Yellow African Shea Butter Soap

[runnerchicki]

I made soap last night using yellow African Shea butter purchased on a whim at Walmart (link to product). At only 10% of the recipe, it produced a lovely pale yellow soap. Has anyone else used yellow Shea? I haven’t been able to turn up much about it on SMF. The container lists the ingredients as Butyrospermum Parkii, but I wondered about the yellow color and found this information about the color coming from the Borututu Tree, which is used in parts of Africa for its medicinal properties. I also turned up research papers in a google Scholar search which suggest that Borututu has antioxidant and other beneficial properties.

Based on what I read on SMF, I was prepared for the possibility of some foreign matter in the butter (which I understand is a possibility with any unrefined Shea). I melted it and then decanted most of the liquid butter before I weighed it, leaving a tiny bit of fine grit at the bottom of the original container. The decanted liquid appeared to be clear of particles.

So, here’s the soap this morning. I put some Calendula petals on top for visual appeal.

View attachment 40831

Beautiful soft yellow color. I love the texture on top as well. I have not been able to master this technique - it looks so simple yet it escapes me.

I love shea butter and like to use it in my palm oil recipes. I've never used yellow shea before and I'm interested in what you think of it in the finished soap.

 

[Dawni]

Yey you got the tops! So nice

My shea... Which came in a tub, unlabeled, is just slightly less yellow than that.. And not smooth, more gritty. It was a new supplier I wanted to try out so I didn't bother to ask where it was from. I haven't figured out if it's that or the cocoa that's giving me a nasty smelling soap but either way I'm looking for a new supplier.

That being said, my shea has never given me any semblance of yellow soap no matter how much of it I've used.

Useless post, I know lol, sorry

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Beautiful soft yellow color. I love the texture on top as well. I have not been able to master this technique - it looks so simple yet it escapes me.

I love shea butter and like to use it in my palm oil recipes. I've never used yellow shea before and I'm interested in what you think of it in the finished soap.

This is an OO based test recipe, without lard, tallow, palm, etc., with salt water in the water split for the masterbatched lye solution. Relative to the lard and palm recipes I use it made a softer batter, if that makes any sense. I’m planning to cure this soap and other test variations until late fall, with the hopes that they will all be nice for giving away in December. I will keep you posted!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Yey you got the tops! So nice

My shea... Which came in a tub, unlabeled, is just slightly less yellow than that.. And not smooth, more gritty. It was a new supplier I wanted to try out so I didn't bother to ask where it was from. I haven't figured out if it's that or the cocoa that's giving me a nasty smelling soap but either way I'm looking for a new supplier.

That being said, my shea has never given me any semblance of yellow soap no matter how much of it I've used.

Useless post, I know lol, sorry

Not useless... I guess I won the lottery with the yellow soap

 

[Dawni]

Not useless... I guess I won the lottery with the yellow soap

Better than winning the stinky one lol

 

[Guspuppy]

Your soap is exactly the color I get in my shea butter soap as well. It is my favorite recipe, especially after a year + of aging!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Your soap is exactly the color I get in my shea butter soap as well. It is my favorite recipe, especially after a year + of aging!

That’s great new about the color. Thanks!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Edit: this made me wonder if anyone has tried sweet peppers to color soap? Could be another option if its stable.

I haven't done it but years ago I saw a very pretty orange/red soap made with olive oil infused with sweet red peppers.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@Obsidian Have you tried paprika? I think it’s just ground up dried red peppers. I made any infusion but then never tried it...

 

[Obsidian]

@Obsidian Have you tried paprika? I think it’s just ground up dried red peppers. I made any infusion but then never tried it...

I tried it directly in the soap, was pretty but not vivid enough and it was super scratchy.

 

[Dawni]

@Obsidian Have you tried paprika? I think it’s just ground up dried red peppers. I made any infusion but then never tried it...

Not Obsidian but I have. The faintly darker parts in the yellow salt bars I posted are infused paprika. The rest is annatto.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I tried it directly in the soap, was pretty but not vivid enough and it was super scratchy.

if and when I try my oil (it’s in the frig), I will let you know!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Not Obsidian but I have. The faintly darker parts in the yellow salt bars I posted are infused paprika. The rest is annatto.

Oh, right. I forgot that you used paprika and ended up with yellow/gold. It’s pretty. I should use mine!

 

[cedarstar]

I have done some searching on the colors of shea. Natural shea colors can range from white, grey, pale yellow. Bright yellow usually means a colorant has been added such as dyes, turmeric, borututu, red palm oil, etc. https://www.3cayg.com/yellowsheabutter Many sellers will tell you that nothing has been added but if shea is really bright yellow then chances are something has been added to produce this color

 

[Arimara]

That shea butter may not be shea butter, per se. Don't get me wrong, it's still boss on your skin but I think that is a different kind of butter altogether that they market as shea butter in the states. I did get my info from YT a while back however so take my words with a grain of salt.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I have done some searching on the colors of shea. Natural shea colors can range from white, grey, pale yellow. Bright yellow usually means a colorant has been added such as dyes, turmeric, borututu, red palm oil, etc. https://www.3cayg.com/yellowsheabutter Many sellers will tell you that nothing has been added but if shea is really bright yellow then chances are something has been added to produce this color

That shea butter may not be shea butter, per se. Don't get me wrong, it's still boss on your skin but I think that is a different kind of butter altogether that they market as shea butter in the states. I did get my info from YT a while back however so take my words with a grain of salt.

The potential for my butter to be something other than Shea, or for the color to come from an additive were also mentioned towards the beginning of the thread. It poses a challenge for labeling the soap when we don’t know what’s actually in the products we’re using. I’m not worried about the safety though given what must be large sales volume through a big company like Walmart. The soap seems to be holding its color nicely. I made it on August 10th, so almost 2 weeks ago.

 

[cedarstar]

It sure does make it difficult for labelling if the company doesn't list the colorant. I only buy white for this reason. 3Cay lists there's being colored with color from borututu but many companies say it's natural. A while back I watched a you tube video on it. The woman explained the coloring of shea and added just a bit of red palm to show how shea is colored. I'm in Canada and we can use a symbol ( "+/-" or "±" or the phrase "may contain) followed by the colorant ingredient. So maybe something like "± borututu, red palm or turmeric" at the end of your label would work. If theses companies won't share the information on what they've added or having the shea tested for additives it could be a way of protecting yourself. I've not yet ordered from 3Cay but I really like that they share what's added to their shea.

 

[Misschief]

Your soap is stunning! I love it!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Your soap is stunning! I love it!

Thank you! I was aiming for a super soft billowy looking top like you did on a recent soap. I’m getting closer.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I will email them. My guess is that they will tell me that the color is from the Borututu Tree, but we’ll see.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the company never got back to me on the first email I sent. I just resent it.