More info on Shea Butter please

JodieDownUnder

The other day I found some organic Shea Butter at my local health shop. I’ve never used it before in any of my herbal creams or lotions.

So do you have any tips, do’s & dont’s & ratios when making a face dream. The last batch I made, I’m very happy with but it’s a bit heavy, more like a night cream, consisting of Calendula oil, Black Cumin Oil, bees wax & Camomile Tea. Your advice will be most welcome.

kbmbillups1

I made lip balm for Christmas presents last year and but shea butter in it. I accidentally put too much peppermint essential oil in it though. Several people told me they enjoyed the tingle. LOL

Torey

This is the profile of shea butter. I think this info came from a short course I did with Susan M. Parker on carrier oils.

46% oleic acid

43% stearic acid

7% linoleic acid

4% palmitic acid

She has a free course offering at the moment.

https://susanmparker.com/

I don't use shea butter but a friend of mine uses it in a lotion bar. She says not to heat shea butter but let it melt into already warmed oil. Otherwise it will go a bit grainy.

annbeck62

Shea oil goes grainy if it cools at a different rate than the other waxes &/or butters in the formulation. When I heat with other ingredients, I use an ice water bath while stirring or whipping. For me this works great. Creating a whipped butter with the shea helps reduce the heavy feeling but I think you'd have to leave out the beeswax to get it to whip. Unrefined shea butter is more medicinal but I do find it a bit heavier than refined.

nicksamanda11

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/849441/more-info-on-shea-butter-please

I use shea in all my salves. I have not used it in a cream or lotion.

For my face I make a whipped grass fed tallow cream with helichrysum and frankincense E.O. It is glorious and I mean glorious!! Not heavy, smells amazing,

vickeym

I bought a large amount of shea butter a while back for a special salve I was making. It was on sale so the larger amount was way cheaper than the small amount at the time.

Have not used it since. Would love to have some other recipes to use it with. Right now it just takes up space in my freezer as I wasn't sure what else to use it for. Need to take some time and learn more about it.