shea butter

[jax1962]

would anyone care to share a recipe for a small batch using a high percentage of shea butter? i've never used it as i'm too scared of making an expensive mistake if i try to formulate a recipe!

 

[fiddletree]

There's one in the 'Smart Soapmaking' book.

 

[lsg]

Here are a couple of links with recipes, be sure to run them through a lye calculator before using.

http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/mas ... sbsoap.pdf

http://www.pinemeadows.net/recipes.php

 

[Genny]

I personally wouldn't go too high in shea butter. Too much shea butter tends to decrease lather quite a bit.
I keep my shea butter below 25% in my recipes.

 

[jax1962]

thanks guys, thay look great - just what i was looking for! will let you know how i get on.

 

[green soap]

What does shea butter do for soap?

 

[lsg]

Some companies claim it adds moisture and softness to skin, but I don't see how it can do a lot since soap is washed off. I can see how it would be good for the skin in a cream or lotion. I do sometimes use a little shea butter in my soaps for label appeal and because I bought quite a bit of unprocessed shea butter through a coop.

 

[Genny]

I use shea butter in my soap to help make it harder, since I use a large percentage of olive oil.

 

[vance71975]

would anyone care to share a recipe for a small batch using a high percentage of shea butter? i've never used it as i'm too scared of making an expensive mistake if i try to formulate a recipe!

Ask and ye shall receive!

Ingredient: Ounces
Water 18.24
Lye - NaOH 6.776

% Oz
1 Shea Butter 40 19.2
2 Castor Oil 20 9.6
3 Coconut Oil, 76 deg 20 9.6
4 Palm Kernel Oil 20 9.6
Totals 100 48

Soap Bar Quality Your Recipe
Hardness 49
Cleansing 26
Conditioning 47
Bubbly 44
Creamy 40
Iodine 47
INS 162

 

[jax1962]

thanks for that vance71975 - by the look of the hardness etc, it sounds wonderful! one other question: where does eveyone buy their shea butter? where i live it's about 15 euros for a small jar - i can't see me putting much in my soaps at THAT price!! how much do you buy in a batch (sorry i know that's 2 questions..)?

 

[Kleine Teufel]

After using some soaps with shea butter in them, I have to agree that they seem to make your skin feel really silky with the shea! It feels like you just dusted yourself with baby powder, that's how silky it feels!
I've never used it, but I'm hoping to get 25lbs of it here shortly from Soapers Choice, but that's a US company.

 

[fiddletree]

I use up to 30% shea butter, and I loooove it. I still get a nice lather, it doesn't dry me out, and it's super creamy. Prices have gone up, though, so I'm trying to cut it back some without sacrificing the quality.

 

[Jezzy]

Jax... :wink: where are you getting the Shea from?

 

[jax1962]

not too sure where to buy it jezzy - the only place i've seen it here in france is in the 'bio' or organic shops - far too expensive for me. do you have a european supplier?

 

[Jezzy]

http://www.gracefruit.com/butters-oils- ... utter.html

Nice to see you on the otherside of FB

 

[fiddletree]

Soap Kitchen, Just a Soap, and Fresholi also have good and reasonably priced shea in addition to Gracefruit. They all have pretty expensive shipping to mainland Europe, 20-25 euros, so you have to buy a lot of things to make it worth it. I haven't tried the shea from Gisella Manske, but they have reasonable prices, and are in Germany. Their shipping is really high to Italy, but it might be a bit better to France.

 

[Woodi]

Well, this is a very helpful post.

I have a box of shea butter languishing in the cold basement, cuz I thought it wasn't anything special to the soaps I made with it last year. Maybe it's because I only used 10% shea.

I will try some higher precentages today, and stop worrying about having to throw away all that shea!

I've been making and selling soap locally for over 10 years, have a nice small customer base (I like it small, and manageable)....but I seem to stick to the same-old, same-old recipe (olive, coc, pk, palm, castor, cocoa butter sometimes...)

Thank you!

 

[Woodi]

OK, done now....spent that last couple of hours making a batch. I used 21% shea butter instead of my usual palm, plus 4% cocoa butter, to my usual olive, coc, pk, castor recipe....

Scented it with lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint. It smells SOOOOO fresh! I call this one "Cool Lavender". It sells quickly.

BUT: it's never been so yellow before! So I'm going to add shea in the title (my shea butter is deep yellow in color).

I'll call it: "Very shea - Cool Lavender".

What do you think?

Pics to follow, after I unmold.

I am so short of soap!

Next batch: Citronella plus.....what? Lavender and Lime? (my customers are very fond of lavender).

 

[vance71975]

Next batch: Citronella plus.....what? Lavender and Lime? (my customers are very fond of lavender).

Neem Oil(course that's not really a scent oil lol)would go well With the Citronella. Maybe scent it with some Sweet Basil and Rosemary Essential Oil?

 

[vance71975]

thanks for that vance71975 - by the look of the hardness etc, it sounds wonderful! one other question: where does eveyone buy their shea butter? where i live it's about 15 euros for a small jar - i can't see me putting much in my soaps at THAT price!! how much do you buy in a batch (sorry i know that's 2 questions..)?

7 lbs 33.00 US dollars. So about 25.92 Euro(if i did the conversion right i always get confused on that lol), Its fulfilled by Amazon so i am pretty sure they will ship outside the USA.

http://www.amazon.com/Unrefined-Shea-Bu ... 524&sr=8-8