Shona Naturals loves a good DIY, but remember when your mom always used to say "when you want something done right, do it yourself!" Ya, well... that works for some things, but others should be left to the professionals. This body butter though, you can certainly do yourself.

If you're feeling enthusiastic and want to add another creation to your DIY accomplishments, this the one! Not only do you get to say you did it, but you get to control what ingredients you want to use and tailor it to your needs. You also get to skip the harsh chemicals and fillers. 

Here's a simple recipe, that can be altered to your liking. Cocoa butter can be swapped out for Shea or Mango butter. The carrier oils can also be swapped to Grapeseed, Avocado, Apricot, Argan, Coconut, or even Macadamia oil. The choice is yours, if you want to add fragrance or essential oils - but make sure it's in small doses to avoid irritating sensitive skin.

For the method, you can follow along with this short video, the ingredient guidelines are below.

Ingredients:

Skin is out for the summer! If you want to make sure your skin is looking moisturized and feeling soft, and smelling delicious enough to eat, here's a quick and simple DIY body butter recipe to try. When making your own creations you have full control and can swap out any items you like, this is a guide and it can be customized.

Instructions:

Whipped butter

1. Measure Cocoa and Shea butters. 

2. Place both butters into a heat safe glass and then into a warm bath - you can use a pan/ pot filled with warm water.

3. Allow the Cocoa and Shea to melt, stir lightly with heat safe spatula or stir stick.

4. Remove melted butter from the warm bath, and allow it to cool .

5. Let the mixture stand at room temperature until slightly solidified or place in refrigerator.

5. Once cooled, add Vitamin E and essential oil of your choice - you can skip this part or swap it out for fragrance oil.

6. Use a hand mixer to blend the mixture until fluffy in texture.

7. Transfer your butter into your storage jar or container of choice

Non whipped / Pour n' Store

Follow steps 1-4 above.

5. Pour into storage container and let it sit overnight to solidify or refrigerate.

Benefits:

Cocoa and Shea butter both provide a considerable amount of moisture to the skin when applied. Filled with nutrients such as vitamin A and E, and anti-inflammatory properties, they act as great protective barriers for the skin. Almond oil is a carrier oil that pairs well with many butters, it is known to hydrate and improve skin tone.

How to Use:

Body butter can be used directly after a bath or shower to replenish moisture in the skin. Those who suffer from dry skin can use this to maintain moisture, when applied directly to the skin and massaged in, it can provide long lasting hydration. Avoid introducing water into the body butter, ensure hands are dry before applying the butter. Store in a cool dry place to maximize shelf life. 

Pro Tip:

Body butters commonly melt in the summer and in hot climates, if this happens, pop it into the fridge to solidify and use when ready. Melted body butter is still useable and it does not take away from the hydrating properties. To thicken the body butter, beeswax or other waxes can be added to the formula.