Hawthorn Ghee Body Butter

Give your skin a little extra love with a botanical body butter. Made with all natural ingredients, it’s a great alternative to store bought skin creams, which often contain toxic additives.

Combining herbs with a blend of oil, butter, and wax, this luxurious body butter is deeply hydrating and has numerous benefits for the skin. The addition of a small amount of golden mica adds a delicate shimmer, giving your skin a soft, radiant glow.

Benefits of Hawthorn Berries for the Skin

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) berries are small round fruits produced by hawthorn trees. They are technically not berries, botanically speaking, and are often referred to as “haws.” These fruits are well-known for their many health boosting properties, in particular their affinity for the cardiovascular system.

Packed with vitamins and minerals, nourishing hawthorn berries also support overall skin health. They have a high tannin content, which lends an astringent effect that can help to tone skin, reducing puffiness and inflammation.

Hawthorn berries are also are rich in flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties. These constituents can protect against UV and other environmental damage and promote skin repair. They may help to boost skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, and enhance overall skin tone.

Benefits of Ghee for the Skin

Ghee, a staple in traditional Ayurvedic topical preparations, is a wonderful addition to this body butter. Modern research has shown that ghee can help improve wound healing, strengthen skin, and boost collagen, rejuvenating dry and damaged skin.

Ghee is a source of vitamin E, helping to moisturize and soften skin and protect it from UV damage. It is also rich in important fatty acids that help to reduce inflammation and improve the overall health of skin.

Making Hawthorn Body Butter

Whip up a batch of this luxurious body butter to revive parched, rough skin. Use it as a daily moisturizer or whenever your skin could use a little extra love.

What You Will Need to Make Hawthorn Ghee Body Butter

To make hawthorn body butter, you will need the following ingredients:

For the Hawthorn Infused Oil —

• Olive oil
• Hawthorn berries, dried

For the Hawthorn Ghee Body Butter—

• Beeswax
• Cacao butter
• Olive oil infused with hawthorn berries
• Ghee
• Cosmetic grade golden mica (optional)

Making an Herb Infused Oil

There are several different methods for making an infused oil. Here are three different options:

The Folk Method

This traditional method requires minimal effort. Simply let herbs infuse in oil over time. It does take a bit of patience, though, as the process usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks.

How to Make an Herb Infused Oil Using the Folk Method

Fill a clean, dry jar half full with dried herb and then pour carrier oil over it (i.e. olive oil, sunflower oil, jojoba oil, etc.), making sure to cover the plant matter with the oil by at least an inch or so. Put the lid on the jar and shake the jar to ensure the oil has fully incorporated with the plant matter.

Stash the jar in a warm, dark spot for 4-6 weeks, shaking it every few days or so. When the oil has infused, strain the plant matter out using a fine cheesecloth. Re-jar your infused oil and be sure to label it.

Quick Method

Great when you’re short on time, this method uses gentle heat to speed up the infusion process. While it’s faster and still effective, the resulting oil may be slightly less potent than oils made using the Folk Method or the Alcohol Intermediary Method.

How to Make an Herb Infused Oil Using the Quick Method

Fill a dry, heat proof jar or heat-proof glass measuring cup about half full with herb of choice. Pour in the carrier oil (i.e. olive or sunflower oil), making sure the leaves are fully submerged and covered with at least an inch or so of oil.

Gently heat the herbs over very low heat (ideally 100–140° F) for 1 to 5 hours in a double boiler or crockpot.The oil has finished infusing when the color and smell of the herb has been imparted. At this point, turn off the heat and let the oil cool.

Strain the oil through a cheesecloth and it’s ready to use! Pour any excess infused oil into a glass jar and be sure to label it including the date the oil was made, type of herb used, and type of carrier oil used. For best shelf life, store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.

Alcohol Intermediary Method

This method uses high-proof alcohol to jumpstart extraction before the herbs are combined with oil. It takes a little more hands-on effort but yields a potent, shelf-stable infused oil in just over a day.

How to Make an Herb Infused Oil Using the Alcohol Intermediary Method

Grind about 1 oz dried herb into a coarse powder (more surface area makes  a stronger infusion). Moisten the powder with just enough 190-proof alcohol (like Everclear) to make it damp and crumbly. Start with a ½ oz and add more if needed.

Place parchment paper under the lid of a jar and cap tightly. Let the herb and alcohol mixture sit in the sealed jar for 24 hours. Then blend the herb/alcohol mix with your carrier oil (start with 6-8 oz and add more if needed to get a blendable texture).

Warm the mixture gently in a double boiler for a few hours to reduce alcohol content and boost extraction.

Strain thoroughly through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Bottle in an amber jar, label, and store out of direct light.

Tip: Regardless of which oil infusion method you choose, always use dried or wilted herbs to reduce moisture, which causes oils to go rancid.

How to Make Hawthorn Ghee Body Butter

Combine the beeswax, cacao, infused olive oil, and ghee in a double boiler.

Heat until fully melted, stirring occasionally to combine. Remove from the heat stir in the mica, if desired.

Let cool until the mixture is mostly solidified. Then using a whisk or a handheld mixture, whip until light and creamy.

Spoon into clean jars.

A Nourishing Botanical Body Butter

Crafted with deeply nourishing hawthorn berries and ghee, this body butter is perfect for rejuvenating and hydrating skin. All natural and non-toxic, it can be used daily to moisturize skin and give it a healthy glow.

Because this recipe does not contain water, it is more shelf stable than many homemade lotions. However, for the best shelf life, be sure to store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.