Teach Soap

I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The first time my lotion recipe came out grainy, I thought it was possible that I overheated the shea butter. A week ago I made a lotion bar recipe to go into push up tubes and at first it was soft but smooth. Now, a week later, the lotion bar in the tubes is a bit harder, but rubs on with a grainy, sandy feel. I was very careful not to overheat the butters (shea, mango, and cocoa butter)

Here is my recipe
2 oz beeswax
8 oz total oil
8 oz total butters
0.25 oz FO

Come to think of it, I did use a little bit of hemp oil this time mixed with grapeseed and jojoba oils (trying to use hemp without it being too greasy), and I used almost all hemp oil the last time it came out grainy. Could it be the hemp oil?

It's most likely the shea butter. If it gets to hot or overheats, the crystalline structure of the butter changes as it cools.

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

Also, if you do not hold the temp long enough, it can revert and be grainy.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Maybe that's it, I didn't hold it long enough. In order to keep from over heating, I melted the wax in a double boiler, added the oils, then added the butters last to melt slowly in the warmed oil and wax.

There must be a fine line to the temp of the shea! Maybe I just got lucky the first couple times that I got smooth results?

So what exactly is the recommended heat and time to melt it? I have seen plenty of literature on not overheating but nothing on how hot it should be and for how long.

Shea butter liquifies and melts at body temperature. When I make lotion bars, I add it last and let the temp of the other oils melt it. I don't heat it.

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

That's what I did with this last batch and it still went grainy. That's why I'm 99% sure I didn't overheat it.

To temper shea butter I have seen it recommended to heat anywhere from 120 to 170 - 185 degrees, but always with a time of 20 minutes min. but 30 won't hurt. You can get lucky and not have an issue with graininess for a soap product, but if your shea butter re-melts and re-sets, that is when you are highly likely to get the graininess feel. So even if you don't have an issue, if you make a balm or salve and the customer has it in the sun for a bit, then it re-sets, they may get the graininess. I keep a tub of tempered shea on hand for cosmetic recipes and use non-tempered for soap.

eta: I do mine at 170-180 for the 20-30 minutes as this is the temp I have seen the most and from suppliers

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Thanks, I will try that. I use the shea butter for making my own face cream and lip balm. I hate to waste it so I still use it if it's grainy, it melts when it sits on the skin for a minute then you can rub it in, but it is annoying as heck! The first time I tried making my lotion I had bought the shea from a local naturals store, and it was much smoother in the jar than what I get when I order online. I bet it was pre-tempered and that's what made the difference.

Once it is tempered properly it does look like butter in a tub, so that could have been it, or they could have whipped it. Either way, you will see the difference once you do it. Just make sure to hold the temp., otherwise it can re-crystallize and all be for not.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

THANK YOU, Lavender Lady! I made a batch yesterday because I can't stand my grainy lotion anymore. I used my double boiler and let it cook at about 140 degrees for 25 min before using it to make lotion and nail salve. So far, smooth as butter!

Is this a problem only with Shea butter or are there other butters that do this also? I want to make a whipped body butter with Avocado butter.

-Sherri

@momsoap, I've never used Avocado butter, but shea and mango can do this for sure!

So a few days out and my smooth as better lotion is getting grainy. I think I'm giving up on shea butter lotion for a bit. Maybe I'll experiment with some others.