DIY Cooling Foot and Leg Massage Butter
Oh my aching feet! They really take the brunt of long days, jobs that require long periods of standing, evenings spent in high heels, flip-flops on sandy beaches, and hours trapped in running shoes.
Take a little time to thank your feet for all their hard work with a little TLC.
HOW COOLING FOOT AND LEG MASSAGE BUTTER WORKS
This recipe contains three essential oils that work together to cool and nourish your aching feet:
Peppermint oil contains menthol which is soothing and cooling to the skin and/or skin irritations. Peppermint oil also smells great and may have some bacteria killing properties.
Tea tree oil is both antibacterial and anti-fungal, learn more from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. This keeps fungus at bay.
Eucalyptus oil has a fresh and clean aroma and has been used as both an antiseptic and anti-fungal according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
The recipe also uses three extremely effective natural moisturizers to soften your skin:
Mango butter is pressed from the seed of the mango fruit. It is highly emollient (softening and soothing) to skins and has a high content of both oleic and stearic acid which seal in moisture.
Virgin coconut oil is a raw vegetable oil that is an excellent moisturizer with a high content of lanauric acid which is anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial.
Vitamin E oil is a vitamin oil know for its skin healing and antioxidant properties; it is often used in beauty products to reduce the signs of aging and treat skin conditions such as sunburn psoriasis, eczema, and stretch marks. It also acts as a natural preservative in homemade body care items.
COOLING FOOT AND LEG BUTTER INGREDIENTS
¼ cup virgin coconut oil
¼ cup mango butter
1 tsp vitamin e oil
15 drops tea tree oil
5 drops eucalyptus oil
15 drops peppermint oil
4 ounce storage containers
COOLING FOOT AND LEG BUTTER DIRECTIONS
1. Melt coconut oil and mango butter together in a glass jar or metal container. (For this recipe I place my metal mixing bowl in a saucepan of simmering water to make a fake double boiler.) Watch the mixture carefully and remove from the heat as soon as the mango butter is melted. Do not overheat!
2. Remove the container from the heat, stir in essential oils and vitamin e oil. Cool the mixture to room temperature. (Place the bowl in the refrigerator for a few minutes to cool faster.)
3. Whip the room temperature mixture in a stand mixer or with a whisk until it is creamy and lighter in color.
It will start out as pale yellow and turn to shiny ivory as it is whipped.
4. Store in a closed container and use within 3 months. I store mine in the fridge for extra cooling power. It can also be stored at room temperature.
To use: Apply to feet and in between toes and rub into the skin on your legs. The cooling oils feel heavenly on hot or tired feet and legs. The foot butter also works great for a DIY pedicure. For extra moisturizing, liberally apply the butter at night and then put on cotton socks. You will wake up with soft, sweet-smelling feet.
