I’m a total skincare junky (you should know this by now), so when it comes to what lotions and potions I apply to my skin, I’m quite picky purely down to experience!
My key tips for a good body butter go hand-in-hand with understanding your own skin. Your skin is the body’s largest organ, and it goes through a lot. Not only does it have to put up with changes in temperature, weather, and situation (my skin is always so much happier after a run), it also reflects what’s going on inside your body.
For the sake of ease, let’s split skin types into three baskets, à la face: oily, combination, and dry. Now, there are additional elements – rosiness, acne, sensitive, strained… for these, I’d recommend looking up some skin-specific natural ailments. For body butter though, I primarily stick to plant-based options that don’t irritate newly shaved skin, are relatively quick to hydrate (without alcohols) and smell nice, of course!
My body skin is primarily oily, needing a shower every day, and that means the body butters I’ve shortlisted are light on extra ingredients, mainly (if not completely natural) and steer clear of my 25 harmful ingredients to avoid list. So, in honour of a few years of experimenting, here are my few favourites – and a new one to add to the mix:
Ellovi
This is my latest find, and I’m loving it! Made from six all-natural ingredients (macadamia, Hawaiian coconut, shea, hemp seed, African marula, and non-GMO corn starch), the Ellovi’s Key Lime Body Butter* initially glides on, with the shea butter dots melting slowly across my skin at body temperature. The lime scent is really refreshing too, and works well with the quickly absorbed mixture, making it a perfect addition to my beauty cupboard in time for summer. As with any natural product, I’d next like to see it made organically, but these things do take time!
Shea Yeleen
If citrus scents aren’t your thing, Shea Yeleen’s Lavender Honeysuckle Shea Butter is a great alternative. I enjoyed this during the winter months last year, as it’s deeply moisturising (as all shea butter products are). Shea Yeleen is fairly traded, and pays its staff a living wage too.
Mio Skincare
Technically not a body butter, but definitely worth the mention for anyone into their fitness. While I can’t vouch for the claimed skin-tightening affects of the Mio’s The A Cream*, I love carrying this in my gym bag for after a good session and hot shower. It’s quick to apply with a pump mechanism rather than needing to be loving applied with your fingertips, and my skin laps it up.
Coconut oil
Hottest product of 2015, coconut oil is a genuinely great option for body butter. I love one-ingredient beauty products, and couldn’t miss this favourite, as I usually keep a small jar in my beauty cabinet for any dry skin needs. This is definitely better on dry skin than oily, and also works well as a hair mask too!
