Moisturizing Body Balm and Belly Balm Recipe

Updated 11/16/17                      Make our concentrated, super moisturizing,
                                           fast absorbing body balm.

                                                    Made with 3 natural butters and oil, with pure essential oil ...

                                           a little goes a long way!

If you need some serious moisture, but hate the greasiness that usually accompanies the rich

butters and balms, this is the recipe for you.  This combination of 2 butters, 1 oil and optional

essential oil is highly concentrated, rich in natural skin loving moisture, healing

and best of all it literally melts on your skin.

  

Due to the incredible absorbing property of grapeseed oil, this balm seeps into your

skin quickly, taking the natural butters of shea and cocoa right along with it.

Recipe

3 oz        shea butter

1 1/2 oz  cocoa butter

1 1/2 oz  grapeseed oil

1- tsp     *orange essential oil, or eo of your choice. ( 1 tsp = 5ml or 100 drops)

                   * NOTE on essential oil usage in lotions and oils:   

For adults:

Sensitive skin: .5 to 1 percent dilution = 3 to 6 drops per ounce of oil/butter
Normal, healthy skin: 1 to 2.5 percent dilution = 6 to 15 drops per ounce

Gently melt the cocoa butter with the grapeseed oil, by gently I mean don't over heat or boil, the least degree of heat used is best to preserve the oils properties. Use a double boiler or microwave. Stirring it will dissolve the cocoa butter quicker in the grapeseed.

When the cocoa butter is completely dissolved in the grapeseed, add your shea butter, you shouldn't need to  heat, just stir until completely dissolved.   If adding essential oil, put it in now and stir.

Place your bowl in the frig or freezer to cool oils to the point of getting thick. Then take out and with an electric wisk or hand blender beat the thickened oils.  It should get light and fluffy. You can use it light and fluffy, like a whipped body butter, or put it back in frig/freezer for a few more minutes, take it out and 

beat it again.  As you beat it, you will see it become more the consistency of a balm. Very concentrated.

Place your body balm in clean containers and store in cool dark place.  

This balm is excellent for dry feet, hands, elbows, legs, anywhere you need intensive moisture.  Great for eczema as well.

 For a fabulous Belly Balm for pregnancy to aide in stretch marks and

dry itching from skin stretched tight, make this recipe without the essential oil, as some essential oils are

not recommended for use during pregnancy.

Photo is my attempt at showing you
how beautifully this balm melts!

Two butters, one oil and the finished product. That's all it takes to make your own, spa quality, natural body balm for yourself or a luxurious gift. Don't be intimidated, give it a try!  You can find shea and cocoa butter

on-line for sale and grapeseed is found in any grocery store and Walmart.

I would love to hear if anyone makes this recipe!

Enjoy,     Anna

Homemade Lotion

                                       Almond Biscotti Body Moisturizing Lotion......delish

I made this lotion today using Almond Biscotti skin safe fragrance oil from Brambleberry.com

Click here for recipe.     It came out creamy, luxuriently soft and smooth.  Great fall scent,
absolutely yummy.

Homemade Body Butter, Lotion with beeswax, free recipe

                            Homemade Chamomile Body Butter

UPDATED NOTE 2/25/15:   Please take note that this body butter recipe does not list

a preservative. Any product with water in it is a potential breeding ground for bacteria,

with serious complications.  This recipe is not intended for resale products, but as a

way for you to make a homemade body butter without chemicals. Please follow 

sterilization procedures if you try this awesome and fun project.

And remember to make an amount that can be used up within a couple weeks or please
add a preservative.

I was inspired by Louisa Shafia's post from lucidfood.com, to try my hand at homemade lotion.
This in itself is not a novel enterprise I know, but the fact that this lotion is made without any added stearic acid or emulsifying wax or preservative caught my eye.  Very easy, frugal to make this
gorgeous lotion at home.

Beeswax acts as an emulsifying (turning the oils and water into a combined product) agent.  No other emulsifier is needed.   It worked like a charm.  It came out the consistency of a beautiful body butter. Creamy, luxurious.  A very pleasing lotion with no chemicals or fillers.

My recipe is made with freshly brewed chamomile tea. The scent of the body butter is gorgeous. Not strong,  subtle and natural.  Very nice.  This recipe is SO creamy, absolutely lovely.  I've made this same recipe with plain, distilled water, with no tea, and added almond biscotti fragrance,  it was so warm and compfy, also made it with peppermint and loved it.  Just add your favorite essential oil and enjoy your own trademark lotion. If you make this with tea rather than distilled water it will have a shorter shelf life.

With no added preservative this will only keep a few weeks, longer if refrigerated.  I spritzed my containers with alcohol before filling them to get rid of any bacteria, and I used distilled water.  If I were going to sell this I would use a preservative in it, as any time you are dealing with water in a homemade natural product you are potentially dealing with bacteria and a preservative is a must. Optiphen is a good one, it is paraben, formaldahyde free.  Brambleberry sells it.


RECIPE:  Can be made in a blender or with a stick blender.  This recipe makes about 2 cups.

• 1 cup tea made with distilled water  (or just water if you don't want tea)
• 3/4 cup liquid oil: like almond, olive, grapeseed etc.  (I used 2/4 cup almond & 1/4 cup grapeseed oil)
• 3 Tablespoons beeswax  (if using solid bar beeswax, grate it)
• Optional :  Vit E for a longer shelf life: 1-2 capsules or 1 tsp
• Optional: an essential oil for scent at your desired strength

1) Spritz all your utensils, blender, and lotion containers with alcohol.
2)  Make tea, or have distilled water ready if not using tea.
3)  Melt beeswax and oil together in microwave or double boiler. Allow to cool a few minutes.
4)  Pour tea or distilled water and essential oil (if using) into blender, or into bowl if using
    a stick blender.
5) Turn on blender, (medium) slowly pour in your oil/beeswax thru the stopper lid. It thickens
     fast.  It's done when no more water is on top. If you still have water, turn up the speed of
     of the blender.
6) Scoop out and put in jars, keep uncovered until cool. Will thicken more as it cools.

Made with Almond biscotti scent, warm and yummy

Made with homemade rosewater and peppermint tea, fresh and natural

Made with Chamomile tea, subtle

                                                                                               

Enjoy, ..................Anna

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