Alysia Reiner’s Secret DIY Body Butter Recipe

I had the privilege of interviewing Alysia Reiner recently for Organic Spa magazine, and discovered that she’s nothing like Natalie “Fig” Figueroa, the assistant warden who’s reviled for her evil machinations on “Orange is the New Black.” Reiner is a yogi and environmentalist more interested in philanthropy than power, who serves as a spokesperson for the breastfeeding advocacy organization Best for Babes, among others, works with the Cancer Support Community and Actors for Autism, and is part of a clean water initiative called “Flash Flood for Good.” She DIYs organic beauty products in the kitchen of the sustainable home she shares in Harlem, with her husband, the actor David Alan Basche, and their daughter, Liv. So when she offered up her secret recipe for a five-minute body butter, I knew I had to share!

Alysia Reiner is nothing like Fig, the character she plays on “Orange is the New Black.” “It’s fun to DIY spa treatments,” Alysia said. “I use everything from avocado to oats and making my own salt scrub. There are so many fun and easy things you can do, especially with kids. Liv loves to take things that we eat—like organic sugar or coconut oil—and put them on her face. A banana on the face is hilarious to a five-year-old.” Can you imagine Fig saying that? Me, neither.

Without further ado, here’s Alysia’s recipe for Five Minute Whipped Coconut Body Butter.

Ingredients:

One cup organic coconut oil (solid)

20 drops your favorite organic essential oil

Recycled glass jar(s) with lid(s)

Directions:

1. Put ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Use an electric hand mixer on high for a few minutes, until the body butter is whipped. (My photo was taken after two minutes.)

3.  Put it in the jar.

4. Rub it on your dry bits.

Store at room temperature, or in the fridge if it’s warm enough that your whip will melt. If it’s cold in your house, the butter may solidify a bit, but rub it between your hands and it will return to the perfect consistency to smooth onto your skin.

I could have filled three more containers like the one shown in the photo, and one $5 jar of Trader Joe’s USDA Certified Organic Coconut Oil contains enough to make this recipe four times over. (Can’t get to TJs? Even Crisco now makes Certified Organic Coconut Oil!)

Add your favorite USDA Certified Organic essential oils–mine were sent to me by Stephanie Moram at Good Girl Gone Green, but I also like the certified organic oils from Aura Cacia–and it really costs just a few dollars to make a veritable VAT of body butter.

This stuff is amazing for hydration and works wonders on cracked cuticles–if you’re pregnant, it’s the secret to avoiding stretch marks. Thanks Alysia!

Portions of this article appeared in Organic Spa Magazine.

Alysia’s gorgeous photo is from her site, and credited to Alan Yee.