Men's Boot Butter

Finished Cream

Today I have spring on my mind. Spring is amazing to me. The world is waking up, sprouting, budding, etc. It is the one time of the year that our landscape is completely carpeted with green. (Living in a desert does not do much for having greenery.)

However, spring also means mud. Muddy cars, muddy dogs, muddy kids, muddy boots. Does the mud never end?! Spring is the time where my father’s muck boots (galoshes) stand next to the door in all their muddy glory. Changing shoes for boots and even his slippers is a process that speaks of spring in so many ways for me.

My father also has very dry, rough feet. I tease him that he could use 40 grit sandpaper on them and never feel a thing. (He isn’t willing to try though.) So I wanted to make a foot butter that is stiff, tough, and long lasting. This butter will definitely take some effort to work into the skin, but the results will be so worth it.

FORMULATING

First I started with my emulsifier. I chose my regular workhorse emulsifier. My father is a bit of a country boy at heart, and simple workhorse products are just his style. It is also the emulsifier I can always count on being in my cupboard. You never know when you need to make a batch of lotion or butter for men, because he certainly ran out a week ago and just told you today. 😉 Talk about emergency!

Next I moved onto Stearic Acid. Stearic Acid is used as a thickening agent. I used a higher percentage of Stearic Acid because I wanted a thicker, tough kind of butter. I wanted something that would have to be worked into his feet and would stay there, not moving from his feet into his socks or slippers. Some transfer of lotion or cream is inevitable, but I can attempt to reduce it.

Weighing Ingredients: Emulsifying Wax

Weighing Ingredients: Stearic Acid and Beeswax.

I also added Beeswax. Beeswax is another thickening agent that forms a barrier on the skin. This means that it helps the skin stay hydrated by preventing water from leaving the skin. However, a high percentage of beeswax can cause an undesirable waxy texture, so be mindful of that.

I chose to add Palm Oil to this formulation. Palm Oil is creamy, silky, and works well as a viscous oil. Another excellent option is Babassu Oil. For a lighter option, you can consider Coconut Oil. Both would work wonderfully in this formulation.

For my humectant, I chose Hydrovance. Hydrovance is a wonderful humectant and a real workhorse, too. This cream is to be a heavy-duty contender against all others for the tough job of softening the feet. Hydrovance is very good at moisturizing, and it leaves very little to no residue. It is one of my favorites! It is also very to you easy to use. How great is that?

Weighing Ingredients: Palm Oil.

Weighing Ingredients: Water

Because this is not an anhydrous product, it needs to have a preservative. I chose Optiphen, a very versatile preservative. What is your favorite preservative?

Lastly, I had to choose a fragrance oil. I decided on Frankincense. Frankincense reminds me of my father, and because I was formulating this butter for him, I wanted to scent with something just for him. Some of my favorite fragrance oils that remind me of my father are Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood, and Bay Rum. Of course, you can choose to use any fragrance oil of your choice.

SUPPLIES

RECIPE

Finished Cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Weigh everything except the Optiphen and the Frankincense Fragrance Oil into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until liquid. Mix well.

Allow the solution to cool below 120 degrees F before adding the preservative and the fragrance oil. Mix well. Pour into jars. Enjoy!

NOTE

This butter is too thick to put in a bottle. I recommend you put this in a jar that has a wide mouth for easy access.