This light and creamy honey coconut body butter smells just like honey and a warm summer day, and I am utterly smitten with it. As I write this I am constantly pulling my hands up to my face for a good sniff—I imagine I must look a touch bonkers, but I’m ok with that.

How to Make Honey Coconut Body Butter How to make Honey Coconut Body Butter

The base of the body butter is virgin coconut oil and beautiful, unrefined Canadian beeswax (this particular block is from Raven Creek Farm in Manitoba, and it’s just lovely). The coconut oil contributes a summery sweetness to the final product, while the beeswax brings a nice honey note. On its own coconut oil is a pretty thin moisturizer, but when paired with beeswax it gets just enough of a thickening kick to deliver the perfect dose of summer moisture.

How to Make Honey Coconut Body Butter How to make Honey Coconut Body Butter

From there I’ve added just two essential oils—clove bud and labdanum. Clove bud adds a hint of spice and warmth that isn’t clearly distinguishable in the final blend, but works beautifully with everything else. Labdanum is a favourite of mine, derived from a small sticky shrub called the Cistus ladanifer. Egyptian pharaohs wore false beards made from goat hair soaked in labdanum, and it’s popular in perfumery. And, as a plus, it’s said to be good for mature skin. It smells of sunshine on a warm day, with sweet and musky notes, and hints of the sun on dry grass. If you haven’t ever tried it, get a bottle. You won’t regret it.

How to Make Honey Coconut Body Butter How to make Honey Coconut Body Butter

Honey Coconut Body Butter

8g | 0.28oz beeswax (USA / Canada)
36g | 1.27oz virgin coconut oil
2 drops clove bud essential oil
25 drops labdanum essential oil

Ensure the bottle of labdanum essential oil is well sealed, and place it in a hot water bath. It’s a very viscous resin, so you’ll need to warm it up to get it to drop.

Melt the beeswax and coconut oil together in a double boiler. Once melted, remove from the heat.

Stir in the essential oils and decant into a 60ml/2oz container to set up.

To use, massage into the skin and enjoy the decadent scent! (Don’t put it on your lips, though, it tastes awful!)

How to Make Honey Coconut Body Butter How to make Honey Coconut Body Butter