This Conditioning Earl Grey Body Butter ended up being one of those things that sounded like a good idea, and then turned out to be a great idea in practice. Don’t you love it when that happens? In abstract, adding some conditioning, cationic goodness to a body butter sounded like a thing that would be nice, but once I actually made it—whoa! Guys; this stuff is amazing. It’s silky smooth and fast absorbing, and leaves your skin feeling soft and protected and silky and wonderful and just… I’m utterly besotted.
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The bulk of this body butter is a carefully selected blend of butters and oil. Mango butter is the bulk of it, and I’ve chosen mango butter because it absorbs into the skin beautifully, leaving skin soft but not greasy. It has a consistency similar to shea butter, but in terms of absorption speed it couldn’t be more different. If you like shea butter, but find it heavy, greasy, and/or sticky, get yourself some mango butter!
Cupuacu butter is another soft, creamy butter with a very unique and lovely silicone-like finish to it that’s utterly lovely. I used refined cupuacu butter for this project to really allow our essential oil blend to shine. Apricot kernel oil is lightweight and rich in vitamin A and oleic acid, though it’s also easily substituted for other lightweight oils.
That blend of soft butters and liquid oil is thickened up with silky cetyl alcohol and conditioning BTMS-50. BTMS-50 is what gives our body butter that something special—that oooooooooh feeling that has me so excited about this recipe! If you only have BTMS-25 you can use that instead, though it has half the conditioning power of BTMS-50. To get the same amount of conditioning power you’d have to double the amount of BTMS-25 you use, but that will throw off the rest of the recipe, so I am hesitant to recommend that.
In addition to bringing conditioning wonderfulness to our body butter, the BTMS-50 is also a complete emulsifying wax. This means that if you apply this body butter to damp skin it’ll self emulsifying with the water left on your skin, transforming into a rich, lovely lotion right on your skin, just like magic!
Our essential oil blend is reminiscent of an Earl Grey tea latte. Sweet palmarosa essential oil smells quite a lot like black tea, bergapatene-free bergamot adds the classic citrus note without any photosensitization worries, and warm benzoin brings it all together with a sweet vanilla-like note. Watch for this theme in upcoming projects—I’ve got plans for it!
Because I had lattes on the brain I opted to fancy up this body butter with a fun mica swirl on the top, inspired by the fancy patterns you’ll often see in the foamy topping on an expertly made latte at a nice café. This part is optional, but fun. Now—let’s go get our Conditioning Earl Grey Body Butter on!
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Conditioning Earl Grey Body Butter
Heated Phase
4g | 10% BTMS-50 (USA / Canada)
1.8g | 4.5% cetyl alcohol (USA / Canada)
6g | 15% cupuacu butter (USA / Canada)
11.3g | 28.25% apricot kernel oil (USA / Canada)
16g | 40% mango butter (USA / Canada)Cool Down Phase
0.2g | 0.50% Vitamin E MT-50 (USA / Canada)
0.2g | 1 “blobs” | 0.50% benzoin resinoid
0.3g | 5 drops | 0.75% palmarosa essential oil
0.2g | 6 drops | 0.50% bergapatene-free bergamot essential oilBrown mica, as needed, pre-distributed in a few drops of apricot kernel oil (optional)
Prepare a water bath by bringing about 3cm/1″ of water to a bare simmer over low to medium-low heat in a small saucepan.
Weigh the heated phase into a small heat-resistant glass measuring cup. Place the measuring cup in your prepared water bath to melt everything through. In the video I melt it together using 15–20 second blasts in the microwave as I found melting it in the water bath never got it all the way transparent—it remained cloudy no longer how long I left it in the bath & I ended up needing to “top it up” with a quick blast in the microwave.
Once everything has melted, remove the measuring cup from the heat. Add the cool down ingredients and stir to combine. Pour about 85% of the melted mixture into a 50mL jar or tin (I used this one), and then, working quickly, stir small amount of brown mica into the remaining body butter that’s still in the measuring cup, and drizzle that over top top of the body butter in the jar. Using a toothpick, swirl the brown mica part around a bit to create a pretty design, and move to the fridge to set up completely.
When the body butter has solidified it’s ready to use—enjoy!
Shelf Life & Storage
Because this body butter does not contain any water, it does not require a broad-spectrum preservative (broad spectrum preservatives ward off microbial growth, and microbes require water to live—no water, no microbes!). Kept reasonably cool and dry, it should last at least a year before any of the oils go rancid. If you notice it starts to smell like old nuts or crayons, that’s a sign that the oils have begun to oxidize; chuck it out and make a fresh batch if that happens.
Substitutions
As always, be aware that making substitutions will change the final product. While these swaps won’t break the recipe, you will get a different final product than I did.
