Creamy Smooth Body and Hand Cream

Rita~'s Note:

Chef #248023 inspired me to make this after I made her Body Butter Whip. Shea butter is known for its cosmetic properties as a moisturizer and emollient. As well as an anti-inflammatory agent. Shea butter can be effective at treating the following conditions: fading scars, eczema, burns, rashes, acne, severely dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, skin discolorations, chapped lips, stretchmarks, wrinkles and in lessening the irritation of psoriasis. Also provides natural UV sun protection but don't rely on it as a sunscreen because it filters out only little amounts of UV rays. Shea butter absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling. It can be bought on line.

• Total Time: 12 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 2 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 12.0 ounces

• 6 ounces unrefined shea butter (softened in microwave or double boiler)
• 1/4 ounce cocoa butter (softened in microwave or double boiler)
• 6 ounces almond oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 fluid ounce essential oil

Directions:

1. Place lots of ice in a large bowl and place a metal bowl on the ice.
2. Mix the ingredients together in the metal bowl.
3. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the oils.
4. Whip with an electric hand mixer (not a stand mixer) and continue to beat.
5. Adding in the essential oils desired.
6. Continue to beat until light, fluffy thick and cool.
7. Place in a glass jar, store out of sunlight and use as needed.

Reviews

[Chantham]

As SAHS stated, this does take a while to thicken up so I I let it sit for fifteen minutes over the ice before attacking with the blender. It took less than a minute on the blenders lowest setting to whip up.
Like SAHS, I think this is a bit to oily. This is an excellent body lotion for my very dry skin, but it's a bit too greasy to use for hand cream.
I will definitely make this again, but halve the oil used.

[SAHS]

This takes quite a while to thicken up, but looks great when it does! I used jojoba oil instead of almond oil, and orange essential oil (it smells great with the cocoa, but is a bit too sickly-sweet after a while). It was a bit more oily than I'd like, but is great for dry skin. I'm going to try a few more shea recipes, but if I make this one again I'll halve the amount of oil.

[Tigg]

I made this up and WOW am I impressed! Used the right way it is absorbed into the skin and is not greasy at all. I had deeply cracked heals and it made them smooth in two days! I have such dry skin on my legs that they were flaking and splitting - smooth again in two days. The best way to use it is on damp skin because then your skin is like blotting paper and it drags all that goodness down into itself. I put a bit of sandlewood oil in mine and it smells beautiful.