# Whipped Shea Butter?



## FitMommyOf2 (Jul 28, 2007)

I loooove whipped Shea Butter, but what exactly *is* it, other than Shea Butter being whipped?  There's more to it, right?
I was thinking if I'd buy myself some Shea Butter one day and try it, but obviously I'd need to know first what else I'd need?

Could somebody please tell me and share a recipe?
Thank you!


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## Tabitha (Jul 28, 2007)

Mine is 75% shea butter & 25% light oils of your choice.

That's it!


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## FitMommyOf2 (Jul 28, 2007)

Really? That's good to know.
So if I wanted, I'd just use good ol' Canola or baby oil, seriously?   

What's up with the 'whipped' part? Do I just whip it by hand a few times or what do I have to imagine under this describtion?

I used to have a Pink Sugar scented Shea Butter (loooove the scent!) and it was heaven on my skin! Hubby always said I smell like candy when I went to bed


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## Tabitha (Jul 28, 2007)

You could use canola oil, olive, sunflower, soy etc. 

I would stay away from the baby (mineral) oil... it's a no-no for most people who make B&B. You _could_ get throw off a _lesser_ soap forum for just _mentioning_ mineral oil-ROFLMAO!

Here is a quote from Indiana Soap works about mineral oil:
Mineral oil is a by-product from the refining process of fossil fuel, such as gasoline. Fossil fuels were formed in the earth, beginning millions of years ago, from decaying plants and animals. The organic chemicals in their bodies are the source of the petroleum products we use today. Products containing mineral oil, petrolatum or petroleum jelly are said to have negative effects on hormones and the skins ability to breathe, attract moisture and detoxify. It can also slow down cell renewal. It is not easily absorbed into the skin, but if absorbed, it is broken down by the liver and when it reaches the intestines, it pulls water and vitamins from the body. Mineral oil can be found in such things as baby oil, most commercial and many handmade creams and lotions, lipsticks, lip balms and even certain foods and vitamin/mineral supplements. Even though mineral oil is natural, the methods used to purify it are not. I am leery about using it on my body or eating foods containing mineral oil. I choose not to use it in my products to be on the safe side. I encourage you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions.

The is how I whip shea:

1) Melt your shea & oil & fragrance in a double boiler or microwave.

2) Pour this mixture in a medium size metal bowl.

3) Place your medium sized metal bowl inside a larger metal bowl.

4) Fill the larger bowl with ice & some water, you have just created an ice bath. You need your mixture to go from hot & melted to cold fairly quickly.

5) Whip it good on high for approx 9 minuted depending on the speed of your mixer.

6) Spoon into jars quickly before the mixture sets too firm.

It is hard to know when it's ready, if you fill your jars & later the whip falls like a souffle, you did not whip long enough, remelt & start over.

If the whip is too firm to spoon into jars, you whipped too long, remelt & start over.

Most people do not use an ice bath, they whip for 3 minutes then put it in the freezer for 3 minutes, then whip for 3 minuted & put it in the freezer for 3 minutes & so on untill it's firm enought to hold a peak.


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## soapbuddy (Jul 29, 2007)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> Mine is 75% shea butter & 25% light oils of your choice.
> 
> That's it!



Same here.

Irena


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## FitMommyOf2 (Jul 29, 2007)

Thanks, Tab!
 Mea culpa for mentioning mineral oil. I'' never do that again!   

Sounds like a lil tricky thing with the whipped shea, huh? I'll keep it in mind for the time when I can get some SB and try it out. :wink:


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## pepperi27 (Jul 29, 2007)

Hey tabitha thats how I do it with freezer but when I'm done it spoons into my jars but after a while it turns into butter spread rather than whippy. Does that mean I whipped for too long?? Or not long enough.


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## Tabitha (Jul 30, 2007)

Not long enough pepper & *maybe* not enough cold too, Without enough cold it is harder & takes longer to get it thick enough.


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## pepperi27 (Jul 31, 2007)

Ahhhh ohhhh now I have an excuse to make more! I like my butter spread but I love learning new things so i'm definitely going to try this this weekend. Thanks sweetie


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## soapbuddy (Jul 31, 2007)

I use my Kitchen aid with the flexible, reusable freeze its. It's faster that way and whips up nice and fluffy.

