Let me start this post with saying “sorry it’s been a while since my last post”. I took a major fall in my cast iron bathtub last week and the bathtub won. Like any woman, my instant reaction was to protect my face, so I threw up my arms and shielded myself from cracked teeth, black eyes, etc. Well, my right shoulder caught my fall, protecting my face, but fracturing my rotator cuff (or some part of my shoulder bones I can’t pronounce)-ouch! To make matters worse it is the shoulder that works my dominant hand. Typing hurts, so does taking pictures, bathing, dressing, sitting, sleeping, blow drying my hair, cutting steak, petting puppies and pretty much everything else I do on a normal basis. So posting (and really anything blog-worthy) stopped for an entire week. But I missed it a LOT! So without further ado…
Don’t you want to make some Varicose Vein Mango Almond Body Butter? I know it sounds almost like dessert, but it’s not. However, it is just about the silkiest body butter I’ve ever used, much less made myself. I’m not exaggerating when I say it feels like the most luxurious, creamy, even decadent moisturizer I’ve ever put on my body. It feels better than butter tastes… well, maybe not quite that good, but really really close. Back to serious, it feels so much more buttery and substantial than coconut oil. It feels like it will stick around a little longer than coconut oil, which I like.
Plus, it’s so stinking easy to make. I’m talking one-wrong-hand-because-the-other-is-in-a-sling-easy! Two ingredients, plus a special add-in of essential oils if you’re feeling fancy. With my arm in a sling for the next couple months, I’ll take fancy where I can get it. In my opinion, varicose vein mango almond body butter is more than just fancy, it’s a necessity! Disclaimer that my husband helped take some of the pics since I’m still figuring out this whole one-handed thing. Yes, he did ask me “what the heck is body butter?” while raising his eyebrows suggestively. {sigh} Boys!
Supply time! I used Raw Unrefined Mango Butter
Fancy add-in: I also used Cedarwood, Frankincense and Helichrysum essential oils. Wonder which essential oils you should use? Check out my chart on this post.
If you have a question about the brand of essential oils I use, send me an inquiry here. Due to policy regulations, I am not allowed to tell you directly. I promise to only answer your questions and WILL NOT pester you with newsletters and sales gimmicks. I honestly don’t have the time to be a multi-level marketing guru.
Let’s start by measuring our ingredients. I have a tendency to weigh ingredients with a digital kitchen scale (optional) rather than use measuring cups. I use a really old one from before college, but one day, I wouldn’t mind splurging for one of these: Glass Top Digital Food Scale
Press the “On/Off” button then place your container on it. Press the On button again, (or if yours is fancy enough for a tare feature, press that instead), which should make the measurement “0” again. 
Then add 150 grams of mango butter, or 1 cup if you don’t have a scale. Next time I will likely make it 200 grams for a 17.5 oz jar like the one I used. Live and learn. Now press that button to zero out the scale again and add 150 grams of almond oil. Or one cup again if your still risking life without a scale. They are generally a very small investment (my dream scale is $20.00) and eliminate all guess work. Seriously, just get one. 
If you go one gram over, it will still work. I’ll allow it of myself being as how I’ve still only got the left hand. Bottom line is, you want nearly equal parts of butter and oil. A little more butter if you live in a hot climate or season; a little more oil if you’re living cold. Now pop that baby in the microwave to melt. Mine took one minute, 15 seconds. Just watch it and heat only until just melted. No boiling!
Now, wait about ten minutes at room temperature before adding your essential oils. Heat has a tendency to diminish the efficacy and therapeutic powers of essential oils, which would just be a waste in my opinion. Add your oils in any combination you choose, about 30 drops total. I chose cedarwood because it is good for dry skin, and helichrysum and frankincense for their ability to diminish the appearance of blemishes rejuvenate skin. Not what you had in mind? Check the chart on this post for more suggestions.
Now just pour it in your container and wait for it to set up. It’s still not quite there on the picture below.
There we go. See how creamy it is? It is so smooth when compared to coconut oil. I love mango butter.
