DIY Lavender Cocoa Body Butter

I am a DIY cocoa body butter makin' fool. That first attempt at creating a body butter just for my ridiculously dry skin was a revelation- body butters are easy as heck! I have since made two more... just because I can (and I've trialed lip balms and bath melts... not ready to post those recipes yet- they need tweaking).

Take a quick peak at your store bought body butter and it has a whole slew of ingredients, most of which rate on Adria Vasil's "Mean 15" list of chemicals that are known carcinogens and hormone disruptors. And you're slathering that so your skin will ABSORB those chemicals... ick. Even if you buy "organic, 100% natural" and can pronounce all the ingredients on your body butter... they are so easy to make yourself for much cheaper- why wouldn't you?

Ok, so here's the deal. It took me less than 30min to make my last batch of body butter. No seriously. And that's WITH infusing the oil with herbs for 20min. I now have two options for body butter: calendula smelling but uber effective or yummy lavender+chamomile (and still extremely moisturizing).

For the calendula recipe- check out this post.

Here's how I managed to make a body butter in under 30 minutes:

(Lavender cocoa body butter in liquid form pre-fridge!)

DIY LAVENDER COCOA BUTTER



FIRST:
In a small saucepan pour in about 1/3 cup of sweet almond oil.
Add one teaspoon of chamomile flowers (dried)
Add one tablespoon of lavender flowers (dried)

(chamomile and lavender flowers infusing almond oil...both are soothing to the skin)

On VERY low heat (minimum), infuse for 20minutes (or longer). If you put it too high the oil takes on a slightly burned smell and the yummy benefits of the flowers are burned away and lost.

THEN:
While that is infusing, sterilize your mason jar in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Microwave your cocoa butter for about 45 seconds.

AFTER:
In your faux double boiler (the pot to which previously sterilized your mason jar), add:
3 tablespoons of softened cocoa butter
3 tablespoons of coconut oil (unrefined)

With water simmering, melt both oils together.

NOW:
Strain the herbs from the infused oil into a bowl.
Add the cocoa and coconut oils
Scrape in 3 vanilla bean bits
Add 5 drops of lavender essential oil.
Stir and place in the refrigerator to help prevent herb bits and vanilla from sinking to the bottom.

(all ready for the fridge!)

To use:
Remove from the fridge a few hours (I remove it the night before) to allow the oils to soften.
Apply liberally, you might need to get a few other things done in your drawses (teehee) while you wait for your skin to absorb the oil. Like blow dry your hair, put on makeup, do a little dance... whatever :)

Store in a cool dark place. I wouldn't leave this more than 6 months, as you've added vanilla extract, which could have some water. If you use it regularly though, it should last about 2 months anyway :)

article and photographs copyright of EcoYogini at ecoyogini.blogspot.com