Whipped Shea Butter - Christmas 2025

December 2025

Another 12 months have slipped away, fading into a haze of endless activity. Christmas draws near again, carrying the promise of festive spirit, family and friends gatherings, joyful laughter and if only for a fleeting moment, a touch of peace and quiet.

Those who understand the language of aromatics are surely already lost in their own winter alchemy, letting inspiration fill their creative spark, testing new ideas, adding, subtracting, tweeking until the vision manifests itself into reality as beautifully as it was intended . Whether it is for a special gift or a new seasonal product, Christmas is the ideal time to play with the versatile palette of fragrant essences whilst working hand in hand with their faithful companions, the fats and waxes. It is an absolute delight to let the wonder of these natural substances work their magic and be transformed into a gift that will touch the receiving hands with the intention to love, share, soothe and heal.
Blending aromatics is a craft, practiced to varying degrees of skill and artistry. However, one doesn't need to be a long time disciple of the natural substances to make a successful formulation as blending is also a space where the creator pours their own energy into infusing each preparation with a personal touch and a quiet expression of love. A home-made blend is never just a product, it carries the essence of the one who made it. What better gift to give and receive.

The following recipe is very easy to make and offers a base that can be used for numerous body applications.
Shea butter deeply nourishes the skin and replenishes its needs for lipids. It works as an emollient forming a soft, protective layer on the skin that leaves it feeling smooth, supple, and comforted. As such it is ideal for dry, sensitive and mature skin.types. Ideal for the winter season, it will help prevent and reduce dryness, chapping caused by excessive weather conditions.
As shea butter is naturally very hard, ‘liquid’ base oils need to be blended with it to create a soft formulation. In this recipe we have chosen jojoba for its balancing effect on the skin and rosehip for its anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. They can easily be enriched or swapped with other vegetable oils.
This formula makes a rich base that goes well into the skin. A little goes a long way. It is therefore better to make a small pot as it is likely to last a while.
Lastly, please note that shea butter carries a nutty aroma which may be judged a little too overpowering by some. Adding vegetable and essential oils is not enough to overcome its natural aroma.

We hope you will enjoy playing with these suggestions and will create amazing gifts to share with family and friends.

A SIMPLE & VERSATILE BASE - Whipped Shea Butter

The following recipe is very easy to make and offers a base that can be used for numerous body applications.
The idea is to make a large batch and create a vairety of proeducts for various uses.

**Ingredients for 100 gr of base **

35 gr shea butter
35 gr Jojoba oil or argan oil
20 gr Rosehip

Preparation

1. Melt the shea butter over a bain-maire. Avoid using a micro wave as this will destroy the properties held in the shea butter..
2. As soon as the shea is melted, take it off the heat and add the jojoba and rosehip
3. Put this mixture in the fridge until it looks a little cloudy as the second picture from the left below
   The time that is needed to achieve that stage depends on the quantity of product you are making as evidently 100gr will cool down more quickly that 500gr
4. Take the bowl out of the fridge and with an electrc whisk, whip the mixture until it beomes airy and fluffy.

The proportions of this recipe can easily be adapted, should one want a texture either more solid or runny. There is no need to start from scarth again. Melt the mixture gently and add more shea to make it thicker or other oils to make it softer.

Uses

This easy to make base is very versatile and can be used for various applications. Essential oils can be added or it can equally be left unfragranced and used as is.
Below are a few suggestions of applications with essential oils

Body Butter - 1% dilution of EO or 30 drops in 100 ml jar
Relaxing - Roman Chamomile 5 drops, Lavender 10 drops, Frankincense 15 drops
Romantic - Ylang Ylang 5 drops, Patchouli 5 drops, Gernaium 3 drops, Orange 18 drops
Energizing - Eucalyptus dives 3 drops, Patchouli 4 drops, Cardamon 3 drops, Ginger 3 drops, Bergamot BF 17 drops
Grounding - Vetiver 5 drops, Ylang Ylang 5 drops, Lavender 10 drops, Mandarin 10 drops

Caution: When using citrus oils in a body butter, ensure it won't be used before exposure to the sun or sunbed.

Night Cream - 1% dilution of EO or 15 drops in 50 ml jar
Frankincense 8 drops, Neroli 5 drops, Lavender 2 drops

Acne Salve - from 1 to 3% dilution of EO depending if this is to be used as a face cream (1%) or topically on specific spot (3%). The following oils play a useful role
Lavender - soothing, calming, and promotes skin healing
Tea tree - antibacterial, antiseptic, and clarifying
Helichrysun - supports skin repair and reduces inflammation
German Chamomile - anti-inflammatory and calming
Geraniium - balances sebum production and helps with inflammation
Rosemary - antimicrobial and stimulates circulation

An example in a 50ml jar at 1% dilution or 15 drops
Tea Tree 4 drops, German chamomile 4 drops, Lavender 4 drops, Helichrysum 3 drops

Foot rub - 2% dilution in a 50 ml Jar or 30 drops
There are many benefits to a foot rub, The feet despite their apparent thick skin, are rich in sweat glands and tiny blood vessels. When essential oils are apllied and massaged in to the feet, their compounds reach the bloodstream with ease and spread throughout the body effortlessly.
Massaging the feet encourages blood flow and lymphatic circulation and promotes relaxation mentally and physically.
Lets not forget reflexology or the art to heal the body through applying pressure in specific parts of the foot to stimulate / ease tension in targeted organs.

Relaxing - Peppermint 7 drops, Lavender 10 drops, Marjoram 5 drops, Mandarin 7 drops
Detoxifying - Cypress 8 drops Juniper 7 drops, Grapefruit 15 drops
Grounding & Soothing - Vetiver 5 drops, Cedarwood 8 drops, Roman Chamomile 5 drops, Orange 12 drops
Indulging - Geranium 7 drops, Lavender 8 drops, Patchouli 5 drops, Orange 10 drops

Hand Cream - 1% dilution or 15 drops in a 50ml jar
Soft & Nourishing - Geranium 5 drops, Lavender 4 drops, Roman Chamomile 3 drops, Patchouli 3 drops
Herb Garden - Peppermint 3 drops, Lavender 5 drops, Lemon 5 drops, Rosemary verbenone 2 drops
Rose Garden - Rose otto 4 drops, Sandalwood 5 drops, Palmarosa 3 drops, Petitgrain 3 drops
Woodlands - Cedarwood 4 drops,. Black spruce 3 drops, Frankincense 4 drops, Lemon 4 drops
Cleansing - Tea Tree 3 drops, Lavendin 5 drops, Rosemary Verbenone 4 drops, Spearmint 3 drops

A few fragrant suggestions we hope will inspire you to create your own variations. Each blend can be adjusted and shaped to suit personal needs and preferences. Scent is deeply individual, and the balance of aromatic essences should be tailored not only to delight our olfactory senses but also to support the desired therapeutic effects.