Re: differences in shea butter

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/14/2007 9:22:30 AM Central Standard Time,

mesavalleycandleco@... writes:

this is what my supplier wrote back to me didnt really answer question

I'm not sure what you are asking exactly but as a supplier I use to carry

several types of shea. I love using the unrefined shea butter in body butters

even though it has a strong fragrance. Once it soaks into the skin the only

smell that is left on the skin is the fragrance oil that was added to the

butter. This type of shea has been well filtered to remove any little pieces of

the skin from the nut or grass ect... before it is made into a butter. It is a

light tanish-green color with a smokey nutty fragrance to it. Another shea I

have used is a beige shea. It is wonderful in soaps but a little too dark for

body butters and lotions even though it really softens the skin better then

the unrefined shea. I do however use it for customers who has really dry skin

problems. They don't mind the darker color because they like the results.The

beige shea has been filtered but pieces of the root has been added. This is

supposed to have extra skin benefits. I also had a lemon yellow shea for a

while. It had a totally different texture and fragrance. Came from a different

part of Africa. It was pretty . The weird thing is I had some left over and so

it just sat on a back shelf for about a year and forgotten until recently. I

found it and when I opened the container it was no longer the lemon yellow

color. Strange. Also there is the refined shea that is for cosmetic use. This

is clean white shea with little to no fragrance. I don't know if all the

goodness is taken out or not when the shea is processed. Some say it does and

same say it doesn't.

The only shea that I carry now is the unrefined shea. It is the most popular

with my customers and it is the one I like the best.

Whenever I'm going to make a skin leave on product such as a lotion with

unrefined or beige shea butters I melt the oils and bring the temp up to 180

degrees and hold it there for 20 minutes to kill any germs or nasties that

might

be in the butter. I do this to be safe. For body butters that are not melted

first I use a good preservative that also kills germs. As for using

unrefined shea in soap I believe that when it soponifies any nasties or germs

that

may be in the butter are killed during that process. I have never had any

problem with any nasties or anything like that in the shea. It is just

something I

do to make sure there isn't.

One other note. If you store your shea in an air tight container and in a

cool place your butter should have a shelf life of 2-3 years.

I hope this helps,

Sally

Apples, Woods and Berries Supplies. www.awbsupplies.com

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[Guest guest]

Yeap, they are saying both are natural.... which they don't have or need to say.

Notice " refined " is lighter in color and the smell is not as nutty.

I'd ask them..... something like.....

" We have sampled several sources of shea butter. I realize all shea butter is

natural. My main question in point is what does your " refining " process include?

In other words, what does your company or source do to the raw shea butter to

make it refined? Can you not tell me what is added or done during the refining

process? "

--- just ask them straight out if you want to know.

Because that's the point. What do they do to it? They water it down or rather

dulute it with something.... usually palm oil is what someone told me. They can

dulute it with palm oil in africa. It's cheaper. The shea trees take a long time

to mature. I've seen where some folks whip it up like cake frosting. One of our

partners tried that and it does about double in size he said. But it doesn't

stay that way a long time. Another concern I have is a real dark yellow. Could

someone be adding color? Maybe not. I'm just not to trusting of " some " sources

in Africa. Don't even go to Alibaba and list that you seek to buy shea butter

unless you setup a different email address to filter the spam from the scammers

and thieves. What do they call it in Africa.... I think it's .... " the women's

gold "

One thing I am also concerned about is like Aloe, as more big companies are

already adding shea butter to their products, it's going to be in higher demand,

it may be duluted and/or " refined " even more in the future. There are so many

different sources. I think it's important to tap into a good, solid and reliable

source now if you plan on using alot of it, especially the raw. Most customers

seem to like the white, non-smelling kind. I dont' mind sending those customers

to jergens to buy their new shea butter lotion if that's what they want. Or

better yet, I'd rather send them to some of you guys. At least if you guys have

it in any of your products, we know you'll put more than .01%.. :-)

But don't be surprised if any source here in the US may not know or may not

choose to tell you what they do to the raw to make it refined or whiter or

whipped. It's alot of work and/or expensive getting that nut smell out if you

don't like it. Our wholesale suppliers are only providing us with what we are

asking for and buying.

ceece

differences in shea butter

this is what my supplier wrote back to me didnt really answer question

Hi Jill:

To answer your question, Raw Shea Butter is natural and unrefined. It

has a strong natural nut odor and is dark in color.

Natural Shea Butter has a light yellow color and distinctive odor but

not as strong as the Raw Shea . They are both very moisturizing for

the skin.