# whipped shea



## carlidoe

I making this for the first time and I have a feeling that you could wear out a kitchenaid real quick :/


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## Guest

No, it only takes a couple of minutes.. don't melt your shea completely like most recipes tell you to... just soften it in the microwave for a minute.. add your liquid oils and whip it up.. takes less than two or three minutes of whipping this way.. and you won't end up with grainy shea butter from heating too hot and not cooling slow enough... 
Barb


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## jdranch

we love whipped shea- saved the cheeks last winter!


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## carlidoe

Dang it! I knew I shouldn't have melted it completely. Thanks for the tip. I only made a small batch. What is your favorite fragrance to use in this?


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## Kalne

lavender vanilla


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## carlidoe

Someone asked for that scent Kathy! This time I used shea butter (do not have mango) with jojoba oil and fragranced with Brown Sugar & Fig, and I also added a little Vanilla Cream. It ended up being really pretty and the scent is great.


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## Kalne

I've always scented it with some blend of vanilla. This last batch was the first I made with lav/van and it was a huge hit.

If you get your shea melted too far you can pop it in the freezer for 5 minutes, beat, freeze, etc. It will make it go quicker. I have never had it go grainy and I usually melt mine all the way day. Next time I'm going to try to remember not to do that and see how it goes.


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## MF-Alpines

Carli, if you do a search on whipped shea that I originated, you'll see that I had a problem with grainy shea. I did not melt it all the way and for mine, I think I needed to melt it more. Honestly, I forget, but Barb told me what to do (whatever that was!).


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## adillenal

I use Lavender EO for one and Lemon FO and unscented. They all sell well and I don't melt my shea either. Soften and then add oil and whip in the kitchenaid.


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## carlidoe

I will experiment and see which method works the best. It honestly did not take long to whip up after completely melting it. I almost left it in the freezer too long the last time though. 

What combination of butters do you like to use? I have never bought anything but shea. What qualities does mango butter add to the mix? I love looking at all those butters at WSP. The coffee butter very tempting, but is very $$$!


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## hsmomof4

It depends on your shea (or whatever butter you're using). If it's not grainy, you wouldn't have to melt it completely, but if it is, you do. My most recent batch of mango butter from Jedwards was grainy and I learned that the hard way (just finished melting and re-whipping a batch).


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## Guest

Cindi, your shea was most likely grainy from where you got it from.. Shea get grainy when melted at high temps and then cooled too fast... it has to cool slowly.. so to all that puts it in the freezer after heating can cause it to get grainy....
If you do need to melt it.. melt it very slowly on low heat and hold on heat for a few minutes and cool slowly by insulation or just covering.. you are tempering it this way...and it won't be grainy...


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## Faye Farms

I've been wanting to try a batch of whipped shea with some monoi de tahiti.


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## Jenny M

Well, here's my two cents for what it's worth...I've been selling a shea cream product for at least 7 years now & have messed around with just about every variety. I've settled on a refined because it sells best for me - right now a 100+ jars a month & I do not even try to market the stuff. 

I used to get my shea from Oils By Nature because it was the best. I spent a lot of time on the phone with their techs trying to learn the best way to work with it. They told me to put it in the fridge if I melted it down to liquid. That would keep it from getting grainy. I had limited success with that process. This is the deal. If you start with grainy shea you'll probably end up with a grainy finished product no matter how hard you fiddle with it. If you're trying to use that stuff from Columbus you're shooting yourself in the foot. It's ok for soap but that's it. Jedwards has a nice refined but you can screw that up too if you melt it down to far. Yes, it's exactly like tempering chocolate in the mircowave. A couple of minuets, let rest, stir, repeat till you get a smooth consistancy that you can pour. It takes a while. Don't rush it. When you get it nice & smooth & ready to pour then add your liquid oils. I'm going for a fairly solid cream & just use enough olive to make it user friendly. I add a little Vit E oil (don't really think I need it but customers like it) & some fragrance. Pour & let set in a cool spot to solidify. If you melt it down too far just do yourself a favor & set it aside for soap.

