Updated October 2026
This candy cane body butter is a whipped, no-heat body butter made with shea butter, argan and jojoba oils, peppermint essential oil and vanilla absolute. It smells just like a candy cane, takes about 10 minutes to make with a hand mixer, and makes a lovely holiday treat for dry winter skin.
Below I'll walk you through the ingredients and the step-by-step recipe. For more ways to use shea, see my 10 shea butter uses. Jump to the recipe.
Free Shea Butter Recipes Guide
- This candy cane body butter is one of the 10 recipes in my free Shea Butter Recipes Guide.
- The guide also has a printable dilution chart and safety tips.
Homemade Body Butter Ingredients
Body butter is a rich, luxurious way to moisturize your skin, and it's easy and affordable to make at home. You'll know exactly what's in it, too.
Shea Butter
The base of this recipe is shea butter, the rich natural fat from the nuts of the shea tree. It's thick and creamy and melts as soon as it touches your skin. Shea comes from a tree nut, so if you have a nut allergy, check with your doctor first.
Jojoba Oil and Argan Oil
These two carrier oils soften the shea so the body butter is easy to spread. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of each, but you can use 2 tablespoons of just one if that's what you have. Learn more about jojoba and argan oil.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint gives this body butter its fresh, minty candy cane scent and a cool, tingly feel on the skin. Inhaling it is refreshing and energizing. Peppermint isn't for children under 6. Read more in my peppermint essential oil guide.
Vanilla Absolute
Vanilla absolute has that warm, sweet, unmistakable vanilla scent. It isn't vanilla extract. It's a thick, solvent-extracted absolute, and it's often sold pre-diluted in a carrier oil, so check your label. If yours is diluted, you can use a few extra drops. See what blends well with vanilla.
Candy Cane Body Butter Recipe
Adults. For kids 6+, use 12 drops of each.
- 1/2 cup shea butter
- 1 tablespoon argan oil
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
- 30 drops peppermint essential oil
- 30 drops vanilla absolute
- 8 oz glass mason jar
Step 1: Place the shea butter in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the argan oil.
Step 3: Add the jojoba oil.
Step 4: Add the peppermint essential oil.
Step 5: Add the vanilla absolute.
Step 6: Mash everything together with a fork.
Step 7: Whip with a hand mixer for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Step 8: Spoon into the mason jar and put on the lid.
To use: Take a small scoop and massage it into your skin as desired. This is a 2% dilution. Keep it somewhere cool and out of the sun, and use it within about 6 months. Patch test first, and keep it away from your face and eyes, since peppermint can feel very cooling.
Body Butter Tips
- Patch test on your inner arm for 24 hours. Here's how to do a patch test.
- Scoop with clean, dry hands. Water in the jar can lead to spoilage.
- Pregnant or nursing? Check with your doctor before using essential oils.
- Want a firmer butter? See can you mix shea butter and mango butter?
Supplies I Use
- Shea butter (affiliate link)
- Argan oil (affiliate link)
- Jojoba oil (affiliate link)
- 8 oz glass mason jars (affiliate link)
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More Holiday Essential Oil Ideas
- Christmas diffuser blends
- Christmas roller blends
- Christmas room spray recipes
- DIY Christmas blend recipes
- How to whip shea butter without heat
Shop my Aromatherapy Supply Kits and grab one of my free essential oil guides.
Essential Oil Guide for Beginners - Getting Started
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Beginner's Essential Oil Guide - Download/Printable Learn how to safely and effectively make essential oils a part of your everyday life. Everything you need to know about essential oils. If you have ever been around anyone who loves using essential… Read More
