Frequently Asked Questions

First things first, don't spread it on toast. Or cake. When people first encounter LGS butters they often remark, "Looks delicious! Like cream cheese frosting." Yes, it does. But it's not. Just in case anyone needed that reminder. Our massage butters are designed to melt at skin temperature into an oil that spreads easily, won't leave you greasy, and is perfect for massage. That said, how you use it is up to you. The most direct method is to rub your chosen product directly on the area of need. The botanicals in the butter will absorb through the skin and begin to work within minutes. You may also opt for a full body massage or to use it after a shower to nourish the skin while combatting discomfort.

One of the key ingredients in lotion is water. A secondary necessary ingredient, then, is a preservative or emulsifier as water breeds bacteria and doesn't naturally mix with oil. By eliminating water from our formula we are able to provide a shelf-stable product without a bunch of extra nonsense. 

Secondly, body butters are far more nourishing for the skin than a standard lotion as they act as a barrier, locking in the moisture while settling into the top layers of the skin (our carrier oils do absorb and carry with them the healing properties of the butters, but more on that later).

Little Golden Shepherd butters are specially designed for massage, which means that while they remain solid at room temperature, they melt easily at skin temperature into an oil for massage. And a little goes along way with our formula, so you can get many uses out of a single jar when compared to lotion.

This question depends a lot on usage and storage. For example, if you have a massage party with all your friends it might only last a weekend. But I assume you want to know about shelf-life. To err on the side of caution we suggest replacing your butter after 24 months. However, because there is no water present these products are extremely stable, and a little goes a long way. Many customers enjoy their butters for years (although we can't imagine a day without them so ours tend to go a bit faster).

To aid in your butter's longevity, make sure to store in a cool dark place and avoid getting any water in your jar.

There's not a hard or fast rule about this. Many of our customers won't go anywhere without them, slathering it on when something aches. A good guide is to use every 4 hours, building on the effects throughout the day. Use as needed, but pay attention to any sensitivity.

Because LGS massage butters are applied topically, they are not doing battle with your stomach acid before they can start working. Our herbs are infused with olive oil, which speeds their absorption into the body. As for the essential oils, they typically absorb through the skin within 30 seconds and reach their destination in the body within 30 minutes. Numbing agents (like clove) will start working much quicker.

We've been there, no worries. Maybe you left it in your car, or go without AC in the summer. If your massage butter does melt, all is not lost. Empty the jar into a bowl and use a hand mixer to rewhip it into shape. Some people choose to store their butters in the refrigerator. This is permissible but may affect texture. It's important to note that whether your butter got melty or hard, the efficacy of it will not be compromised. It will still warm in your hands and bring relief to your body.

Well, not exactly. All we've done is harness some of the therapeutic uses of plants that existed in creation far longer than we've been around. If you want to learn a bit more about the ingredients we chose for each butter, click through to our "Why it works" page.