Got dry skin?

After a long winter your skin can end up dried out and begging for moisture. In order to get ready for the sunny, warm days ahead, here is an easy to make, delicious body butter recipe that will leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and refreshed. If your skin has been neglected and becomes exceptionally dry, body butter works by coating the skin while at the same time creating a protective barrier to the elements. And because it is made using only oils and butters, there is no need to add preservatives.

Why DIY?

Regular store bought body butters and creams are often filled with synthetic fragrances, parabens, and other unwanted ingredients. Many products will even advertise that they are "natural", while still containing potentially harmful chemicals. In fact “skin care products only need to have 1 percent natural ingredients in order to be called “natural”; while the rest can be man-made.”

In addition, because our skin is the largest organ in our body, it readily absorbs about 60 percent of any substance put on it. This means that our bodies may take in as much as 4.4 lb (2kg) of chemicals every year. Making your own personal care products is one of the best ways to lessen this chemical load and upgrade your health. So if you wouldn’t put it in your mouth, then you probably don’t want to put it on your skin.

Body Butter Recipe

What you'll need:

• 1 Cup Organic Raw Shea Butter (solid)
• ½ Cup Coconut Oil (solid)
• ½ Cup Almond Oil (liquid)

Instructions:

1. Melt the Shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
2. Stir in almond oil and 20 drops (increase to desired sent) of the essential oil of your choosing. Our favourites include Wild Orange, Lemon and Lavender oil together.
3. Place oil mixture in the freezer to chill. Wait until oils start to partially solidify and then whip until a butter-like consistency is achieved. Put in a glass jar and moisturize away!

Click here to order glass jars.

Resources

Rogers, Elizabeth, and Thomas Kostigen. The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time. New York: Three Rivers, 2007. Print.

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