# shea butter



## jax1962 (May 17, 2012)

would anyone care to share a recipe for a small batch using a high percentage of shea butter? i've never used it as i'm too scared of making an expensive mistake if i try to formulate a recipe!


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## fiddletree (May 17, 2012)

There's one in the 'Smart Soapmaking' book.


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## lsg (May 17, 2012)

Here are a couple of links with recipes, be sure to run them through a lye calculator before using.

http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/mas ... sbsoap.pdf

http://www.pinemeadows.net/recipes.php


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## Genny (May 17, 2012)

I personally wouldn't go too high in shea butter.  Too much shea butter tends to decrease lather quite a bit.
I keep my shea butter below 25% in my recipes.


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## jax1962 (May 17, 2012)

thanks guys, thay look great - just what i was looking for! will let you know how i get on.


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## green soap (May 17, 2012)

What does shea butter do for soap?


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## lsg (May 17, 2012)

Some companies claim it adds moisture and softness to skin, but I don't see how it can do a lot since soap is washed off.  I can see how it would be good for the skin in a cream or lotion.  I do sometimes use a little shea butter in my soaps for label appeal and because I bought quite a bit of unprocessed shea butter through a coop.


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## Genny (May 17, 2012)

I use shea butter in my soap to help make it harder, since I use a large percentage of olive oil.


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## vance71975 (May 18, 2012)

jax1962 said:
			
		

> would anyone care to share a recipe for a small batch using a high percentage of shea butter? i've never used it as i'm too scared of making an expensive mistake if i try to formulate a recipe!



Ask and ye shall receive!

Ingredient:	Ounces	
Water		18.24
Lye - NaOH	6.776

                                                      %        Oz
1		Shea Butter	             40	19.2	
2		Castor Oil	                     20	9.6	
3		Coconut Oil, 76 deg	     20	9.6	
4		Palm Kernel Oil               20	9.6	
 	 	Totals	                    100	48	

Soap Bar Quality 	 	Your Recipe
Hardness 	                        49
Cleansing 	                        26
Conditioning 	                47
Bubbly 	                      	44
Creamy 	                        40
Iodine 	                       	47
INS 	                              162


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## jax1962 (May 19, 2012)

thanks for that vance71975 -  by the look of the hardness etc, it sounds wonderful!  one other question: where does eveyone buy their shea butter?  where i live it's about 15 euros for a small jar - i can't see me putting much in my soaps at THAT price!!  how much do you buy in a batch (sorry i know that's 2 questions..)?


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## Kleine Teufel (May 19, 2012)

After using some soaps with shea butter in them, I have to agree that they seem to make your skin feel really silky with the shea! It feels like you just dusted yourself with baby powder, that's how silky it feels! 
I've never used it, but I'm hoping to get 25lbs of it here shortly from Soapers Choice, but that's a US company.


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## fiddletree (May 19, 2012)

I use up to 30% shea butter, and I loooove it.  I still get a nice lather, it doesn't dry me out, and it's super creamy.  Prices have gone up, though, so I'm trying to cut it back some without sacrificing the quality.


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## Jezzy (May 19, 2012)

Jax...  :wink:  where are you getting the Shea from?


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## jax1962 (May 19, 2012)

not too sure where to buy it jezzy - the only place i've seen it here in france is in the 'bio' or organic shops - far too expensive for me.  do you have a european supplier?


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## Jezzy (May 19, 2012)

http://www.gracefruit.com/butters-oils- ... utter.html

Nice to see you on the otherside of FB


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## fiddletree (May 19, 2012)

Soap Kitchen, Just a Soap, and Fresholi also have good and reasonably priced shea in addition to Gracefruit.  They all have pretty expensive shipping to mainland Europe, 20-25 euros, so you have to buy a lot of things to make it worth it.   I haven't tried the shea from Gisella Manske, but they have reasonable prices, and are in Germany.  Their shipping is really high to Italy, but it might be a bit better to France.


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## Woodi (May 19, 2012)

Well, this is a very helpful post.

I have a box of shea butter languishing in the cold basement, cuz I thought it wasn't anything special to the soaps I made with it last year. Maybe it's because I only used 10% shea. 

I will try some higher precentages today, and stop worrying about having to throw away all that shea!

I've been making and selling soap locally for over 10 years, have a nice small customer base (I like it small, and manageable)....but I seem to stick to the same-old, same-old recipe (olive, coc, pk, palm, castor, cocoa butter sometimes...)

