Mthixton - body butter recipe question

Hi,

I noticed you had posted on a couple of other threads about a homemade body butter you make for your own use. Unless a moderator has an issue with you posting it, I would love to see how you make it...if you don't mind.

I realize (as should everyone else) that it will have to be adjusted for each person if they have allergies or sensitivities and is not a guaranteed success for everyone, but I would love to know how you make it. I already have so many essential oils on hand and honestly just use them to infuse our home with lovely scents. I do have to be careful about what I use them in though, because they will literally eat through plastics in their undiluted form. I did this and literally ruined two de-humidifiers and a vacuum cleaner before I realized what adding a couple of drops of oil could do. The plastic literally melted where the drops were....so I give a warning to anyone considering using essential oils....do not use it undiluted in anything plastic or anything that you value very much until you are very familiar with how to use it. By the way, I purchased all of mine at GNC, so I was warned and still screwed it up....lol. The smell was lovely until I realized even a drop or two put into the vacuum cleaner bucket on a cotton ball would melt the plastic...lol

I will post it when I get home from work. I use Shea butter coconut oil macadamia nut oil/sweet almond oil (depending on preference)and some essential oils. One I can't spell to save the life of me but my mother in law with fibromyalgia swears by it and my grandmother with arthritis loves it to. I know some if the oils I use are the wintergreen oil, Idaho tansy oil, and one other I will post once I can properly spell it without butchering it. But you mix the regular base products like normal and then add the oils to the preferred strength.

Hi again RM & Mthixton. I meant to check in again with you but I was knocked out by a bug and been asleep for most of the weekend...not bad going considering I'm usually lucky to sleep a couple of hours a day!

RM - my preferred recipe is 1/2 cup of coconut oil, 1/2 cup of sweet almond oil, 1/2 cup of Shea butter, 1/2 cup of cocoa butter. You can basically use whatever butters and oils you like though, provided you keep the ratio to 75% solid, 25% liquid. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature in most places, so even though it's an 'oil', for these sorts of recipes you consider it a solid.

You can do it in a double saucepan if you want; I just put everything in a Pyrex jug on medium power in the microwave until it's melted. I do mine as a whipped butter - I prefer the lightness, and feel that it absorbs better into my skin.

To do a whipped butter, you put your melted oils in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 mins - basically til it's all started to solidify - and then you use a hand or electric whisk and whip it up like you would with cream. It's also at this time that you add your oils...for that amount I'd use maybe 20 drops depending on the oil, then put in a jar and enjoy it :)

I use the wintergreen oil and menthol crystals like Mthixton does - also peppermint, eucalyptus, camphor, lavender...I'm also going to try using clove oil in my next batch as it's meant to complement camphor and vice versa.

I haven't tried making them yet so I can't vouch for how good the recipe is, but I've just been given one for making a solid lotion bar (with very similar oils) for soothing muscle pain. I plan on giving it a go in the next couple of weeks when I can get some more menthol - happy to share the recipe if you would like?

Laura