This DIY body butter recipe is soft and white, almost like a cloud! It’s nourishing and will leave your skin feeling super soft and smooth.
If you’ve followed me for any length of time you know I’m a DIYer and particularly love to make my own beauty products.
Homemade body butter is an easy DIY project for anyone. It’s so simple, all you have to do is melt and whip lovely oils together in a KitchenAid and voila! Beautiful body butter!
While I love my basic whipped coconut oil moisturizer, it can be a little greasy and it also melts at room temperature. I needed a good moisturizer that wasn’t too oily so I decided to play around with some of my favorite plant-based butters and came up with this lovely body butter recipe.
I seriously love the way this homemade body butter feels and smells. It’s also very nourishing and will leave your skin feeling super soft.
I use this body butter on my sensitive skin and on my children. You can leave it as it is or add essential oils to create an amazing smelling body butter for yourself of as a gift
This whipped homemade body butter is versatile! Add different essential oils to each batch.
Below are some of my favorite essential oils to use in this homemade body butter recipe:
- Peppermint (15-20 drops). You’ll smell like a candy cane! Great for the holidays
- Frankincense & Lavender (15 drops each), this mix promotes beautiful skin!
- Stress Away & Lavender (20 drops of Stress Away and 10 drops of Lavender), this mix is very relaxing!
- Grapefruit & Lime (20 drops each). This smells AMAZING!! Just be careful not to wear this outside since citrus oils are photosensitive.
I stock up on glass jars (like these) and make this homemade body butter for presents almost every holiday season. My coconut lime body scrub is another great item to make for gifting too!
Love this body butter? Then I know you’ll enjoy my other body butter recipes, like this coffee-infused body butter and magnesium body butter.
DIY Body Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces coconut oil (approximately 1⁄3 cup)
- 2 ounces shea butter (approximately 1⁄3 cup)
- 2 ounces cocoa butter (approximately 1⁄3 cup)
- 1/3 cup jojoba oil or sweet almond oil
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (optional – makes it not feel greasy on the skin
- 15-30 drops essential oils (add more if you like)
Instructions
- In a double boiler or glass bowl, combine all ingredients except essential oils.
- Bring to medium heat and stir constantly until all ingredients are melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Move to the fridge and let cool another 1 hour or until starting to harden but still somewhat soft.
- Use a hand mixer to whip for 10 minutes until fluffy. Add essential oils and whip for another minute.
- Store in a glass jar with a lid.
Hi Tiffany! I’m dying to try your recipe!
But is it possible to substitute shea butter with cocoa butter?
So double the cocoa butter and omit the shea butter.
Because actually I was searching for recipe so I can use my cocoa butter.
Thanks!
You can try it but I imagine it’ll turn out pretty thick since cocoa butter is so saturated. If you have a different butter like mango butter you can use that in place of the shea butter. If you do try it with more cocoa butter please come back and let me know how it turned out!
I tried it, replacing 1,2ounces shea butter with cocoa butter + 0,8 ounce coconut oil.
but it’s not working.
At first when I whip it, it seems fine, then after few sec, it becomes really hard 🙁
Maybe I really need to have shea butter.
Hopefully I can try it again in the future with shea butter!
Hi. How long does this whipped body butter maintain it’s fluffy consistency? Is there a stored preference to keep it fluffy or is this formula stable? Thank you!
Hello.. what is the Shelf life for this product?
Can you use tapioca starch instead of arrow root flower? That’s what I have on hand. Thank you
Hi, I was reading the recipe for the body butter and got confused. Does the recipe call for 2 oz. which is (1/4 cup) or 1/3 of a cup?
Can this recipe be doubled or tripled?
2 ounces is approximately 1/3 cup. I give both measurements for those who may not have a scale to measure the oils. Yes, you can double or triple the recipe to make as much as you need.
Also, the cocoa butter is solid in the 9 oz jar. Is it OK to melt it in its container and spoon out 1/3 cup and let the remainder return to solid at room temp? Would the quality of cocoa butter deterioate if it’s changing state more than 1 time? Asking to see if I need to buy cocoa butter in different sizes next time.
Thanks!
You can definitely try it but it’s better to measure it in solid form. I like to buy cocoa butter wafers, it makes measuring so much easier!
