Bye bye Shea Butter.

[TashaBird]

I’ve used shea butter in my skin balm for years. But, I’m tired of explaining the graininess to folks, and I’ve decided I like a little softer balm. I made a batch of my new formula and it is silky smooth and glorious! Yay! Tallow, jojoba, avocado oils with EO of clary sage, tangerine, and geranium. Can’t wait to get some labels on them

 

[xavalyss]

Sounds lovely. I admire people who are successful with product other than soap; I've run the gamut of making other product and I'm just over it. If I do make something other than soap it's for my use only.

 

[TashaBird]

Sounds lovely. I admire people who are successful with product other than soap; I've run the gamut of making other product and I'm just over it. If I do make something other than soap it's for my use only.

The salve is easy to make and lasts forever. It can really bulk up a soap order, so I like to keep them in stock.

 

[TheGecko]

Shea Butter generally gets grainy if it is overheated. Good to hear that you like your new recipe.

 

[TashaBird]

Shea Butter generally gets grainy if it is overheated. Good to hear that you like your new recipe.

SB gets grainy when it’s melted and then rehardens at a slow rate. Melt it and then put it in the fridge and it’ll turn smooth again. It’s such a different lipid profile, with lower hardening temp, than most other oils. It’s totally normal and fine, but I’m done trying to explain all that to people.

 

[AliOop]

@TashaBird do you know if following the procedure you described for shea (remelting and then putting it in the fridge to cool) will also prevent that lumpiness in products using hard waxes, such as beeswax, candelilla, etc? My shea rarely gets grainy, but I always get those lumps with waxes, even when I alternate between refrigeration and whipping. Thanks for any tips you can share!

 

[mtinetti61]

When I gift my hand cream made with shea (I don't sell) I call the granules "beads o' shea."

 

[Dawni]

It’s totally normal and fine, but I’m done trying to explain all that to people.

Every now n then a batch of my lotion bars will do that.. Ambient temps where I am i suppose. It makes mine a bit more draggy, maybe the friction of the grains against skin.

I also can't imagine it being nice on lips in a lip balm. But yeah... Explaining anything to someone repeatedly can get tedious.

I'm jealous you guys have access to tallow.

 

[TashaBird]

@TashaBird do you know if following the procedure you described for shea (remelting and then putting it in the fridge to cool) will also prevent that lumpiness in products using hard waxes, such as beeswax, candelilla, etc? My shea rarely gets grainy, but I always get those lumps with waxes, even when I alternate between refrigeration and whipping. Thanks for any tips you can share!

I don’t think it happens with waxes.