DIY: Some Cocoa Butter Love

Cocoa butter, also called cacao butter, is the cream-colored fat extracted from cacao seeds (cocoa beans) and used to add flavor, scent, and smoothness to chocolate, cosmetics, tanning oil, soap, and a multitude of topical lotions and creams. Cocoa butter has been called the ultimate moisturizer, and has been used to keep skin soft and supple for centuries. It is one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats known, and melts at body temperature so that it is readily absorbed into the skin. Cocoa butter is often recommended for treatment of skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. When applied topically, it creates a barrier between sensitive skin and the environment and also helps retain moisture.

I find that when the weather turns cold and we spend more time indoors with heat or outdoors getting chapped by wind and cold, that I crave cocoa butter.  Or maybe it is just the smell of chocolate that I crave!  Here is a humble recipe to use for you or your family or gift to others this holiday season.  Look for organic, extra virgin cocoa butter if you can - Mountain Rose Herbs is a good source for it.  I shy away from the deoderized kind - but some want the texture and not the smell.  Imagine that...

Here is the recipe:

Cocoa rose body butter

• 4 oz cocoa butter
• 5 oz shea butter
• 1 oz virgin organic coconut oil
• 2 oz grape seed oil or other light vegetable oil
• Rose essential oil or others

Gently heat the cocoa butter and shea butter on a double boiler in a pyrex measuring cup until melted.  Add the coconut oil and grape seed oil.  Stir well.

Add essential oils to each container before adding your melted butter.  A 2 oz jar would need about 4 or 5 drops citrus essential oil, only 1 if it is rose.  Pour into jars or tins and let cool.  You can hasten the cooling process by putting these on a tray and putting into the fridge for an hour or so.