Hi! Where do you get the shea and cocoa butter butter? Also do you use extra virgin coconut oil?
wondering if it’s best to purchase refined so the particles are small enough to penetrate the skin
How much body butter does this recipe yield?
It makes a little more than a cup when it’s whipped and fluffy. It weighs approximately 8 ounces.
Hi- I love this recipe but would love to know how you clean your pans from the waxy residues?
Hi – I started making my own body butters but was wondering how you clean your pots, pans and utensils from the greasy waxes and butters.
THANKS
I clean them IMMEDIATELY after I make a batch. Especially if I’m using wax! I fill my sink with hot water, soap, and lemon essential oil.
This is my favourite whipped body butter recipe so far. I made it with 2oz mango butter, 2oz coconut oil, 1/3 cup almond oil, 2 tsp arrowroot powder, and 30 drops lavender essential oil. I didn’t have another type of butter so I just left one of them out and the texture still turned out amazing! The softer texture is more ideal for colder climates as well. The added arrowroot powder really helps it melt into your skin easier and reduces greasiness. I’ve made this twice!
Thank you for sharing! I’ll try it with arrowroot next time!
Hi there! Do you use regular or fractionated coconut oil?
Thanks!
Julia
Regular coconut oil. Fractionated coconut oil is great for the skin, but it won’t work well in this body butter recipe.
I LOVE the texture of this body butter… but no amount of oil can cover the smell of the cocoa butter. My kids won’t use it. Sigh. I made it for Christmas gifts but I am afraid they won’t like it either. Maybe I should leave the cocoa butter out next time, or just go for the whipped coconut oil recipe.
I don’t like the smell of cocoa butter either. But I found that there are organic deodorized or semi-deodorized cocoa butters out there that have very little to no smell. I ordered some and used it in the recipe. It turned out perfect! Just search online.
I love the white fluffy body butter. I’m making a second batch.
Should it be stored in fridge? Seems to be melting. Did I not do something righ?
I make this lotion and it is super easy. I don’t melt anything. The cocoa butter and shea butter need to be at room temperature, and then you can just smash it with a fork slightly. Then it whips up fantastic. No melting and cooling. Try it It works great and eliminates the most timely steps. You can whip up a batch in about 5 minutes provided your butters are at room temperature
Great recipe! I’ve been making my own lotion for a few years, If you add a teaspoon or two of arrowroot powder(found in the baking isle) it helps cut down on the greasiness of the lotion. Also, apply while skin is still damp as it absorbs better. If you apply when completely dry your skin has already put up it’s protective barrier so the lotion just sits on top. Wear a bathrobe for a few and let it soak into the skin : )
Did you store in fridge? Mine is melting
What is the shelf life of the body butter? Does it need to be refrigerated in warm weather?
Made my first batch of body butter ever! Easy and turned out perfect! Next time I will stir the mixture halfway through the cooling process to ensure more even texture, and use a bigger mixing bowl to catch splatters.
I made this body butter for myself and a few friends. However, some friends have complained that the cream is drying out the skin on their legs and feet and I dont understand why this is happening since these oils are all great moisturizers. Your advise on this will be highly appreciated.
Hey there! I just tried out this wonderful recipe and it was great. Everything went well, smelt great, was creamy/whippy and was very simple to make. Only problem I had with it was that it is still really oily when i run it into my skin. I tried a new batch using less oil, then a another new batch using even less oil. This is where it gets confusing… each time I used less oil, the end product seemed more oily! Any idea what is going on or how i can get a less oily end result?
try using arrowroot powder
I’m having the same issue and Wanted to know how you were able to get it resolved
Add arrowroot powder! I updated the recipe to include it for those who are having this issue.
What is the shelf life for this body butter?
Dear Tiffany,
The name caught my attention. I thought I was the only one nuts about coconuts. Anyway, I have just begun a company dealing in coconut products only. I have approached a manufacturer already and hope to begin as soon as possible. Thanks for the e-book! It will help immensely. Ann
Love this recipe, I am an aromatherapist & make my own products too, I used lavender, geranium and chamomile -perfect
Does this have to stay in the fridge or can it be left in the bathroom? I’d hate for all that work to melt!