A bottle of essential oils can last for months, depending on how much you use them, so they’re cost effective, smell great, and can be used for almost anything.
Essential oils are known for their healing and purifying properties, and we love the thought that a few drops of these oils can remove toxins from both the body and the home.
It might surprise you to learn that the average woman puts at least 100 toxins into her body every single day. We don’t know about you, but we think we need some purifying power as soon as possible!
Today we are going to be looking at how to make homemade whipped body butter with essential oils to add a layer of luxury to your shower routine.
But Wait… What About Those 100 Toxins?
Before we get into the recipe, let’s first talk about how on earth we’re putting so many toxins into our body every day. We bet you’re thinking right now – there must be some mistake here – but nope, there’s no mistake.
When was the last time you read the back of your shampoo bottle, or your body butter tub?
Who wants to bet that the last time you did just that, you gave up reading the ingredients list halfway through because you couldn’t understand most of the words included?
These are the toxins we’re talking about. We are a strong believer in not putting anything into or onto your body that you can’t pronounce. It’s harder than you think!
Don’t get us wrong – not every ingredient found in your bathroom is a toxin. However, there are a lot hidden within commonly used products, from market leading brands.
Here are five of the most common toxins found in the bathroom:
Sulfates
You might have already heard of sulfates before, but did you know that they were a toxin? Sulfates are a chemical detergent, so they’re really good at removing dirt and oil. Something you might want from your shampoo, right?
However, sulfates are too good at their job. They’re so strong that they strip away all oil from the skin and scalp, leaving you with adverse effects such as dry, itchy skin and breaking hair.
Moreover, there is also some evidence to suggest that sulfates carry hormone-disrupting agents, such as dioxane. This is a carcinogenic which is thought to affect kidney function.
Parabens
Parabens are another toxin that you should avoid in your daily life, as they are xenoestrogens.
This means that they have a similar composition to human hormones, meaning that xenoestrogens can disrupt your natural hormones and even increase the risk of cancer.
British scientists have found evidence of parabens within breast cancer tissue, which makes you wonder whether you really want them to be on your body.
Artificial Fragrance
The next toxin to avoid might be a little hard to let go of, as who doesn’t want to smell like a vanilla cupcake as soon as they get out of the shower?
We know we do! However, it’s in your best interest to avoid artificial fragrances altogether.
What’s worrying is the fact that manufacturers don’t need to list them as artificial fragrances, so you might see the word fragrance and assume that it is from natural essential oils. It’s not.
Also, while manufacturers have to list that they have added fragrances to their products, they don’t need to disclose what ingredients are used to make the scent.
So, who knows what you’re putting on your body if the product is fragranced.
It’s been noted by the Natural Society that the fragrance industry uses over 3,100 chemicals – and none of us consumers know what any of them are.
Triclosan
Manufacturers will often use preservatives within their products so that they can add a longer lifespan onto the bottle. Triclosan is a common antibacterial agent that is used in beauty products as a preservative.
There is not enough evidence on this toxin to say for sure whether it’s dangerous or not, but there have been some warning signs reported that are enough for us to stay away.
Evidence suggests that Triclosan might be an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it can be as harmful as xenoestrogens.
This product has also been linked to immune system issues, weight loss, and other worrying side effects.
California has even classified it as a ‘developmental toxicant’, otherwise known as having the potential to interfere with human development.
The worrying thing about this list of toxins found in beauty products is that there are countless more that we haven’t covered.
The easiest way to ensure that you’re reducing the number of toxins going into your body is to use all-natural ingredients and products.
How Do Toxins Enter The Body?
You might assume that toxins enter the body through what you eat, and this is true to an extent. However, toxins can also enter your body through absorption.
So, anything that you put onto your body will enter your body through being sucked up through the skin.
So, we suggest that you’re always looking for natural products, or at least ones that state that they are paraben and sulfate free.
We don’t think that this is enough, though. Once we learned that the average woman puts over 100 toxins in their body, we just felt icky using any of our manufactured products again.
But how are we supposed to get around this issue? Simply never use luxury products again?
Making Your Own Beauty Products
Don’t be intimidated by the task of making your own beauty products – you can always start small and work your way up!
Start with our whipped body butter and see how easy it is, before moving onto something else like natural shampoo and conditioner.
