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Easy Whipped Body Butter Recipe & Non-Greasy (2024)

Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe (Non-Greasy!) - Almost Zero Waste

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Find out how to easily make deliciously smelling & non-greasy Vanilla Whipped Body Butter!

After some trial and error, I discovered the perfect recipe for moisturizing butter and oils and created an amazing whipped body butter that is fast-absorbing and non-oily.   

Keep reading to learn more about:

  1. Body butter VS lotion: The difference
  2. Benefits of making DIY whipped body butter
  3. Ingredients for the Vanilla Whipped Body Butter
  4. The BEST non-greasy oils for the whipped body butter
  5. Non-Greasy Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe
  6. Where to buy the materials for the body butter, plastic-free
  7. FAQ

Body butter VS lotion: The difference

Body butter is a nutrient-dense thick cream made of natural oils and butter designed to hydrate and nourish your skin. 

It is more concentrated than a lotion, and because body butter contains no water, it isn’t prone to microbial growth and has a longer shelf life. 

While it takes longer to penetrate the skin, it can soften very dry and rough spots like the knees, elbows, and feet. By whipping it, the body butter will become soft, fluffy, and easy to apply. 

Benefits of making DIY whipped body butter:

Some fantastic benefits of the DIY whipped body butter include:

  • Moisturizes, smoothes, and regenerates your skin
  • Forms a protective barrier that helps keep moisture from leaving your skin 
  • Nourishes your skin with vitamins and antioxidants 
  • It can reduce stretch marks and scars 
  • It is affordable & customizable!
Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

Ingredients for the Vanilla Whipped Body Butter:

I will give you a substitute you can use for each ingredient but keep in mind that swapping any of the main ingredients may impact the final result. 

Shea butter

Shea butter softens and hydrates skin. It is anti-inflammatory, packed with antioxidants, and ideal for all skin types, from regular to dry.

It won’t make your skin look oily after applying it; it quickly soaks up into your skin and creates a moisture-sealing barrier.

Furthermore, shea butter is one of the reasons why the Whipped Body Butter may help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scarring.

I prefer using refined shea butter because there is no grainy feeling in the end product. 

Alternative: Mango butter, suitable for normal or dry skin. It will change the texture of the recipe, and it will be more solid. 

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy
Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe (Non-Greasy!) - Almost Zero Waste

Cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is high in antioxidants, and it has a positive impact on skin health

It is high in fatty acids and hydrates the skin deeply while being noted to help skin irritations, eczema, and even scarred skin.

The top layer of the skin absorbs cocoa butter quickly. It can also improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles. It is perfect for dry skin.

Alternative: Kokum butter is highly moisturizing, without clogging the pores, and helps heal dry and cracked skin. However it is drier than cocoa and flakier, so it may change the consistency of the body butter.

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy
Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe (Non-Greasy!) - Almost Zero Waste

Safflower oil

Safflower oil is excellent for sensitive skin, and it has anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, it stabilizes the health of the skin barrier and keeps inflammation and irritation away. Safflower oil is a fast-absorbing oil, suitable for normal or oily skin, with a comedogenic rating of 0.

Note: Safflower oil has two versions – for cooking and a second (safflower essential oil) used as a carrier oil. The one for cooking will work fine (is what I used).

Alternative: Grapeseed oil is another fast-absorbing option, great for sensitive and oily skin. For more fast-absorbing oil alternatives, check below.

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

Tapioca starch

It can help thicken the homemade body butter, and it is an excellent oil-absorbing agent.

Alternative: Arrowroot powder or cornstarch. 

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

Kaolin clay

Clay minerals are used as active principles in cosmetics, due to their high absorbency level of substances such as greases, toxins, etc. (1)

This makes kaolin clay a great addition since it can naturally remove or absorb oils, secretions, and contaminants from the skin. (1) It is also ideal for sensitive skin.

Alternative: Bentonite clay is another option that should work. 

