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How To Make Body Butter (Beginner Friendly Guide)

September 28, 2023

Chigo Izuogu

To make body butter, melt solid butters, stir in a liquid oil, let the mixture cool until it sets at the edges, then whip it until it is light and fluffy. Baraka's shea butter is made by hand at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana, and it is the base of the recipe below. This guide gives the exact amounts, the steps, what each ingredient does and how to fix a batch that turns out too hard or too soft.

How do you make body butter?

Start with solid butters and liquid oils. For a simple two-ingredient version, melt 1/2 cup (120 ml) each of shea butter and coconut oil. Melt the solids gently, stir in the liquid oils, cool the mixture until it starts to set, then whip it. Spoon it into clean, dry containers and leave it to set for a few hours.

The full recipe below adds cocoa butter and sweet almond oil for a richer, silkier result. You need nothing more than a heatproof bowl and a whisk or electric mixer.

What you need

Double boiler or microwave: for melting your solid butters.
Mixing bowl: to combine your oils.
Whisk or electric mixer: to whip the body butter until creamy.
Kitchen scale: for accurate amounts, if you have one.
Containers: clean, dry jars or tins with lids for your finished body butter.

Whipped body butter recipe

This recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups (300 ml), which is roughly 9 to 10 oz (about 270 g).

Ingredients

1/2 cup (120 ml) shea butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) cocoa butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) sweet almond oil
10 to 20 drops of essential oil, such as lavender, Roman chamomile or sweet orange (about 0.02 to 0.04 oz, or 0.5 to 1 g)

Optional: 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vitamin E oil.

Optional: a little aloe vera gel or arrowroot powder for a silkier feel, added as needed.

Method

Prepare your workspace. Wash your hands, and clean and dry your bowl, whisk and containers.
Measure the shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and sweet almond oil. A scale gives the most reliable result.
Melt the shea butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil in a double boiler over simmering water. In a microwave, heat in short bursts and stir between each one until fully melted.
Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the sweet almond oil and the vitamin E oil, if you are using it.
Let the mixture cool for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to set around the edges but is still liquid in the middle.
Put the bowl in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes, until the mixture is slightly firm but not hard.
Stir in your essential oil. If you want a silkier feel, mix in a little arrowroot powder.
Whip with an electric mixer, starting on low and increasing the speed as it thickens. This takes several minutes. Stop when it looks like whipped cream or frosting.
Spoon the body butter into clean, dry containers and seal them tightly.
Leave it to set for a few hours somewhere cool, then use it on skin that is still slightly damp after a bath or shower.

Buy the ingredients now

This recipe uses three Baraka ingredients. One click takes all three straight to checkout.

Baraka Raw Shea Butter, 8.8 oz (250 g): enough for two batches
Baraka Cocoa Butter, 8.8 oz (250 g): enough for four batches
Baraka Virgin Coconut Oil, 8.8 oz (250 g): enough for four batches

Buy all three now

Sweet almond oil, essential oil, vitamin E oil, aloe vera gel and arrowroot powder are not Baraka products; use your usual supplier.

If you add aloe vera gel: Contains water, so make small batches, keep it cool and throw it out if it smells or looks off.

Patch test first, as you would with any new skincare product.

Body butter ratio: how much solid to liquid oil

A good starting point is a little more solid than liquid. In this recipe, shea butter and cocoa butter are the firm part (3/4 cup, 180 ml) and coconut oil and sweet almond oil are the softer part (1/2 cup, 120 ml). That is about three parts to two. In a warm room, coconut oil melts at about 76°F (24°C), so it behaves like a liquid oil in summer.

For a firmer butter, use more shea or cocoa butter. For a softer one, use more sweet almond oil. The texture section below shows how to adjust a batch.

How much essential oil can you add?

Baraka's recommended limits for leave-on products are up to 2% of the batch weight on the body, 1% on the face and 0.5% on the lips. This batch weighs roughly 9 to 10 oz (about 270 g), so 2% is about 0.19 oz (5 g), or about 100 drops. The 10 to 20 drops in the recipe are well under that. These are our recommended limits, not a guarantee of safety.

