Shea Butter

Shea Butter

Shea butter is a slightly yellowish or ivory colored natural fat extracted from the seed of the shea tree by crushing and boiling. Shea butter is used as a moisturizer and salve. Shea butter is made up of glycerin and fatty acids. Shea butter is solid at room temperature. It saponifies slowly and if the soap is not hot processed should be allowed to cure least 4 weeks. It is used to add moisturizing and hardening properties to bar soaps and liquid soaps.

Properties added to soap: Hardening, Moisturizing.
Bar (NaOH) SAP:0.1278
Liquid (KOH) SAP:0.1792
Iodine Value:116
INS Value:71
Lauric Acid:0%
Linoleic Acid:3% - 8%
Myristic Acid:0%
Oleic Acid:40% - 55%
Palmitic Acid:3% - 7%
Ricinoleic Acid:0%
Stearic Acid:35% - 45%
Effects on biodiesel glycerin soaps:
  • Shea butter will NOT participate in glycerin negation when used in biodiesel glycerin soaps.
  • Bar Soap - Shea butter will add moisturizing and hardening properties.
  • Liquid Soap - Biodiesel glycerin liquid soap will benefit from added moisturizing properties with the use of shea butter.
  • Hybrid Soap - Shea butter can add moisturizing properties to biodiesel soaps that use both sodium and potassium based glycerin.