DIY Whipped Body Butter

This post is sponsored by NOW Foods.

How's everyone doing? Surviving? Staying positive?

I know it's been a minute since I posted anything here on the bloggity blog. Will, Moose, Kevin and I went up to NY at the end of June to see my family and ended up staying about 6 weeks longer than anticipated. Since I didn't have my kitchen or photography equipment with me, and because I don't get to see my family nearly as often (thanks, 'Rona), I took the summer off from blogging.

I really enjoyed taking the time to be a little unplugged, but now I'm back with lots of fun ideas to share with you just in time for fall!

Call me basic, but this is my favorite time of year. Even though we still have many warm days ahead in Austin, the mornings and evenings are starting to get a little cooler. I've already put pumpkins on my front porch and donned a pair of leggings, so I'm 100% here for it, fall.

The ONLY thing cooler temps bring that I'm not a huge fan of is dry skin. Itchy, cracked, dull skin... I'm prone to all that nonsense. I've tried a few different body lotions in the past, but they either didn't do the job, I didn't like the texture or they were just to darn pricey, so I decided to make my own!

I took to my favorite site for all the things, Now Foods, and got everything I needed to whip me up some whipped body butter.

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What do you need to make this whipped body butter?

You can make this body butter in your own kitchen with a few natural ingredients: shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, olive oil and your favorite essential oil(s).

Shea butter is awesome at sealing in moisture, making it great for dry or rough skin. If you've seen the bottom of my runner's feet, you'd know I need this BAD. Now Foods' natural shea butter has a rich, luxurious texture the feels oh-so-good when whipped into this mixture.

Cocoa butter is another awesome moisturizer. It's great for sensitive skin and can even improve the appearance of blemishes. Now Foods' pure cocoa butter comes in its natural state, which means it's solid as a brick at room temperature. Give it a little heat, and it will soften up and blend perfectly into your body butter.

Coconut oil is one of my favorite products because it's just so dang versatile. I use it to remove makeup, to cook and now I also use it in this body butter. Natural coconut oil is rich in skin-friendly saturated fats. It's smooth and leaves skin feeling silky.

Olive oil is another powerhouse ingredient. When it comes to skin, it's moisturizing and can help fight off bacteria.

I use essential oils purely for scent. One of my favorites is grapefruit oil. It smells refreshing and energizing, which is exactly what I want out a daily body butter. That said, if lathered up before bed, I'd probably opt for lavender or a peaceful blend of scents. Feel free to include your favorite scent or none at all.

How do you make it?

Like all my recipes, this one couldn't be easier. Place equal parts shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and olive oil in a double boiler and heat until everything is melted.

The mixture will look like one big bowl of olive oil. When it reaches this point, stir in your essential oils (should you choose to use them). I use about 50 drops for a hint of scent, but it's really up to you and how strong a scent you like.

Place the bowl in the fridge for about an hour and a half until it just barely starts to harden.

Using a stand or hand mixer, whip the mixture together until it's light, fluffy and looks like frosting.

Scoop it into a jar and allow to set in the fridge for another half an hour or so. After that, you can store it at room temperature (nothing too hot or all the ingredients will begin to melt), and use whenever you need some good body butter action.