# Alternative butters



## eleraine (Mar 24, 2012)

Anyone have any ideas what some of the alternatives to shea/cocoa and other nut butters are? I know mango is one of them...any others?


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## itunu (Mar 24, 2012)

I have dry skin so love cupuacu butter-

http://www.theherbarie.com/Cupuacu-Butter-pr-430.html


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## judymoody (Mar 24, 2012)

Kokum, Illipe, Sal.  Babassu technically is not a butter but it's very hard, harder than coconut oil and with a higher melt point.  I use it quite a bit.

I just started playing with kokum as a sub for cocoa but mostly in leave on products due to price.


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## eleraine (Mar 24, 2012)

Thanks for the replies!

Am asking because my son could be allergic to either shea butter or sweet almond oil or both which limits the choices I have. 

He has eczema and I need something moisturising for his skin. *sigh*


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## IrishLass (Mar 24, 2012)

I love kokum butter. It has been my my go-to butter for my body butter formula for the past 7 years. It usually runs about $10.00 more expensive than cocoa butter, but the extra expense is worth it to me. As an anecdotal aside, my late mom told me it was the only thing that she and my step-dad had ever tried that actually helped to heal their skin ulcers (from diabetes).  They had tried a lot, too- even shea butter- but nothing helped her and my step-dad like the kokum. Because it's a very hard butter with lots of stearic acid in it, I also use kokum in my shaving soap formula, as well as in one of my lip balm formulas and in my solid lotion bar formula.

Illipe is very hard, too- even harder than cocoa and kokum butter. I bought some to try way back when I first started making body butters, but after getting such positive feedback from the kokum, it kinda fell by the wayside. I ended up using the rest of it in my shaving soap formula. I'd buy more to continue using it in my shaving formula because it's super hardness comes in handy for it, but alas it's_ way _more expensive than kokum ($40 _more_!).  :shock: 


IrishLass


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## Fragola (Mar 24, 2012)

Besides the skin ulcers, what other qualities does kokum have ?

P.S. Also, what are good sources to purchase it.


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## judymoody (Mar 24, 2012)

eleraine said:
			
		

> Thanks for the replies!
> 
> Am asking because my son could be allergic to either shea butter or sweet almond oil or both which limits the choices I have.
> 
> He has eczema and I need something moisturising for his skin. *sigh*



My daughter is prone to eczema and dry skin patches and now that she's a teenager, she's become more sensitive about her looks.  She's allergic to almonds and also to mango (sensitivity to mango is sometimes but not always  linked to shea and latex).  I use avocado, hemp, fractionated coconut, and kokum in lotions for her and they work really well.  I haven't noticed a problem with shea. I used allantoin in the last batch and that seems to have helped.  .5% in the cool down phase.

I agree with Irishlass, kokum is great and you don't need much so the upcharge isn't too bad.  I've just started working with it and may switch over from cocoa butter eventually.

For her soap, I generally use a high OO recipe supplemented by the usual coconut and palm, SF at 8-10%.  Sometimes I add avocado and/or cocoa butter depending on what I've got on hand.

Good luck, it's hard dealing with an itchy kid.


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## IrishLass (Mar 26, 2012)

Fragola said:
			
		

> Besides the skin ulcers, what other qualities does kokum have ?
> 
> P.S. Also, what are good sources to purchase it.



According to From Nature With Love, kokum has these benefits.

I've bought mine from a few different US vendors depending on price at the time of purchase. My most recent purchase was from here. 

IrishLass


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