In addition, the recipe is quite versatile. The basis is shea butter, to which we add any favorite oil. We were busy before Christmas, that's why we reached for cranberry oil, which not only matches the Advent atmosphere and all the dried fruits that we eat with relish during this period, but mainly caresses the "winter" skin - cranberry oil relieves the irritation associated with it itching, and even helps in the fight against acne and various eczemas.
What is whipped butter?
Before we dive deeper and move on to the other ingredients, let's talk about what whipped butter actually is. Whipped butter is whipped butter. :) …but not just any! It must be soft butter and ideally still "softened" with liquid oil, in such a proportion that after whipping the mixture remains fluffy and never "falls" again. An incorrect ratio is manifested either by the fact that the butter spreads after a few hours, or simply does not whip at all due to its stiffness. But once we have adjusted the right ratio, we can start adding other enhancers to the butter, such as fragrances or perhaps a combination of oils. And that's how we invite you to experiment and try!
Shea Butter
The star of the formulation is shea butter, which forms the basis of the recipe. We chose shea butter because of its popularity, friendly price and the feeling that almost everyone who has bought something from us at Ekokoza has it at home. Bambu butter is soft (in contrast to the equally great and no less popular cocoa butter, which is brittle and hard) and especially works wonders for the skin.
If you have ever worked with shea butter, you certainly know that this vegetable fat has a very specific smell. A little smoky, maybe nutty... well, shea butter. Which is a very poor description, we know :) But if you've smelled bamboo butter before, you'll understand. The aroma of this great butter can permeate the entire product, but this may not always be pleasant or desirable. From there, there is the possibility of using refined shea butter, which is fragrance-free. That's why we leave the choice here to you...
You can simply get rid of shea butter by using refined butter, which loses not only its aroma but also some of its properties and effects during processing. So, if you care more about the scent, choose the refined one, if you also want to please your skin with a balm, for example irritated by the autumn cold, and you like the shea butter scent, go for the natural version of the butter.
Oil
We use cranberry oil in the recipe, but any other liquid oil will work just as well. Since shea butter is quite greasy and absorbs slowly, it will be more pleasant in a mixture of oils, which, on the other hand, are absorbed quickly. Apricot oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, grape oil, jojoba oil and many others will be great. Conversely, castor oil or avocado oil will not be the best choice.
Starch
Shea butter really feels very heavy on the skin, even though we dilute it a little with oil, which is why we add starch to the formulation. We used potato starch, but you can also use kusa, finely ground tapioca or corn starch. The starch will make the product much lighter, less greasy, and will help a little to maintain the fluffiness.
Vitamin E
We recommend adding vitamin E to all fat-based products. Vitamin E, as a powerful antioxidant, boasts great abilities that slow down the rancidity of oils and butters, thereby greatly extending the shelf life of our joys.
Essential oils and fragrances
Whipped butter will be great even without them. But it will still be more luxurious with them. Into our Christmas butter, we added fresh, yet warm, sweet orange, which goes well with cranberry oil, and is perfect for the winter season. But you can reach for any other essential oil or your favorite scent. But follow the recommended dosage and if you make the butter in the summer, remember that citrus oils are photosensitive.
The simplest whipped body butter - cranberry + orange
What does it take?
For 40g - up to 50ml packaging, if you want a larger amount of product, multiply everything
- 22 grams of shea butter
- 12 grams of cranberry oil (or other favorite)
- 5.4 grams of starch
- 0.2 grams of vitamin E
- 0.2 grams of orange essential oil (or other favorite)
How to do it?
Weigh the shea butter into a container in which everything will be whipped well. If you keep the ingredients in the cold, let the butter soften at room temperature for a few hours before making it. Reach for the whisk and start beating the butter on low until it is slightly crumbly and large chunks are lost, gradually increase the speed and beat until the butter is nice and smooth with no visible lumps.
Whisk the oil, vitamin E and essential oils into the butter and then, ideally through a sieve, add the starch to the mixture and whisk and whisk again until the butter is beautifully fluffy and considerably lighter than it was at the start. Make sure you regularly scrape the butter from the sides and bottom of the bowl as you whip.
When it's done, gently transfer the butter to a container or jar with a wide mouth, from which the butter will be collected well - elegant glass jars with a lid are great. The specified amount, i.e. 40 grams, fits perfectly into this blue cream jar.
And it is done!
