oils separating from each other??

[SudsyKat]

I made some whipped shea recently and I noticed that it separated over a period of a month or so (the oil separated from the shea). I'm wondering, aside from improving the recipe, is there anything that helps oils/butters stay emulsified (if that's even the right word)? Is there an ingredient that helps? Here was the recipe:

70% butter (which I divided into 63% shea and 7% Butter EZ (because you're supposed to substitute it for 10% of the butter))
17% avocado oil
2% IPM
1% Fragrance Oil

I did not melt the shea, but did soften it a little in the microwave. I'm thinking that doing an 80% butter recipe will be more to my liking anyway, but is that what caused the separation - too much oil, not enough butter?

 

[lsg]

You could try melting your body butter and letting it cool and then rewhiping it.

 

[Tabitha]

I am going to say you probably did not whip it enough. I find whipping in an ice bath works best too. It's a difficult item to achieve & just takes lots of practice.

 

[lisamaliga]

Shea shouldn't be microwaved because it removes the healing properties.

 

[carebear]

Shea shouldn't be microwaved because it removes the healing properties.

I've never seen that bit of info. Reference?

 

[lisamaliga]

While this article is a bit extreme, it discusses numerous problems.

http://www.health-science.com/microwave_hazards.html

Scroll down to the very bottom & you'll notice the article entitled "Ten Reasons not to Use Your Microwave Oven". Number 5 is: Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all micro-waved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.

If it affects food it most certainly affects products which we put on our skin. I don't own a microwave oven. It might take longer to cook, it takes longer to make B&B products, but I know that none of the ingredients are ever "nuked". Also, if a restaurant chain like Baja Fresh doesn't use them, they're really not necessary. I personally believe that B&B products should be as natural & healthy as possible.

 

[carebear]

As a food scientist, I can tell you that it's pretty much bunk.
Individual studies that cannot be replicated are not considered reliable. And just the act of cooking foods can create low levels of o e carcinogens, whole destroying other toxins.

But this is not the place, so I will stop now.