I have some Shea Butter questions

[Michi]

When you are using shea butter in lotion making or soap making etc. you melt it right? How do you do that? Is there any rules to melting it, like it can't get hotter than a certain temp.?

Also, for those that make a whipped shea butter, do you scent it? If you do, do you use various scents, or do you just have one scent for this particular product?

I was thinking of just have a "signature" scent for my whipped shea butter but then I started thinking, "what if people don't like that scent?"

Decisions decisions LOL

[Carrie]

I melt my shea completely whether for butters or soap. It gets grainy on me if I don't.

[Spellkast]

I used to just whip my shea as a solid, and then mix in my oils and such- but it was usually pretty hard, no matter how much I whipped it. So I started melting it. I just put it in the microwave for about a minute and watch it. Since it's a butter, it melts pretty easily. I wouldn't advise sticking it in the microwave for thirty minutes and leaving the room. Just keep an eye on it. And right now, I offer half of my candle scents in B&B products, including my shea butter. It's a neat idea to just make a signature scent just for your shea butter, but like you said, what if people don't like that scent, but like your whipped shea? Maybe you can make a signature scent JUST for the shea, but also offer other scents as well? Just a thought.

[idahospud]

I only use, Monoi de Thaiti Oil, in my whipped Shea Butter, and it is wonderful! Sells out every show.