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy
Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe (Non-Greasy!) - Almost Zero Waste

Essential oil

For this DIY, I used vanilla fragrance oil that promotes relaxation and it just smells great. Other great essential oils for this recipe include:

  • Lavender or chamomile essential oil – Soothing and relaxing. Suitable for dry skin. 
  • Cinnamon or rosemary essential oil – Both are anti-inflammatory and can keep excess sebum away, making them a good option for acne-prone skin. 
  • Peppermint essential oil – It has a cooling effect on the body and can relieve tension, muscle, and joint discomfort. 
  • Rose or frankincense essential oil – Frankincense helps relieve oily and acne-prone skin while help reduces wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots. Rose promotes skin cell turnover, making it great for mature skin and anti-aging.  

Essential oils notes:

  1. I recommend avoiding citrus oils since they are photosensitive. This means that when you topically apply some citrus oils, they can cause skin irritation to UV light (itching, redness, burning, etc).
  2. Make sure you get 100% pure, certified organic (if possible) therapeutic-grade essential oils. Always check the label for the Botanical name, plant part, country of origin, and expiration date.

Important:

Before any DIY product, it is a good idea to perform a patch test to ensure your skin won’t react negatively to an ingredient. To do a patch test: 

  1. Apply a little bit of the product/ingredient you want to use on your inner forearm. Wait for 24 hours. You can also cover the area with a bandage. 
  2. After 24 hours, check the skin. If there’s no sign of hives, redness, or irritation, you are good to go.

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

Other non-greasy oils for the whipped body butter:

There are many great non-greasy carrier oils. They all have different characteristics and benefits. Light, fast-absorbing oils that you can consider: 

  • Grapeseed oil – One of the least greasy, light, and fast-absorbing carrier oil. It penetrates the skin very quickly, leaving the skin with a smooth, matte finish. Suitable for all skin types, including oily skin. Comedogenic rating – 1.
  • Camellia seed oil – Lightweight and silky, it penetrates the skin fast. Suitable for all skin types. Comedogenic rating – 1.
  • Rosehip oil – Fast-absorbing, and it may help with stretch marks and acne. Great for dry & mature skin. Comedogenic rating – 1.
  • Apricot kernel oil – Fast absorption, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory. It also promotes wound healing. Suitable for all skin types, especially oily and combination skin. Comedogenic rating – 2.
  • Sunflower oil – Highly absorbent and great for acne-prone, dry, normal, and oily skin. Comedogenic rating – 0-2.
Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

Non-Greasy Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe:

Materials:

  • A bowl 
  • A pot 
  • Clean jars (sterilize jars in boiling water for 10 minutes)
  • Hand mixer or a silicone whisk

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup shea butter (54g)
  • â…› cup safflower oil (30 ml) 
  • 1 tbsp cocoa butter (13g)
  • 1 ½ or 2 tbsp tapioca starch (~10g or 15g) – I added 2 tbsp  
  • 1 tbsp kaolin clay (~7g)
  • 30 drops of vanilla fragrance oil (or other essential oil)

Instructions:

1. Melt shea & cocoa butter in a bowl in a double boiler. 

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy
Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

2. Once melted, take off the heat. Add the safflower oil, and mix well. 

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

3. Put it in the fridge (or freezer) for about 15-25 minutes. While you wait, mix the dry ingredients (kaolin clay & tapioca starch) in a bowl, with non-metallic utensils.

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

4. Once it gets slightly solid, take it out of the freezer, and start mixing with a hand mixer or a silicone whisk*.

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

5. While mixing, add the essential oil, and then gradually the combined dry ingredients (tapioca starch and kaolin clay).

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy
Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

6. Keep mixing with a silicone whisk until it is thoroughly combined and the cream gets a buttery consistency. It will take 5-10 minutes.

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

7. Transfer to sterilized jars. (See notes for details)

Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

Notes:

  • To reuse jars, you have first to sterilize them. Place upcycled jars in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Let air dry thoroughly before filling with body butter. 
  • The body butter may lose some of its airiness over time. If it happens, you can whip it again by hand or just use it the way it is.
  • You shouldn’t use metal utensils, or bowls, due to the clay. Clay reacts with metals and becomes less effective. Use glass, wooden silicone, or ceramic utensils/bowls. 
  • With this amount, you will fill about one small jar. To get more, double the amount of the ingredients.
Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe (Non-Greasy!) - Almost Zero Waste

Vanilla Whipped Body Butter Recipe (Non-Greasy!)

