# Melting cocoa butter and shea butter



## Basia (Feb 15, 2013)

What is the easiest way to melt both:cocoa butter and shea butter, and at what tempature? :roll:


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## SueSoap (Feb 15, 2013)

I melt my cocoa butter in the microwave at 30-second blasts until it is mostly melted.  I then add the shea butter, which will melt in with the cocoa butter.


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## Shannon_m (Feb 15, 2013)

Exactly what Sue said... it takes a bit to melt the cocoa butter. I find that about 2 oz of cocoa butter melts in the microwave in about 1 1/2 minutes maybe 2 (all microwaves are different though so I would start at a minute and go to 30 second bursts so your butter doesn't get grainy)... then when your cocoa butter is all melted just add the shea... shea melts really easy and will melt with the heat of your melted cocoa butter, this also decreases your chance of the butters getting grainy.


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## Basia (Feb 15, 2013)

Thank you Ladies for very helpful advice 

Basia


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## DWinMadison (Feb 15, 2013)

Sometimes I see tubes of "100% cocoa butter" at the local drug store...like in the African American hair section.  Is that OK to soap with?


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## lizflowers42 (Feb 15, 2013)

DWinMadison said:


> Sometimes I see tubes of "100% cocoa butter" at the local drug store...like in the African American hair section.  Is that OK to soap with?


Yep!


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## paillo (Feb 15, 2013)

Yup to all of the above. I always melt my hardest oils first, then add the softer oils or butters until everything's melted. Don't want to risk scorching your softer butters!


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## RocknRoll (Feb 15, 2013)

I've always started with melting cocoa butter in my little crockpot then once thats melted I turn it off add the shea butter...but the microwave is sounding much faster!


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## melstan775 (Feb 15, 2013)

DWinMadison said:


> Sometimes I see tubes of "100% cocoa butter" at the local drug store...like in the African American hair section.  Is that OK to soap with?



Read the ingredients and make sure it's really 100% cocoa butter, you'll see it's usually cocoa butter in some sort of carrier and may have a preservative.


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