Homemade Body Butter

If you’ve ever been frustrated with expensive store-bought lotions or body butters that don’t feel hydrating enough, this body butter recipe is for you. It’s made with 2 simple ingredients and takes about 15 minutes of hands-on effort.

(Plus a little patience while it chills.)

I’ve been making this lotion for over a decade, and as a result, I’ve had lots of opportunity to experiment with it. I’ll share some of the variations I’ve tried, in case you’re curious!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“This stuff is AMAZING!! My skin has never felt so soft and it will literally keep my skin hydrated for DAYS! My daughter is very particular about products and has naturally oily skin and she absolutely loves it too. She lets her friends try it and they fall in love. It’s been a huge blessing to us any many others!

I also am so grateful because it’s so affordable and easy to make. It’s one of few homemade products that I can always count on to work.

So as a busy momma with needy skin I have to say THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!” – Annie

Body Butter Ingredients

• Shea Butter. You’ve likely heard of this ingredient while shopping for bath and body products, because it’s included in many store-bought options! It’s a natural fat found in the seeds of shea trees. Compared to coconut oil (which is also solid at room temperature) shea butter doesn’t feel as oily, so it’s used as an emollient to help prevent dry skin.
• Jojoba Oil. This type of oil is considered non-comedogenic, meaning it shouldn’t clog your pores, and it’s thought to be one of the more hydrating oils. I used to make this recipe with olive oil, but I have since learned that it can clog pores, so jojoba is a better option if you plan to use this, especially on your face.

These two ingredients are all you’ll need to make homemade body butter. If you’re interested in adding a scent to your lotion, you can add 5 to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil before you whip it into a creamy consistency.

How to Make Body Butter with Shea Butter

Step 1:

Use a food scale to measure 4 ounces of shea butter into a heat-safe bowl. If you don’t have a food scale, cut the one-pound block into roughly four evenly-sized pieces. Each piece will be approximately 4 ounces.

To make a double-boiler, fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then place the heat-safe bowl filled with shea butter on top of the saucepan.

The steam from the boiling water will gently melt the shea butter. It will look like liquid oil once it has all melted.

Step 2:

Stir the jojoba oil into the melted shea butter, then place the bowl in the fridge to cool for about 45 to 60 minutes, until it’s at least halfway solidified again. It’s ideal if the outer edges of the mixture look opaque, while the center still looks liquified. (But it’s okay if it totally solidifies, too.)

Next, use a hand mixer to beat the mixture until it is creamy. This takes about 60 seconds.

Note: The consistency may look runny as you whip this body butter, but it will thicken quite quickly when you’re done mixing. This won’t feel like the type of lotion you’d get from a pump bottle.

Step 3:

Use a spatula to transfer the thick body butter to a storage jar with a lid. It should keep well for several months as long as you don’t introduce moisture into the jar. I like to use a small spatula to scoop out the lotion.

This is most effective when applied to wet skin, so keep it near your shower so you can use it while your skin is still damp. It’s also perfect after washing your face!

Body Butter Recipe

This body butter recipe is my favorite all-natural moisturizer. It's made with just 2 simple ingredients, without requiring preservatives, and will leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated. Once you try it, you won't need to buy pricey skincare again! (Or at least, not pricey lotion.)

prep5 mins cook10 mins Chill Time:1 hr total1 hr 15 mins

Servings:5 ounces

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 ounces shea butter
• 2 tablespoons jojoba oil (or olive oil)

Instructions

• Use a food scale, if you have one, to measure 4 ounces of shea butter in a heat safe bowl. Create a double boiler by filling a small saucepan with 1 inch of water, then bring it to a boil over high heat on the stove. Once the water is boiling, place the bowl snugly over the top of the pan. The heat from the boiling water below will gently melt the shea butter.
• Once the shea butter is melted, use oven mitts to remove the bowl from the heat. Stir in the jojoba oil, then place the bowl in the fridge to chill for about 1 hour. It's ideal if the mixture starts to look opaque around the edges of the bowl, but is still slightly liquid in the center. (But if it becomes fully opaque, that's okay, too.)
• Use a whisk attached to an electric hand mixture to whip the chilled shea butter mixture. It should start to have a whipped texture in about 60 seconds of mixing. It might look lotion-like at first, but as it cools even more it will become thicker and firmer. (More like a body butter.)
• Transfer the mixture to an airtight jar with a lid. This is best used directly on wet skin, either after you get out of the shower or after washing your face. It should keep well for several months, as long as you're careful not to add moisture to the jar.

Notes

Update Note: This body butter recipe was originally published with olive oil instead of jojoba oil. I have since learned that jojoba oil is less likely to clog pores when compared to olive oil, so that’s my oil of choice these days. Feel free to use another option, if you prefer. 

Ingredients: I buy raw shea butter on Amazon and this jojoba oil. (affiliate links) The 1-pound package of shea butter should make four jars of lotion, and the jojoba oil will last even longer! 

Lotion Jars: I bought these glass lotion jars on Amazon. They come with the little plastic scoop you see in these photos. 

Adding Scent: I’ve experimented with adding up to 20 drops of essential oil to this recipe. From what I’ve read online, the safe amount of essential oil dilution is as little as 3-6 drops per 1 ounce of carrier oil. This batch makes 5 ounces total, so feel free to experiment with this if you’re confident in your safety research. I don’t feel like the added scent helps that much, so I usually make it without any added essential oils. 

Author: Megan Gilmore

Keyword: body butter recipe

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If you try this body butter recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.