Calendula Body Butter
As someone with dry, sensitive skin, I love anything made with calendula oil. This calendula body butter is easy to make at home, requires just a few simple ingredients, and leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth, and moisturised. And the best part of making your own body butter? You can use high-quality ingredients and still end up with an affordable product because you’re not paying for someone else’s brand!
I especially love using this body butter during our dry, cold winters, when my skin tends to become really dry—especially my hands and feet. Because it contains no water, it also keeps really well, making it a lovely homemade gift for any woman in your life.
What Is Calendula Oil?
Calendula oil is made by infusing dried calendula flowers in a carrier oil such as olive, jojoba, or sweet almond oil. You can make it slowly by simply leaving the flowers in the oil for several weeks, or speed up the process by gently warming the jar in a warm water bath for several hours. This allows the beneficial compounds from the calendula flowers to infuse into the oil.
Calendula oil is one of my most-used ingredients in homemade balms, salves, and creams because it works great for soothing dry and irritated skin and supporting the skin’s natural healing process. To make your own calendula oil to use in this calendula body butter, check out my simple tutorial here.
Why You’ll Love This Body Butter
- Only 3 ingredients. This body butter combines just three simple, natural ingredients to create a rich, nourishing moisturiser without a long list of unnecessary ingredients.
- Easy to make, even for beginners. No special tools are required to make this homemade body butter.
- Perfect for dry skin. It has a rich, buttery texture that leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth and helps lock in moisture, especially when applied after showering.
- Long shelf life. Because this body butter contains no water, it will keep longer than water-based lotions when stored properly in a cool, dry place.
Ingredients
This recipe uses prepared calendula-infused oil. See my tutorial for how to make calendula-infused oil here.
How to Make Calendula Body Butter
Step 1: In a double boiler, gently melt the tallow and cocoa butter over very low heat until completely melted. To make a homemade double boiler, place a jar in a saucepan half-filled with water, with a folded tea towel on the bottom to keep the jar from sitting directly on the pan. Alternatively, you can place a metal bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. The goal is to melt the fats very gently, using indirect heat rather than placing them directly over the heat.
Step 2: Once the fats are completely melted, remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the calendula-infused oil.
Step 3: Let the mixture cool until it is just warm, then stir in the essential oils, if using. I added 15 drops each of lavender and frankincense essential oils.
If you don’t want to whip your body butter, you can transfer it to a clean, dry storage jar at this point. Otherwise, continue to the next step to make whipped body butter.
Step 4: Let the mixture cool until it is thick and opaque but not solid. It should have a texture similar to softened butter. To speed up the process, you can place the jar in a bowl of ice or put it in the refrigerator. Check on it frequently and stir as it cools to prevent the mixture from solidifying around the edges too quickly.
Step 5: Once the mixture has thickened, you can whip it with a hand mixer if you want a lighter, fluffier body butter. I used an immersion blender to give mine a smoother, denser, lotion-like consistency, which I really like.
Step 6: Once whipped, use a spatula to transfer your calendula body butter to a clean, dry jar. Close the lid tightly and store it at room temperature in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. If your home is very warm, you can also keep it in the refrigerator to prevent the body butter from becoming too soft.
How to Use Calendula Body Butter
This calendula body butter is best used as a rich, leave-on moisturiser, especially on slightly damp skin after showering or bathing. How much you need will depend on your skin. My skin can get really dry during winter when the central heating is on, so I use a fairly generous amount. It is gentle enough to use every day. My kids also use this body butter and if you leave out the essential oils, it will be suitable for use even on little kids (always patch test first to rule out any sensitivity).
I also love using this body butter on particularly dry hands and feet just before bed. If you apply it to your feet, put on a pair of cotton socks afterwards to prevent any mess and keep your feet warm while the body butter sinks into the skin.
Calendula Body Butter vs. Calendula Balm
I already have a calendula balm recipe on the blog, but the two are a little different. My calendula balm is more protective and stays on the skin longer, while this calendula body butter has a richer, softer texture that makes it lovely to apply all over the body.
Both can help soften dry skin, but I prefer the balm for very dry hands, irritated skin, and protecting the skin from frequent washing or cold, windy weather. The body butter, on the other hand, is my choice for everyday moisturising, especially when my skin needs a little extra care.
Tips For Making The Best Body Butter
Use high-quality calendula oil. When making your own calendula oil, use thoroughly dried flowers and a high-quality carrier oil, such as olive, jojoba, or sweet almond oil. To learn how to make your own calendula-infused oil, see my tutorial here.
