Recipe: Coconut Body Butter

A couple of years ago I switched from using olive oil as a body moisturizer to coconut oil. Coconut oil is fine in the summer when our house is warm enough for it to be soft at room-temperature. However, in the winter, when our house is a "balmy" 65˚F, the stuff is hard as a rock. So…for most of the bloody year the colder months, I whip coconut oil with a little castor oil to make a soft, easy-to-use body butter.

Coconut Body Butter
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups cold-pressed, organic coconut oil
2 tablespoons castor oil
5-10 drops of essential oil (for scent) – optional

Directions
Place all three ingredients in a bowl and whip with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Place in a glass jar with a lid and enjoy as needed!

Note:
To use: Rub a quarter-sized amount between your hands until melted, then rub it into your skin. If you've never used coconut oil as a moisturizer, it might seem a little greasy at first. I promise that within five minutes, your skin will happily drink it in, leaving you soft and smelling like heaven. (Plus, your body will thank you for avoiding the parabens, petroleum and phthalates that are found in commercial moisturizers!)