Teach Soap

Hi! I'm new to these forums. I have been searching high and low for a recipe for a whipped body butter that includes ONLY cocoa butter for the recipe. I have customers that have reactions to Shea or avocado. And I am severely allergic to almonds so I cannot use sweet almond oil. I keep finding conflicting information regarding oil/butter ratio. I have on hand, right now, cocoa butter, grape seed oil, coconut oil, arrowroot powder, fragrance, vitamin e.... Any recommendations?

Thanks!

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-Lauren

Cocoa Butter's a really hard butter, so I don't know that you'd be able to whip it to easily. How about mango butter instead?

What kind of coconut oil do you have?

For most body butters, I start out at 75% butter & 25% oil, but it really depends on what oils & butters you're using.

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Genny

I have cocoa butter on hand right now....a customer specifically asked for a whipped cocoa-only butter. So I wanted to at least give it a try. If you increase the oil a slight amount would that help with the hardness of the cocoa vs the other butters?? This is new territory for me... Soaps and salts and balms are my forte typically.

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-Lauren

I wouldn't use coconut oil, unless it's fractionated. Otherwise the coconut oil will just add to your hardness.

Grapeseed oil will work, but keep in mind it has a fairly short shelf life. I once tried whipping cocoa butter & avocado oil at 60% butter to 40% oil & when it was done, it got really hard still. So, I'd drop your cocoa butter & grapeseed oil levels down to 50:50 or even 40:60

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Genny

Thank you for the advice. I dug through my supplies and found some apricot kernel oil. I think I'll use that. I'm going to do an unfragranced batch first. I wonder if it's too hard...can it be melted down again and more oil added? I've done that with balms that we're too hard/too soft before but I don't know about something that's been whipped Hrmm.

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-Lauren

I made it work! Yay!

Ok... So.... After I did a small test batch and got it to work.. I did a large batch...

16oz (by weight) Cocoa butter
10oz (by weight) oils (1/2 grape seed, 1/2 apricot kernel)
1 tsp vitamin e oil
2 tsp arrowroot powder

It fluffed up wonderfully in the stand mixer. Feels a little greasy at first when its on skin, but melts right in. I may use a bit more arrowroot next time.

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-Lauren