Where da food at?

So, you can’t necessarily eat this.  I mean, you might be able to but I don’t have good enough insurance to co-sign that.  So, yeah, you can’t eat this but I consider it food for your skin and therefore I’m allowing it to be on my food blog.

I promise my blog won’t turn into a Pinterest site.  Promise.

Despite all of my fried chicken-ice cream-doughnut-filled posts, I try to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

For me, this means: lots of water consumption, Organic food purchases whenever possible, buying local non-gmo products, avoiding highly processed foods and having a relationship with as many skin care products as I can that will keep wrinkles far far way.  I have an unhealthy fear of aging.

Unfortunately, many of the skin care products on the market are loaded with chemicals. I don’t have time for that.  Not one second.

And, although the natural skin-care market has made leaps and bounds over the years, many of them are hecka expensive.  I don’t have time for that either.

I decided to take things into my own hands.  And with that I bring you Body Butta.

Heaven for your skin.  Like, really.

It smells like chocolate.  I smell like chocolate. 24/7.  It’s not a bad thing.

My skin is moisturized. Healthy. Happy. Glowing.

You know how sometimes when you buy shea butter and it leaves, like, a residue on your skin? And a yellow color? And you have to work really hard to massage it into your skin?  Yeah, this isn’t like that.

The best part?  I made it.  And I know EXACTLY what I’m putting on my skin.  No hidden agendas.  No paying out my ass for pretty packaging.  Just mother nature, at her very finest.

Body Butta

All of the below ingredients should be available at your natural food market, however I suggest ordering online from sites like Amazon or VitaCost so you can save a little cash and buy in bulk quantities–it will make your dollar go further.

When looking for these ingredients it is very important to purchase products that are in their natural state.  This means raw, un-refinied, non-heated.  Palmer’s cocoa butter will not cut it.

Extra Dabs: purchase Organic ingredients

xo

Ingredients:

• 2 cups coconut oil (raw, un-refined, cold pressed)
• 2 cups cocoa butter (raw, un-refined)
• 2 cups shea butter (raw, un-refined)
• 1 cup Almond oil
• 12-14 drops essential oil (optional): peppermint, vanilla, orange, etc

Procedure:

1. Chop the cocoa butter.  Cocoa butter in its raw state is dry and hard so it helps to break it down before melting.  If you have trouble removing it from the container it’s packaged in, carefully use a butter knife to pull out chunks. Using a chef’s knife, begin to chop cocoa butter into small pieces, as if you were chopping chocolate.
2. Add all ingredients, except the essential oil, to a heat-proof bowl.  Place bowl over a saucepan that is filled half-way with simmering water.
3. Stir the ingredients occasionally with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are completely melted and incorporated.
4. Let mixture cool to room temperature and refrigerate until solid, at least 3 hours.
5. Remove from fridge and let come to room temperature, about an hour.
6. In a stand mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the mixture over medium speed until well incorporated and very fluffy, about 10 minutes.  The mixture should be very smooth.  If there are any hard chunks, continue to whip.  A hand-mixer will also work.
7. If you are going to use an essential oil to fragrance the mixture, add it and mix until incorporated.  Note that because of the cocoa butter, the mixture has a very strong chocolate scent.  The chocolate scent will still remain, even with the addition of an essential oil.
8. Store in air tight containers.  I like to store in mason jars.