I used to do a whipped product too but the labor involved was not worth it & in the summer it was not stable. The cream I make now is pretty simple but it sells so well. I'm shipping 6 jars to a lady in Germany this week. Every winter she buys a year's supply. People tell me they use nothing else on their face. KISS is my motto.


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## Kalne

I used Columbus in the past and yes, it's grainy to start, but it was never grainy in my finished product (whipped shea) with me melting it all the way. Maybe I was just lucky. Now I use JEdwards and it is super smooth from the start. I've started making a solid shea cream but the whipped always outsells it even though I tell customers they are getting much more for their money with the solid. I keep making it though because I can sell it through the summer and not worry about shipping it like the whipped.


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## hsmomof4

Yeah, I bring my whipped butter to the market in a cooler and tell customers not to leave it in their cars, but I take it off of my website once it warms up. Maybe I'll add a solid cream, too. (And I have plans to make lotion here soon!)


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## Jenny M

I'm thinking whipping might fix the graininess. When I did the whipped I used an unrefined that was very smooth so never had the problem. But when I went to the refined un-whipped I had problems. When I do it right it sells like gang busters but I've given replacement jars for some grainy product I've sold. I've been working so hard to get consistant product so when a customer buys it one time it's the same the next. 

Another little product doing well is a Butter Bar. Just shea & fragrance poured into a mini muffin pan & sold in a little tin that fits in a pocket. You can just pop it out & rub between your hands anytime. Really cute.


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## MF-Alpines

MRFBarbara said:


> Cindi, your shea was most likely grainy from where you got it from.. Shea get grainy when melted at high temps and then cooled too fast... it has to cool slowly.. so to all that puts it in the freezer after heating can cause it to get grainy....
> If you do need to melt it.. melt it very slowly on low heat and hold on heat for a few minutes and cool slowly by insulation or just covering.. you are tempering it this way...and it won't be grainy...


Yes, that was it, Barb! My shea was grainy to being with and you had me temper it. Thanks for the reminder.


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## carlidoe

Kalne said:


> I used Columbus in the past and yes, it's grainy to start, but it was never grainy in my finished product (whipped shea) with me melting it all the way. Maybe I was just lucky. Now I use JEdwards and it is super smooth from the start. I've started making a solid shea cream but the whipped always outsells it even though I tell customers they are getting much more for their money with the solid. I keep making it though because I can sell it through the summer and not worry about shipping it like the whipped.


My shea is from Columbus and it is a little grainy, but the finished product isn't at all. I even melted mine all the way. I think I will order some from Jedwards when I run out. Their prices are awesome!

The whipped shea sure is hard to get into jars. It's not very "pretty". I can see how pouring the hard cream in would be easier. Mine is still a pretty hard cream even though I whipped the heck out of it. How many ounces do you ladies sell and for how much?


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## hsmomof4

I sell 4 oz 9by weight) in an 8 oz (by volume) jar for $10. I am trying out a 2 oz size for $6.


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## Jenny M

I use a 4 oz jar that contains 4 oz (not whipped) for $6 each or 3 for $15. The shops sell it for $7 to $9.
Looks like this except that I have changed my jars to a natural (not so clear). You can get 48 for $19.52, plastic lids are $9 for 48, I think. That's shipping included.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/88114118/just-for-regina


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## carlidoe

I love those jars! Where do you get those? I wouldn't mind the plastic so much if I had those aluminum lids.


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## Faye Farms

I've always loved the look of aluminum lids. If I every venture into anything other than soap that's what I want to use.


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## Jenny M

http://www.bayousome.com/aluminumlid.htm

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.co...0/400+Silver+Metal+Basic+Top+Cap+-+Foam+Liner

They are expensive so I've stopped using them. I've gone with this jar & lid. My customers don't mind but i do love those silver lids!

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.co...=4+oz+Natural+Classic+Plastic+Jar+-+71+mm+Top

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.co...&ProductName=71+mm+Natural+Top+Cap+-+No+Liner


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## carlidoe

Thanks for sharing Jenny. The jars at bayousome are a great price. They even come with lids.