- You can use BTMS-25 instead of BTMS-50
- You can use different soft butters instead of the cupuacu and/or mango. Sal, shea, and mowrah would all be good choices, but remember than mango butter is a rare, dry butter with a really light, non-greasy finish. Using a different butter in place of the mango butter will make for a greasier, heavier, slower-absorbing final product.
- Feel free to use a different oil your skin loves in place of the apricot kernel oil. I’d recommend sweet almond, grapeseed, or sunflower seed as good alternatives.
- I don’t recommend swapping out the cetyl alcohol, but if you must I’d recommend stearic acid first and one of the c-waxes (candelilla or carnauba) after that
Cooool! I had already done this in my mind with 10% btms 25 and 75% mango butter but a totally different combo of essential oils. Was just waiting to exhaust the butter on my dressing table! I can’t get my hands on cupuacu and cetyl alcohol but I’m willing to try this. I love the way your mind works.
Ha, great minds and all 🙂 Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Just made it. Now I am going to take at long nice shower, then use this wonderful body butter. Thanky you Marie <3
Took a picture – of the body butter – but can't seem to uploade it.
Ooooh, lovely! If you want to share photos I find the Humblebee & Me Facebook page is a pretty easy place to do it 🙂
Can I add lanolin and whipped this body butter please?
You’d have to try it and see 🙂 Please watch this video for more info on whipping. Happy making!
You had my attention at the first photo Marie- exactly like a latte… and then I saw the cupuacu butter in the ingredient list. Making this recipe is now one of my top priorities for next weekend. I ordered 1 lb. of cupuacu last month because it’s so amazing and knew I would always need to have it on hand in bulk.
I was also wondering how you were getting the Earl Gray scent- very interesting combo of EOs. Can’t wait to make this! Love the new theme!
Thanks, Kelly! I had a lot of fun with this one, and I’m really excited about rolling out the rest of the recipes in this theme 😀
Hello, I made this tonight! it is still cooling, I choose to go with different essential oils so mine smells like a dream cycle Lol. Sweet orange and Benzoin. I tried some that was on the sides of the measuring cup and it feels amazing. I had all the other ingredients and did not make any substitutes except for the EO.
I love the feel and the slip! Just what I need in these cold temps.
Thank You Marie
Oooh, lovely! Do be careful with the photosensitizing nature of the sweet orange EO 🙂 I’m so glad you’re loving it!
LOL!!!! Lookity!!! An in the pot swirl!!!!
Love it! Sub in a wee bit of cocoa butter for the scent… oh la la!
Awesome recipe!
I’m not sure why I haven’t introduced more soaping prettiness to other DIY—it’s so fun!
I’m definitely going to make this when I get some more cupuacu butter! What do you think about adding an extract like green tea extract?
It would have to be an oil soluble extract if you did want to add one; I’d steer clear of powdered ones as they will be grainy/mealy (erk).
Just ordered my first batch of cupuacu butter. I am going to wait for it to arrive to make a batch of this recipe. I have been looking through recipes and trying to decide what body butter to make next. I have discovered that I like using them on my feet routinely to keep my heals from drying out and cracking. I happen to make the earl grey lotion not too long ago for my hands so this will be a perfect match up.
I hope you fall for cupuacu butter as hard as I have 🙂 Your feet sound super pampered 😉
Hi Marie! Thanks for your awesome recipes. Can this balm be used as an in-shower lotion then? Best regards
It could, but that would necessitate the inclusion of a broad spectrum preservative as there’s no way you wouldn’t incorporate water into it if you are using it in the shower 🙂
How solid is this? Will it hold its shape if I pour it in a silicone mold and apply it like hand washing with a bar of soap? Or is it a “dig your fingers in and smear it all about” consistency?
Ah. The last photo answered my question. I think it falls closer to the balm or salve category.
I’m definitely going to make this tonight, only with the Winter Wonderland theme EO blend because it still makes my socks go up and down with joy. : )
Ooooh, how lovely! Enjoy 😀
It’s far too soft to be a bar—it’d get all squishy very quickly!
Yup. It’s definitely squishy. But ohhhh… it glides on soooo smooth and silky! This is so pampering! Definitely falls squarely into the category of Must Make Again. : )
WHEE!! I’m so glad 😀 *Happy dance* Thanks for DIYing with me!
Turns out that it is a PERFECT reward for washing the dishes by hand! The BTMS-50 makes the oils get happy with the pruny wrinkles of having had too many dishes to wash. I am so happy to have this on my counter. Might have to make another batch so I don’t have to trot the jar back and forth from kitchen to bathroom. : )
Ooooh, lovely! I do so love all the magic that BTMS-50 brings to our concoctions 😀
We have a second batch now. (happy dance)
Since the first batch is a wee bit grainy, I decided to chill the second round in the fridge. WOW!! What a difference! Not in the least bit grainy! Just super smooth goodness for my dishpan hands! I love love love how I can control the “sink into my skin” time with how wet my hands are when I apply it. (Thank you BTMS-50)
K. I think I’m done raving about this recipe. At least in public. Well, just here. Maybe. I really love this balm. Really. A lot.
