DIY skin cream – Make your own body butter

Recipe for your own fluffy body butter:

You don’t need any special equipment to make your own body butter at home – you probably already have most of this at home in your cupboards. But remember that you should clean everything thoroughly before you begin.

Ingredients:

• 50 g organic cocoa butter or shea butter
• 100 g organic almond or sunflower oil
• ½ tsp organic potato starch
• A few drops of essential oil, if you like

What to do:

1. Start by measuring out the oil and butter and placing them in the heatproof bowl. Place the bowl in a water bath – a larger container of hot water (this could be an oven dish or larger saucepan) to gently melt the ingredients.
2. When everything has melted together, remove the bowl from the water bath and allow to cool a little. If you want to scent your body butter, you can add a few drops of essential oil. If so, use a thermometer to make sure the temperature of the oil/butter mixture is less than 30°C before adding the essential oil.
3. When the mixture has begun to set slightly, add the potato starch and start to whisk the ingredients. Use the lowest speed setting. Whisk until it thickens and the consistency resembles stiff whipped cream. It can take a while before you achieve this, so if you want to speed up the cooling process you can place the bowl in the refrigerator for a little while until it has become stiffer.
4. To achieve the best moisturising and nourishing effect from your body butter, apply to clean, damp skin. Rub in the body butter to dry yourself instead of using a towel. Remember that you only need a small amount of body butter.
5. Now you have your very own luxurious body butter. It will keep for a few weeks. Store in a dark, relatively cool place.

**Tip: Want to make it keep longer? If so, just add a few drops of natural vitamin E. Do this at the same time you add the essential oil.

Recipe for home made face cream:

You can make face cream in a very similar way to the body butter process, but instead of whisking the mixture, you simply stir it from time to time as it cools.

When you use cocoa butter, the cream gives off a faint natural scent of chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 100 g organic sunflower oil
• 40 g organic cocoa butter
• 30 g beeswax
• 2 drops natural vitamin E (optional)
• A few drops of essential oil, if you like

What to do:

1. Measure out the oil and butter and place in a heat resistant bowl. Place the bowl in a water bath – a larger container of hot water (this could be an oven dish or larger saucepan) to gently melt the ingredients.
2. When they have melted together, remove the bowl from the water bath and allow to cool a little. If you want to scent your face cream, add a few drops of essential oil. The oil/butter mixture needs to have a temperature lower than 30°C when you add the essential oil.
3. When the mixture has begun to set, stir periodically as it cools until it becomes a smooth cream. It will then continue to set over the next 24 hours, after which it’s ready to use.
4. To achieve the best effect, apply the face cream to clean, damp skin. Rub in the face cream to dry yourself instead of using a towel. Remember that you only need a small amount of face cream.
5. Now you have your very own luxurious face cream. It will keep for a few weeks. Store it in a dark, relatively cool place.

3 organic body butters that haven’t been tested on animals!

Tips for essential oils:

Lavender

Suits dry, mature skin. Has a calming effect, and it’s also said to promote sleep, making it ideal for use in the evening.

Ylang Ylang

Balances the skin. Good for both greasy and dry skin. Has an intensely flowery scent reminiscent of lilac and bird cherry.

Vanilla

Has lots of fantastic properties. As well as the gorgeous scent, it’s also said to lower the blood pressure, counteract depression and alleviate PMS.

Tea Tree

An antibacterial oil that’s ideal for acne-prone skin and which helps reduce itching. Has a very distinctive scent.

The difference between skin lotion, skin cream and body butter

Skin lotion/face lotion has a runnier consistency and is absorbed relatively quickly by the skin.

Skin cream is, as the name indicates, creamier in consistency – and therefore slightly thicker. It’s a kind of intermediate stage between body lotion and body butter.

Body butter is still thicker in consistency, and the greasiest alternative.

What is body butter?

Body butter is a very greasy skin cream that moisturises and lubricates the skin. It’s perfect if you want to moisturise your skin in winter, or if you have very dry skin. It takes longer for the skin to absorb body butter than lotion, for example, but the skin also retains the wonderful scent for longer.

When should I use body butter?

Body butter is used to lubricate dry skin, and is ideal to keep your skin moisturised during the winter when you spend more time in artificially heated spaces.

How should I use body butter?

You rub the body butter into your skin and leave it to be absorbed – in other words, you don’t wipe it off again afterwards.

Can I make my own body butter?

Making your own body butter is simple. All you need is oil, butter and potato starch. Follow our guide above for recipes and instructions.

Buying body butter

If you don’t have the time or patience to make your own body butter, you can buy it in the nearest beauty shop or chemists, such as the Body Shop, Boots or Lloyds Pharmacy. But of course you’ll get the best price if you do a comparison. Here you can find all body butters and see where to get them for the lowest possible price.