DIY Body Cream Recipe: 3 Ways to Make Cocoa Butter Moisturizer

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Homemade moisturizer is easier to make than you might think. It only takes a few natural, easy-to-find ingredients to create a wonderfully nourishing and effective body cream. I’ll show you three ways to use this basic recipe to create your perfect cocoa butter moisturizer.

What You’ll Need: Main Ingredients for Homemade Body Cream

Cocoa Butter – this solid botanical butter comes from the cacao plant; the very same plant chocolate comes from. It is an excellent moisturizer for dry, parched skin. Cocoa butter is edible (if you purchase food-grade quality, like this one) and has a lovely chocolatey smell in its natural state. I enjoy the chocolate smell of raw, unfiltered cocoa butter, but if you prefer no scent, opt for filtered cocoa butter for this recipe.

You can also use raw cocoa butter in these hot chocolate lotion bars and my favorite hot cocoa recipe.

Coconut Oil – you may already have this in your kitchen, and there’s no need to purchase anything different for this recipe. If it’s good enough to eat, it’s good enough for a homemade body cream! Unfiltered coconut oil also has a slight smell, so if you prefer no natural odor from your oil in this recipe, opt for filtered coconut oil.

Coconut oil is nourishing for dry skin and absorbs quickly. However, it can clog pores. For this reason, I prefer it only in body products and do not recommend it as a facial moisturizer.

Olive Oil – Olive oil is an excellent addition to homemade body cream, another moisturizing oil you probably have in your kitchen. Virgin olive oil contains squalene, which is high in antioxidants, has anti-aging properties, and is easily absorbed into the skin. You may not think of olive oil as something to use on your skin, but it is beautiful for the skin!

Just like any ingredient, make sure to use high-quality, virgin, or extra virgin olive oil. You’ll have the highest squalene concentration, and ensure it is pure olive oil.

Essential Oils – these are optional in any of my recipes. Essential oils add a natural scent and can bring many healing properties to your homemade creation. They can sometimes irritate sensitive skin and kids, so use caution and in moderation. All of the essential oils I recommend are skin-safe and used in safe quantities.

These are the primary ingredients to make a wonderfully nourishing cocoa butter body cream. This recipe is easy to customize to make it your own. I’ll show you three different ways to customize this simple recipe.

Cocoa Butter Body Cream, 3 Ways

This recipe has endless possibilities to customize, but I’m going to show you 3 of my favorite ways to make this the perfect moisturizer for you. Pick your favorite of the three below, and let’s get started! They all follow the same primary method.

Unscented Cocoa Butter Body Cream (base recipe)

For this version, you’ll use just the three main oils/butter to make a simple cocoa butter moisturizer. I especially like using unfiltered cocoa butter for this version because it gives a slight smell of cocoa. So while it is naturally unscented with no fragrance or essential oil added, you still get a light chocolate smell. If you prefer no scent, use filtered cocoa butter (like this one).

• ¼ cup cocoa butter
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

Lavender and Chamomile Body Cream Recipe

Kick our base recipe up by adding lavender and chamomile essential oils. Two of my favorite essential oils for any skin product, lavender, and chamomile, are calming, help reduce redness, and are suitable for sensitive skin. 

• ¼ cup cocoa butter
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 4 drops of lavender essential oil
• 2 drops of chamomile essential oil

Calendula and Cocoa Body Moisturizer

I especially love this version for sensitive skin and kids. Calendula is one of my favorite herbs for skin, and it’s also great for fresh new baby skin. It includes homemade calendula-infused oil alongside cocoa butter and coconut oil. No essential oil is needed in this recipe; unfiltered cocoa butter and calendula-infused oil will give a slightly sweet (chocolate) and herbal natural smell.

• ¼ cup cocoa butter
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tbsp. calendula-infused oil 

Calendula-infused oil has many uses, like calendula body butter sticks, calendula foaming hand soap, or calendula bath bombs. You can purchase an already-infused calendula oil if making it yourself doesn’t float your boat.

How to Make Cocoa Butter Body Cream

1. Add the cocoa butter and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, and heat on high for 30-second intervals, stirring between each heating session until fully melted.

2. Add the olive oil, and essential oils (if using)

3. Pour into a four oz. Jar, replace the lid, and shake vigorously for 1 minute.

4. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes until it solidifies.

Can I use this moisturizer on my face?

This is entirely up to you! However, this recipe contains coconut oil, which can clog pores. I don’t choose to use coconut oil on my face because I tend to break out easily. Lots of people do use coconut oil on their faces with excellent results. 

It is a personal preference if you use this on your face. It is a highly nourishing moisturizer that, IMO, is best suited for dry skin. I recommend trying it on your body first to see how it feels, then do a patch test on facial skin (or neck) to test if it works for your face.

More Homemade Moisturizers

Vanilla Latte Whipped Body Butter Recipe

Lavender Whipped Body Butter

How to Make Lotion Bars

Easy Whipped Lotion with Shea Butter

Hot Chocolate Lotion Bar Recipe

Calendula-Infused Lotion Bar Sticks

Vegan Margarita Lotion Bars