Christmas Candy Cane Body Butter Recipe

Peppermint Whipped Body Butter Recipe

My skin gets crazy dry in the winter, so I switch from lotions to body butters. Body butters are made with oils and butters, so they are extra moisturizing for dry skin.

Since they don't have water in them, they don't need an emulsifier or preservative. This peppermint body butter DIY is easy to make for beginners.

There are several peppermint body butter benefits that we will get into below, but this is a great recipe for dry skin. You can use it on your hands, feet, or body.

For more recipes for dry skin, check out these posts:

• Rose Milk Bath Tea
• Lavender and Calendula Hand Salve Recipe
• Oatmeal Bath Melts Recipe
• Chamomile and Calendula Herbal Bath Bombs
• How to Make Milk Bath Bombs
• Chamomile Hard Lotion Recipe
• Lavender Milk Bath Salts
• How to Make Creamy Body Butter

Keep track of your favorite essential oil recipes in my essential oil notebook. You can print the recipes to create your own binder to reference.

Learn how to create your own body butter recipes in the Toxin Free Butters and Balms course from The Natural Creator School. This course covers body butters, balms, salves, and cleansing balms.

Peppermint Body Butter Benefits

Although this homemade peppermint body butter is fairly easy to make, it has a lot of benefits for your skin.

Coconut Oil - Coconut oil is moisturizing for your skin. Coconut oil is naturally antimicrobial, so it can reduce bacteria and other microbes on the skin. Coconut oil is also naturally anti-inflammatory, so it's great for eczema or psoriasis. Coconut oil also keeps the skin moisturized and prevents transdermal water loss ( source).

Shea Butter - Shea butter isn't oily on your skin, so it helps cut the oily feeling when using this peppermint body butter recipe. It has fatty acids that nourish your skin and promote skin health. Shea butter is naturally anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants for your skin. It also promote skin cell regeneration and collagen production for better looking skin.

Sunflower Oil - Sunflower oil is a light oil, so it soaks into the skin quickly. It's high in antioxidants and is naturally anti-inflammatory. It helps improve the outer layer of skin and keeps the skin hydrated.

Peppermint Essential Oil - Peppermint essential oil smells really good, and it has skin benefits. Peppermint essential oil can promote healing and reduce inflammation when used topically. It's also a good natural remedy for itching due to the menthol content.

You can use peppermint essential oil plain, but I really like the Candy Cane blend from Simply Earth for a Christmas body butter recipe.

It's a blend of Orange, Lemon, Spearmint, & Frankincense Essential Oils. It smells absolutely amazing, and it's great for your skin.

Why is My Homemade Body Butter So Greasy?

Body butter is more oily than using a lotion because it's made with just oils and butters. I used sunflower oil because it soaks into your skin quickly and shea butter because it doesn't make your skin oily.

However, if you find this peppermint body butter recipe too oily, you can add up to 1 teaspoon of arrowroot powder to this whipped body butter recipe.

What Does Arrowroot Powder Do in Body Butter?

Arrowroot powder helps cut through the oily feeling in a peppermint body butter recipe. It also helps the body butter absorb into the skin quicker.

What Can I Use Instead of Arrowroot Powder in Body Butter?

I prefer to use arrowroot powder, but you can also use tapioca starch or cornstarch.

What Oils Are Good for Body Butter?

I used sunflower oil because it soaks into the skin quickly, but you can use any liquid carrier oil. You can learn more about carrier oils and their benefits to help you choose the best one.

Sweet almond oil is a great all purpose carrier oil. If I could only have one oil, it would be almond oil. It's fairly light, so it's not too greasy. It's high in vitamins A and E to nourish your skin.

Avocado oil is high in essential fatty acids and vitamins for your skin. It's very nourishing, but it is a heavier oil that will leave your skin feeling oily longer than other oils.

Hemp seed oil is great for dry skin, but it's a heavy oil. It's high in Vitamin E and minerals to nourish your skin.

Jojoba oil is close to your body's natural sebum. It absorbs quickly, so it doesn't make your skin feel oily. I usually mix it with another carrier oil when I use it.

Moringa oil is naturally anti-inflammatory and has saturated fats to nourish your skin. It's often used for anti-aging.

I get my carrier oils from Crafty Bubbles, Mountain Rose Herbs, HB Oils, or The Plant Guru.

How Long Does Homemade Peppermint Body Butter Last?

When stored in a clean dry container, your candy cane body butter will last about 3 to 6 months after opening. Be careful not to introduce water into the jar.

If it smells rancid or off or you see anything growing, toss it immediately.

You will need the following to make a peppermint body butter DIY:

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup shea butter
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil
• 20 drops peppermint essential oil (or Candy Cane essential oil blend)
• Red and white mica powder
• 1 large microwave safe mixing bowl
• 2 medium sized bowls
• Hand mixer or stand mixer
• 2 large piping bags
• 8 4-ounce jars

Heat the shea butter in a microwave safe bowl for 60 seconds in the microwave. Repeat until melted. Add the coconut oil and heat until melted. Add the sunflower oil and stir well.

Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. You want it to start to solidify but not fully hardened. The sides and top should have a film on them.

Remove the bowl from the fridge and use a stand mixer or electric mixer to beat on medium until it forms stiff peaks.

Divide the candy cane body butter recipe between the 2 medium sized bowls. Add 10 to 15 drops of peppermint essential oil to each bowl. Add red mica to one bowl and white mica to the other bowl. Mix until the color is even.

Add each color to each piping bag and use a large tip. Pipe into the jars, alternating colors.