Belly Butter

I've just been having so much fun in my body care workshop, aka my kitchen, creating different, safe, nourishing items to use for common body care items. I have two whole cabinets dedicated to the ingredients, containers, and appliances. Feeding our skin is as important as the actual food we eat.

My lovely friend Marie, who just had her baby, recently came to visit me. She asked if there were any cocoa butter based lotions or creams for stretch marks. Immediately I asked if I could make her something. Then "Belly Butter" was born. It is more or less body butter, with a partial cocoa butter base along with grapefruit essential oil. 

Using genuine essential oils in homemade products don't only provide safe lovely scents to body care they increase healing time. Different essential oils have different properties. In this case I chose grapefruit because it contains limonene. It is present in citrus peels, especially grapefruit. It support skin health.

Making the belly butter was extremely simple. The process for making most balms, salves, deodorants, and lotions is very similar. It makes pairing combinations easy. 

Belly Butter Ingredients

1/2 C Cocoa Butter

1/2 C Shea Butter

1/2 C Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil

1/2 C Avocado Oil

20 Drops Grapefruit Essential Oil

Tools Needed 

Double Boiler

Silicon Spatula (reserved for body care making)

Chopstick (I use this to stir)

Hand Mixer

3 (4oz) glass jars or 1 (12-16oz) jar

Instructions (Please read these before jumping into action)

Gather your oils and butters, measure and place all into the double boiler, EXCEPT for the essential oil, it's not time for that yet. Melt the oils and butters in the double boiler over low-medium heat. Be patient, shea butter takes a while to melt. As mentioned in previous posts using a double boiler is really important. Just using a pot directly on the heat could over-heat or burn the oils/butters. You can easily create a make-shift double boiler by using a small stainless steel mixing bowl with a 2-3 qt pot.

Next remove pan from heat and let it cool in the refrigerator until semi-solid. Then remove it the fridge, now add your essential oil, and whip with a hand mixer right in the pot. It will look like mashed potatoes. 

Finally using your silicon spatula fill your jars. 

Use a sticky label and pretty handwriting.

Isn't that easy?!!! You can make it too along with other simple body care. Feed your skin well. Remember to be healthy, be blessed, and be a good steward!