Today we are going to talk about body butters and explore what they are good for and whether we can make them at home.
Body butter is another very effective way to moisturize and sooth your skin. So if you are looking for ways to achieve soft silky skin, you might fight this information very useful and interesting for you.
What is body butter?
Body butter is a mixture of solid oils. You can also add liquid oils to smooth the texture of the butter. Most butters are whipped at the final step to get very smooth, souffle like paste, which is very smooth and allows gentle application.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is extracted from the pulp of the seeds of African shea tree.
Shea butter has a very wide list of beneficial properties. It contains many fatty acids:
- Oleinic (40% to 55%) refers to the group of omega-9-unsaturated fatty acids
- Stearinoic (carbonic acid, 35% to 45%)
- Palmitina (3% to 7%)
- Linole (from 3% to 8%)
- Linolenic (about 1%)
Shea butter in a small amount contains terpene alcohols, which give it a unique aroma.
In skin care we use shea butter for the following:
- Moisturizing
- Healing
- Anti-inflammatory properties: reduces redness, irritation and inflammation
- Anti-aging
Coconut Butter and Oil
Coconut butter is derived from coconut meat.
Coconut oil is made from cold-pressing oil from coconut meat. It is solid at room temperature and becomes liquid when heated.
Both are rich in fatty acids, potassium, magnesium and iron.
In skin care we use coconut oil and butter for the following properties:
- Moisturizing
- Anti-aging
- Brightening
Mango Butter
This butter is derived from seeds of mango fruit.
Mango butter is also rich in fatty acids. It is also very rich in Vitamins A and C. This butter does not absorb into skin as fast as other butters. So if your goal is to heal skin’s protective barrier or treat very dry skin, then mango butter should be your choice.
Benefits of mango butter for skin:
- Anti-aging (thanks to both vitamins): reduces wrinkles and fine lines
- Brightens age spots
- Nourishes and Rejuvenates
Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter is derived from a seed of cacao plant. The seeds are roasted, cleaned and then pressed to separate butter.
Benefits of cocoa butter:
- Moisturizing
- Nourishing
- Improves elasticity
- Protects agains UV rays
- Smooths scars and wrinkles
Mowrah Butter
Mowrah butter comes from Madhuca longifolia tree in India.
Butter is rich in linoleic, stearic, oleic, palmitic acids. Mowrah butter absorbs very quickly into skin.
Benefits for skin:
- Moisturizes skin on deep levels
- Smooths wrinkles and fine lines
Babassu Butter
This unique butter is derived from babassu palm tree in Brazil. This oil is very similar to coconut oil. Babassu butter has very soft texture and some people call it oil because of that.
This oil also absorbs very quickly and does not cause sticky feeling.
Benefits of babassu butter are the following:
- Moisturizing
- Softening and Soothing
- Protects skin’s barrier
Kokum Butter
This butter is lightweight. It is ideal for oily and acne prone skin.
Benefits of kokum butter for the skin:
- Absorbs easily without greasy feeling
- Anti-bacterial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Moisturizes dry, cracked skin
Illipe Butter
Illipe butter is an exotic butter that comes from forests of Borneo. It has creamy consistency and almost no smell.
The benefits for the skin are:
- Moisture and hydration
- Restores skin elasticity
- Has the most nourishing properties.
What is body butter good for?
Body butter is excellent for moisturizing, soothing and softening our skin.
Our skin requires hydration and moisture among other things.
We get hydration internally when we drink enough water.
There are also some ingredients in skin care products, that attract water to the surface of the skin. This was skin looks plumped and hydrated.
Hyaluronic acid is famous for its ability to hold a very large amount of water and hydrate the skin.
Another way to assist in skin’s moisture is to apply moisturizers, oils and butters on skin’s surface. These products form breathable thin film on the top of the skin preventing water from escaping and staying inside.
At the same time moisturizers, oils and butters soften and sooth skin’s surface.
What is the difference between body lotion, body cream and body butter?
I decided to make a table to compare these 3 products. It just seems easier to understand when you can visually see and compare items.
Why use body butter?
You might be getting puzzled what is the point in using body butter. After all, it looks like it is a very heavy, thick and greasy product.
However, there are many advantages of body butter over other skin care products.
