long way with coconut oil body butter! Use a little bit and massage it into the skin. It’s great for right after you take a shower!
Find More Natural Body Products
- Nourishing Lotion Bars
- Homemade Body Wash
- The Best Brown Sugar Scrub
- Homemade Bubble Bath – that actually works.
Tried this recipe and loved it? I would love if you would come back and give it 5 stars. Please and thank you!
Homemade Whipped Body Butter
Save This Recipe
We’ll get it sent to your inbox! Plus, get new recipes from us every week.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Bowl
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup shea butter
- 1/2 tsp jojoba oil other nourishing skin oils will also work
- 10-20 drops essential oils or choice
Instructions
- In a double boiler over medium low heat, add coconut oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter. Stir occasionally until melted.
- Once it has melted, take it off the heat. You can add essential oils now or after it has started to set up.
- Place in a cool spot, like the refrigerator, until it starts to thicken a bit. It should be thickened without being too hard. If it is too hard, it will not whip properly.
- Place the mixture in a stand mixer or a bowl with a whisk attachment.
- Start whipping the oils slowly and bring it up to medium high speed until fluffy. It should form stiff peaks and will resemble cake frosting.
- Store in a container in a cool place (especially during the warm months). It may start to melt a little if above 75 degrees.
Notes
- Make sure the oils and butter don’t cool too much. If it is too hard it will not whip well.
- While coconut oil and shea butter are the main ingredient in this recipe, you can swap out the jojoba oil for almond, olive, avocado oil, or your favorite nourishing oil.
- Add a drop or two of vitamin E for extra moisture.
- Some people feel coconut body butter can be too greasy. To combat this, I would recommend using less and rubbing it in more, or you can add 1 1/2 teaspoons of arrowroot powder after the oils have been melted to help absorb extra oil.
This post was originally published in 2012 and was updated May 2020.
Thanks! Would it be ok to substitute the shea butter with coconut butter?
Can I use this on my one year old daughter?
I am not sure I don’t have any kids yet! I would ask a doctor to be positive!
Ok thanks!
If you just use a bit of common sense it’s perfectly ok to use. As in, if she’s allergic to nuts substitute almond oil and so on. Seeing as how doctors regularly recommend using stuff full of preservatives, perfume, parabens and other toxic crap I’d say common sense is more important than a doctor’s opinion. Unless of course you’re one of the lucky ones who has a sensible doctor.
Also, please be very careful about using citrus oils on the parts of your body that gets exposed to the sun because they can react with the sun and cause painful burns.
I recently tried a version of this recipe and included cocoa butter. The results were amazing. I love the idea of using orange essential oil–so refreshing!. If you are curious to check out my recipe, here it is: http://www.creativesimplelife.com/rosemary-tea-tree-body-butter/
This looks amazing.
Debi
Will this work in a pump bottle?
Looks good. How many jars does the recipe made. Great gift idea. Definitely going to make a large batch for myself. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Debbie it only makes one 4 oz container. But you can definitely double or triple it! It would not work as a pump because it is really thick! Hope you love it!
This stuff looks great! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Thank you! Its super moisturizing and great for the skin!
Any idea what the shelf life is on this without adding preservatives? I was thinking whatever the expiration on the ingredients are, but does that remain true after you melt it??
I am not sure of the shelf life. My guess is at least 6 months to a year! Maybe even longer
Hi Amy, thanks for this post! I just discovered your blog and I can’t wait to try like a million of the things on here. Have you ever tried subbing olive oil? I have a TON and wonder if it would yield a better/worse result. Please let me know if you have tried this and what your experience was, if so.
Awww I’m so glad you like it! I have never tried that so not sure. I’m thinking it won’t because the coconut oil is a harder oil that can be whipped. But you could always try! No hurt in trying!
AK! Sorry should have clarified. I meant subbing the olive oil for the almond oil part. I’ll try it and let you know 🙂 Thanks for a quick reply!
O haha sorry Nik I wasn’t thinking correctly! Long day :). It should work with subbing the almond oil it will take a little longer to absorb. That would probably be the only difference!
What if you don’t have a double boiler?… or an electric mixer? Haha
Haha thats ok! You could probably melt it in the microwave and maybe use a whisk! The mixing part would be the hardest but I think you could do it!
This looks amazing! I would love to have you visit my blog and vote for your favorite post on Wildcrafting Wednesdays People’s Choice Awards! Next week we will be back to our regular blog hop, but you can find the poll here:
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2012/12/peoples-choice-award-for-wildcrafting-wednesday.html
Where do you find Shea Butter?
I used to buy it at Hobby Lobby but now I have been buying it in bulk from Moutainroseherb.com
Hi Amy! I really love your post! It’s really inspirational! I think our readers would really enjoy reading this. I would love for you to come share it at Seasonal Celebration I really hope that you will put Seasonal Celebration on your list of carnivals to visit and link to us every Wednesday!
http://naturalmothersnetwork.com/
Rebecca x
This looks so easy. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I would love to try this, really.
UncommonScents.com
There is something so decadent about whipped body butter! I know a lot of people who would love this as a gift. 🙂
Yep its such an awesome consistency! Feels luxurious!
Thank you for this recipe. It looks great and I love using coconut oil for as much as I can. Do you know how long you left your mixer going for. I only have a hand mixer so I just wanted to know how long I’d have to hold it for. Many thanks.
Thanks Katherine! I would say it didn’t take to long at all maybe a few minutes! Like 5 or less. I hope you love it and it works well for you!
This is great! I have something pinned like this that I was planning on making for stocking stuffers for my mom and sister-in-law. Stopping by from Stringtown Home!
http://www.prairiegirltosouthernbelle.blogspot.com
I want to try this! I feel like all the moisture is sucked out of my skin in the winter. I’ve been using Aveeno Baby, but I’m looking for something more natural. Thanks for the idea!
Rebecca @ BOGOGreenio.blogspot.com
i know its more vegan here , but for those who are not vegan adding little bit beeswax gives it more hardening factor and doesnt melt when temps get a little too high. but otherwise awsome product made some today and i love it made it with peppermint and rosemary oils for my mothers arthritis she has yet to try it but let u know what she thinks. it was funny but on a shopping trip today she asked me if i had any homemade lotion in car cuz her hands were dry just happens that i didnt but now i will.
Awesome idea! I was actually thinking about doing that today and making it into more of a lotion! So glad that you love it! I hope it helps your moms arthritis! Thanks for commenting its much appreciated!
How much beeswax should I add to this particular recipe?
Usually only my hands and feet get dry in the winter. I use coconut oil massaged in and then put on cotton socks & gloves to sleep in.
Thats a good idea! We’ve used pure coconut oil for years at my house. My mom swears by it. Thanks for sharing!