Use no essential oils in anything for babies or young children. If you are pregnant, leave essential oils out for the first 12 weeks and ask your midwife or doctor before using them after that. Leave bergamot and lemon oils out of leave-on recipes, because they can make skin react to sunlight. Sweet orange is a good swap at the same number of drops.

What is body butter?

Body butter is a thick, creamy skincare product made to moisturize and nourish the skin. It is usually made from plant butters and oils such as shea butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil, and it may include essential oils or vitamin E.

Body butter is richer than lotion. Many people use it on dry areas such as hands, feet, elbows and knees, and in colder or drier weather. Applying it to slightly damp skin after a bath or shower helps hold in the moisture. People often tell us it leaves dry, rough or chapped-feeling skin feeling soft and smooth.

Body butter or body lotion: what is the difference?

Body butter is made from oils and butters, with no water. Lotion is made with water, which is why it feels lighter, but it also needs a proper preservative. This recipe is a butter, not a lotion. If you want a natural body moisturizer you can make at home with no preservative, a whipped butter like this one is the simplest place to start.

What each ingredient does in body butter

Each ingredient gives the finished butter a different feel. Knowing what they do lets you change the recipe with confidence.

Shea butter: rich, soft and creamy. It gives the body butter its body and a cushioned feel. It naturally contains vitamins A and E. Baraka's shea butter is unrefined and made by hand at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana.
Cocoa butter: firm and brittle at room temperature, with a mild chocolate scent. It makes the butter hold its shape and feel more substantial.
Coconut oil: solid in a cool room and melts quickly on warm skin. It adds a light, smooth glide.
Sweet almond oil: liquid, light and quick to absorb. It keeps the butter soft and easy to scoop.
Vitamin E oil: a few drops or a teaspoon adds an antioxidant. Many makers add it to help oils stay fresh.
Arrowroot powder: a small amount gives a silky, powdery finish and makes the butter feel less greasy.
Aloe vera gel: adds a cool, light feel, but it contains water, so follow the storage line in the recipe.
Essential oils: add scent only. Stay inside the limits above.

How to change the texture of body butter

Use this rule of thumb: butters make it rich, oils make it soft and light, wax makes it hold its shape. Change one thing at a time and write down what you did.

Firmer: add a little more shea butter or cocoa butter, or chill the finished butter for a short time.
Softer: add more sweet almond oil, or use a little less cocoa butter.
Thicker: use more shea butter and whip it for longer. A small spoonful of arrowroot powder also thickens the feel.
Runnier: add more liquid oil and cool the mixture less before whipping.
Lighter: use more sweet almond oil and coconut oil, and whip until the butter holds peaks.
Richer: use more shea butter and cocoa butter and less liquid oil.

If your butter turns out too soft, put it in the refrigerator for a short time. If it is too firm, melt it gently, stir in more liquid oil and whip it again.

Tips for making DIY body butter

Keep everything clean and dry. Wash and dry your bowl, whisk, spoons and containers before you start.
Choose good ingredients. Unrefined butters and oils keep more of their natural character.
Measure carefully. Accurate amounts give you the right texture. Use a scale if you can.
Melt gently. Use low heat and short bursts in the microwave. Overheating can spoil the texture.
Let it cool before whipping. This helps the butter hold air. Chilling speeds things up, but do not let it get hard.
Whip in stages. Start slowly, then speed up as the mixture thickens. Be patient, as it can take several minutes.
Label your jar. Write the date and the ingredients on the container.

How do you add scent to body butter?

To add scent to body butter, stir in essential oils, fragrance oils or natural aromatics after the mixture has cooled a little. Essential oils are a popular choice because they give a natural fragrance. Start with a few drops, mix well and add more until the scent is right, staying inside the limits above.