- Homemade body butter does not contain any preservatives and has a very long shelf life. If you made DIY skin care products, you probably know that they do not have very long shelf life and have to be used very quickly. This is due to liquids in them. Considering, that body butters either do not have any liquids, or contains very tine amount of them, then you can keep body butter on the shelf for up to 1 year.
- Body butter is amazing to sooth and soften rough skin patches and body areas like elbows, feet and heels, hands.
- Body butter will address dry skin problems better than any other skin care product due to its moisturizing and nourishing properties.
What is better: butter or oil?
Butters come in solid forms and full of fatty acids, nourishing vitamins and minerals.
Oils come in liquid forms and also full of fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.
So, to be honest, the decision on what to use yours and based on your preference.
I like using body butters because of their solid consistency (well, I make them semi-solid by mixing with oils). I just prefer not-runny scoop able texture.
I also find that butters are more nourishing on my skin.
Also, why not make a product, that combines both butters and oils? Right? lol
How to apply body butter
If you are planning to use product for your whole body, then use small amount and spread evenly in a very thin layer. This way butter will absorb quickly and won’t make you feel sticky and greasy.
If you are using it for your feet and hands, then there is a trick that I use.
Apply a thick layer of a product.
I put on thin socks and go to bed. This way I don’t have to worry about my linens and spreading oils and butters all over. Also, socks will keep butter on the surface of the skin for longer, allowing good components to work for hours.
Could you use body butter on your face?
The very quick and simple answer: yes, you could. It won’t do much damage.
However, let’s explore a bit deeper.
When using butters and oils on your face, consider whether they are comedogenic (clog pores and cause blackheads) or non-comedogenic (will not clog pores).
I developed a good table with list of oils and butters and their pore-clogging properties. Please, follow link HERE.
Based on my experience, the only butter that does not clog my pores is shea butter. As for non-comedogenic oils I love jojoba, sesame and grapeseed oils.
So, to answer the question: if you are planning to use body butter on your face, make sure it consists of ingredients that won’t clog your pores and cause breakouts.
When should I use body butter?
You can use body butter whenever you feel that your skin is dry, irritated and needs extra moisture.
I find that winter is the perfect time for body butters.
As I mentioned before, use butters for hard working, rough body parts: heels, elbows, hands. I often have a small jar in a car next to me and use small amount on my hands through the day.
Do you wash off body butter?
No, you do not have to wash off body butter.
In fact, you would want to keep in on your skin as long as possible to let all beneficial ingredients do wonders to your skin.
Where to buy body butter
(This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase, I might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you).
Here are some body butters that you were carefully crafted just to suit your skin’s needs:
DHC – Olive Body Butter: beautiful blend of different butters including shea and cocoa as well as a blend of different organic oils.
Tree Hut – Shea Body Butter (Moroccan Rose) – beautiful product with a scent of Moroccan Rose. This extra thick body butter, infused with Certified Shea Butter, Raw Cocoa Butter, and Safflower Seed Oil, softens rough skin and provides twenty four hour deep hydration.
Better Shea Butter – Whipped Body Butter: this organic aloe vera and shea peppermint body butter is infused with peppermint and vanilla essential oils and wild-crafted green tea. It is full of vitamins and antioxidants necessary for glowing and beautiful skin.
Life-Flo – Lavender Body Butter: is a smooth, emollient butter that helps infuse dry skin with luxurious moisture. Made with pure Lavender flower extract to help relax and renew your senses. It will help to protect against dry skin and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Mamonde – Rose Butter Body Cream: this cream with rose butter offers deep hydration to your skin. Creates hydrating veil to promote moisturized skin.
SWANICOCO – Refresh Nutrition Body Butter: this caring butter contains Coconut Oil, Olive Oil and Shea Butter etc. to fortify skin barrier. It smoothes skin while moisturizing, hydrating and nourishing it.
In summary, body butters are another addition to your skin care products. Butters are very rich in nourishing and moisturizing properties. They will help you to keep your skin soft, smooth; they will heal acne, acne scars and minor wounds. Butters will brighten your skin and will soften wrinkles and fine line.
If you are not into DIY, you could purchase body butters with natural material at organic stores. I will offer you some suggestions below.
However, if you would like to make your own body butters, I am inviting you to another pager, where we explore step by step instructions to make your own moisturizing products.
I invite you to check some of my other blog posts, where I also talk about how to moisturize our skin with homemade moistuziers.
