Sunday, March 6, 2011

Lavender Tea Tree Foot Balm

This foot balm is rich, nourishing, moisturizing, and anti-fungal. For an extra overnight moisturizing treatment, rub feet with this balm and cover with cotton socks before going to bed. This recipe is for a 2 ounce jar.




  • Beeswax. 1 teaspoon. If you get beeswax in pellet form, it will be easier to measure and melt.
  • Emulsifying wax. 1/2 teaspoon.
  • Mango butter. 2 tablespoons. I get my mango butter from www.mehandi.com, but it can be found in most local health food stores, along with these other ingredients.
  • Shea butter. 1 tablespoon. I get mine from www.mountainroseherbs.com.
  • Jojoba oil. 2 teaspoons. I use the NOW foods brand or this one: Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil, 4-Ounce, Bottle.
  • Vitamin E oil. 1/2 teaspoon. Check the label and make sure you are not buying one with lots of additives. I like the one from Trader Joe's.
  • Aloe. 1 teaspoon.
  • Tea Tree Essential Oil. 1/4 teaspoon. You can find this at your local health food store. I use this one: Desert Essence - 100% Pure Austrailian Tea Tree Oil, 2 fl oz liquid.
  • Lavender Essential Oil. 6 drops. Available at local health food stores. I use the Aura Cacia brand.

  • Optional: Cedarwood Essential oil and Rosemary Antioxidant. These are two ingredients that I like to add, but they are not absolutely necessary. I like the smell of cedarwood in combination with lavender and tea tree, so I added 3 drops of this at the same time as I added the other oils. The Rosemary Antioxidant is a natural preservative that slows down oxidization. This recipe can do without it because it is for a small volume and does not have perishable ingredients, but I added 4 drops anyway, to extend its shelf life (I add 2 drops of rosemary antioxidant per ounce). This ingredient is very useful for preserving face and body creams in a natural way.

Melt the beeswax, mango butter, and shea butter in a double boiler until they liquify. Take these off of the heat, and mix in the remaining ingredients. Stir thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a jar and let it sit for a few hours (I find that it takes up to 12 hours for the mixture to harden to its final consistancy). If you are not happy with the consistency, you can add more beeswax to make the balm harder, or more jojoba oil to make it softer. Enjoy!

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