Irena


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## pepperi27 (Oct 19, 2007)

So I decided to try whipping my shea butter again. I decided to take a bowl and put two bags of frozen vegetables with a paper towel on top. I placed the shea butter/apricot kernal oil mix on top of the paper towels and left it there for a min. After one minute it was ready for whipping! I decided to leave it on top and continue whipping and I did it!! I finally made whipped shea butter!! I'm going to try again and see what happens! But now I have a question: If I make foot balms is it possible to whip that instead of leaving it like a butter balm? Here is my recipe

4oz ako
1oz beeswax
1.5oz cocoa butter
2oz shea butter
15 drops of peppermint fo

Can this also be whipped??


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## Tabitha (Oct 19, 2007)

Have you made that recipe before pepper? It *looks* to me like it would be  too firm/solid.  If you have, how firm is it?

It looks very firm to me, if I were to try & make this recipe into a whip, I would eliminate the bee's wax (whose only job is to make the product hard) and increase the AKO from 4-6oz to offset the firmness of the cocoa butter.


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## Soapmaker Man (Oct 19, 2007)

Did you heat the Shea butter, Cocoa butter or bees wax any before attempting to whip it?  Like Tab, especially RT, those ingredients look hard to smooth out and whip.  I put my unrefined Shea and Kpangnan   butter in the microwave under medium heat and warm them up a bit before I add my RT soft oils and start whipping in my Kitchen Aide stand mixer with the whip  tool.  It takes me about 45 to 55 minutes to get it where I want it to be and all smoothed out in feel.  I do add a tad bit of Dri-FloAF  to it also.

Thanks!

Paul... :wink:


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## Becky (Oct 19, 2007)

Do you use a whisk attachment or just beaters on your mixer?


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## Tabitha (Oct 19, 2007)

Paul, she would have to melt if first no doubt there. Whipping unmelted bee's wax or even cocoa butter would be like whipping marbels. You would get no where with it.

Even melted I am pretty sure it's going to set up really hard when it cools down.


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## Soapmaker Man (Oct 19, 2007)

Your right about that Tab.  I have only used bees wax once in a soap recipe, never in B&B products or lip balm, never made it.  I do use Cocoa Butter in my soaps sometimes and have to get a hammer to break that stuff up!  I have some unrefined CB that smells so good, but boy is it hard!  I just whip those 2 African butters when I make whipped butters and SAO and Grape-seed Oil.

Paul.... :wink:


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## pepperi27 (Oct 19, 2007)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> Have you made that recipe before pepper? It *looks* to me like it would be  too firm/solid.  If you have, how firm is it?
> 
> It looks very firm to me, if I were to try & make this recipe into a whip, I would eliminate the bee's wax (whose only job is to make the product hard) and increase the AKO from 4-6oz to offset the firmness of the cocoa butter.



I apologize this is a modified version normally it would be
4ounces ako
2ounces beeswax
2ounces cocoa butter
2ounces shea butter

so it would produce a semi hard lotion foot balm its so wonderful even my grandpa loves it! Okay so omit the beeswax I will try that.

ETA: I forgot to say that yes I melt the butters and also I checked on my whipped shea and now its hard whipped! Does that mean I did not whip it enough?? Can I remelt the ones that turned hard and try again?? Here is my lil recipe
2ounces shea butter
1ounce ako
Is that not enough oil in order to keep the shea creamy? 
Thanks guys for helping me out btw! This is why I love this group!


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## Tabitha (Oct 19, 2007)

2 butter, 1 oil should be fine.
I do 3 butter, 1 oil.

Why is it hard?  Did you place it in the freezer? If so, it will soften when it de-frosts.

If I whip too long it gets too hard. If I do not whip long enough it is too soft & falls like a souffle.

Yes, you can melt it back down & whip again as many times as you like.


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## Tabitha (Oct 19, 2007)

If you leave the bees wax out of the foot recipe you sould be fine.

If it is too hard, remelt & add a bit of oil.
If it is too soft, remelt & add more cocoa butter.


