Real Butters vs "Fake" Butters

[Clarice]

I have recently learned (to my chagrin) that many things that are called " XXXX butter" are not necessarily 100% XXXX, but rather have other oils added to replicate a butter-like texture. I learned this from an older post on this forum which advised readers that many so-called butters were in fact fake! By "fake" I mean butters that are not 100% the named source, but are rather made "butter-like" in texture by the addition of another ingredient.

I was all up on my high horse saying to myself, "No, SURELY, I ordered 100% AVOCADO butter! I wouldn't be so silly!!!" Hmmmmmmmm. Well, As PT Barnum said, one every second. They got me! Somehow I had convinced myself that an avocado yielded not only yummy oil, but also a yummy butter.

I went back to the site and read this:

Avocado Butter is designed for topical use, and is formulated with 100% pure, ultra-refined Avocado Oil for its fatty acids. Added Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil affords an odorless white base that is soft but rich, and melts quickly on contact with the skin.

I clearly stopped after the first sentence and eagerly clicked: add to cart!

CRAP!

So as to save others from this silly mistake, could you help develop a list of real butters so others do not repeat my mistake?

These are what I believe to be 100% butters (meaning 100% of the ingredients are the named source):

REAL:
Cocoa Butter
Mango Butter
Kokum Butter
Cupuacu Butter
Babassu Butter
Murumuru Butter
Tamanu Butter
Ucuuba Butter

Thanks! C

 

[IrishLass]

Two of those on your list are actually classified as oils, not butters...such as babassu and tamanu, both of which melt at around 76 -78 degreesF. In regards to babassu, some folks might call it a butter because it is a soft solid at room temp in some places of the world, but where I live, it goes totally liquid at room temp if my house gets much warmer than 76 degreesF......just like coconut oil does.

In regards to tamanu, it is also classified as an oil, but there are places that sell 'Tamanu Butter', which is actually a mixture of tamanu oil and some other naturally solid fat, such as palm or shea, or else a hydrogenated oil, in order to keep it solid at room temp.

Here's a link that explains the difference between the natural oils and butters we use in our toiletries and cosmetics, and how oils can be altered to become 'butters': https://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/formulating/function/moisturizer/7393451.html

A quote from the above link:

Natural oils are liquid at RT. Butters are a class of materials that have a melting point between 20-40.5C. Below 20C, the products are classified as oils, and those having a melting point over 40.5C are fats.

Here are some other real (i.e., natural) butters:

Illipe Butter
Sal Butter

And the other really real ones from your list:

Cocoa Butter
Mango Butter
Kokum Butter
Cupuacu Butter
Murumuru Butter
Ucuuba Butter



IrishLass

 

[cmzaha]

You can purchase pure hydrogenated Avocado butter here and also Olive Butter
https://oregontrailsoaps.com/Avocado-Butter.html

 

[Obsidian]

I always cringed when I see things like coffee butter or aloe butter. I think they need a disclaimer that butters like those are a blend, in big red letters lol.

 

[Dawni]

Mowrah butter
Bacuri butter
Tucuma butter

 

[msunnerstood]

wait a minute, what about shea?

eta: Never mind, I checked. It says 100% pure shea butter

You can purchase pure hydrogenated Avocado butter here and also Olive Butter
https://oregontrailsoaps.com/Avocado-Butter.html

How is their shipping?

 

[Cellador]

I personally like some of the not-really-butters. They are nice in the right applications, and make a nice addition to a special soap. I make my own now though using Lipidthix.

 

[dibbles]

I personally like some of the not-really-butters. They are nice in the right applications, and make a nice addition to a special soap. I make my own now though using Lipidthix.

How do you do that, if you don't mind sharing. Or is there a link, for when I've had more coffee and not feeling lazy.

 

[cmzaha]

Dibbles, you can use this product to thicken oils https://tinyurl.com/yyfll2qr. It does work pretty well

 

[MGM]

Also, in theory, any of those oils or butters you listed could be mixed with hydrogenated oil to form a blended butter. Just because shea butter does exist doesn't mean that the one you're buying isn't cut with HO, so it pays to read the description/ingredients.
I have lemon, orange, rosehip, and olive butters.

 

[Clarice]

Thank you all for your super insight!

 

[dibbles]

Dibbles, you can use this product to thicken oils https://tinyurl.com/yyfll2qr. It does work pretty well

Well that seems to be easy enough. Thanks, I think I will give it a try.

 

[newbie]

"You may think it's butter, but it's not! It's Chiffon."

I hear that in my head every time I see this thread title. I had to put it down here in hopes of putting an end to it.

 

[Clarice]

I have the Anne Watson Book - Smart Soapmaking

THere are several of her recipes that call for "avocado butter"

Do you suppose she meant 100% AVO butter (such as linked in @cmzaha link or the "fake" butter more readily available?

Thank you!

EDIT: I emailed Anne Watson via her soap making page - and she answered! YAY!
She said that she used 100% AVO Butter - NOT the "fake" kind!
In case you wanted to know!

Hmmmmmmmmm

But then i just went to both Branbleberry and Majestic Mountain Sage (where she said she sourced her 100% Avo butter) and BOTH say their butter is

INCI = Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil (and) Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

So now I am confused. I am going to try one of her recipes calling for Avo Butter with what I have (blended stuff) and see how it shakes out.

Thanks all! C

 

[dixiedragon]

You can purchase pure hydrogenated Avocado butter here and also Olive Butter
https://oregontrailsoaps.com/Avocado-Butter.html

OOooh...really?

 

[dixiedragon]

Another "fake" butter I see a lot is coffee butter. I understand that coffee oil is expensive, I just wish they'd offer it mixed with something besides soybean oil.

 

[Carolyne Thrasher]

I’ve had to pass on several of these “blended butters” because a lot of them contain almond oil which is an allergen for family and friends . I did use brambleberry avo butter when I first started but I prefer avo oil now. I think it’s just an upselling trick.