Before you know it, you’ll have your own collection of natural homemade beauty products and you won’t need to visit the store for them ever again.
We’ve already told you one reason why you might want to switch to homemade beauty products, but the reduction of toxins in your body isn’t the only reason.
Another great reason to make the switch is to live a more sustainable lifestyle with the environment in mind.
Many manufactured products contain artificial ingredients that require extra mining, pose a threat to natural habitats, or use natural ingredients to make unnecessary artificial by-products.
Using natural ingredients to make your own products reduces this adverse environmental impact and will lower your carbon footprint.
Not to mention that you won’t be responsible for any excess plastic waste from products bottles and tubs. The more we think about it, we can’t think of a reason not to make and use your own products!
Coconut oil is taken from the wick, meat, and milk of a coconut. It is edible and often in a solid state, although it will start to melt in temperatures higher than 25 degrees.
Olive oil is taken from olives, and is usually used for frying foods for eating or as a salad dressing. However, it also can be used in beauty products as it has moisturizing properties.
Another fat, shea butter is taken from the African shea tree nuts. It has a milky white color, although most companies will dye it with yellow coloring.
It is incredibly moisturizing and you’ll often find it in many beauty products on the market.
Cocoa butter is taken from the cocoa bean and is another fat. Much like shea butter, it is very moisturizing and melts into the skin at a moment’s touch.
Its melting point is just below the human body temperature, which is how it offers that luxurious feeling.
We like to repurpose our mason jars for our beauty products, but you can buy new jars online. depending on how much body butter you plan on using, you might want to use smaller or larger jars.
If you’re planning on making a big batch, why not use multiple jars to make little gifts for your friends and family?
How To Make Your Own Whipped Body Butter
There is no set quantity of the ingredients of this body butter, as we will be using equal parts of each ingredient, other than the essential oils.
If you’re unsure whether you’re going to like the scent, we would only use a couple of tablespoons of each ingredient so that you don’t waste a lot of product.
Place all the ingredients (apart from the essential oils) in a bowl over a pot of boiling water, stirring constantly until they’re all combined.
Remove the bowl from the heat and place into the freezer for a while so that the butter sets slightly.
Take it out of the freezer when you can press your thumb into it to form an indent. This indent should remain there rather than disappearing instantly once you remove your finger.
Now it’s time to add your essential oils. For this recipe we’ve chosen lavender and frankincense. Add 20 drops in total, so 10 of each if you’re using two. Have fun here – you can add as many or as little scents as you like.
If you like a more potent scent, add more drops to your body butter. If you’d prefer a more muted scent, however, add less than we’ve recommended.
This is where you get to customize your body butter to exactly how you want it, so make sure that you get it right!
Use a hand mixer or kitchen aid to whip the ingredients quickly until you get a thicker consistency – one similar to whipped cream.
Again, it’s up to you how long you want to whip it for. The more whipped it is, the thicker the consistency.
If you’re using a hand mixer, bear in mind that your arm might begin to get tired out, so you might have to stop and settle for a thinner consistency.
However, if you’re determined then you can still achieve a heavily whipped body butter with a hand mixer.
Essential Oils: Benefits And Uses
There are hundreds of different essential oils out there for you to try, so we suggest that you get out there and find a couple that you love the scent of the most for your body butter.
Just make sure that you aren’t using any that are too strong for the skin, and that you’re not using too much.
Having said that, when you’re faced with countless essential oil options on the market, it can be a little overwhelming to pick one that you like the sound of. So, if you’re a complete essential oil newbie, don’t panic.
Below we have listed the top essential oils that we love to add to our whipped body butter. Give one of these a try until you feel ready to tackle the endless possibilities of essential oils on the market.
Neroli
Neroli is a fresh and citrusy scent that has a great uniqueness to it, something that you won’t find in another essential oil out there.
It rejuvenates the skin, has been known to dry out spots and acne, and can minimize pores. It’s perfect for every skin type, too.
Frankincense
Frankincense has an earthy smell that is somewhat similar to pine trees. However, there are also citrusy notes and undertones of spices, as well.
Some liken it to rosemary, but with its own distinction. Frankincense is great for reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.
Vanilla
There are two options if you want to opt for a vanilla essential oil – vanilla in jojoba oil, or vanilla absolute, otherwise known as vanilla CO2 extract.
