One of the most enjoyable things about having great ingredients like raw African Shea butter on hand during the holidays is that you get to do DIY things! They’re a great activity for kids, friends or simply on your own for a little me-time, and given as a gift they always feel special. And since the DIY phenomenon has become increasingly popular, it can feel a little bit overwhelming when faced with the decision of which project to go for. Since some are easier, simpler and less time consuming than others, we thought we’d lay out our 3 most favorite DIY projects for the holidays, or any other time.
Body butter: I mean seriously, who doesn’t love a good body butter? Silky, smooth and lusciously hydrating, a good body butter should be the perfect combination of thick and light. After all, no one wants to feel like they’re clogging their skin whenever they want to moisturize. But at the same time it needs to be more moisturizing and soothing than a regular lotion. To reach this kind of effect, we recommend using a base of raw Shea butter and whipping it with a little bit of another carrier oil, like coconut or even cocoa butter. The result is a light and fluffy body butter that delivers the famous moisture of Shea butter.
Soaking salts: One of the best gifts for relaxation and self-care, soaking salts are super easy and fast to make. Packed in little glass jars they make a fantastic stocking stuffer or hand made gift, and they are extremely easy to store for your own personal use. We like to blend a couple different kinds together and add a little bit of essential oils to the mix for an experience that relaxes the mind and body through multiple senses.
Muscle rub: Muscle rubs are great, even if you aren’t someone who feels like they have frequent aches and pains. They can easily double as a massage balm and because they’re formulated to soothe sore muscles, they feel that much butter when used with a massage. You can also use Shea butter as the base of this and because it’s not a body butter, there’s no need to whip it. Simply make sure your Shea butter is warm enough to easily mix, then add in another carrier oil if you’d like, along with essential oils such as peppermint and lavender.