May 13, 2019
Making your own beauty products can be a great way to reduce the number of toxic chemicals that you are exposed to, increase the number of beneficial ingredients you are exposed to, and save yourself some money compared to buying already made healthy products.
According to survey results shared on ewg.org (see the end of the post for link), on average, an adult applies 9 different personal care products daily, with 126 unique chemical ingredients. Some of these chemicals are known carcinogens, and some are known developmental and reproductive toxins. That is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the array of chemicals we are exposed to every day.
If you’re intimidated by the process and time commitment of making your own moisturizer, then I would encourage you to start with a multi-purpose cream like this. I chose the ingredients to be ideal for use on the face, but they’re also amazing on the rest of your body as a well.
In the cold winter months, I have enjoyed my shea butter recipe, but for the approaching spring and summer, I wanted something a little lighter. So, for this recipe, I’m using mango butter and hempseed oil, both of which have a comedogenic rating of 0/5 meaning it won’t clog your pores, perfect for acne-prone skin! Both mango butter and hempseed oil are known for being fast-absorbing, especially when compared to other popular skincare oils like coconut oil.
Some Things To Note Before We Get To The Recipe
- If you haven’t used a pure oil/butter on your skin before, this may feel a bit greasy at first. It performs just like actual butter on toast would, melting when coming into contact with your warm skin. A little goes a long way, so start with a small amount (try a pea-sized amount on your face) and then add more if needed. Give it a few minutes to fully absorb into your skin.
- Remember that everyone’s body chemistry is different, and not every product will work the same for every person. Please do a skin test on a small patch of skin if you are unsure whether you are allergic to any of the ingredients.
- This recipe does not contain any preservatives, so be sure to always use clean hands or utensils when scooping some out of the jar, to lessen the possibility of it becoming contaminated. It will have a shelf life of approximately 3-6 months, so only make what you can use up in this time.
Here’s A Quick Summary Of The Benefits Of These Ingredients
Mango Butter – anti-inflammatory, provides a natural sun protection SPF of 6-8, high in vitamin A, relieves eczema and helps heal skin discolouration
Hempseed Oil – absorbent, contains many vitamins, is anti-inflammatory and boosts toxin removal
Tea Tree Essential Oil – is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, treats acne, and soothes skin inflammation such as eczema
Frankincense Essential Oil – reduces scars, wrinkles, and stretch marks, relieves inflammation, boosts your immune system
Peppermint Essential Oil – relaxes muscles and relieves muscle pain, soothes skin inflammation
Juniper Berry Essential Oil – anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, soothes skin inflammation
Whipped Hempseed & Mango Body Butter
Ingredients
- ¾ cup mango butter
- ¼ cup hempseed oil
- 40-50 drops of essential oils of your choice (I used Tea Tree, Peppermint, Frankincense, and Juniper Berry). Other great essential oils for skin care include Lavender, Geranium, Lemongrass, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang, Myrrh, and Roman Chamomile. Use a total of 48 drops for a 1% dilution which is the ratio generally considered safe for children, pregnant women*, and particularly sensitive skin. It’s not recommended to exceed 2.5% dilution.
*not all essential oils are safe during pregnancy
Instructions
- To help sanitize your jars, add one drop of Tea Tree essential oil to each of your glass storage jars and mixing bowl. Wipe it around with a clean cloth to kill any lingering bacteria.
- Measure your mango butter and add to the mixing bowl. Use a double-broiler method to gently melt/soften the butter.
- Allow to cool slightly, then add your hemp oil and stir. Refrigerate it for about 20 minutes – 1 hour until it has started to solidify, but before it has become solid. Then, add your essential oils and whip with an electric mixer until combined and desired texture has been reached. *Note that the texture will usually “set” more and harden slightly once in jars*.
- Transfer to your jars, and you’re done!
When choosing your storage jars, remember that the volume will increase when you whip the ingredients.
Store your jars in a dark cool place, and use an amber glass jar if you can, which will help preserve the essential oils.
Sources
Essential oils dilution chart provided by Dr. Eric Zielinski of https://naturallivingfamily.com/
Book “Essential Oils Ancient Medicine” by Dr. Josh Axe, Ty Bollinger, and Jordan Rubin
https://bettersheabutter.com/product/pure-mango-butter-mini/
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/2004/06/15/exposures-add-up-survey-results/#.WnFcvedG3IU