Make sure your containers and tools are completely dry. Even small amounts of water can introduce moisture into your body butter and increase the risk of spoilage. Make sure any containers, spoons, and other tools you use are completely dry before you begin.
Prevent a grainy texture. Tallow and cocoa butter contain fats that can crystallise as they cool, leaving your body butter grainy. To help prevent this, melt them completely using a double boiler. As the mixture cools, check it frequently and stir from time to time to prevent the edges from solidifying while the centre is still liquid.
Let the mixture cool before adding essential oils. Adding essential oils while the mixture is still hot can cause some of their volatile aromatic compounds to evaporate (so you end up with unscented body butter). Let the mixture cool until it is barely warm before stirring in the essential oils.
Whip it for a lighter texture. You don’t have to whip this calendula body butter. Whipping is entirely optional and mainly adds air, making the butter lighter, fluffier, and a little easier to spread. Unwhipped body butter will still moisturise your skin; it will simply have a denser texture. I personally like to use an immersion blender to make my body butter smoother and creamier (similar in texture to lotion), although I don’t usually bother whipping it with a hand whisk.
Storage Tips
- Choose the right container. Use a clean, completely dry glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to help keep moisture out. Amber glass is ideal because it helps protect the oils from light. If you only have a regular glass jar, simply store it in a dark cupboard.
- Store it in a cool, dry place. Keep your calendula body butter away from direct sunlight and heat. If you live in a hot climate, you may need to store it in the refrigerator to keep it from becoming too soft.
- Always use clean, dry hands. Scoop out your body butter with clean, dry hands or a clean, dry spoon. Introducing water can increase the risk of microbial growth, so keeping moisture out is especially important for homemade body butter.
- Check the shelf life. When stored properly, this body butter will keep for 6–12 months, depending on the freshness and quality of your ingredients and storage conditions. If you notice an unusual or rancid smell, a change in appearance, or any visible mould, discard it.
Recipe FAQ
Enjoy Your Calendula Body Butter
I hope you enjoy making your own calendula body butter and that it becomes a regular part of your skincare routine. Making your own skincare products is such a rewarding hobby. You end up with beautiful products made with ingredients you choose, avoid ingredients you’d rather not use (most of them petroleum by-products with long names), and save real money compared to buying body butter from a natural skincare brand.
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More Calendula Skincare Recipes
Tinted Calendula Tallow Lip Balm
Calendula Body Butter
Equipment
- Jar or heatproof bowl set over a saucepan
- Hand mixer of immersion blender (optional)
- Spatula
- Clean glass jar(s) for storage
Ingredients
- ½ cup (110g/3.9 oz) calendula-infused oil
- ½ cup (110g/3.9 oz) tallow
- ¼ cup (55g/1.9 oz) cocoa butter
- 20 -30 drops essential oils, optional
Instructions
- Melt the fats: In a double boiler, gently melt the tallow and cocoa butter over very low heat until completely melted. To make a homemade double boiler, place a jar in a saucepan half-filled with water, with a folded tea towel on the bottom to keep the jar from sitting directly on the pan. Alternatively, place a metal bowl over a pot of gently simmering water.
- Add the calendula oil: Remove the melted fats from the heat and stir in the calendula-infused oil until well combined.
- Add essential oils: Let the mixture cool until just warm, then stir in the essential oils, if using. I added 15 drops each of lavender and frankincense essential oils.
- Cool the mixture: If you don't want to whip your body butter, you can transfer it to a clean, dry jar at this point. Otherwise, let the mixture cool until it is thick and opaque but not solid, with a texture similar to softened butter. To speed up cooling, place the jar or bowl in a bowl of ice or put it in the refrigerator. Check frequently and stir as it cools to prevent the mixture from solidifying around the edges too quickly.
- Whip or blend (optional): Once the mixture has thickened, whip it with a hand mixer for a lighter, fluffier texture. Alternatively, use an immersion blender for a smoother, creamier, lotion-like consistency, as I did.
- Transfer to a jar: Use a spatula to transfer the finished calendula body butter to a clean, dry jar. Close the lid tightly and store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. If your home is very warm, you can keep it in the refrigerator to prevent it from becoming too soft.
Notes
- Essential oils are optional here. If you want to add them, some good options are lavender, frankincense, chamomile, geranium, or a combination.
- Tallow and cocoa butter are easier to measure by weight than volume so I provided both measurements.
- This body butter will keep for 6-12 months if stored in a closed jar or airtight container somewhere cool and dry.
