Winter can wreak havoc on the skin. Low temperatures combined with high indoor heat often results in skin which is flakey, chapped and or dry. Your skin will need extra nourishment during the winter months and one of the best ways to satiate it is through the usage of DIY mango butter recipes.
What is Mango Butter?
Mango butter is derived from Mango tree kernel seeds. It is organic and will often be refined and pressed, making it very desirable as an ingredient for soap and products for the body. Its resembles Cocoa and Shea butter, but its fatty acid levels are different. It has a mild sweet fragrance but this can be reduced after it has been refined. Mango butter is creamy in appearance and very firm at room temperature. Due to its natural emollient characteristics it has often been utilized in tropical climates as a moisturizer. It contains many fatty acids and can be used as a moderate skin lubricant.
As with much butter, Mango doesn’t have a long shelf life; but it can be prolonged by storing it in a location which is cool and dark. This butter is quite firm which means it does not work well as a standalone product. Once it is warmed up and liquefied it disperses evenly on your skin. Mango butter works best when it is incorporated as part of a cosmetic formulation or combined with multiple ingredients to enhance its pliability.
Making Mango Butter
To create mango butter, you will need a few ingredients, most of which can be acquired from a local health food outlet. You want to make an all-natural version, which means that it should have a distinct texture from standard moisturizers purchased in the store. Mango butter is a true butter that will melt directly into the skin, similar to kitchen butter that is placed on toasted bread. Your skin will absorb it quite rapidly, which is exactly what you want, as it will result in skin with an even tone that is soft to the touch. Mango butter can be made quickly, in roughly thirty minutes or so, but the effect it has on your skin will last much longer.
The ingredients you will need for this project include a ½ cup of almond oil, a ½ cup of Shea butter and a ½ cup of mango butter. You must also purchase mango essential oil and you’ll need to apply between twenty and twenty five drops of it. Appliances that you’ll need to have in your kitchen include a whisk or an electric mixer, a mixing bowl and a separate glass bowl. A pot and storage jar with a lid will also be needed to store it after use.
Fill a pot with water until it is half full. Take the butters and put them in. Activate your stove to moderate heat and then bring the pot of water and butter to a slow boil. You will then need to chill the mixture in the fridge (20 minutes), use an electric mixer to produce a texture which is creamy and then massage it onto your skin.