It's winter, it's getting cold and dry, I can feel it, well, my skin can feel it because I've been putting cream on my arms and legs more often nowadays. Stores have started to offer luxurious thick body butter again in addition to year round body lotion. All that buttery creamy talk makes my mouth watery (yes, my mouth... my brain thinks body butter = whipped cream).
Here's a list of what's going into my body butter:
Shea butter
Mango butter
Cocoa butter
Apricot kernel oil
Sesame oil
Rosehip oil
Meadowfoam oil
Camellia seed oil
Optiphen (preservative in case someone drop liquid)
ROE (Rosemary Oil Extract for preventing rancidity)
Phew~ that is a long list. Majority of the body butter offerings out there are done with high % of Shea butter, which to me might be a bit too greasy. I personally like more of a dry velvety feel. Therefore I chose to use Mango butter, the driest feeling out of all 3 major butters. Then I also chose all skin loving oils that are quick to medium absorbing (noticing all of them are targeting at mature & damaged skin type? I am getting OLD...). Anyway, I slowly melted the butters, added the liquid oils then popped the whole pot into the freezer. When the mixture became semi transparent, I took the pot out, beat it with my electrical beater for a few minutes. Popped into the fridge again for few minutes, beat it again, repeated for another couple times.
Wow~ it's thick, not like whipped cream I was imagining, definitely whipped butter. I scooped some up with my finger and it started to melt with my body heat. I rubbed some all over my arms and legs. It gave my skin this light shinny shine, took my skin good 10 minutes to absorb all that, then the shine went away. I have to say, it does form a protective layer on my skin, and very resisting to wash off, and actually makes me feel warmer! Go figure! But on the other hand, I do feel more greasy and slippery, especially on my feet as I like to walk barefoot in my house, my feet don't like socks, they like to be free! There are pros and cons in both traditional lotion and body butter. I'm not sure at this point I feel butter is better, what's your preference?
Butter all the way! I use it every single day, have done for years now. My skin loves it! Experiment a little more with drier oils.. have you tried FCO in there? It's a very dry oil and could help. Or maybe sub all the shea for mango? I LOVE cocoa butter in a body butter but you can't use too much. I ADORE body butters, can you tell?
ReplyDeleteI knew you would say that Celine! I used equal amount of shea and mango, maybe I'll try no shea, just mango and cocoa butter next time. I have not tried FCO, that's a good dry oil also but I don't have any in hand right now. Oh well, more shopping opportunities! LOL
ReplyDeleteHow are these butters stored? And do they stay their form long?
DeleteYou mean the whipped body butter? Or the individual ingredient like mango or cocoa butter? I don't make pure body butter anymore, my skin is just not liking the grease and personally I think it's not moisturizing enough because there is no humectant in it, only fatty acids. But when I made it back in 2011 it was store in room temperature in a cabinet storage type. It actually got harder in time, another reason why I don't make it anymore. Now I make heavy thick cream that has lots of butter.
DeleteHave you tried adding cornstarch? I've used it in mine and there's no greasy feeling at all. I use about 1 tsp per pound but it depends on your recipe. No cornstarch=greasy in mine.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good idea Irene, I actually contemplated adding cornstarch when I was making my body butter. Now I know how butter feels like I'm going to tweak my recipe.
ReplyDeleteBramble Berry sells a product called DryFlo that is a modified corn starch that can be used to cut the greasy feeling in body butters. It also helps with absorption into the skin. I've used it in mine and loved it. Beware not to use too much DryFlo or corn starch though, it can leave a crappy powdery residue.
ReplyDeleteForgot to say how great both the pictures and the butters look.
ReplyDeleteYour new butter looks divine, I've made body butters in the past and recently made one with shea butter, oils and cornstarch and personally I don't like the greasy feeling (although some of my customers love it). My favourite butters are those with water in them as they are light and sink it perfectly. I recently made one with fair trade shea and skin loving oils and love it. Lotion is great for the hands and body when it's warmer out but I prefer lighter based butters in colder months.
ReplyDeleteMichelle
Oh so beautiful and rich looking! I haven't tried to make a body butter yet, but yes this is the time of year to try it out. Need a volunteer tester! LOL
ReplyDeleteEm the photography is spectacular here. Did you use a mirror doing this? Grand photo!
ReplyDelete@ Michelle, I was thinking if I add water then it would just be very heavy cream, not pure butter and then I have to worry about 'real' preservatives, that's why I didn't consider it.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous, no I didn't use mirror, lol, there are actually 3 little sauce dishes in line using photo box with black background. I really like this look.
Hi! I like the sound of body butter... but I usually prefer salves and creams. Yours does sound and look amazing though!!! xo Jen
ReplyDeleteThey look like snow covered pine trees! So luxurious!
ReplyDeleteButter, butter, butter! I love butters in cold winter too. It’s extremely dry here in Canada and sometimes I am dehydrated that have to put on butter instead of lotion in order to retain the moisture. Your body butter looks so silky and yummy, love it!
ReplyDelete@ Anita, you don't say, I found myself reaching for the butter and rubbing it all over my feet while reading your comment, LOL!
ReplyDeleteI think than your butter is wondefull. I look like perfect, but If you use jojoba and hazelnuts oil, perhaps may be less fat. Another time you can try that and aloe vera, but I think it's the best butter I've seen.
ReplyDeleteThe texture is fantastic!!
I use body cream everyday, but some times I use butter
Greetings