Yield: 1 small jar
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Deliciously-smelling Vanilla Whipped Body Butter that isn’t greasy at all!

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup shea butter (54g)
  • â…› cup safflower oil (30 ml)
  • 1 tbsp cocoa butter (13g)
  • 1 ½ or 2 tbsp tapioca starch (10g or 15g)*
  • 1 tbsp kaolin clay (~7g)
  • 30 drops of vanilla fragrance oil

Instructions

    1. Melt shea & cocoa butter in a bowl in a double boiler.
    2. Once melted, take off the heat. Add the safflower oil, and mix well.
    3. Put it in the fridge (or freezer) for about 15-25 minutes. While you wait, mix the dry ingredients (kaolin clay & tapioca starch) in a bowl, with non-metallic utensils.
    4. Once the butters get slightly solid, take it out of the freezer, and start mixing with a hand mixer or a silicone whisk* until it is thoroughly combined and with a creamy consistency.
    5. While mixing, add the vanilla fragrance oil, and then gradually add the dry ingredients (tapioca starch and kaolin clay).
    6. Keep mixing with a silicone whisk until the cream gets a buttery consistency. It will take 5-10 minutes.
    7. Transfer to sterilized jars. (See notes for details)

Notes

  • To reuse jars, you have first to sterilize them. Place upcycled jars in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Let air dry thoroughly before filling with body butter. 
  • The body butter may lose some of its airiness over time. If it happens, you can whip it again by hand or just use it the way it is.
  • You shouldn’t use metal utensils, or bowls, due to the clay. Clay reacts with metals and becomes less effective. Use glass, wooden silicone, or ceramic utensils/bowls. 
  • With this amount, you will fill about one small jar. To get more, double the amount of the ingredients.
  • *I added 2 tbsp of the tapioca starch, and the body butter turned out non-greasy.
  • Where to buy the materials for the body butter, plastic-free:

    Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy
    Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

    As a matter of fact, you can use more or less the same ingredients to make a solid & non-greasy lotion bar, too! If you are interested in learning how to do it, you can follow my step-by-step guide here.


    FAQ:

    Does the Whipped Body Butter need a preservative? 

    No – this recipe needs only oils, butter, and starch, so there is no need to add a preservative. In addition, it has a long shelf life due to the absence of water or other liquids.

    How long will the Whipped Body Butter last?

    This non-greasy body butter recipe will keep for a long time, between 1-2 years. Just make sure to keep it in a cool place out of direct sunlight. 

    Additionally, always wash & dry your hands before scooping the body butter to avoid adding bacteria to the jar. 

    How to make the DIY Whipped Body Butter less greasy?

    • Use fast-absorbing oils like grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, rosehip oil, apricot kernel oil.
    • Avoid using more greasy oils that don’t absorb into the skin well, such as – castor oil, olive oil, palm oil, and coconut oil. 
    • Add natural ingredients that absorb oil, such as arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, cornstarch, and clay. 

    Why does the body butter feel grainy?

    Through my research, I found that sometimes, the body butter becomes grainy. This can happen IF:

    • You heat the shea butter above its melting temperature – Melt it over low heat for at least 10 minutes. You can also melt the other ingredients first and add the shea butter at the end.  
    • The melted shea butter is cooled down too slowly – Pour the melted shea butter into a bowl and place it in the freezer or refrigerator, or over an ice bath, to cool down fast.  
    • You use unrefined shea butter – Use refined to avoid a grainy feeling in the end product.
    Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

    How to soften it if it’s too hard (or harden it if it’s too soft)? 

    If you use any alternative ingredients or live in a very cold/warm climate, you might get a body butter that’s softer or harder. 

    If your body butter ends up being too hard: Increase the amount of liquid oil or add less cocoa butter.

    If your body butter ends up being too soft: Do the opposite – decrease the amount of liquid oil or add more cocoa butter.

