I have been trying to switch out my beauty products for more natural options. I have been reading a lot about the effects of harmful chemicals found in everyday items like lotions and makeup. And became aware of the fact that your body does absorb these chemicals put on the skin! I came across this recipe on Pinterest and thought I would give it a try. I LOVE shea butter and knew the ingredients in this lotion were safe, even healthy for the skin. After I made this once, I loved it so much I made a few more batches for friends and family.

Ingredients:

1 C organic, raw shea butter (I purchased mine here)
1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C almond oil
essential oils of your choosing

Start by melting the shea butter and coconut oil in a double broiler. I did not have one so I used a Le Creuset pot and put a pyrex bowl inside. This worked well, just make sure there is room in between the two pots for steam to come out. After those have melted, let it cool for 30 minutes. Then add the almond oil and any essential oils of your choosing. I put vanilla and orange essential oils in mine and just kept adding drops until I got the smell I was looking for. Then mix that up and put it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. This made the mixture partially solidify. Then whip the ingredients with an electric mixer until it forms a buttery, lotion-like consistency (about a minute or two). Now just put the lotion into clean jars (I used mason jars from Michael's) and you are done! I was able to make four jars of lotion from this recipe.

*Healthy hints: If you do not have almond oil on hand or would rather use something else, olive oil, avocado oil, or jojoba oil are great alternatives. You can also add 2 vitamin E capsules, which is a strong antioxidant and can help prevent premature aging of the skin. The key here is to make sure the ingredients are 75% solid to 25% liquid.

*adapted from: onegoodthingbyjille

homemade shea body butter