If you opt for the former, make sure to double up on the recipe as the oil is diluted within the jojoba oil.
Vanilla moisturizes the skin and relaxes you, getting you well and ready for the day.
Lavender
Lavender is one of the most popular scents of essential oils, and there are many types to choose from. Just a few options are French, Bulgarian, Italian, or domestic lavender.
These all have slightly different scents to them, so you can decide for yourself which you like the most.
Lavender essential oil is excellent at evening the skin tone, calming irritation, and relaxing your body.
Eucalyptus
Everyone loves the smell of eucalyptus, right? It is used in countless therapeutic products, such as shower products, bath bombs, and hair care.
It’s antibacterial, antiseptic, and relaxing. So this might not do much for your skin, but the smell is lovely!
Wild Orange
If you’re looking for something to wake you up rather than relax you, wild orange is a very refreshing oil that can also boost your immune system.
Be careful, however, of using wild orange on your skin before going in the sun, as citrus oils can burn the skin when exposed to sunlight.
Spearmint
Spearmint is cool, refreshing, and awakening. Is it a coincidence when it is a common smell and taste of toothpaste? We don’t think so.
It’s also antiseptic and refreshing, so perfect to brighten up dull skin throughout the day.
Bergamot
Bergamot is another essential oil that calms the body and allows you to reap its relaxing benefits.
This oil is commonly used to counteract anxiety and stress, so adding it to your body butter might help your headspace and give you a clearer mind.
Even if you don’t suffer from stress, you might still see some surprising benefits!
Peppermint
Similar to spearmint, peppermint is also cooling and refreshing. It can melt away tension and give you a more clear headspace to start the day with.
If you don’t already get enough of the scent from your toothpaste, why not add it into your body butter to rejuvenate your skin?
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is an antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant-rich essential oil. Not only does it benefit your skin, but it also has a distinct Christmassy smell.
So, if you’re a fan of the holidays, you might find this scent offers you a positive association to start your day with.
Essential Oils: Blends For Every Occasion
One thing we love about essential oils is how you can blend them together to make amazing concoctions that have different abilities. You can mix them together to be calming, energizing, soothing, healing, and much more!
Using these blends within your body butter enables you to smell the oils every day and reap the rewards from their powers. Below we’ve listed some of our favorite blends to influence your mood.
Soothing Blend
Starting off like you’re about to go for a massage, this blend of essential oils is perfect when you want to spend a little longer after the shower massaging cream into your skin. It can be the perfect start, or end, to the day.
Use 10 drops of wintergreen, 5 drops of peppermint, 4 drops of ylang ylang, and 2 drops of helichrysum. This will relax your mind, body, and soul and leave you feeling refreshed.
Calming Blend
Speaking of relaxing, who doesn’t want to let go of all the tension of the day when spending some much-needed time on their self care?
This calming blend will travel up through your nose and spread all over your body, melting away stress and worries.
You only need three essential oils for this blend, so it’s one of the easier ones to opt for. Start with 10 drops of lavender, 5 drops of frankincense, and 5 drops of bergamot.
Immune Support Blend
Some people swear by the fact that you can help your body remove illness and toxins just by breathing in essential oils. If you adhere to this theory, then why not try the immune support blend?
It features a number of oils that help boost your immune system and keep you going throughout the day.
Blend 8 drops of clove, 6 drops of wild orange, 5 drops of frankincense, 4 drops of cinnamon, and 3 drops of eucalyptus together to achieve this body-supporting fragrance.
Energizing Blend
If you’re in the mood for a more uplifting essential oil blend, you can opt for this mixture of oils. This is a great one to opt for if you prefer your essential oils to get your day started, ready and raring to go.
Simply massage this blend into your skin every morning and you’re sure to find that it makes getting up and out a little easier.
Blend together 10 drops of wild orange, 5 drops of lemon, 3 of line, and 2 of tangerine and you’ll be feeling full of energy in no time!
Hi, my name is Hannah Shiftle, and I started using essential oils 15 years ago. At first, I was dubious of them, much like a lot of people. However, as I began to use them on a daily basis, I quickly discovered how much of a difference they had on both my physical and mental health.
Through Oil Health Benefits, I will be sharing my knowledge and passion for essential oils with you, providing readers with all the information they need to know. From the best oils to use for illnesses, to understanding what makes essential oils pure, I have covered all these topics.
