Blissful Body Mousse

This deliciously fragrant variation of Whipped Shea Butter is a must-have in my personal skin care stash.  Peach Kernel Oil and High Linoleic Safflower Oil make this whipped body butter extremely nourishing and moisturizing, but what really makes this recipe irresistible is its heavenly aroma!  Vanilla, Bergamot, and Ylang Ylang are known for their aroma therapeutic properties.  With each whiff you'll add a little bliss to your day. (Or daydream.)

Blissful Body Mousse

Ingredients
5 Ounces Shea Butter, Crushed and Refined
3 Ounces Peach Kernel Oil
3 Ounces Safflower Oil, High Linoleic
1 Ounce Jojoba Esters, 70 (MP70)
1 Teaspoon Cornstarch

Essential Oil Blend
15 drops Bourbon Vanilla Absolute
25 drops Bergamot, Ivory Coast
5 Drops Ylang Ylang Extra, Madagascar

Directions
In a double boiler, melt and heat the Shea Butter to approximately 175 Degrees Fahrenheit.  Hold the melted Shea Butter at this temperature for at least twenty minutes before adding the Jojoba Esters.  Holding the melted Shea Butter at this heat for twenty minutes will allow tiny crystals in the butter to fully melt, allowing a smooth, even texture to form when the butter has cooled.  As soon as the Jojoba Esters have melted remove the mixture from heat.  Depending on your double boiler you may have to transfer the mixture to a bowl.  Next, add the Peach Kernel and Safflower Oils, and the Cornstarch.  Stir the mixture well then begin to whip it.  I recommend using a hand or stand mixer for this step, as the whipping process can take a fairly long time.  Whip the mixture for 5 - 10 minutes then add the Essential Oil Blend.  Continue to whip the mixture for another 5 - 10 minutes.  As the mixture cools it will thicken, and firm up.  The finished mixture can be spooned or piped into containers.  Within a few hours, the Mousse should set and become stiff.

Packaging and Usage
The Blissful Body Mousse looks fabulous packed in Flat PET Jars.  It can also be stored in Flat or Dome Cream Jars.  This recipe will fill about 20 ounces of volume.  It should fill about five 4 Ounce Jars or ten 2 Ounce Jars.

Comments

[Erin]

I just have to make this gorgeous body butter! So, even though I just placed a FNWL order yesterday, I placed another order today. Your recipes get me every time!!
; - )

Thanks for the tip on melting the Shea Butter. I have problems when trying to use the Shea-Loe Butter. I'm probably getting it too hot...

Take Care!
Erin

[Ada]

Hi, I was wondering if i can sub the jojoba esters for something else?

SOunds like a wonderfull recipes
Thanks

[Emmy]

I'm glad that you are enjoying the recipes so much. This particular butter is definitely worth trying. I use it almost every day! The Shea Butter can definitely be a little tricky. Another technique I have had luck with is to cool the butter (after being melted at 175 degrees for 20-30 minutes) as quickly as possible. You may want to try putting your mixing bowl in a cool water bath while you whip this butter, then popping it into the fridge once you are finished whipping it. Cooling the butter quickly can help prevent crystals from forming again.

[Emmy]

Hi Ada, The Jojoba Esters in the Blissful Body Mousse Recipe add extra stiffness to the final butter. If you don't have Jojoba Esters available you may want to try adding just a little Beeswax to the recipe. I would try adding 1/2 an ounce of Beeswax in place of the Jojoba Esters and see how the texture is. You can add more or less beeswax to your next batch depending on how you liked the first test batch. Unfortunately, Beeswax will not melt into the skin quite the same way the Jojoba Esters will, so the texture will be a bit different than the original recipe.

[Tenia]

I am soo excited to try this recipe!!!! But the Bergamont is OOS...can it be subsitued with anything else?

[Emmy]

What poor timing for the Bergamot to go out of stock just as this recipe gets posted! There is good news though. Mandarin or Orange Essential Oil would make a great substitute for the Bergamot in this recipe. They are both sweet smelling citrus oils and should do quite well with the Vanilla and the Ylang Ylang.

[letrah avery]

Can't wait to try this body mouse!! but what else can jojoba 70 be replaced with?

[Emmy]

Hi Letrah,

Subbing another wax for the Jojoba Esters will change the texture of this recipe, but you could try adding 1/2 ounce Beeswax in place of the Jojoba Esters. You may have to adjust the amount a little to get it right.

[Adriene]

Hi,

I would like to try this recipe. I would also like to now add jojoba esters to my other whip body butter recipes. How much should I use? E.g., per 5 oz of butters/oils = 1oz jojoba esters?

[Emmy]

You can certainly use the Blissful Body Mousse Recipe as a model for incorporating Jojoba Esters into other whipped body butter recipes. In this recipe I used 5 ounces of Butter, 6 ounces of Oil, and 1 ounce of Jojoba Esters. You'll need to make adjustments to this formula to suit recipes that use different butters or different ratios of Butter and Oil. With a little experimentation you should be all set.

[Erin]

Hi:

I hope that this comment isn't too untimely.

I've tried several batches of the body mousse and I must be doing something wrong. Although the final product is LOVELY on the skin, the texture is very grainy at first. It does become smooth and soft after being on the skin for just a few seconds, though.

I am using Mango Butter in place of the Shea Butter, but all of the other ingredients and ratios are the same (except for the fragrances).

Any idea of what I'm doing wrong?

THANKS for your help!

[Emmy]

I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a rough time with The Mousse recipe. I'm surprised to hear that there is still a texture issue after eliminating the Shea Butter. Is it possible that the mixture wasn't melted completely when you began to whip it? Maybe you could try adding the Peach and Safflower Oils to the mixture while it is still on the heat to make sure they are fully dispersed.