So have I convinced you to try your latest diy beauty product using mango butter? Let me know what you want to see me make with it next! Don’t forget to subscribe so you know when I post again.
What a marvelous recipe! Thank you for sharing – despite your wounded “wing”. I just found you on Pinterest and I’m so glad I did. Take care and stay safe!
Thanks Denise!
I am allergic to almonds. Can you suggest an alternative to the almond oil?
One other question…can you use this on your face? I have been using a serum with EO and a carrier oil, but miss the texture of a cream.
Hi Martina, I would suggest avocado oil or apricot kernel oil. You can use it on your face. I also have a recipe for rosehip cypress anti wrinkle cream that is formulated specifically for your face. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the recipe! How long does it usually take to solidify? It has been a day and a half and it is not solid like your last picture but not as liquid as the first (where you had said its not ready yet). I would say mine is somewhere in between.
Does yours take this long to solidify?
It should definitely have solidified by now. My first thought is maybe it is really warm in your house. If so, put it in your fridge. My second thought is maybe your ingredient amounts weren’t accurate, which you can only really fix by melting more of the solid butter and adding to it. The only other possibility is if you heated the butter too much. I think I’ve read somewhere that if you over heat butters, it can permanently alter the structure and keep it from ever getting solid again. Dang, I wish I knew which one it is but hopefully one of those can work out for you.
It’s definitely not too warm in my house (I’m freezing now!). I heated it the same amount of time you did and it wasn’t all melted so I stirred it for awhile till it melted so I would t have to heat it more. I do wonder about my measurements as I used a scale that I had never used before and I’m wondering how accurate it is. The next time I make this I will definitely use a little more mango butter and a little less almond oil.
I will try to put it in the frig though.
Thanks!
Hi! So, I’ve tried several of your recipes and I love them, but I have a question. When my cream solidifies and then I go to use it, it’s a bit grainy. It melts as I rub it in, but it feels like tiny little beads. Does yours do this? I used all the products you list – clicked through the links, etc. Just wondering. It all works them same, but I would love the butter to be completely smooth.
I have heard that before, but never experienced it myself. My best guess is if it is heated too fast or too high (or cools too quickly), it changes how the cream solidifies. All I can say is that I heat the ingredients low and slow and let it cool very slowly too. I have never had a grainy result, but I think that is the most likely culprit. Thank you so much for reading and trying my recipes. I hope this helps you going forward!
I bet that’s the answer! I was in a hurry to get this to someone, so I put them right into the fridge to cool. I will take my time next time. thanks so much of the quick answer!
Yep, I’ll bet that is exactly what happened. Pats of it solidified faster than others that way. What a great friend you are to make home-made gifts for people!
Just found you via Pinterest, and feel like I found a long lost freind! Love your blog! My question on this body butter is did you use 10 drops of each EO, or a different combo? Thank you so much!
Oh what a sweet compliment! I love long lost friends. Now that went back and read my recipe, I likely meant 30 drops of each oil for a jar of lotion this big. So 90 drops total. Sorry about that confusion! Hope to see you more often, friend. Lol Thanks so much for commenting!
Is it possible to substitute coconut oil rather than the mango butter? I still want to have the extra smooth consistency, but am allergic to mango. Or is there something else you would recommend rather than coconut oil? Thanks! :)
Coconut oil will not give you the smooth consistency. I would substitute Shea Butter or cocoa butter. Neither smell add good but they will end up much smoother in the long run. Thanks for asking!
Great recipe! Thank you for sharing this post at City of Creative Dream’s City of Links on Friday! I appreciate you taking the time to party with me. Hope to see you again this week :)
Shanice recently posted…City Of Links #30
Thank you Shanice for inviting me!
What a great idea for gifts as well! Does it have to stored in the refrigerator?
Maureen: I would think it doesn’t need to stay in the refrigerator, as long as your house isn’t mega hot (ours runs at about 74 degrees), you put it in a sterile container to begin with, and you use it up within three months. I happen to use mine up in a month or less, though so I can’t really say exactly how long it lasts.