Whats wrong with my shea butter?

[dimpalz]

Yesterday my shea buter from ebay arrived (yey) it was a big hard lump so I decided to melt it down and add some of my hair oil mix which is coconut, grapeseed, a little bit of jojoba and teny bit of emu. After I added these oils it cooled and went right back to that big hard lump I wanted it to be soft. Does anyone know how to get that almost whiped, elasta qp mango butter texture?

 

[alonshaw]

Yep, you got yourself some real authentic shea butter, the best kind in my opinion, i usually rub it in my palms and add oil to give it a lighter consistency.

 

[dimpalz]

Can ne one help???

 

[anatomicallycorrect]

I don't have Elasta QP so dont' know the consistency, but I added glycerine, and honey to my Shea butter and the consistency is fairly creamy. I didn't add any oils though b/c I wanted my mix to be purely moisturizing.

 

[ayoung]

I like mine creamy too.

I melt down the shea---just enough to get it really really soft--almost all liquid, but not quite.

Then I add my oils. (I only add olive oil) But you have to add enough so that when it gets solid again--it won't get back hard. You'll have to play w/ it.

Then I mix it up--I just use a spoon and then put in the freezer. Once it is solid all the way through--I take it out and let it get back to room temp. It is then creamy and ready to go!

hth some

 

[dimpalz]

Thanks for the replies, I've got another batch on the way, I think I'll add the glycerin to that one and try adding more oil to the one I've already got =)

 

[prettyinpurple]

Did you try actually whipping it? I thought that's what people did to make it creamy.

 

[dimpalz]

It is actually like a rock, a rock of shea butter. I thought that too but I could barely cut it up with a fork once some of it melted, let alone stir or whip it.

I forgot to ask earlier, now i have some glycerin what am I supposed to do with it? Do I melt to down and then add it???

 

[RUBY]

USE A PESTLE AMD MORTER AND POUND IT WITH A BIT MORE OIL AND IT WILL BECOME SMOOTH AND VERY WHIPPED.

 

[Shawnee66]

I whip my shea butter with a electric hand mixer.

I melt the shea butter by putting it in a mug and sit the mug in a pot of shallow water on the stove. After it melts I put it in the frige until I see it start to get solid again (about 5 mins). I take it out whip it until it's creamy (this is when I add my EOs and any other oils) then I place it back in the fridge for a few minutes, take it out and whip it again. This makes it very creamy like the Mango butter.

 

[ajargon02]

Yesterday my shea buter from ebay arrived (yey) it was a big hard lump so I decided to melt it down and add some of my hair oil mix which is coconut, grapeseed, a little bit of jojoba and teny bit of emu. After I added these oils it cooled and went right back to that big hard lump I wanted it to be soft. Does anyone know how to get that almost whiped, elasta qp mango butter texture?

Add more oil. What I do is take about 1/4 of a cup of hard shea, 1/4 cup of coconut oil. I melt them over steam heat, stirring, and keeping watch. I don't want it to get too hot. Then when it's all melted, I add jojoba oil, almond oil, and mix. I let them all cool, putting the mix in the fridge, if i have a lot of time. Or in the freezer if I am short on time. I check it every 7 min. What you want it to look like is cooking oil when it cools down. That funky whitish color. It will still be soft. I whip it w/ a whisk or w/ a fork, until it becomes white and fluffy almost like cool whip. If it's not the consistancy that I want, I will add more melted oil.When it's all whipped, then I add the essential oils, and whip a bit more. I store it in old yogurt containers, under the sink. I have noticed, the cheaper qualities of shea, the worse they are. I have found you get what you pay for w/ shea butter. Hope that helped.

 

[dimpalz]

Okay I'm going to melt it down again and add more oil, but I have more coming (that i ordered) and I bought some glycerin to make a moisturising one so does anyone know wat to do with that, or how to make it?

 

[ajargon02]

Okay I'm going to melt it down again and add more oil, but I have more coming (that i ordered) and I bought some glycerin to make a moisturising one so does anyone know wat to do with that, or how to make it?

What exactly are you trying to make? Glycerine like honey is a humectant. You don't want to get heavy handed w/ it. I use like 2 drops glycerine in the conditioning spray that I make for my mother's braids. I NEVER add it to any of my shea butters. I mix it w/ spring water, infusisions, and eo's.

 

[oglorious1]

What exactly are you trying to make? Glycerine like honey is a humectant. You don't want to get heavy handed w/ it. I use like 2 drops glycerine in the conditioning spray that I make for my mother's braids. I NEVER add it to any of my shea butters. I mix it w/ spring water, infusisions, and eo's.

How much spring water do you use??

 

[dimpalz]

I don't have Elasta QP so dont' know the consistency, but I added glycerine, and honey to my Shea butter and the consistency is fairly creamy. I didn't add any oils though b/c I wanted my mix to be purely moisturizing.

See earlier anatomicalycorrect suggested adding glycerin for a moisturiser instead of a sealant. Thats why I was gonna try it out

 

[Shawnee66]

If you keep melting it it will eventually turn grainy.

 

[dimpalz]

lol ... it's too late now, hopefully it'll be okay

 

[*ElleB]

Ladies, have any of you tried East African Shea?
It is creamy....More expensive tho, because it is rarer.