Whee! I’m so glad you are loving this so much that it’s made it to second making—high praise indeed! Feel free to continue raving to your heart’s content 😉
Marie, you’ve truly outdone yourself! This body butter is AH-Mazing! It’s soft, non greasy, and feels sooooo good on my skin. I’m going to need to make a lot more so that I don’t ever run out!
YAY! I’m so glad you’re in love with this one as well 😀 I can’t get over how amazing it makes my skin feel, and I can’t wait to play with this idea more!
Hi Marie,
Made this lovely butter and tried it in the shower. (I added a preservative). It was fantastic! My skin still felt so soft that night. Will def make again. The Earl Grey scent is great. Might have to try it next using Esther’s suggestion of the Winter Wonderland scent combo which I absolutely love too!
Thank you, Marie!
Kelly
Beautiful! I should really do a shower bar version of this… hmmm… 🙂
Oooh, you really should. Please. 🙂
It’s on the list! Such a long, long list 😛
OMG I can’t stop smelling my hands – – I made his tonight and I love it. It is delightful indeed and I recommend everyone make this recipe. It is luxurious feeling and not greasy and the scent is amazing! Sniffffffff ahhhhhhhh blissful
YAY! I’m so glad you are loving it 😀 WOO!
Hi, Marie: Could I substitute Emulsimulse for the BTSM-50? I also don’t have cupuacu butter but will see what will happen by using more mango butter.
Not really; we want the conditioning, not the emulsifying properties, and the conditioning is a massive part of what makes this body butter feel so magical. You CAN in the sense that the recipe likely won’t implode, but you’ll be missing out on a lot 🙁
This is so cool!
I’ve noticed you’ve been recommending using the microwave more often lately. May I ask how come?
Doesn’t that affect the ingredients in a negative way?
It’s really just for things with BTMS to get it to melt; I find I need just a titch more heat. And no—as long as you aren’t burning things or heating heat-sensitive ingredients (which shouldn’t be heated in a water bath, either), it’s fine 🙂
Wow! Really like this! Love BTMS50 in all things hair and excited to use in skin care! Marie are BTMS50 lotions next??!
Did a sub of orange wax/Shea/Kokum butter for the cupacu (haven’t treated myself to some yet!) and sunshine EOs (orange5, benzoin, pal arose, Michel albia,and lit cub ) with a bronze mica swirl and I love it!!
(Oh an no worries about photo sensitivity- I live on the coast of Vancouver Island and I’ll use this up before I see the sun again )
I’ve actually already shared quite a few lotions using BTMS50 🙂 You swaps sound stunning and deliciously fragrant, swoon! Thanks for DIYing with me 🙂
How do I RSVP to a meet up in Melbourne. Sorry to ask you in the comments of this recipe, I didn’t have any other way of contacting you. 🙂
It’s a Facebook event that can be RSVP’d to there 🙂
Thanks for the reply. I do not have Facebook, is there another possible way?
No, sorry. Please do come (you don’t have to RSVP to come), but if nobody RSVPs the event gets cancelled (it’s rather a waste of my time if nobody shows!). You’ll also need to remember to check the page for a venue when we have one since you won’t get notifications 🙂
Thanks. What age group is it recommended for. Do you get more seniors, high school students, or adults? What is involved? Does it cost any money? How long does it go for. Do you get a lot of kids at all?
I’d say adults—we’re just going to be hanging out at a cafe, drinking tea (or perhaps iced tea given the season!) and chatting about making things. Typically mid 20’s to mid-60’s, but as long as the love of DIY is there it doesn’t really matter! I think kids would be bored silly, so I wouldn’t recommend bringing them. The only cost is the cost of your drink/snack, and they usually last 1.5–2 hours 🙂
Oh sorry, just realised I can’t come!
So sorry to cause you all this.
I’ve avoided body butters and most lotions for years because they usually feel heavy on my skin, but I’ve been playing with some of your butter and lotions for the last few months, and now I realize that the problem is the extra “stuff” that is in commercial products. All of your recipes that I’ve tried are absolutely worth keeping and making again. Yet again, we are expanding my diy addiction!
I made two batches of this body butter over the weekend. As I don’t have cupuacu butter, I used shea butter in one batch and kokum butter in the second. The mango/shea butter blend is lovely, but you can feel it hanging out on your skin for several minutes even after it sinks in. However, the mango/kokum butter combination is fabulous! It’s velvety, sinks it quickly, and I keep petting my arms in appreciation. 🙂 Thank you for the fabulous recipes!
