I made a few batches of HP at the beginning but rapidly moved to CP. The possibilities seem end with CP, but HP has the advantage of being kinder to EOs, which I think is a big plus. I haven’t given up on the idea of making more HP soap.
Are butters effective in soap?
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Oops, I answered the question for @KiwiMoose 
I’m looking forward to trying cp. I love essential oils, but I’m going to try some fragrance oils too.
No worries. I’ll take tips from everybody. LolOops, I answered the question for @KiwiMoose
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CP
I have made soaps full of shea butter (I don't know the exact percentage, since it was in a mixed product). The amount of shea butter in my finished soap must have been way over 10%. I will guess around 30% or something. I can't say that it does not lather, since my soap have lathered really, really well. I have used dual lye with around 5% KoH and 95% Naoh, and there is definately no lack of lather. I have used coconut oil also (not sure about the percentage either, since it was in the same product, and sometimes I added a little extra coconut, but the coconut percentage have never been high) and castor oil at around 7-9%.
If butters don't lather, it is very easy to make them lather. So I don't think that should be a big problem, since it can easily be fixed with especially dual lye. You can also use additives like sugar dissolved in the the water before you add lye to boost the bubbles a bit. Or blend a sugar solution into the oils. You can increase the coconut oil and castor oil a bit, if necessary and if wanted. They say castor oil will create a draggy feel to the soap if used in a high percentage. I think that is true, I had one soap with a drag. But, I have found that kaolin clay counteracts that drag and make it work out just beautiful with a higher percentage of castor oil (kaolin clay makes slip, and that will balance out any drag, in my experience. But I'm not an experienced soaper at all, just sayin'. So others, more experienced ones will perhaps have very different experiences).
Are butters needed? Probably not. I think they are a lot about label appeal. I used a mixed product high in shea butter mainly because I had no other hard oils available. Yes, it was exactly that. That was the only thing I could buy in grocery stores other than coconut oil and soft oils. So I felt I had no choice. I'm not sure I would have gone online and order shea butter if I had cheaper alternatives locally, like palm oil or something. I have switched to soy wax, but I can't say anything good or bad about it, since my first soap with it is not cut yet. But it is a cheaper alternative to butters, and many soapers prefer to use it.
If butters don't lather, it is very easy to make them lather. So I don't think that should be a big problem, since it can easily be fixed with especially dual lye. You can also use additives like sugar dissolved in the the water before you add lye to boost the bubbles a bit. Or blend a sugar solution into the oils. You can increase the coconut oil and castor oil a bit, if necessary and if wanted. They say castor oil will create a draggy feel to the soap if used in a high percentage. I think that is true, I had one soap with a drag. But, I have found that kaolin clay counteracts that drag and make it work out just beautiful with a higher percentage of castor oil (kaolin clay makes slip, and that will balance out any drag, in my experience. But I'm not an experienced soaper at all, just sayin'. So others, more experienced ones will perhaps have very different experiences).
Are butters needed? Probably not. I think they are a lot about label appeal. I used a mixed product high in shea butter mainly because I had no other hard oils available. Yes, it was exactly that. That was the only thing I could buy in grocery stores other than coconut oil and soft oils. So I felt I had no choice. I'm not sure I would have gone online and order shea butter if I had cheaper alternatives locally, like palm oil or something. I have switched to soy wax, but I can't say anything good or bad about it, since my first soap with it is not cut yet. But it is a cheaper alternative to butters, and many soapers prefer to use it.
Thank you. I’m thinking it’s all about how the soap “feels” rather than any real skin benefits. From what all of you have generously shared, it’s a personal thing. I think for my next experiment, I will add a ittle shea butter after the cook. I have tons of it. It’s great for my curly hair.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
I think it is more than how soap “feels” I think there are skin benefits from using Shea butter even at only 10%. I think my skin dries out less and testers agree. Try it and see what you think. I think if you read back there are others who agree (cedar star at least).
For me Shea butter is one of those ingredients that you can actually detect and notice in soap and I use it in every soap except Castile.
I don’t know about using it in HP - that might alter the benefits completely. I make CP soap.
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I’m definitely trying it. I am a lover of Shea. I was questioning the effectiveness of it in a rinse off product. If it feels good, that’s great but it’s good for much more than just moisturizing. Thank you for your input. I will try a little in this weekend’s batch.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
I’m one of those people who believe anything you put on your skin penetrates to some degree and makes a difference even if it is wash off. Go for it. I think you’ll like Shea butter in soap.
I’m a newbie too. I spend a lot of time with the lye calculator and my notes, figuring out new recipes and learning how different oils interact. I’ve not limited myself to cheaper oils. But I don’t sell. I’m coming up with some standard combos that my F&F like. Coconut oil is a basic. The butters are beloved, but I too am using lesser amounts now. The challenge is finding a balance of cleansing & conditioning. So working with the lye calculator lets you see what combos will do or not do. You can add things like sugar, sodium lactate, dairy, or aloe to tweek the other numbers in the final product. My biggest issues now are techniques, timing, and making soap that looks and smells nice—it comes down to that in the end. Easier said than done. Haha!
Good thinking. I’m making a goat milk and honey soap today and will add a little shea. I appreciate your input. Thank you.
Thank you. I’m trying a little shea after the cook today. Let’s see how I like it.
JamesSaldivar
Member
Butter comes from a nut grown on the Karite tree which is native to Western Africa. It is mainly sourced and harvested by women-run cooperatives and is used in many health and beauty products. Here at Misty Mountain Soap Co. it is a key ingredient in many of our products including soap, lotion bars, body butters, balms, and scrubs. Almost all of our bar soaps contain pure butter, along with other natural oils and butters.
- Moisturizing
- Weather protection
- Antioxident rich
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-bacterial
- Economic improvement
James, I like how you emphasize economic improvement (for the women-run cooperatives) as a benefit of using shea butter.
Chris_S
Well-Known Member
I store my soaps inside the cardboard boxes that my cats wet food pouches come in i get big boxes of them and use the dividers to separate the scents then I put them one my clothes drawers and in the corners of my bedroom mostly because they wont fit under my bed thanks to it being incredibly low!
Edit I use shea butter in all my soaps iv tried cocoa butter but I just prefer shea I only usually use it upto about 10-15%!
@Kathymzr do you use local raw honey?
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Dahila
Well-Known Member
I have few batches with shea butter and one with cocoa butter (probably 3 years old already) and I do like it, but I never go over 5% , it makes the difference, However my favorite are combination of OO, Castro Lard and tallow. No soap is as good as these ones. Some are already like 5 years old
Thank you for this.
@Nyknits - Welcome to your new addiction! lol I also have family with some horrible allergies and psoriasis and eczema issues. All of us together have discovered that - in spite of the strong woodsy scent - pine tar soap works amazing wonders! I have a brother who used it and made sure that was the only thing that he changed and his psorisis totally cleared right up! I about fell off my chair when he showed me, actually! If you're interested in pine tar, one of our members has the recipe that I used here - https://classicbells.com/soap/pineTarSoap.asp
Dahila
Well-Known Member
Soap does help but I switched from steroid cream, after prednisone for days , to my calendula body butter (thick lotion) it clears my eczema like a charm and stops itching immiediately. I grow Calendula in my garden
What do y’all think of mango butter versus Shea butter in CP soap?
