Any Shea butter fans?

terra_ferma

GetRealBabe wrote: »

Hi

The shea butter I bought from Shea Butter Cottage smells slightly nutty. What does yours smell like?

I usually add Lavender essential oil for a relaxing just before bed body butter. Might need some almond/grape seed/sunflower oil if it's a bit thick.

GRB

It stinks, I don't know hot to describe it! Very strong smell.
So bad that I've added rose essential oil, probably 30-40 drops for 50ml, and it still stinks, although less.
At least the cocoa butter/almond oil mixture is more bearable, so I'll use that more.

flippin36

terra ferma - can you describe the smell? Does it smell of latex? I have read that some people find it has this kind of smell, but it shouldn't be so strong. I'm wondering if you have a batch that has gone off. What colour is it yellow or white?

terra_ferma

flippin36 wrote: »

terra ferma - can you describe the smell? Does it smell of latex? I have read that some people find it has this kind of smell, but it shouldn't be so strong. I'm wondering if you have a batch that has gone off. What colour is it yellow or white?

It's pale brown, it does not smell of latex, and it has an expiry date of 11/2011.
Bought it from akamuti, directly from their website.
It's probably just me...

GetRealBabe

terra_ferma wrote: »

It's pale brown, it does not smell of latex, and it has an expiry date of 11/2011.
Bought it from akamuti, directly from their website.
It's probably just me...

Hi

I've never bought pale brown shea butter. Mine is beige/cream coloured and unprocessed, I'd get in touch with akamuti as 30-40 drops of rose essential oil sounds a lot unless it's a big chunk of shea butter your using.

GRB

shandyclover

I ordered a few things from Akoma last week, along with a sample of shea butter. I'm trying to decide if I should get some for my granma, for her dry skin. Though I was worried about comments that is smells, as my granmama has very definite ideas about what things she puts on her body should smell like!

It all arrived today. The shea butter is cream coloured and does have a smell, at least to me. A sort of earthy, nutty smell. Though OH said he couldn't smell anything, german neighbour said it smelt like almond pralines, and DD who adores the smell of cocoa butter literally gagged!!! So it seems all very individual. I did notice though the smell does not linger once its rubbed in.

I think I will probably get an already whipped and scented one for my granma just to be on the safe side.

Paulie'sGirl

Mine does smell like latex rubber. Its not a brilliant smell, I might reconsider whipping it with something to take the smell away.

PGxx

terra_ferma

Yes it's more beige than brown actually.
Maybe the smell of rose and shea butter don't go well together.

Last night I used the cocoa butter/almond oil mix in one hand, and shea butter on the other, and this morning they are both equally soft.
So I'll probably use cocoa b. instead.

Akua_Wood

There is some confusion over yellow shea.
Some say there is the addition of unrefined palm oil, I have been told that it is the addition of a root of a plant. I will however get to the bottom of this and report back when I return from Ghana.

With regards to the colour of raw unrefined shea, this should never be white - white is normally shea refined with hexane - commonly used in refining/extracting vegetable oils. White shea I find a bit porous and does not have the same dense texture as raw unrefined shea. White shea does not also have the characteristic nutty/earthy scent of shea so it might be ideal for those who love shea but can't stand the scent - a bit like marmite

Depending on the process of raw shea, the colour could be slightly muddy. This could be due to so many factors including bad nuts and water used. Raw shea does not have a uniformed colour.

Although shea has a high percentage of tocopherols making it quite stable, it can still oxidise if not processed or stored properly. Rancid shea is very putrid - a bit like fermented alcohol.

I will be processing some shea in Ghana next month and will document the whole process on my return.

Akua_Wood

shandyclover wrote: »

UH OH!!!

I was just about to order some for my Granma. She has terrible problems with very dry skin and I thought shea butter would be perfect for her but if it is a bit stinky thats going to be a problem as shes very, very particular and doesn't like anything that, in her words..."smells like food", she only likes toiletries that smell like flowers. I did find one on this site thats fragranced with lavender and frankincese...

The scent combination compliments the shea and is not floral

Akua_Wood

terra_ferma wrote: »

It stinks, I don't know hot to describe it! Very strong smell.
So bad that I've added rose essential oil, probably 30-40 drops for 50ml, and it still stinks, although less.
At least the cocoa butter/almond oil mixture is more bearable, so I'll use that more.

Rose is quite a nice scent. The amount used seems a lot though.