DIY Body Butter – The perfect last minute gift!

One of the worst things about winter, aside from the deathly cold and horrible driving conditions, is dry skin. My kids and I can’t use most hand creams because of the perfume so we always use base creams which work well but are kind of boring and have no scent. Because of that, I decided to try making a coconut oil based body butter.

What you may not know about coconut oil, other than the fact that it’s extremely moisturizing, is that it has antimicrobial healing properties and has been shown to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi and many more harmful things. Two of my family members have actually swapped their night moisturizing face cream for coconut oil and I have seen a significant difference in the appearance and clarity of their skin.

Here’s what you will need:

• 1 cup of Coconut oil (make sure it’s colder and somewhat stiff)
• 2 TBSP of Olive or Castor oil
• 5 TBSP of Aloe Vera
• 15 drops of essential oil
• *Optional – 2 ½ tsp of vitamin E oil
• *Optional – for a stiffer/thicker cream add a cup of Shea or Cocoa Butter (melted in a double boiler, not too hot just enough to melt it) mix in, cool in freezer for 10-15 minutes then re-whip

In a chilled mixing bowl combine all ingredients.

Mix with a hand or stand mixer for 7-10 minutes or until light and fluffy (do not use a blender or food processor since it will melt the oil so much it won’t whip).

Scoop mixture into a glass container and seal tightly with a lid.

*Tips if your coconut oil is too warm and you are not getting the right consistency put the bowl in the fridge for 15-20 minutes then mix until desired consistency is observed.

If your home stays particularly hot, the mixture will soften or melt. If it does simply put back in the fridge and re-whip if needed.

After having tried the recipe a few times my favorite combinations are Candy Cane (peppermint essential oil and a few drops of cherry or raspberry juice) and Lemon Square (Grapefruit essential oil).

I think you will truly love this luxurious cream. This recipe will make enough that you can make a few extras as last minute gifts, your friends and family will thank you.

Nadine is a stay at home mom/professional photographer from Winnipeg who specializes in children and newborn photography. You can see some of her work at www.allurebebe.com. She has 3 wonderful children Caleb 9, Amélie 7 and Leia 2 and has been married to her best friend for the past 10 years. Nadine loves photography, baking, reading, crafting, helping people and finding daily ways to teach all these loves to her children and others around her.