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In this Aromahead video, I show you how to melt a blend of beeswax and butters, so that you can create smooth, luscious body butter without “overcooking” it.
We talk about the right ratio of beeswax to different kinds of butters and oils, how to avoid lumps in your body butter, and which ingredients to add last to protect them from the heat. This recipe is a gorgeous base for any essential oils you might want to add, but is deliciously aromatic and luxurious all by itself!
Here are your ingredients and main tools:
Kitchen Scale
Three 2 oz (60 ml) glass jars
1 oz (28 gm) Beeswax (Cera alba)
2 oz (56 gm) Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera)
2 oz (56 gm) Cocoa butter (Theobroma cacao)
1 oz (28 gm) Shea butter (Butyrospermum parkii)
You’ll also need a pot, Pyrex measuring jar, and glass stir rod or stainless steel spoon.
0:43 - Here we discuss the ratio of beeswax to other ingredients. Beeswax helps keep your blends solid, so we’re always talking about the ratio of beeswax to other ingredients. In this case, we have a 5:1 ratio-5 oz (140 gm) of oil and butter, to 1 oz (28 gm) of beeswax.
2:08 - Make sure to tare your kitchen scale. This means you won’t be weighing the bowl along with your ingredients. So just put the bowl on the scale and hit “tare,” and the scale should reset to zero.
2:47 - Add 1 oz (28 gm) beeswax. We add the beeswax into our “double boiler” first because it takes the longest to melt.
3:27 - How to put together your own “double boiler” with a pot and a Pyrex measuring cup. The pot is about ¼ full of water. (Too much water might boil over when you put the Pyrex in it, but too little water might evaporate.)
4:40 - Add 2 oz (56 gm) coconut oil. After measuring (make sure your scale has held its tare!), you can add the coconut oil right into the Pyrex with the beeswax, because it can withstand a lot of heat.
6:37 - Add 2 oz (56 gm) cocoa butter. Cocoa butter can also withstand heat, so you can add it in with the beeswax and coconut oil.
7:40 - Measure out your shea butter (but don’t add it to the melting blend yet). If it's exposed to too much heat, shea butter crystallizes and creates small lumps in your body butter. It’s not a big deal and doesn’t affect how therapeutic your butter is, but many people prefer a smooth final product.
12:08 - Add 1 oz (28 gm) shea butter. Once you add your shea butter, remove the melting blend from the heat.
13:46 - How to exchange ingredients. What if you have no cocoa butter, and want to swap it out for another ingredient? You can use any oil or butter that has a similar texture and firmness-it will perform very similarly in your blend. It seems like a simple trick, but it works!
14:55 - Remove the Pyrex from the stove and pour your blend into glass jars. I’m using three 2 oz (60 ml) glass jars, and pouring up to the “shoulder” of the jar. (If I get it too close to the rim, it might stick to the cap.)
Assuming you’re starting with fresh ingredients, the shelf life of this body butter is one year.
Thanks for watching!