Essential oils are strong, so they must be diluted in the butter. Fragrance oils are usually made synthetically and come in a wide range of scents. Whichever you use, mix it in thoroughly so the scent is even. For an unscented butter, leave the scent out. That is a good choice for sensitive skin.

Why is my homemade body butter hard?

Homemade body butter is usually hard because the recipe has too much solid butter and not enough liquid oil. A high share of shea butter or cocoa butter makes a firm result. Overheating the ingredients can also change the texture. Melt gently in a double boiler or in short microwave bursts. To fix a hard batch, melt it again and stir in more sweet almond oil.

If your butter feels grainy, it has usually cooled too slowly or unevenly. Melt it fully, then chill it quickly in the refrigerator and whip it again.

How do you make body butter soft and fluffy?

To make body butter soft and fluffy, use more liquid oil compared with the solid butters. Do not overheat the mixture. After melting, let it cool until it just begins to set, but not until it is firm. Then whip it thoroughly with an electric mixer until it looks like whipped cream. Whipping for longer, and chilling the bowl briefly if the mixture is warm, both help the butter hold air.

How do you increase the shelf life of homemade body butter?

You cannot put a fixed time on a homemade butter, but good habits help it stay fresh for as long as possible.

Make small batches. Use it up while it is fresh.
Store it cool and dark. Keep it away from sunlight and heat, which speed up oxidation.
Use airtight containers. Glass or plastic jars with tight lids work well.
Keep water out. Always use clean, dry hands or a clean spoon to scoop. Water or dirt in the jar can lead to microbial growth.
Consider vitamin E oil. Many makers add it as an antioxidant to help oils last.
Watch for changes. If it smells or looks off, throw it out.

This recipe is made without a preservative. If you add water-based ingredients such as aloe vera gel, follow the line in the recipe: Contains water, so make small batches, keep it cool and throw it out if it smells or looks off. Refrigerating a batch with water in it is a sensible choice in a warm climate, though it makes the butter firmer.

More ways to use this recipe

Homemade body butter for black skin: what to know

Shea butter has been used for generations in West Africa, where it is made by hand and used on skin and hair. Many people with deeper skin tones tell us that dry skin shows as a dull, ashy look, and that rich butters leave skin looking and feeling even and nourished. This whipped recipe works well as it is. Choose an unscented version or sweet orange for a light scent.

Men's body butter recipe: a lighter, unscented option

For a body butter with less sweetness, swap the cocoa butter for another 1/4 cup (60 ml) of shea butter, which gives 3/4 cup (180 ml) in total, and leave out the scent. Follow the same steps. The result is a plain, rich, quick-absorbing butter.

Body butter ingredients at a glance

The basic list is a solid butter such as shea or cocoa butter, a liquid oil such as sweet almond oil, and an optional soft oil such as coconut oil. Add vitamin E oil, arrowroot powder, or a few drops of essential oil if you like.

Make it your own

These recipes are a starting point, not a rulebook. Use your judgement, be inspired, and don't be afraid to experiment. Everything here is a pure, natural ingredient that blends happily with the others. Start with a small batch, write down what you did, and see how your skin responds. When you find a blend that works for you, make it again.

This is DIY advice, not medical advice. If you have a skin condition, ask a doctor or pharmacist. Body butter is for leave-on use on the body and is not a sunscreen.

Baraka is Community Certified Fair Trade. You can read about the women and communities behind our shea butter in our Impact Report. To make this recipe, you can find our shea butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil in our store.

Quick answers

How do you make body butter?

In Baraka's recipe, melt 1/2 cup (120 ml) shea butter, 1/4 cup (60 ml) cocoa butter and 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut oil in a double boiler over simmering water, then take it off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup (60 ml) sweet almond oil. Let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes until it sets at the edges, chill it briefly, stir in 10 to 20 drops of essential oil, and whip for several minutes until it looks creamy and frosting-like. Spoon it into clean, dry containers and leave it to set for a few hours. More in How do you make body butter?

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