Shea Butter Making Soap Feel 'Gritty'?

[SkinLover]

Hi all

Ok so I've made a couple batches of soap with unrefined shea butter. They blend great, they look great (other ingredients are raw organic cocoa butter, virgin coconut oil, organic castor oil and extra virgin olive oil), BUT the instant you use them in water, they feel 'gritty', much like I'd imagine salt soap to feel like. I can only think it's the shea butter because when I make soaps without including it, they're just fine.

Has anyone else had the same problem?

I use the RT method - perhaps that's not the best method for incorporating shea?

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

It sounds like you need to melt your Shea butter then add it to your RT oils. Shea has a high Stearic content, so that's probably the grittiness you're feeling. It can appen with Palm too if you do not stir to the bottom of the container it's shipped in before use.

 

[SkinLover]

It sounds like you need to melt your Shea butter then add it to your RT oils. Shea has a high Stearic content, so that's probably the grittiness you're feeling. It can appen with Palm too if you do not stir to the bottom of the container it's shipped in before use.

That's what I did wrong! Thank you so much

 

[Innate Crafts]

Is this thread active ?? I have the same problem. Can you please let me know how to prevent in palm oil??

 

[AliensrReal]

Is this thread active ?? I have the same problem. Can you please let me know how to prevent in palm oil??

You make sure to melt the palm oil and give it a good stir to blend it. In my 1 gal buckets I will place them in hot water to melt them and stir until it looks blended up.

 

[Innate Crafts]

You make sure to melt the palm oil and give it a good stir to blend it. In my 1 gal buckets I will place them in hot water to melt them and stir until it looks blended up.

ohh what i understood is "I should stir it in bucket only? like when Ill place that gallon in hot water? and by that time i should make it smooth?? then when using in soap i will just add it in pot and melt it?? is that correct??

 

[Savage Daughter]

Hi all

Ok so I've made a couple batches of soap with unrefined shea butter. They blend great, they look great (other ingredients are raw organic cocoa butter, virgin coconut oil, organic castor oil and extra virgin olive oil), BUT the instant you use them in water, they feel 'gritty', much like I'd imagine salt soap to feel like. I can only think it's the shea butter because when I make soaps without including it, they're just fine.

Has anyone else had the same problem?

I use the RT method - perhaps that's not the best method for incorporating shea?

EDIT: I just realized this is like a 100 year old post LOL
_____

I actually recently made some test batches with shea, unrefined shea, and did not have this issue either time.

That said, I always melt all of my soaping oils & butters together - liquids & solids - and they usually get up around 185º or so. I then let them gradually cool to room temperature before soaping with them.

I also always gel as well, which might help.

Might be something to test out

 

[DeeAnna]

That said, I always melt all of my soaping oils & butters together - liquids & solids - and they usually get up around 185º or so. I then let them gradually cool to room temperature before soaping with them.

There's your answer! I get the distinct feeling the other posters aren't even coming close to doing what you're doing to fully melt the fats.

@Mobjack Bay studied this awhile back and concluded the fat has to get sufficiently hot enough to be visually clear and then also stay warm for awhile to completely melt even the smallest stubborn bits.

I don't use shea or palm, but I do use lard. I don't heat the fat to 185F, but I do get the fat warm enough to become visually clear and then let the fat sit for an hour or three to slowly cool before using it to make soap. I haven't seen as many stearic spots with this method as I did when just melting to visually clear and then immediately making soap.