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Gone are the days when creams, moisturizers, and lotions were the only saviors for our skin. With the rapid advancement of the skincare industry, plenty of other products have been launched to help us enhance our skin texture and make it look gorgeous. Body butter is one such product that claims to make our skin buttery soft and silky smooth. While commercial body butter products can be filled with chemical compounds that indirectly cause harm to your skin, you can always opt for DIY body butter recipes to enjoy the same rich and luscious experience with zero damaging effects. In this article, we will be talking about some of the best homemade body butter recipes that you should give a try.
What Is Body Butter?
Body butter is a body moisturizer that induces deep hydration and moisturization into the skin. It is a fantastic skincare formula, which is richer, denser, and more easily absorbed into the skin than its regular counterparts like body oils or body lotions. In addition, its unique blend of ingredients can revive any skin instantly by providing intense hydration to it.
Moreover, it creates an extra layer of protective barrier over the skin to lock moisture in it. It also nourishes the skin with vital nutrients, such as essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and so on.
Also Read – Top 10 Body Washes In India (With Latest Prices) For A Smooth And Buttery-Soft Skin
When Should You Use A Body Butter?
Is the winter leaving your skin dry, parched, and flaky? Is it so much that your body lotion is not enough to combat the dryness? Or, maybe you are worried about all the chemicals going into your body from your lotion and want a natural alternative. Whatever the situation is, you should give the body butter a try. Your skin needs intensive moisturization during bitter winters, which comes only from a thick and rich body butter. And if it is made of natural ingredients, it can even fight against extreme dryness effectively. It is always recommended to use body butter right after having a shower or bath.
You can pamper your hands and/or feet with body butter every night and wear pair of gloves and/or socks. This will keep them super soft and smooth.
Body Butter Vs. Body Oil Vs. Body Lotion
Yes, you heard it right. Body lotion, Body Butter, and Body Oil have different constituents and perform different functions. So let’s decode one by one.
Body Butter – They are enriched with shea butter or cocoa butter and may contain other ingredients like honey or a little amount of essential oil. They have high moisturizing and hydrating properties and effectively protect the skin by creating an outer protective layer. Moreover, they can reduce signs of aging and minimize the sagginess of the skin.
Body Oil – Body Oils are lightweight compared to body butter and contain mainly oil as their primary ingredient. It gets quickly absorbed in the skin. It can lock moisture and is effective in combating stretch marks and scars.
Body Lotion – It’s lightweight and can provide the required moisture level to the skin. Common ingredients include olive oil, glycerin, or hyaluronic acid. It is fast-absorbing, hydrating, and comes with anti-wrinkle properties.
How To Choose Your Body Butter?
While body butter can help moisturize, hydrate, and nourish your skin, please note that we all have different skin types and requirements; thus, one size does not fit all.
If you have oily or combination skin, look for ingredients that make the butterless greasy and sticky. Adding Grapeseed oil, Rosehip oil, Arrowroot powder to your body butter recipe can make it less greasy.
For sensitive skin, shea butter, mango butter, and cocoa butter can be used as core ingredients. Do a patch test before you try any of our recommended body butter.
How To Make A Rich Body Butter At Home?
Preparing your natural body butter at home is easier than you think. Primarily, you need a rich moisturizing base for this purpose. Typically, virgin coconut oil or cocoa butter, or shea butter is used as a body butter base, and you can get it quickly from your local chemist or nearby beauty product retailer. All other ingredients can be picked according to your skin’s requirements and your desire. Homemade body butter does not contain preservatives. Hence, you must make it in small batches so that it gets used up within a week. Then, you can store your body butter jar in a cool and dry place.
Also Read – 10 Best Hair Removal Creams In India That Give A Silky Smooth Skin
3 Luscious Homemade Body Butter Recipes
Now, here we give you three simple yet lush homemade body butter recipes that will help you get soft and smooth skin.