    You can remelt it (on low heat, since most essential oils are heat sensitive) and make your changes as needed. Then, go once again through the cooling and whipping process. 

    If you feel that the body butter has lost its scent during the remelting process, add a few extra drops of essential oil.

    Will it melt in hot weather?

    If it’s too hot, yes, it will. The melting point of body butter is somewhere around body temperature, which is about 37 degrees Celsius (it can be slightly higher or lower).  

    If where you live, the temperature is higher, then it most likely will melt. In that case, you can keep the body butter in the fridge. 

    How to keep whipped shea butter from hardening? 

    Depending on the temperature of where you live or where you store it, your body butter could lose volume, and in a cooler climate, it could stiffen up.

    If the fluffy consistency of the body butter hardens in a couple of days, it can make it harder to apply. To keep it soft and fluffy, add a little bit of jojoba oil to the whipped shea (less than 10% of the mixture). 

    Can you use it on your face? 

    You can use the body butter on your face only if your recipe contains NO comedogenic ingredients (butter or oil that can clog the pores and cause breakouts). 

    Anything higher than 2 is not recommendable. 

    For example, cocoa butter and coconut butter comedogenic ratings are 4. Shea butter and safflower oil comedogenic ratings are 0. (find a list with most oils and their ratings)

    Nevertheless, you can give it a try and see how it feels. Just don’t put a thick layer. 

    Whipped Body Butter Recipe Non-greasy

    Sum up

    All in all, making homemade & non-greasy Whipped Body Butter is super simple to make and I’m sure you’ll love it.

    Even if you don’t have the exact measurements for the recipe, you can experiment and do your version! 

    The essential things to remember are:

    • It is a super good and affordable way to hydrate and nourish your skin 
    • It is easy to make and it is customizable 
    • The body butter doesn’t need a preservative, and it can last you 1-2 years
    • It is an AWESOME gift for friends & family members
    • It is easy to make it less oily by adding fast-absorbing oils and ingredients that naturally absorb oil
    • Keep in mind that it will melt if it’s too hot outside
    • You can use it on the face, but it might be too heavy

    Will you give this non-greasy DIY Vanilla Whipped Body Butter a try?

    Let me know in the comments below!

    16 Comments

    1. Thank you so much for all the helpful information, I wanted to let you know that you miswrote sunflower oil in a part of the article, confused me a bit late last night when reading.

    2. This did not turn out! I did everything. the recipe called for. I am so disappointed. This was my third time making this! I really thought I had the recipe.
      The body butter was hard and clumpy. I read this entire article after I made the 3rd batch, I added a couple id droplets of Camellia and a little bit of grapeseed oil
      It still greasy but it’s not hard anymore

      1. Hey Angela. I’m so sorry that it didn’t work out. I know my mum had the same issue – it was harder and clumpy. I think it could be because:
        1) You left the mixture to harden too much and/or 2) The powder ingredients weren’t mixed well/had clumps.
        Maybe you can try to take it out from the fridge before getting too hard, and you can use a sifter to add the dry ingredients gradually. It should help separate and break up clumps and make it easier to combine everything.

    3. Hi! If I don’t have any kaolin powder, do I add another 1 Tbsp. of Tapioca starch to make up the difference? (3 Tbsp. of Tapioca starch instead of 2?) Thanks!

        1. Can I use arrow root powder in place of tapioca starch, and if so, is it the same measurement amount? Also, if leaving out the kaolin clay, how does this effect the consistency?

    4. Hello, I added fresh aloe vera gel to the mix. It was so creamy and then the next morning the aloe vera started to separate. The butter started to have droplets

    5. In response to:
      Hanan says:
      February 20, 2023 at 9:33 pm
      Hello, I added fresh aloe vera gel to the mix. It was so creamy and then the next morning the aloe vera started to separate. The butter started to have droplets.

      My thought from some research I have been doing on making butter creams and hand sanitizers, is to consider using some “aloe vera butter” or I also found you can buy an “aloe vera oil”, but it is hard to find. I feel like you had issues possibly due to aloe “gel” not having the consistency needed to be able to add in to Merilin’s recipe.

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