Another thing to check on is weight vs. volume. When I made this recipe I weighed the Esters and butters. The amount could vary if you are measuring these items by volume.

The only other thing that I can think to try would be to reduce the amount of Jojoba Esters. Perhaps the Esters are just making it feel to waxy? If you've exhausted all other options, try reducing the Esters by 25 or 50%.

I'll whip up a small batch using Mango Butter sometime this week and see if I have the same issue. Ironically, the batch that I made using Shea Butter wasn't gritty at all! I'll let you know how my Mango Butter version turns out, and please let me know if you have any luck with yours.

[Trudy]

I'm new to this. Would it be possible to substitute Fractionated Coconut Oil for the Peach Kernel Oil and Safflower Oil? Maybe that could be disastrous, but I am about to place an order, and cannot get many different oils right now.

[Emmy Gabriel]

You can certainly substitute many of the ingredients in this recipe to make your own unique formula. Experimentation can be lots of fun, and can be one of the best ways to help you learn about the ingredients you are using. The best way to select a substitution in a recipe like this is to consider both the texture and the properties of the ingredients. For instance, Fractionated Coconut Oil would make a great substitute for Peach Kernel Oil due to their both being light in texture, moisturizing, and stable. Neither has a very strong aroma or color, making them even more similar. Safflower Oil is a little thicker than than Fractionated Coconut Oil, but in the case of this recipe, it shouldn't alter the texture of the final product too much. I would say that it would be a safe bet to make the substitutions you've asked about. Good luck with your recipe, Trudy. Be sure to let us know how it turns out.

[Kristi]

I was wondering if this recipe would work subsituting the jojoba esters for jojaba oil to make a thinner lotion?

[Emmy]

The Blissful Body Mousse is formulated as a Whipped Body Butter. By adding Jojoba Esters as a stiffener, and whipping the mixture as it cools, it gives the Mousse an air filled, creamy, spreadable texture. You could substitute Jojoba Oil for the Esters, but it would give the mixture a much different final texture, which I suspect would be more like a very soft balm, than a lotion. Lotions traditionally contain water, which is what gives them their extra light texture. You might have better luck achieving a texture you like by making a fresh lotion or cream instead.

[Charlene]

Hi, can I substitute the essential oil blends with a fragrance oil instead? Thanks!

[Emmy]

You could certainly substitute a Fragrance Oil for the Essential Oil in this recipe. You may need to add a little more Fragrance Oil than you would Essential Oil to get a strong aroma. Try using between 1/4 and 1/2 ounce of your favorite Fragrance Oil in place of the Essential Oils listed here.

[Penny]

I would like to know what the shelf life of this recipe is,and how do I figure out the shelf life of other recipes?

[Emmy Gabriel]

Hi Penny.  Thanks for your question.  This particular recipe is pretty stable since it does not contain any fragile ingredients such as water.  It should be used within 2 - 3 weeks to be safe, but this is just an suggestion based on average body butters.  For personal use, you can refer to your personal judgement and experience.  Cutting down on handling can help to ensure the products life span, and alternatively, improper handling or storage can shorten it.  When it comes to creating things that you intend to sell, it is best to have the formula you are using professionally challenge tested to determine a true shelf life. This is the very best way to determine the shelf life of any formula.  If you are just making things for yourself, you probably wont want to have your recipes challenge tested. Instead, you can determine an approxamite shelf life by looking at the ingredients and the formula of your recipe.  Check out the following article to learn more about preservatives and shelf life: http://www.naturalbeautyworkshop.com/my_weblog/2008/07/natural-product.html

[Robin]

I'd like to know if you could substitute the joboa esters for the candella wax chips? I have those and thought they might work as well since they are mainly used in lipsticks. I realize the whole purpose is to give the end product a stiff effect. What do you think?

[Emmy Gabriel]

Thanks for your question about Candelilla Wax Beads, Robin.  Although they
would add considerable stiffness the the formula, they are a bit
different in nature from Jojoba Wax Beads or Jojoba Esters.  As a Wax,
Candelilla will soften with heat, but Jojoba Esters and Wax Beads
behave more similarly to solid Oils.  When warmed, they will melt
readily, giving the Body Butter a spreadable texture than is light, and
penetrates the skin easily.  Because Candelilla Wax is so much harder
than Jojoba, it may make the formula much firmer and harder to spread.
It may also give it a more waxy texture after it is applied to the
skin.  However, if you reduce the portion of wax, you could create a
somewhat similar texture using Candelilla in place of Jojoba.  Youll
need to experiment to get it right.

[Erin Lepak]

I've never made product before but am very interested in starting. I also am concentrating on making product for my massage practice and would like an easily spreadable nutritive butter that will last most of the duration of a session without needing to re-apply too often. I'd also like it to fully absorb so the client has a nice afterfeel (using oils sometimes leaves a client feeling sticky). What do you think about adding silk protein to this recipe?

[Emmy Gabriel]

This recipe is an oil based body butter, which will feel very different from commercial lotions or body butters that you may be used to.  I would suggest making a small batch of this body butter, and a small batch of a lotion recipe, such as our Blossom Body Cream to see which type of formulation you prefer for massage.  The Body Mousse recipe will last longer on the skin, but the Body Cream will be absorbed more completely after the massage.  If youd like, you can add Silk ingredients to either of these recipes at a rate of 5% or so.  The silk will add some softness to the slip of each recipe.  Try using our Silk Superfine in the Body Mousse, and Silk Peptide Powder in the Body Cream.  Heres a link to the Body Cream recipe: http://www.naturalbeautyworkshop.com/my_weblog/2008/02/blossom-body-cr.html

[Didi]

Hello,

I was thinking of substituting the jojoba esters with a very hard butter like Murumuru. Do you think this would work?