Gift Basket Supplies & More

 
Product List

 
HERBAL BODY BUTTER RECIPE

Try this herbal recipe for homemade body butter that will smooth the worst case of dry skin and is inexpensive to make.  It can be customized to contain only the ingredients you choose.

Since the times of ancient Greece when cold cream was first invented, people have been pampering their skin with rich lotions.

These moisturizing soufflés lock in vital moisture and soothe skin that has grown dry from neglect and harsh conditions.  When added to the mix, herbs can contribute even greater benefits to a basic body lotion.  Manufacturers, who have not overlooked the point, have begun marketing their own lines of herbal body butters in recent years.

While undoubtedly effective, these products can be very expensive and contain preservatives that some people would rather avoid.  For those of us who want to pamper our skin but have monetary or ecological drawbacks to store bought lotions, the following body butter lotion is an ideal solution to the problem.  It cost only pennies to make and can be customized to contain only the ingredients you find suitable.

At some point in our lives all of us are bound to experience at least one bout of dry skin.  Our lifestyles and geography play a part in this, as do diet and genetics.

For instance, a cold climate can suck all of the moisture out of even the supplest skin.  Shaving can lead to dry legs, which in turn leads to irritation and uncomfortable itching.  And how many of us manage to eat perfectly and drink the recommended six to eight glasses of water every single day?

Ingredients
The basic composition of any lotion, whether it is a light facial moisturizer or rich body lotion, is a blend of oil and water.  Of course, every grade school knows that these two items do not mix.

However, lotions have a secret ingredient that can defy this law of nature: the emulsifier.  This item, which heated and blended with water and oil, holds the two together.  The most common and easily accessible emulsifier is beeswax, a natural secretion produced by bees after they eat honey.

You can purchase beeswax at larger craft stores.  If the price deters you, just remember that a pound of beeswax is enough to make well over one hundred batches of lotion. 

Borax, and alkali commonly used for softening laundry water, works alongside beeswax to preserve the lotion.

To make effective body butter, you will need a variety of nourishing vegetable oils.  My favorite includes olive oil, avocado oil and jojoba oil, all of which are rich in vitamins necessary for beautiful skin.

If you cannot locate any of these at the grocery store, visit your local health food store.  I should caution you that the latter two oils you need, may be a bit pricey, but you only need about a teaspoon of each for this recipe.  Shop around for the best bargain or look online for deals.  If you want to make more lotion later, all of theses oils will keep for months if stored in a cool dark place.

Since no herbal body butter would be complete without the herbs, we will now discuss beneficial additives that are available from Mother Nature.

Recipe
This recipe contains two of the best plants for skin:  rose and yarrow.

Rose petals not only have a lovely fragrance, but also soften rough skin.
Yarrow flowers soothe irritated skin and impart their own delicate scent to this blend

To add them to your lotion, you will need to make floral water.  You can do this by bringing a cup of water nearly to a boil, adding a tablespoon of the dried herb, and covering the blend.  Let the herbs steep for twenty minutes.  Finally, strain out the solids and bottle your floral water.  You can buy these herbs at health food stores, grow your own (with out pesticides) or purchase on line.

Combine 1-cup of floral water and 1/4 teaspoon borax in a microwave safe dish

In a second dish, mix