The holiday season is in full swing—and holiday ads are all in our faces, fighting for our attention and, let’s be real for a moment here, for our money. It’s the biggest annual shop-till-you-drop race! But is that really what we want this season to be about?
This year, I have partnered with Greenpeace in the inaugural MAKE SMTHNG WEEK (December 2nd to 10th), a worldwide event focused on reducing our collective footprint this holiday season. Personally, I believe the holiday season should not be about the presents, but about giving back. The MAKE SMTHNG WEEK wants to encourage and inspire you and all the other compassionate people out there to reduce your consumption by creating, upcycling, repairing, sharing, and practicing zero-waste. Why waste our already scarce resources on producing more and more new stuff, right? You can also find events close to you at www.makesmthng.org.
There are many great festive ideas that are lighter on our planet, some of which I have compiled here. One of the gift ideas is to gift homemade consumables. This all-natural body butter is easy to make and very good for every skin type. What’s there not to like about a luxurious gift made with love?
All-Natural Whipped Body Butter Recipe (vegan)
Ingredients
60 g (2.1 oz) shea butter (try to find it in a jar)
90 g (3.2 oz) coconut oil (go fro coconut oil in a glass instead of a plastic jar)
15 g (1 tbsp) olive oil
15 g (1 tbsp) canola or grape seed oil
2 drops of essential tea tree oil
3 drops of essential lavender oil
Instructions
- Put all the oils except for the essential oils into a jar and melt it. I just put it into the microwave for 10 seconds each time and stir in between, but you can also melt it in a double broiler.
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- Add essential oils.
- Let it cool to room temperature and then pop it into the freezer for an hour.
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- Use a hand mixer and whip until fluffy.
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- If you feel it is too soft, just pop it into the freezer for another 30-60 minutes and whip again.
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- Put in a repurposed jar. Don’t forget to scrape the bowl clean with a spatula! #wastenotwantnot
