Although coconut oil (which is hard at room temperature) receives a lot of press these days for making natural bath and body products, mango butter is my recent, favorite discovery for adding to homemade products. Why mango butter? Read on to find out more!

Botanical Profile of Mango

The mango (Mangifera indica) tree is the largest fruit tree in the world. It belongs to the Anacardiaceae botanical family. Not only is it the largest fruit tree in the world but it can live as long as 300 years! The mango tree has small white flowers, evergreen alternate leaves and a yellow, red or orange ripe fruit. Mango oil (butter) is expeller pressed from the stones (kernels) of the fruit of the mango tree.

Therapeutic Properties of Mango Butter

Mango butter is an excellent butter for protecting against the sun and is a good emollient for dry skin. It helps to prevent wrinkles and restores the elasticity in the skin. Mango butter can also be used to heal sunburn, eczema and dermatitis. Given its therapeutic properties, skincare products which contain mango butter are a good choice for those who live in sunny, dry climates.

Uses for Mango Butter in Product Making

Mango butter, like other butters such as cocoa butter and shea butter, can be added to many different types of bath and beauty products. Here are some suggestions for using mango butter in your natural beauty products:

• lip gloss

• body butter

• lotions

• creams.

Adding Essential Oils to Mango Butter

Mango is a tropical fruit and therefore makes me think of combining it with citrus essential oils such as lime (Citrus aurantifolia), lemon (Citrus limon) and orange (Citrus sinensis). However, some citrus essential oils are phototoxic, meaning that you shouldn’t use them in contact with sunlight; therefore, add citrus essential oils with care to any natural products that you will be using in a sunny climate (unless you use a distilled version of the oil).

Make Your Own Bath and Body Products

If you want to learn more about making your own bath and beauty products, and the safe use of essential oils, consider taking one of the professional aromatherapy product making courses offered by Sedona Aromatherapie. The current selection of courses include Basic Bath Products with Essential Oils, Basic Butters, Balms, Creams and Lotions and Natural Perfumes with Essential Oils. All courses are offered as distance learning.

Visit the courses home page to learn more!