Make Your Own Coco-Shea Body Butter

I have a skin/hair care secret: my body loves being lathered with a blend of shea butter and coconut oil. I try to use products that multitask and my homemade coco shea body butter does exactly that. It soothes and heals my dry, acne prone skin and helps keep my hair strong, moisturized, and soft.

First Impressions + Experimenting with Shea Butter

I started using shea butter a few years ago. My first experiment with it didn't end well: when I got the butter, it was rock solid and difficult to manipulate. Subsequent experiments were more fruitful; I learned that mixing shea butter with a lighter oil creates a pomade that's easier to work into the skin and hair. It's also easier to mix in any essential oils or scents. My favorite blend uses shea butter and coconut oil as a base, but I've also tried olive oil, canola oil and sweet almond oil.

Best Practices for Using Coco-Shea Butter

My skin's needs change depending on the weather so I adjust the formula accordingly. When it's warmer out, I find that a lighter body butter blend works best. When it's cooler, I have a heavier blend because my skin needs a thicker layer of protection from the elements. I'm sharing both recipes because I have friends that live in different climates. For best results on my skin, I use this coco-shea body butter daily and make sure to exfoliate my skin once a week using this DIY sugar scrub. I use it on my hair as needed, usually at least twice a week.

Recipe

Gather all the ingredients and get to experimenting! I recommend using my recipes as a guide, customize it to fit your skin's needs. No two bodies are like so what works for me might not work for you in the same way. But, if you take a little time to test a few different combinations out, I'm positive you'll get the results you're looking for.