Name: Whipped Magnesium Body Butter | Perfect for Pregnancy
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raw shea butter; 1/2 cup coconut oil; 2 Tablespoon magnesium chloride oil; 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder; 5 drops vitamin E oil; essential oils of choice (lavender, peppermint, vanilla, etc.)

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This is the best magnesium body butter and it’s perfect to help those dreaded pregnancy leg cramps. Magnesium is important for your body to function and one way to get a boost of magnesium is through the skin. This recipe is the perfect way to increase your cellular magnesium levels.

This post may contain affiliate links. See my full disclosure policy here.

Magnesium

Magnesium is necessary for nearly every function of the body, but did you know that more than 75% of the population isn’t getting enough magnesium?¹

Magnesium is essential for energy production. It also helps calm nerves, relieve muscle aches and spasms, and supports heart health.

It used to be easier to get magnesium through the foods that we eat, but due to soil depletion and our overall less healthy diets, it’s much more difficult to get enough magnesium than it used to be.

There is a growing body of research that claims that magnesium is absorbed best through the skin.

Oral magnesium supplementation has been proven, but newer studies suggest that transdermal magnesium can increase magnesium levels in the body without the same side effects.²

Magnesium for Pregnancy

Getting enough magnesium is particularly important during pregnancy.

You can get some magnesium in your diet through nuts, seeds, beans and leafy greens, but our soil has been so depleted of essential minerals that it is important to supplement with additional magnesium.

The need for magnesium is increased during pregnancy and magnesium deficiency can cause health problems for both mom and baby.³

Taking oral magnesium can definitely help, but morning sickness can make it difficult to want to swallow pills.

This magnesium body butter is a great way to increase your cellular magnesium levels without having to swallow anything.

In addition to future health risks, a insufficiency of magnesium, especially during pregnancy, can contribute to dreaded leg cramps.

When I started having charley horses during pregnancy, I began rubbing magnesium oil on my legs before bed and it made a huge difference.

However, putting magnesium oil directly on your skin can cause irritation, tingling, and itching.

That’s why I created a body butter that would nourish my skin while allowing me to apply transdermal to my skin without irritation.

What goes in Magnesium Body Butter?

This recipe was created to be nourishing for your skin as well as your body.

With just a few basic ingredients, it will be easy to put together and will save you money. Here’s what you need:

Organic African Shea Butter

Shea butter is an oil that comes from the nuts of the African Shea Tree and is solid at room temperature.

It is often used in cosmetics, because it is really great for your skin.

Shea butter is moisturizing, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and is full of vitamins including vitamins A and E that help with collagen production.

Raw shea butter heals scars, burns, and bruises, and can even help with reducing stretch marks during pregnancy.

I buy this 100% Pure Unrefined African Shea Butter on Amazon. I find that it is high quality and is a good price.

You can replace the shea butter with mango butter for a lighter scent.

Mango butter also tends to be less greasy, but it is slightly more expensive than shea butter.

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

We use a lot of coconut oil in our house.

It has so many benefits including being antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial plus it’s full of nutrients. It’s also a great antioxidant.

It is important to use an unrefined organic coconut oil that has not been processed so you don’t lose out on the great benefits.

My favorite brands for coconut oil are Costco’s Kirkland brand and I also love this Nutiva cold pressed coconut oil that can easily be purchased on Amazon.

Magnesium Chloride Oil

Magnesium chloride in oil form is great for skin absorption (transdermal).

When you put magnesium chloride oil directly on your skin, it tends to itch or tingle.

I don’t experience the same irritation when I use the oil in this body butter.

I’ve seen people buy magnesium chloride flakes and dissolve them in water to create a magnesium oil, but I prefer to use magnesium already in oil form for cosmetics since adding water to your recipe creates an opportunity for bacterial growth.

I purchase my transdermal magnesium from a local store, but I also really love the Seven Minerals brand and you can purchase their magnesium oil from Amazon.

Arrowroot Powder

Arrowroot powder is a starch that is similar to corn starch and can be used to thicken sauces, etc.

It is more nutrient dense than corn starch and is non GMO so that’s why I prefer to use arrowroot powder in a lot of my recipes.

The arrowroot powder in this recipe helps the body butter feel less greasy.

Body butters are naturally more greasy feeling compared to lotions so that is to be expected, but the tiny bit of arrowroot powder helps a lot.

I’ve been using this organic arrowroot powder for this body butter, as well as in food recipes to thicken sauces, and in my recipe for diy probiotic deodorant with magnesium.

Vitamin E Oil

While shea butter does provide some vitamin E, I like to add extra vitamin E to this body butter, because it is really nourishing for the skin.

Vitamin E is especially helpful for your skin while pregnant as your body is growing and your skin is stretching.

You can purchase vitamin E oil in a bottle, but you can also poke a hole in vitamin E capsules and squeeze the oil out, which is what I do.

Essential Oils

I tend to be very cautious about using essential oils while pregnant, but oils such as lavender or peppermint can be a wonderful addition to this body butter if you’re out of the first trimester.

Lavender is calming and can help you sleep better.

Peppermint can soothe sore muscles.

I also really love to use vanilla oleoresin in this body butter, because it makes it smell great. I purchase vanilla oleoresin (and my other essential oils) from my new favorite company called Revive.

Revive sells high quality therapeutic grade essential oils and a fraction of the cost of doTERRA, which I have used in the past.

You can get $10 off your first order if you use this link. You also always get free shipping which is awesome!

How to Make Whipped Magnesium Body Butter

Melt shea butter over a double boiler. Remove from heat and add in coconut oil. Stir until coconut oil melts from residual heat of the shea butter.
Place in refrigerator for about 10 minutes or until the edges just start to set.
Add magnesium oil and vitamin E oil then whip using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of an immersion blender. Whip until white and fluffy.
Gently add arrowroot powder and essential oils, if desired, and whip until combined. The cream should become lighter in color.
Store in a glass jar with a lid and keep at room temperature. Apply to skin as needed.

Notes

I find that shea butter takes longer to melt than coconut oil, which is why I melt the shea butter first and then use the residual heat to melt the coconut oil. The goal is not to cook the oils, but to heat them up enough to melt in order to mix them.
My husband gave me this exact immersion blender and it is perfect for making this whipped magnesium body butter. It’s really inexpensive and has lasted for years. I use it for soups, smoothies, and cosmetics recipes.