Thank you!


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## Woodi (May 19, 2012)

OK, done now....spent that last couple of hours making a batch. I used 21% shea butter instead of my usual palm, plus 4% cocoa butter, to my usual olive, coc, pk, castor recipe....

Scented it with lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint. It smells SOOOOO fresh! I call this one "Cool Lavender". It sells quickly.

BUT: it's never been so yellow before! So I'm going to add shea in the title (my shea butter is deep yellow in color).

I'll call it: "Very shea - Cool Lavender".

What do you think?

Pics to follow, after I unmold.

I am so short of soap!

Next batch: Citronella plus.....what? Lavender and Lime? (my customers are very fond of lavender).


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## vance71975 (May 20, 2012)

Woodi said:
			
		

> Next batch: Citronella plus.....what? Lavender and Lime? (my customers are very fond of lavender).



Neem Oil(course that's not really a scent oil lol)would go well With the Citronella. Maybe scent it with some Sweet Basil and Rosemary Essential Oil?


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## vance71975 (May 20, 2012)

jax1962 said:
			
		

> thanks for that vance71975 -  by the look of the hardness etc, it sounds wonderful!  one other question: where does eveyone buy their shea butter?  where i live it's about 15 euros for a small jar - i can't see me putting much in my soaps at THAT price!!  how much do you buy in a batch (sorry i know that's 2 questions..)?




7 lbs 33.00 US dollars. So about 25.92 Euro(if i did the conversion right i always get confused on that lol), Its fulfilled by Amazon so i am pretty sure they will ship outside the USA.

http://www.amazon.com/Unrefined-Shea-Bu ... 524&sr=8-8


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## jax1962 (May 20, 2012)

thanks for all the info you guys - you're the best!  lots of things for me to research just from this thread alone.

woodi, would love to see some pice of your soap - what a find!

jezzy, are you an anonymous soaper?!?  :shock:


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## Jezzy (May 20, 2012)

Yes...  :wink:


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## Woodi (May 20, 2012)

What's "an anonymous soaper?"

ok jezzy, I'll post some pics of my soaps in a separate thread.


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## Jezzy (May 20, 2012)




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## jax1962 (May 20, 2012)

woodi

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/246960325391398/

come on in, the water's full of bubbles!


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## Jezzy (May 23, 2012)

Not only sa but we are friends too 8)
I helped you with your salt bar....    :wink:


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## jax1962 (May 23, 2012)

:shock:     jezzy you are  :twisted: !!


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## Jezzy (May 23, 2012)

Is that good or bad  :wink:


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## jax1962 (May 23, 2012)

ooooh good - definitely good!


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2012)

*Re:*



			
				Woodi said:
			
		

> OK, done now....spent that last couple of hours making a batch. I used 21% shea butter instead of my usual palm, plus 4% cocoa butter, to my usual olive, coc, pk, castor recipe....
> 
> Scented it with lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint. It smells SOOOOO fresh! I call this one "Cool Lavender". It sells quickly.
> 
> ...



Woodi, glad to hear you are using that butter instead of having it sit in the basement.  Just an FYI, it sounds like you have kpangan butter and not shea.  its a good butter, but not shea.  I have had good luck with it up to 50%.


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## Lindy (Jun 26, 2012)

Jax there are a lot of EU suppliers but I can't find them right now other than http://www.fresholi.co.uk/index.php?opt ... &Itemid=72.  She is a really, really nice lady and from what I understand her prices are competitive.


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## anya (Jun 27, 2012)

In addition to the suppliers suggested already, you could try Soaposh, which is also in the UK. Their prices generally, and definitely for shea butter are cheaper than Soap Kitchen and they will ship outside the UK, but you'll need to contact them to find out their rates. 

http://www.soaposh.co.uk


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## Dorado (Jul 3, 2012)

To jax1962
Don't know if you found cheap sheabutter, but I just purchased some on offer from GranVelada in Spain, 4.50 Euro for 250 gr.
http://www.granvelada.com/400-manteca-d ... -pura.html
Remove link, if not permitted


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## dryalligator (Jul 3, 2012)

:?:  Can you replace shea for coconut?  I find I itch with any of my bars that have coconut.  I superfat but still no good.  My recipes vary and call for variety of oils including shea.


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