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## pepperi27 (Oct 20, 2007)

Awesome! Great thanks tab/paul


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## dragonfly princess (Oct 20, 2007)

Hey Paul!!  I use an unrefined shea for my body butter, but I can detect an after scent.  Is that normal?  Should I purchase refined shea that has no smell?  Just curious


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## Tabitha (Oct 20, 2007)

Unrefined shea does have the natural shea nut smell. It losses that smell during the refineing process, or at least *most* of it.


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## dragonfly princess (Oct 20, 2007)

Tab what the heck are you doing up so early?    

I originally bought the unrefined because of the natural aspect of it.  

O-well no one has complained about it yet, maybe it is just me


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## Tabitha (Oct 20, 2007)

My 5 y/o jumped in bed with me mumbbling something about poke man.... uuurgg! My shop open at 10am today so I need to get going anyway.


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## dragonfly princess (Oct 20, 2007)

Oh yeah I remember those days!  Glad they are over!!  I have to wake the boys up at noon  :shock:


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## black squirrel (Oct 20, 2007)

I just tried my first batch of whipped shea yesterday and I'm not sure I got it right, as I don't have anything to compare it to.  The consistency is like a foamy margarine- not like a hard body butter but not quite like a light fluffy meringue.  Is this the right consistency?  It is quite greasy when it melts on your skin, but the recipe was a 60/40 mix. Maybe I should try a different percentage ratio of butters to oils, like Tabitha's, to cut the greasiness?  Not to mention I scented it with a lemon cookie FO and it smells like the inside of a Sprite can, so a do-over is necessary!


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## Tabitha (Oct 20, 2007)

Different people like differnt consistancies. Do you like it that creamy?  I personally like it a bit firmer than you are describing. I have seen whipped butter at 10% butter vs oil all the way to 90% butter vs oil. I have seen whipped butter in squeeze tubes almost like lotion  and I have seen it so firm you have to use a little paddle to scoop it out. It's a personal thing.

You can cut the grease by adding a bit of corn startch or, I *think* Paul says he adds skin flo to cut the grease. I don't add anything, I like the greasyness just fine & so does my customer base.


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## black squirrel (Oct 20, 2007)

Thanks Tabitha.  I do like the consistency, and the greasiness has gotten better this morning after setting over night.  Yesterday it would slide off my fingers before I could even get it out of the jar.  I'm going to try another batch  today and see if some cornstarch helps.  Thanks again!


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## leansoapqueen (Dec 7, 2007)

Hey poopie pants- LOL! Dragonfly 
I use ultra refined too and I have the same nutty smell- once you scent and let it sit for a couple of days it goes away at least in mine. I have heard that you should worry if that type of butter is completely odorless- not sure where or why but just what I heard!
Awesome info too Tab!
Thanks again!


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## leansoapqueen (Dec 7, 2007)

Paul-
Do you whip non stop in your mixer or do you beat a little and then let it rest, then keep going?


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## dragonfly princess (Dec 7, 2007)

I use my kitchenaid stand mixer with the wisk attachment sitting in a bowl if icewater.  It is tricky but if you hold the bowl just right, it whips up in no time.


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## leansoapqueen (Dec 7, 2007)

Sounds tricky but I'll try this thanks!


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## itsmeroro (Feb 26, 2008)

Hey all - I thought I would chime in on this one.  I made my first batch last week and it was WAYYY easy!  Go to Coastal Scents' website and look for the video on how to whip shea butter.  Super easy - with only 5 minutes needed in the fridge (I LOVE my kitchen aid!)  My shea turned out the consistency of icing which has been in the fridge and has stayed that way.  The EO's I used are perfect too - patchouli and neroli.

I do have to say that right after I placed it into jars, that I ordered the short ones immediately -- the tall ones are not my style.

Cheers!

rachelle


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## Norai (Apr 7, 2009)

Okay I know this is a really old post, but - do you use unrefined or refined shea butter for whips/lotions? Or is it up to personal preference?


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## NewSoapieFreak (Apr 18, 2009)

You want unrefined!

The refinded stuff has had all of the good properties stripped out.

