Cocoa Butter Balm
Recipe Title
A balm is a soothing or healing skincare product. This 100% natural balm uses simple ingredients, most of which you can find in your pantry. This product contains oils which together offer benefits such as soothing skin, protecting skin, preventing dry skin, reduce itching, antibacterial properties , anti-inflammatory properties, and contains high amounts of vitamin E and antioxidants.
I created the recipe for this balm to help improve my irritated sensitive skin, as well as help soften and sooth dry skin. I have used it on my neck where I often get irritation due to shaving or being outdoors. I also use it on my elbows, knees, and feet. It is a very versatile skin balm that can be used for many exterior parts, but due to the tea tree oil, keep away from eyes.
This is an external use balm, not to be consumed. As with all new skincare products, test on a small area of skin first and wait a few hours. Most of the ingredients are quite mild, but the tea tree oil may cause sensitivity to some.
Ingredients
4 parts cocoa butter (deodorized or non deodorized)
2 parts coconut oil
2 parts olive oil
1 part wheat germ oil
tea tree oil
Directions
Step 1
Combine your cocoa butter and coconut oil, and warm over a Baine-Marie. Once melted, allow to get to room temperature.
Step 2
Once cool, add your olive oil and wheat germ oil. Mix well.
Step 3
Now that your 4 oils are mixed well, you can add the tea tree oil. The amount will depend on you. Never apply tea tree oil directly to skin. Many dilute the tea tree oil at 1 drop tea tree to about 10 drops other oil. For a total of 150g of oil, I add about 20 drops of tea tree oil.
Step 4
Mix these very well, and pour them into clean dry jars, and cap them. Let it set for 1-2 days, and it will firm into a balm that is solid yet very soft, and quickly melts on your skin.
Step 5
Store it at room temperature. Use when needed. Keep in mind this balm is all oil based, so you only need very little. A quarter of a pea size can go a long way!
Step 6
The natural scents of the cocoa butter and tea tree oil, as well as the other oils add a unique and soothing scent on its own. If you wish to add other scents, you can add a drop or two after all your oils are mixed.
Recipe Tips
Add Botanicals
You can mix in some dried flower petals and other botanicals if you wish. I sometimes mix in dried calendula petals or some chamomile. Calendula has antifungal, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.