1. Coconut Oil, Honey, And Citrus Body Butter
Coconut oil is a natural moisturizer, while honey works as a humectant. So, when they combine, can it be anything lesser than a true elixir for our skin? Adding a touch of citrus to it will keep you fresh throughout the day.
Preparation:
1. Whip together half a cup of coconut oil (refrigerated for an hour) and two teaspoons of honey.
2. As it starts lathering up into a nice thick cream, add a few shavings of lemon or orange rind to it and whip again. You have your very own citrus fragrant body butter ready with the goodness of coconut oil and honey.
How To Apply?
Apply it all over your body to get skin that feels nourished and smells fresh. Also, apply it to your elbows and knees to get rid of rough skin.
2. Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, And Beeswax Body Butter
Both shea butter and beeswax are intensive natural moisturizers (solid at room temperature and need to be melted in a double boiler before using). Combine them with coconut oil, and you will get a super-rich moisturizer of wonderful creamy texture. Also, the beeswax has a subtle scent of honey, which makes this body butter fragrant.
Preparation:
1. Take 1 cup of melted shea butter and pour 1/2 cup coconut oil and 3 tablespoons of melted beeswax into it.
2. Place the entire thing over medium flame and keep stirring until the blend thickens up.
3. Let it cool down completely and refrigerate it for 2 hours. Then, take it out and whip it into a nice and fluffy body butter.
How To Apply?
Slather the body butter on your skin, focusing on the flakiest parts. Do not forget to show some love to your face too.
Tip: You can also add some almond oil if you want to kick in some vitamin E into this.
3. Vanilla And Cocoa Body Butter
Isn’t the vanilla-cocoa combo drool-worthy? They are not only pleasing for our taste buds but also quite lovable for our skin. So, how about making body butter with it? First, however, you need to melt the solid cocoa butter in a double-boiler before starting, just like the previous recipe.
Preparation:
1. Add 1 cup of melted cocoa butter to the 1/2 cup of almond oil and 1/2 cup of coconut oil.
2. Add a few drops of pure vanilla extract to it and refrigerate for 2 hours. Now, whip the whole thing till it becomes creamy and frothy.
How To Apply?
Spoon out the butter in a jar and slather it on your skin. It smells so good that you would want to eat it!
Also Read – 7 Best Home Remedies for Dark Circles with Causes and Medical Treatments
Body Butter for Oily Skin
If you have oily or sensitive skin, then there are chances that your body butter can make your skin greasy and sticky. However, there are two ways to make your body butter less greasy.
- You can add a fast-absorbing carrier oil to your recipe. For example, adding Grapeseed oil or Rosehip oil to your mix will make it less greasy.
- Alternatively, you can add ingredients that can absorb grease quickly. For example, adding a small quantity of arrowroot powder will make a perfect blend.
Benefits of Body Butter
Some of the benefits of body butter include –
- It comes with hydrating and moisturizing properties
- Creates a protective outer layer around the skin
- Combats stretch marks and scars effectively
- Fights against aging signs like wrinkle, sagginess
- Effective in treating dry lips, hair loss, dry feet and elbow
- Safely removes makeup from the skin
Summary:
Body butter is a versatile recipe used for inducing moisture and hydration to dry skin. It also lubricates and nourishes the skin. A typical body butter recipe may include hydrating ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, and honey. However, depending on individual requirements, body butter may be customized to include cocoa butter, vanilla, and essential oils.
Frequently Asked Questions (h3)
How long does homemade body butter last?
Preservative-free homemade body butter can last up to 3-4 months in an airtight and refrigerated condition. However, preparing the butter in small batches is recommended for better results.
How do you make body butter smell good?
If you are going for a shea butter-based body butter, there is a high likelihood that you may not like its smell. The best way to deal with it is to add a few drops of essential oil to combat its smell. In addition, adding a few drops of mint or lavender oil can significantly enhance its fragrance.
Is body butter better than lotions?
No. Body lotions and body butter can effectively treat dry skin. However, body butter induces deeper hydration and moisturization into the skin than body lotions.
