Refined vs unrefined shea butter?

[topofmurrayhill]

What is ROE?

Rosemary oleoresin extract. It's a natural antioxidant that you can put in your bulk oils or in the oils for a batch of soap. It helps keep your oils from getting rancid and helps protect soap from discoloration and and DOS. Among the places you can get it are Wholesale Supplies Plus, Camden-Grey, Majestic Mountain Sage, Soapmaking Resource and Lotioncrafter.

 

[narnia]

Rosemary oleoresin extract. It's a natural antioxidant that you can put in your bulk oils or in the oils for a batch of soap. It helps keep your oils from getting rancid and helps protect soap from discoloration and and DOS. Among the places you can get it are Wholesale Supplies Plus, Camden-Grey, Majestic Mountain Sage, Soapmaking Resource and Lotioncrafter.

How much do you use, and is it good to add to every batch of soap? Especially milk soaps, since milk could go rancid? What about "optiphen?" Or adding vitamin E?

 

[topofmurrayhill]

How much do you use, and is it good to add to every batch of soap? Especially milk soaps, since milk could go rancid? What about "optiphen?" Or adding vitamin E?

Preservatives like Optiphen prevent dangerous living things from growing in B&B and cosmetic products. We don't normally use preservatives in bar soap.

Rancidity is caused mostly by chemical processes, including exposure to air, heat and moisture. An antioxidant like ROE helps with that.

Because it's a natural plant extract, it's a variable product and the best amount to use is sadly a guessing game. The active ingredient is rosmarinic acid and the suppliers don't tell you what percentage is in their product.

The general rule of thumb is to use 0.1%. In other words, multiply your oil weight by .001 and add that amount. For example, 1 gram in 1000 grams of oil. You can add it to every batch of soap or add it to the oils when you get them.

Vitamin E has been tested for soap and doesn't work.

 

[MySoapyHeart]

You are buying from vendors that have most likely melted it and repackaged. What I get is straight from the tribes in Ghana and is not always well filtered, but I love it

You are probably right about that! The best sheabutter I have found so far is from Coastal Scents, which I started buying from when they started up with unrefined shea several years ago. They have fair trade sheabutter that they get directly from Ghana (Sekaf Shea Butter Village in Kasalgu, which they are involved in) It comes in huge bulky lumps and feels great. I just love the earthy smell of Shea.