Making a body butter
Ingredients
100gsm Shea butter (see why below)
50ml of a liquid vegetable oil or an infused oil (see suggestions below)
Method
Use a Bain Marie (one pot sitting in a larger pot of boiling water)
Gently melt the Shea butter
Once it is liquid, add the other vegetable oils
Stir to cool, then put the pot in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes
Don’t let any moisture or water drop into the blend while in the freezer as this will introduce bacteria
Leave pot in the freezer until a hardish film forms on the top and the Shea butter is firm
Whisk with an electric blender
You are whisking in air
It will change in texture and in colour
After about 5 minutes it should be about double the original volume
Put in jars with a lid
This is a beautifully moisturising and nurturing butter
All products mentioned here can be purchased here
What vegetable oils and why
The one I demonstrated had Shea butter, Avocado oil and Comfrey
I chose all of those because I was focusing on healing dry, sore and inflamed skin caused by excessive washing and alcohol sprays.
Be imaginative – here are some combination suggestions:
I am not adding essential oils to the blends because these combinations are for dry, sore, irritated skin and its best to just focus on healing the skin with vegetable oils. But if your skin is good and you just want to keep it that way see the last recipe.
Shea Butter
Shea soften and nourishes the skin and protects it from drying. It can repair the acid mantle of the skin which has been damaged due to harsh environments, excessive washing and stress.
All good reasons to use it now!
Avocado oil
This oil is easily absorbed into the skin
It regenerates damaged skin and repairs skin tissue.
Comfrey infused oil
Its common name is “knit bone” because when applied to the skin the Allantoin in Comfrey, diffuses easily into the underlying tissues. This means, when it is applied over a fractured bone it can accelerate healing and closure. But Comfrey is also a great first aid remedy for the damaged skin.
Caution: do not use on an open wound.
Rose hip seed oil
Rose hip is full of wonderful compounds that directly benefit the skin
Its Vitamin A can increase elastin, promote collagen and delay the age related breakdown of the skin and underlying tissue. It can create a lipid barrier to protect the skin. And in clinical trials it has been found to be active in cell regeneration and an excellent treatment for scar tissue.
Tamanu oil
Tamanu oil has a unique fatty acid that makes it a strong healing oil. It absorbs into all three layers of the skin. It rapidly regenerates new skin, repairs nerves and diminishes scarring. It can treat so many things but for now I am focusing on the skin so I will just say it is great for dry chapped skin, psoriasis, eczema and skin infections
Calendula infused oil
A wonderful oil from the daisy family. It softens, moisturises and heals the skin. Great for inflamed and painful skin.
Suggested recipes
To heal very dry sore skin
100gsm of Shea Butter
20mls Avocado
30mls Comfrey or Tamanu
To moisturise skin
100gsm Shea Butter
20ml Calendula
30ml Rose hip oil
To prevent and heal stretch marks (I could not resist adding this one!!)
100ml Shea Butter
50ml Rose Hip oil
15 drops Lavender
15 drops Frankincense
15 drops Sweet orange or mandarin or grapefruit
Or
45 drops of Obus Stretch Mark Blend
A good everyday moisturiser
100gsm of Shea Butter
50 drops Calendula oil
15 drops Lavender
15 drops Ho Wood
15 drop Patchouli
FANTASTIC!
Enjoy everyone