Crazy fast absorbing, a gorgeous dry satin finish, dreamy cloud-like fluffiness and a scent so sweet and juicy it's going to make you want to eat it (don't!). This non greasy shea body butter recipe is out of this world! I'm going to say it one more time: non-greasy body butter- how's that even possible? I'm going to show you how, right here.
Shea butter - amazing skin benefits, great for eczema, not that hard to get, but ugh, for most people (including myself) it's way too sticky and tacky to be enjoyed by itself. Greasy fingerprints all over your phone, anyone?
In my Easy Whipped Body Butter Recipe, I remedy said greasiness by adding cornstarch which works quite well, and I love that recipe for its simplicity and amazing skin benefits, BUT this formula will knock your socks off!
Jump to:
What Makes Body Butter Feel Greasy?
Homemade body butter is essentially a rich body cream made of natural butters (like mango and shea) and a small amount of liquid oil to help make it softer and more lightweight. Most recipes call for whipping the body butter to make it even more spreadable and airy.
Unlike homemade lotions, body butters don't contain any water. They're essentially comprised of 100% fats and oils, which will feel - well, quite greasy.
When experiencing body butter for the first time, you might be surprised at how oily the texture can be. Especially, if you've tried store-bought body butters that oftentimes contain water and other ingredients to make them absorb into the skin faster.
How to Make Body Butter Non-Greasy?
When we say something has a greasy feel, we usually mean it doesn't readily absorb into the skin and leaves a residue behind. We want the product to have a dry finish that doesn't feel tacky or slippery. Here's how you can achieve this with your homemade body butter:
- Add starch and/or clay: cornstarch, tapioca starch, arrowroot powder and cosmetic clays can help absorb some of the excess oils and create a dry smooth finish on the skine
- Choose butters and oils that are extra fast absorbing (also called "dry oils"). Good candidates are: mango butter, kokum butter, camellia seed oil, apricot kernel oil. You want to avoid: Shea butter, coconut oil, castor and olive oil. For a great recipe check out my fast-absorbing Mango Body Butter Recipe.
- Add additional agent that will help speed up absorption time. For this recipe I'm using isopropyl myristate which will make the shea butter feel non-greasy. It's amazing!
What is Isopropyl Myristate?
Isopropyl myristate (IPM) is a synthetic oil made from two components. The first component is isopropyl alcohol, which is derived from propane and used as the antimicrobial agent in some hand sanitizers. The second component is myristic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid found in coconut oil, palm oil and lard (an animal fat) — together these two elements form an exceptional emollient.
Emollients help keep the skin's natural barrier healthy and prevent moisture from evaporating through the skin. Another added benefit of IPM is that it enhances the penetration of other ingredients into the skin. Meaning that other key ingredients in your products can work in the deeper layers of the skin, not only on the surface.
This all sounds great, but are there any downsides?
Yes.
IPM can be too much for oily skin types and lead to clogged pores. That's why we're using it in a body butter today, rather than in a face cream.
If you wanted to sell this non greasy body butter, be aware that IPM is not considered a "natural" ingredient since it's a synthetic oil produced in a lab. So keep this in mind when labeling your goodies.
How to Make Whipped Non-Greasy Body Butter
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you will I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Equipment needed:
- Medium sized bowl or pyrex (big enough to fit both beaters of a handheld mixer)
- Digital kitchen scale
- Handheld mixer or standing mixer
- Spatula
- Jars with lid for storing
Ingredients (makes 5.3oz / 150g of finished body butter that fills 2 x 4oz jars):
- Shea Butter (refined): 3.4oz / 97g
- Rosehip Seed Oil: 1oz / 30g
- Isopropyl Myristate: 0.77oz / 22g
- Orange Essential Oil: 30 drops
- Ylang Ylang Essential Oil: 6 drops
- Orange Mica (optional): a pinch
Instructions:
Measure out shea butter into a bowl
Whip shea butter on medium speed until smooth and airy
Measure out rosehip seed oil and mix it with shea butter until combined
Scrape sides occasionally and whip some more
Add Isopropyl Myristate and whip
Add essential oils and whip
Add colorant (optional) whip until well combined
Transfer into airtight container and enjoy!
FAQs About Non-Greasy Body Butter Recipe
How long is the shelf life?
Between 6 - 12 months depending on the freshness of your ingredients. If your body butter starts to smell "off", please discard.
Do I need to add a preservative?
No. This body butter is completely oil based and doesn't require a preservative.
Can I use different butters?
Maybe. Every butter has a different consistency and melting point. By swapping out the shea butter you will get a different end product. This is not to say that it won't be good, you'll simply have to experiment.
Can I use a different oil or essential oil?
Yes, you can use any lightweight carrier oil instead of rosehip seed oil. You can use your own essential oil blend as long as it's a safe amount and you're not using essential oils that can cause photosensitivity (like lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, for example).
Will the body butter melt in warm temperatures?
Yes. Shea butter has a melting point of about 90℉, that's why it's best stored at room temperature.
Now, let's get to the interesting part:
Until next time. Happy Tinkering!
Non-Greasy Body Butter Recipe
A fast absorbing and skin soothing body butter with fluffy cloud-like consistency
Ingredients
Instructions
- Measure out shea butter using a digital kitchen scale into medium sized bowl
- Whip using a handheld mixer or stand mixer until smooth and airy
- Add rosehip seed oil and mix until incorporated
- Scrape sides of bowl using a spatula
- Add Isopropyl Myristate and mix until incorporated
- Add essential oils und mix
- Optional: Add colorant and mix well scraping sides as you go
- Transfer into 4oz mason jars
Karen
Can you Used a different oil than rosehip?
Celine
Absolutely
keke
What about the ylang ylang what is it used for?
Celine
In this body butter it's for the scent. You could use a different essential oil instead if you like.
Cassie
Quick question: I want to make a whipped body butter for friends during the holidays. I would just use my kitchen appliances for this and would disinfect everything with alcohol ahead of time, but would I be able to use the appliances again for food preparation? Of course, after thorough washing!
Celine
I’ve been using my kitchen appliances and have used them for food after. I feel that it’s safe, but I’m no chemist 😉
Ellie
When making a body butter can I heat the ingredients to help them? And put in fridge and whip?
I do that for one I tried a recipe for emollient body butter .
Just probs easier to whip if its melted wondering if its ok
Celine
Hi Ellie, Yes you can melt the shea butter, if you wish.
Christ
Is there anything I can use in place of isopropyl myristate?
Celine
Nothing that would cut down on the greasiness in quite the same way. But you can leave it out and replace with more liquid oil, like Camellia oil or another lightweight oil.