Teach Soap

I have a question about shea butter...I have both The Natural Soap Book and The Soap Maker's Companion and in one of those(can't remember which) it says use shea butter up to 5% of recipe. From this web forum or another I am on I got a link to something about how much of which oils/butters is good to use. It says shea butter can be used up to 50%(I think-don't have it right in front of me). Which is correct? I want to make sure that I don't use to much.

TIA

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Debbie

I think 50% would be WAY to much! 5% is a good amount.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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Debbie

I tried 15% shea in a recipe and it's really sticky. My soap has sticky strings hanging from it when it's really lathered. I think 5% is a good number. That doesn't mean you can't bring in some accompanying cocoa butter which has different properties and won't contribute to the stickiness like shea will.

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Soapmaiden (Natalie)

is there a difference if you used refined or unrefined shea? Ihave both but only soap with unrefined. I usually use 10-15% and haven't had an issue, but it could have been luck.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Thank you, Linda! I wasn't sure if it would make your soap soft...my refined is actually "ultrarefined" and it's like body butter consistency.

My first batch of CP I made using 50% refined shea butter and 50% corn oil. (It was what I had available at the time).
It made a good hard bar, a creamy lather that conditioned nicely, but lacked the bubbly lather that comes with coconut oil. Not sticky in the slightest. Remember, black soap is made using mainly shea butter and it is not at all sticky.

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Debbie

Unrefined shea butter has more unsaponifiables then refined. This means you will have more shea that has not saponified in CP soap and thus could make your soap softer then the refined or ultra-refined. I have used it up to 20% and it was ok. I normally use about 5-7%.

Black soap has charred plantains which act as charcoal does for oily skin. That's what gives it that dark brown to black color. It is most likely made with unrefined or prime-pressed shea. I find black soap very drying.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I will almost always use cocoa butter but pare it with either shea or mango butter. I have never gone above 10% with my butters.
I use the cococa butter because of the hardness it brings to the bar.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

I've used shea butter (both refined & unrefined) in my soap, but find that I would rather use it in my lotion bars & lotions instead. I get more of its benefits that way.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!