Yes it smells nutty but that lessens over time and it completely goes away once the shea is applied to the body leaving only the fragrance you put in to your mixture.


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## Sugartwist (May 7, 2009)

Does the cornstarch thicken the whipped butter a bit?


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## candledoll (May 7, 2009)

No, it is to help with the "greaseyness".


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## rupertspal42 (May 8, 2009)

Can someone direct me to a step by step recipe for whipped shea butter?


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## OceanGirl-3 (May 21, 2009)

Yeo me too step by step please


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## rupertspal42 (May 23, 2009)

me n' oceangirl need a walkthrough pleasseeee lol   

PRETTY PPLLEEAASSEEEEE   WITH SUGAR ON TOOPPP


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## misty (May 23, 2009)

just curious, does the whipped shea stay whipped in the jars or must it be refrigerated when not in use. thanks will have to give this a try, sounds yummy....


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## Lindy (May 26, 2009)

Here's what I do:

Put unmelted Shea Butter into bowl, add Jojba oil and whip.  While I'm whipping it with my mixmaster I have cocoa butter melting - once it's melted I add a little cornstarch to it, and stir well - I then add that to my Shea/Jojoba mixture and continue whipping at high speed until it's the consistancy I want.  I don't melt my Shea because I have found that it can get grainy when heated, whereas this way it doesn't and it makes a wonderful consistancy without having to use a freezer or ice water.

HTH


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## rupertspal42 (May 27, 2009)

Thanks for sharing Lindy!! I'll have to test your method out and see how it works for me


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## Lindy (May 27, 2009)

Victoria make sure you let us know if it works for you!


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## OceanGirl-3 (May 27, 2009)

The woman wants me to make just  shea NOTHING added she linked me to this product sold over there in US i think   can  just add nothing??  

Thanks Lindy will give it ago


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## Guest (Jun 20, 2009)

You could try it with a small amount and see if she likes it .

Kitn


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## krissy (Sep 26, 2009)

does this stuff have to stay in the fridge to keep its whipped texture? will it melt if it is in a house on the shelf? or in a bathroom where it can get humid?


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## carebear (Sep 26, 2009)

humidity is not the issue - it's the temperature of the room.  in my house it's fine, but I don't know how hot yours gets.


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2009)

I keep mine in a jar in my bedside table , it is fine .

Kitn


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2009)

I made a couple batches of whipped body butter yesterday using a recipe that includes water, a preservative and emulsifying wax, stearic acid, shea (or mango butter) and cocoa butter, CO and glycerine. I added a tsp of cornstarch to the second batch to see if it helps with the greasy feel on the skin.

It was very easy to do, just melt the butters, warm the water and glycerin then slowly combine them together and then whip it until it cools and it forms peaks. My understanding is that is won't fall or deflate since it's emulsified. It's not firm like the Body Shop's body butter...more like a fluffy thick cream. 

If I wanted to firm it up a bit, do you think I could reduce the water? Or should I add some beeswax? Add something else?

Would love your input here.


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## ShearDelight (Oct 5, 2009)

I'm a little confused as to when I add the soft oil and FO. I guess I've read one to many recipes! Do I melt the Shea, cool, add oil & whip or am i suppose to add the oils before I cool? I've also read recipes where you add the FO oil directly the the olive oil and other sites that say you add the oil after it's melted then add the FO after it's cooled a little. Ugh, i'm totally confused...


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## mandolyn (Jan 8, 2010)

ShearDelight said:
			
		

> I'm a little confused as to when I add the soft oil and FO. I guess I've read one to many recipes! Do I melt the Shea, cool, add oil & whip or am i suppose to add the oils before I cool? I've also read recipes where you add the FO oil directly the the olive oil and other sites that say you add the oil after it's melted then add the FO after it's cooled a little. Ugh, i'm totally confused...



I add the soft oil to the melted shea butter. Add your FO last when the whole batch has cooled quite a bit. The point is, you don't want to burn off the FO mixing it into too hot butter & oil. I usually add my FO while the mix is still creamy, but before it starts forming peaks that hold their shape.

Hope that makes sense.


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