Body Butter - Chapter Two

[SmoothKitty]

Hi Everyone!

I finally got some time last weekend to try my second batch of body butter using the help and advice I got from several of you after my first batch was too oily/greasy. Here is my revised recipe:

5 oz. unrefined shea butter

1 oz. cocoa butter

2 oz. apricot kernel oil

1 tsp. Nutri-Sorb

.2 oz. fragrance oil

This time the consistency was MUCH better. More like butter and not nearly so greasy when smoothing on the skin. I ended up not liking the scent...it's called "milk & honey," but smells like Play-Doh to me. However, that's my fault, not the recipe's.

Does anyone see anything wrong with this recipe...or any way to improve on it?

Also, I'm wondering about preservatives. I try to be diligent about having everything real clean and I dip my containers in boiling water and air dry before filling. I hope to give some of these body butters as gifts and I think I might need to add something to keep them from spoiling. I've read about a lot of different kinds of preservatives. Does it matter which one I use? Any particular one recommended for butter?

Any advice appreciated! My previous post was "First Try...need advice" on May 21, 2006.

TY, TY, TY!

[CareBear]

I don't know about preservatives, but I would say a touch of Vitamin E to keep rancidity down might be an idea. From Nature with Love has good info on how long oils are good for, and under their Vitamin E selection they talk about which ones and how much I think. Someone else might be able to give better info than I though.

[LovelyLathers]

As long as there is no water in it or it will not come in contact with water ( Such as scrubs) it does not need a preservative. I make body butters and never have had a problem with out them.