Tripping about shea

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godschild

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Hi yall. I've never used shea butter before but I found 5lbs for $12.99+$6.99 shipping while shopping on Amazon. (
African Shea Butter IVORY Organic RAW Unrefined 100% PURE COLOR Varies From: Yellow / Bright Yellow / Ivory / Light Yellow 80 oz / 5 pounds / 5 Lbs / 2.26 kilograms (Kg) 100% GUARANTEED Natural Please note: To provide you with the LOWEST PRICE, we are having to pack this item in a poly bag / Brown Box.)
I read the other day that people were having problems on here with graininess so now I'm worried mine will be grainy. I'm going to look the thread back up to see what temp and for how long they tempered theirs. I don't remember reading if it has to be thrown in the freezer for a quick cool down or not. I plan on using it in hp and cp soap and also lip balms. I now have to also look up what percentage to use it in each. My recipes use lard, palm, oo, co, pko, and stearic already. I have to adjust my recipe so my soaps don't turn out rock hard (haven't made any soap since I posted the thread about that due to my dad's health issues and my staying busy and stressed out.) When I run out of stearic I will readjust my recipe again because I don't plan on buying anymore stearic.
I hope I didn't just bite off more than I can chew with this shea butter. My lard etc soap is already lovely and luxurious so I really didn't need it. More for label appeal I guess. If you have bought this same shea butter or just have any tips for me that would be awesome. I couldn't afford to order from bb or ed.
 
Don't worry about grainy shea if you are using it for soap, it won't matter at all in the end. If you decide to make whipped body butter, you will probably want to temper it.
That is a very good price. Separate it into one pound bags and freeze them for longer shelf life.
 
Sweetie, I think you're tripping about more than shea butter. Any graininess with the butter can be easily dealt with and I'm sure someone here will let you know if its the quick or slow cool down that helps with that.

Shea will be a wonderful thing to add to any of your recipes. The soap I make with shea also has lard and palm in it, and it is the favorite of anyone who tries my soap. If you love your recipe the way it is but are determined to include shea, perhaps start small - like subtract 5% palm and replace with shea. Palm doesn't contribute much glycerin to the soap, shea does and also has the highest amount of unsaponifiables. (Did I spell that right?)

In the meantime, please know I am thinking about you and your father; I am envious of the relationship you have with him. (my father was violent and I haven't spoken/seen him in decades). Please take care of yourself and focus on the positive. At this point in the process, sometimes the stress takes a weird turn and pulls the rug out from under defenses. You and your dad will be in my prayers, godschild.
 
I buy shea from a market friend of mine in 25# blocks in a brown box and never had a problem with it being grainy. I have had a problem with Soapers Choice Mango being grainy but with proper tempering and cool down it is fine and the same goes for shea.
 
Thanks yall. (I deleted the rest of this post because I never should've delved that deeply into things in the first place.)
 
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