You’re very welcome—thanks so much for sharing your creations and DIYing with me! The heavy feel you may’ve noticed in commercial products could be petrolatum—it’s an excellent occlusive, but not everyone loves a strong occlusive, especially if they want something lighter!
Hi Marie,
Both BTMS-50 and BTMS-25 is not available in my country. Could you advise what will the be best to substitute them? Thank you. 🙂
You’d want another conditioning emulsifier, but if neither BTMS-50 or 25 are available in your country I doubt you’d have access to something like Varisoft EQ 65.
This recipe is amazing. It feels so nourishing on my skin, but not at all heavy or greasy like most body butters tend to. Thanks for this great recipe Marie! The scent blend is so unique as well. Very nice-this one is definitely getting made again!
I’m so glad! YAY! Thanks so much for DIYing with me 🙂
HI Marie
I love this (smell, texture, conditioning) and made a few batches for myself and friends but I found after a couple weeks it got grainy, like stearic acid bits precipitated out or something? My only change was to sub 4g Kokum and 2g Shea for the Cupacau butter since I don’t have it. Also had this problem, but more severe, with the stearic acid hand balm (and again used kokum butter). I otherwise haven’t had problems with kokum butter. Any thoughts?
Hmm; I have heard about this happening from other people who’ve tried this with kokum butter. Try bringing the mixture to “trace” before pouring it; it’ll probably be hard to do the swirl, but it should help with the graininess.
I see that you mentioned on a previous comment to bring the mixture to a trace if there are , issues with graininess. I made this yesterday, and I couldn’t love it more! Today however, when I dipped my finger in, it appeared quite oily and the texture was grainy. It’s almost as if it separated slightly…hardly noticeable…this is the only body butter recipe I’ve used that didn’t say to whip or whip while cooling. I didn’t change any ingredients. I had them all on hand, so it wasn’t an issue with kokum butter. Can I reheat this and try again without it having a negative affect? Also, my EO’s are barely discernible. I could smell it until I added the benzoin. Any thoughts on that? BTW, I LOVE THIS RECIPE! It’s phenomenal. If I didn’t like it, I would scrap it, but I like it so much, I would like to try to get the kinks worked out….Thank you!
You can gently re-warm it; I found I had separation issues if it didn’t cool enough while stirring, so perhaps that is the problem? You can also increase the EOs, just be sure to research the maximum usage rates for each EO so you don’t overdo it 🙂
I noticed a couple of other posts mentioning how this butter went a bit grainy after a couple of days. Mine did this tool. It also happened when I made your soothing cedarwood ointment. When I look, the common ingredient is cetyl alcohol. Could that be the culprit? Suggestions for my next batch for what I might have done wrong? Even with the bit of graininess, this is easily one of my favourite recipes I have made so far. The smell is divine!
Check out the instructions for this newer variation on the theme—the adjusted method really helps 🙂 I don’t think it’s the cetyl alcohol as I’m pretty sure I’ve had butter/oil blends without it do the same thing, but it could definitely be making it worse/more likely. Hmmm. I’m glad you’re loving it, though, grainy or not!
Can you whip up a body butter with Cetyl alcohol & BTMS 50? I noticed that most of your recipes with these two are usually not whipped up. Thank you.
You can certainly try it—I’m not sure how well the whippy consistency would hold over time, but this is soft enough to whip initially 🙂
Thank a lot
Hi Marie.
Have you experimented with palmarosa as a deodorant? In the reviews of palmarosa on aroma zone I read several people using it straight (must not be great for the skin) or in a deodorant recipe. I absolutely hate the smell. If a deodorant stinks more than sweat I don’t see the point. But your blend sounds nice, with bergamot and benzoin. So I am thinking of making a mist (water, polysorbate 80 and essential oils).
Have you tried palmarosa as a deodorant?
Hey Ann! I haven’t, I’m afraid, though it’s an intriguing idea. I am generally pretty skeptical of essential oils as effective sole deodorizing agents simply because I’ve had very little success with that in general, but I certainly haven’t tried everything! Let me know how it goes if you do try it 🙂
I will!
I whipped this – love the texture but it smells really strong – the capacau (however you say it!?) has a really strong smell – I’m worried adding more essential oils will burn the skin?
Did you use refined cupuacu butter? I wouldn’t recommend increasing the essential oils as the percentage is already on the higher end for body products 🙂
Marie! I made this a few days ago and I loveeeee it. I substituted the cupuacu butter for murumuru butter since it’s what I had and I really like how it feels! I love that it’s like a super concentrated lotion, but once it makes contact with damp skin it spreads and absorbs very nicely. A little bit really goes a long way! Thanks for sharing with us!!