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## Kalne

You all are cheap! LOL I sell mine for much more.


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## carlidoe

I was only able to fit 2 oz into a 4oz jar. So far I've made 3 small batches and my third batch was a tiny bit grainy. I didn't melt it down quite enough. Another 30 seconds in the microwave would have been perfect. However, it isn't coarse grainy and the granules disapear the instant I smooth it on. I've decided to make one or two essential oil varieties so that I can claim "all natural" and then the rest are going to be scented with FO's. I ordered a few new ones with "body butter" in mind rather than soap. Vanilla Verbena from WSP is definitely a hit. Up next is Acai Berries & Satin. Smells lovely. I am only making 8oz batches at a time, which gives me four 2 oz jars of each variety. With this amount I am only using 3-5 mL of frangrance per batch.


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## jdranch

I only get 2 oz to a 4 oz container too.


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## carlidoe

jdranch said:


> I only get 2 oz to a 4 oz container too.


How much are you selling your's for Jennifer?


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## NubianSoaps.com

I use bayousome.com his amber jars (and bottles and and and  with black lids, Kraft labels....4 ounces of shea for $10.


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## Jenny M

$10 for 4 oz? Wow. I'm happy to get $6. Vicki, are you using unrefined? Using Jedwards refined shea, the inexpensive natural jars & a small amount of other ingredients I'm making money at $5 to $6 but I should be making more. I sell the daylights out of this stuff but I'm proabaly cheating myself. One of my shops sells it for $9 (& pay me a higher wholesale price) & they say that's fair.

I use the refined because it makes a lighter end product, customers use it more frequently so I get a lot of repeat sales. And I don't whip - just melt, add other stuff & pour into jars.

I'm in the process of making some big changes. I really need to think thru my pricing while I'm at it.


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## hsmomof4

Definitely re-think, Jenny. When I first started making whipped body butter, I was asking $6. Everyone said, "Wow, that's cheap!" Then I had a batch that ended up being 4 oz instead of 3.5, so I charged $8 for it an NO ONE batted an eye. Last spring, I went to $10 and I don't think I've lost any sales because of the price. I charge $6 for my 2 oz jars.


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## adillenal

I use the 4 oz jars but the weight of whipped shea in them is only 2.5 oz and I sell them for $10.00 and sell all I carry to each show. I use the blue plastic jars with the aluminum lids.


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## carlidoe

I was thinking about selling my 2 ounces for $8 - $10. I have paid $24 for 6 ounces of not so great lotion before, so I figure it's worth it. I used some whipped shea on my legs and arms this morning and only used a nickel sized blob, at most.


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## NubianSoaps.com

I can't whip mine because of our heat...so it's 4 ounces of unrefined shea (I do not use the shea from columbus foods or the shea I get from my guy in 33 gallon barrels, it's grainy, it's soap shea). It's so much a better deal for my customers than the shea in the stores that are less than 1% shea....my customers would also not be interested in refined.


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## adillenal

Vicki - I only do whipped shea in the winter months due to heat. Also use unrefined I get in a co-op a couple of times a year. I have pretty much trained my customers to buy when I have it and I start warning them when I won't carry it anymore. 
I make unscented, lavender EO and a lemon FO. Three choices and that seems to satisfy everyone. If they want whipped shea they will buy one of those.


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## Jenny M

Definately going to increase my prices. I have done everything I can do to hold the line but like you all say (and my shop owners too) - no one really bats an eye at a $1 or $2 increase.

This is what my jars look like now. I went to this very simple jar. My new label will be very, very simple so the jar may have to change.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44000059/blackberry-thyme-shea-cream


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## Kalne

Okay.....I was thinking I was overcharging there for awhile.  I sell about 2.5 ounces in a 4 oz jar whipped for $9.00. The solid I sell for the same price and it weighs the full 4 oz. But it's a lot less work. The 2 ounce jars hold about 1.25 oz whipped and I charge $5 for those. I use low profile cobalt blue jars with silver lids.


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