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I have already shared a body butter recipe using Olivem1000 emulsifying wax. And another body butter that is naturally colored using oil infusions.
It is important to understand that different kinds of emulsifying waxes give different textures and consistency to the final product. When you change the emulsifying agent, it affects the final result. I wrote more about it with examples in this post about making basic creams and lotions.
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This recipe uses BTMS50 as the emulsifying wax.
When using BTMS50 as an emulsifier, expect a very creamy thick texture with conditioning properties.
BTMS50 is usually used in hair care products since it’s cationic (positively charged) and helps to condition the hair. Examples of using BTMS50 in hair conditioner are in this post for solid conditioner and this amla hair mask.
You can use other emulsifying waxes to create this body butter. Olivem1000 is also one of my to-go emulsifiers, as well as Montanov L.
In my journey to experiment with natural colors in my cosmetics, I chose to use blue spirulina powder to color half of the body butter.
Blue spirulina has a very bright, intense color as a powder but once mixed in the product, the result is a very pale pastel bluish color.
If you don’t have blue spirulina powder, you can use cosmetics mica or skip it. You will still have a beautifully rich and creamy product.
I combined three butters in this recipe: Shea, Mango and Cocoa. You can replace the Shea butter with Murumuru butter and the Mango butter with Shea butter. You can use only Shea butter instead of combining three different butters.
If you want to replace the Cocoa butter, you can use Cupuaçu or Kokum butter.
For the liquid oil, I use sunflower oil infused with green tea. You can use any carrier oil of your choice, such as sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, olive oil or hazelnut oil. To read more about oil infusions, please check this post here.
Cetyl alcohol gives a silk texture; You can swap it with Cetearyl alcohol or myrica fruit wax.
In the water phase, I added allantoin since it’s known to reduce irritation and sensitivity and helps soothe the skin. If you don’t have allantoin, you can skip it and add the amount to the distilled water.
If you want to replace the Guar gum you can use xanthan gum that is compatible with cationic ingredients (in the data sheet of the supplier you can find this info).
I did this recipe with both and after 5 months there was no stabilities issues.
I chose green tea extract for phase C since it goes well with my sunflower-infused oil with green tea. Also, green tea extract is known for reducing skin redness, protecting from sun damage and reducing inflammation.
You can replace it with different extracts such as aloe vera extract, blue malva flower extract, calendula extract, rosemary extract, or oats extract. Any extract in your creams could be used instead of green tea extract. You can skip the extract and add the amount to the distilled water instead.
I added panthenol which is known as vitamin B5. You can add niacinamide instead (vitamin B3) or urea. You can skip it or even add aloe vera liquid instead.
I use Cosgard as the preservative. If you are using other preservatives, check with your supplier and adjust the amount if necessary. If you use a larger amount of preservative, subtract this added amount from the distilled water.
You can replace the fragrance oil with essential oil. Make sure to use a skin-safe essential oil since some essential oils can irritate the skin.
This emulsified body butter is thick and pipable. It is very dense yet absorbs quickly into the skin. You can place it into a tube or a jar container. It’s the perfect moisturizer for dry days and dry skin.
Method:
- In a heat resistance beaker, add phase A ingredients.
- In a second heat resistance beaker, add phase B ingredients. First mix the glycerin and gum to create a slurry, and then add the rest of the ingredients.
- Place phases A and B into a double boiler on medium heat. Cover phase B to minimize water evaporation.
- In a different container, add phase C ingredients. Mix to dissolve the powders. Set phase C aside.
- When phase A is completely melted, remove phases A and B from the heat.
- Combine phases A and B. Use an immersion blender to emulsify. Let the emulsion cool down.
- Add phase C and blend to incorporate when the temperature is less than 40 degrees Celsius.
- Check the PH level by adding 1g of the product and 9g of distilled water. PH between 5.5-6 is fine. To read more about PH adjustments, check this post here.
- If you want two colors, divide the product into two containers. Add the spirulina powder to one part and mix until you get a homogenous mixture.
- You can pipe the emulsified body butter. I used a reusable squeeze bottle. I filled it with the two colors and piped it into a container.
