Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter Body Butter

A cocoa and shea body butter is a rich, whipped moisturizer for dry skin, made by melting 1/4 cup (57 g) each of shea butter and cocoa butter with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of coconut oil, then whipping. Baraka's unrefined shea butter is made by hand by the women of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana.

Cocoa and shea body butter: what it is and who it suits

This is a rich, whipped body butter for dry skin. It takes a little more effort than a basic body butter, but the method is simple. It also makes a good gift for friends and family, especially in the colder months when skin tends to be dry.

Shea butter is solid at room temperature and melts on contact with skin. It is traditionally used on dry skin, lips, hands, feet and hair. Baraka's shea butter is unrefined, strained and filtered only, with no refining, bleaching or deodorizing. Its color runs from ivory through cream to pale yellow and varies between batches. A mild nutty smell is normal and is not a fault.

Cocoa butter is hard and brittle at room temperature, harder than shea, and melts at close to body temperature. It is used where a firm, stable product is wanted, such as a rich cream that needs to hold its shape. Virgin coconut oil, the third ingredient, absorbs quickly rather than sitting on the skin.

Cocoa butter is the firm half of this blend. Baraka cocoa butter is unrefined, unbleached and undeodorized, so it keeps the chocolate smell of the bean, and its origin is Ghana.

/4 cup shea butter in grams: what it weighs

In this recipe, 1/4 cup of shea butter is 2 oz (57 g). The cocoa butter is also 1/4 cup, or 2 oz (57 g), so the two butters are equal by weight. The coconut oil is 2 tablespoons (30 ml).

Cup measures of a solid butter vary with how firmly it is packed into the cup. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh 2 oz (57 g) of each butter for the most reliable result, and measure the coconut oil with a tablespoon once it is liquid.

How to make shea butter and cocoa butter body butter: step by step

Melt the two butters and the coconut oil together in a heatproof bowl over a double boiler. Let the mixture cool slightly, then whip it with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy. Add the optional vanilla essential oil, stir well and spoon the body butter into a clean jar. The full ingredients and directions are below.

Expect the mild nutty smell of unrefined shea butter and the chocolate smell of cocoa butter, which refining and deodorizing would remove. Coconut oil is solid below about 75°F (24°C) and clear liquid above it. It moves between the two readily, so the body butter may feel firmer or softer with the temperature of the room. This is normal and does not affect quality.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (57 g) shea butter
• 1/4 cup (57 g) cocoa butter
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) virgin coconut oil
• 5 drops vanilla essential oil (about 0.25 g), optional

For body use, essential oil stays at 2% of the total weight or less, and 5 drops is far below that. Leave the vanilla out of anything for babies or young children.

Directions

1. Place the shea butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl.
2. Melt the ingredients together using the double boiler method, with the bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water.
3. Stir gently until completely melted and combined.
4. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
5. Using an electric mixer, whip the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy.
6. Add the vanilla essential oil, if using, and stir well.
7. Transfer the body butter to a clean jar and store it in a cool, dry place.

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 four batches
• Baraka Cocoa Butter, 8.8 oz (250 g): enough for four batches
• Baraka Virgin Coconut Oil, 3.5 oz (100 g): enough for three batches

Buy all three now

Vanilla essential oil is not a Baraka product; use your usual supplier.

Storage

Keep the jar in a cool, dry place, away from heat and direct sun. Shea butter keeps 2+ years when stored properly, and virgin coconut oil is highly saturated, so it keeps far longer than most oils and needs no added antioxidant.

If the cocoa butter develops a pale surface bloom after a change in temperature, that is a change in crystal structure, not spoilage, and it disappears on melting. This recipe was first published in Shea Butter: The Ultimate DIY Ingredient.

Quick answers

Cocoa and shea body butter

Baraka's cocoa and shea body butter is a rich, whipped moisturiser for dry skin. This recipe uses equal parts shea butter and cocoa butter (57g each) with 30ml of coconut oil, and 5 drops of vanilla essential oil if you like. You melt the fats together, let them cool slightly, then whip until light and fluffy.

/4 cup shea butter in grams

1/4 cup of shea butter is 57g. Baraka's recipe uses the same amount of cocoa butter, 1/4 cup (57g), alongside 2 tablespoons (30ml) of coconut oil.

How to make shea butter and cocoa butter body butter?

For Baraka's recipe, melt 1/4 cup (57g) shea butter, 1/4 cup (57g) cocoa butter and 2 tablespoons (30ml) coconut oil together in a heatproof bowl over a double boiler, stirring gently until smooth. Take it off the heat and let it cool slightly, then whip with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in 5 drops of vanilla essential oil if you want it, then spoon into a clean jar and keep it in a cool, dry place.