October 1, 2024

The Winter Body Butter Recipe to Keep You Moisturized (Like Moo Deng)

Once you enjoy this rich skin food, it will be hard to go back to your old lotion.

I have tried a lot of skincare products in my day and have found two things to be true.

  1. Many skincare products are complete garbage, and filled with junk that penetrates the epidermis to wreak havoc on the body
  2. Even "natural" skincare can be fraudulent, and is often simply a marketing ploy to jack up prices on your typical drugstore-quality blends

Suffering from eczema for a number of years, I simply didn't have the luxury of using low-quality products. I was reacting to seemingly EVERYTHING, and I desperately needed relief. I felt very alone and self-conscious at the time, like everything made me flare and nothing was available to help me.

Enter: calendula. Calendula, also known as pot marigold, is a common annual known for it's bright orange-yellow flowers (and, some of ours this year had a distinctly pink undertone). It has been used for centuries as a powerful herb for the wounded, rich in resin to heal abrasions on the skin. It was the perfect compatriot in my quest to appease my eczema flares, and I have been a loyal ally to calendula ever since.

Some Calendula blossoms from our summer garden

Lard, conversely, took years to enter into my routine. Being allergic to shea butter, I have always had a hard time finding natural lotions that fit my needs. I would search for products using coco butter exclusively, which would often be expensive or hard to find. And as much as I enjoy coco butter from time to time, it isn't nearly as absorbent or moisturizing as lard turns out to be.

Before you get scared, let me tell you a little about lard. Not all lard is created equal, and leaf lard from pasture-raised pigs on biologically-appropriate diets is the gold-standard. Leaf lard is the fat that protects the kidneys of every hog, not the back fat that is accumulated as a pig ages. Therefore, leaf lard is not impacted by growth rates or finishing techniques, it's simply a high-quality flavorless fat that is notable for baking and skincare. We love the leaf lard for everything from blending into sausage during hunting season to creating cosmetics!

Lard is the most biologically similar fat to the fat found in human skin. For this reason, it absorbs phenomenally well, and doesn't clog pores. It is hypoallergenic, doesn't cause irritation, and evens skin tone. There's even a cheeky rumor that the CEO of Revlon in the 70's once quipped that if people knew about the powers of lard for skincare, no one would need Revlon products.

It was only last summer that I really started to take lard as skincare seriously. I had been using tallow-based products regularly, and appreciated the benefits of animal-based skincare, so it wasn't a leap to get curious about lard. One day, I had a bad sunburn and was out of the tallow-based body oil I had been using. In a pinch, I decided to soothe my burn with some rendered lard. And that was it-- the lard alone proved to be an amazing moisturizer, and took away all of the uncomfortable symptoms of my burn. No skin peeling, no redness or irritation. I was floored.

Since that sunny day last summer, I have been tinkering with different lard-based skincare recipes. I need my skincare to be effective, smell great, and be smooth to apply. This recipe checks all the boxes! Feel free to make it yourself, and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 c rendered leaf lard
  • 1/4 c ghee
  • 1 tablespoon dried calendula petals
  • 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons jojoba oil
  • 2 teaspoons meadow foam oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea buckthorn seed oil
  • 2 tablespoons beeswax pellets

Process

  1. Start by gently warming the lard and ghee, using a double boiler method. Take a medium-sized clean glass, oven-safe bowl, place it in a pot of simmering water. Melt the ghee and the lard, do not overheat but keep it liquid
  2. Add in the calendula blossoms, stirring gently. Let the calendula infuse in the fats for 30-60 mins, stirring occasionally. This should be warm, not scorching hot. You do not want to cook the calendula.
  3. Strain calendula flowers and filter out any debris from the fats. I pour through a paper coffee filter to ensure the are no flecks of plant material.
  4. Return your strained lard/ghee mixture to the double boiler and pour in beeswax pellets. Stir the beeswax occasionally as it melts into the fats.
  5. Once melted, remove the glass bowl from the pot and transfer to your countertop. Grab a hand mixer, and mix the remainder of your ingredients into the liquified beeswax, ghee, and lard. Have some paper towels handy to wipe down the hand mixer, you do not want to put this beeswax mix in your dishwasher.
  6. Chill the mix in its bowl for several hours in the refrigerator, checking regularly.
  7. When the mix starts to solidify, but is still soft*****, whip out your hand mixer once again. Blend your body butter to whip some air into it. This helps create a light and airy texture. You can do this as much or as little as you like.
  8. Using a spatula, transfer your body butter to your preferred container and store in your bathroom, away from light and heat.
  9. Clean the mixer and glass bowl using paper towels, and then suds thoroughly with soap and water.
  10. Enjoy!

More from us

Elliana reflects on her favorite yearly ritual-- hunting camp.

by
Elliana

Once you enjoy this rich skin food, it will be hard to go back to your old lotion.

by
Corinne

Perfect for the snow bird or adventurer in search of affordable housing with a calm, fun work environment

by
Elliana

Come live and work with an upbeat, hardworking team where the care of our animals, our land, and our staff are our top priority

by
Elliana

A delicious, fresh-faced treatment of a classic cut

by
Corinne

Set-it-and-forget-it chili verde, perfect for autumn evenings

by
Corinne

Episode 28 of The Soft Focus

by
Corinne

You are what you eat-- so make sure it's the creme de la creme!

by
Corinne

Perfect for company, or for a quick week-night dinner solution.

by
Corinne

Episode 27 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 26, part 2, of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 26, part 1, of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 25 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 24 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 23 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 22 of the Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 21 of the Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 20 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 19 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 18 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Spend the summer season the holistic way and join our crew from April to October

by
Elliana

Don't miss the chance to apply for the opportunity to be a part of our incredible team

by
Elliana

Episode 17 of the Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Thelonious Monk said, "It's always night, or we wouldn't need light,".

by
Corinne

Episode 16 of the Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 15 of the Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 14 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Regardless of where you find yourself as we move into the final months of 2023, I have no doubt that whatever you need is already right in front of you. There's an invitation to start where we can start— to dive into whatever is presenting, however uncomfortable that thing may be.

by
Corinne

Episode 13 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Connecting with cultural rhythms transports me to a place of deep love and appreciation for being human, wherever that finds me.

by
Corinne

Mother nature provides all things for us. Nature does not ruin our plans. We feel this way when our systems are not resilient enough to exist with nature in harmony.

by
Elliana

Episode 12 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 11 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 10 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 9 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 8 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 7 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 6 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by

Episode 5 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by

Episode 4 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 3 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 2 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Episode 1 of The Soft Focus Podcast

by
Corinne

Wherein we learn to flow with life, health abounds.

by
Elliana

"Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood carry water."

by
Corinne

Looking at some of our core breeds on the ranch, and how they play into our specific program.

by
Corinne

Thoughts on Motherhood and Fertility; in Farming and in Life

by
Corinne

Holistic Ranching is an aspiration, a posture, a lens.

by
Corinne

Late Bloomer Ranch is a holistic ranch in the Teton Valley, committed to raising meat, eggs, flowers, and fiber of the utmost quality with integrity to match.

by
Corinne

@latebloomerranch