What is the difference

[hawaiiansun]

Between oils and butter?

I see Sweet almond butter and sweet almond oil

Shea Butter and Shea oil..

Just wondering what the difference is between oil and butter and which would be better to use. I'm starting lotion bars, using shea butter and sweet almond oil, now I'm wondering if I could do the opposite and use Shea oil and SA butter?

[shell1226]

I would assume that oil is in a liquid form and butter is in a solid form. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Crafty1]

I would assume that oil is in a liquid form and butter is in a solid form. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

you're right

[angied]

Hi hawaiiansun,

I am glad you asked this question, I have bought some of those oils from Cindy and was wondering the same thing. So if your making lotion or whatever can you use these if it calls for the butter types?

Angie

[RobinInOR]

The butters are usually hydrogenated versions of the oils - so they're thicker and have more body. Sometimes it's a specialty oil that's in a hydrogenated base - I've seen some that are in hydrogenated soybean oil, for example.

I'd guess you'd want to use the butter if you wanted it's thickening properties. They would probably have a different feel, might have different qualities.

There seems to be a trend to offer both oil and butter. Mango butter/oil, coconut/fractionated coconut oil, avocado oil/butter, shea oil/butter, there's even a cocoa oil now instead of the hard cocoa butter.

[hawaiiansun]

Thanks guys, I know you need to use both oils and butters in a lotion bar, so was just wondering the difference, since I ordered shea oil by mistake lol

think I'll try cocoa and kokum butter with shea and avacado oil and see how it works.

[sudsnwicks]

Whatever recipe you use will have x% of oil and y% of butter. As long as you keep to these basic percentages, you'll be able to get a lotion bar. The feel will be different if you use different oils/butters, but you'll still get a lotion bar. You may have to tweak the percentages a bit since cocoa butter is harder than shea butter, so it's best if you only make 1 or 2 bars at a time to avoid wastage. If you don't like it, you can always melt it down and try again by adding more of one or some of the ingredients.

[hawaiiansun]

Whatever recipe you use will have x% of oil and y% of butter. As long as you keep to these basic percentages, you'll be able to get a lotion bar. The feel will be different if you use different oils/butters, but you'll still get a lotion bar. You may have to tweak the percentages a bit since cocoa butter is harder than shea butter, so it's best if you only make 1 or 2 bars at a time to avoid wastage. If you don't like it, you can always melt it down and try again by adding more of one or some of the ingredients.

thanks I only do an ounce the first time to try it out. I've been trying different combos of butter and oils and taking good notes ( a first for me ) then letting my testers tell me which works better.

[Vec]

ok....i understand the difference between butters & oils. are there limits as to the maximum percentage (i'm more than certain there is) of butters used? what's the average max % for butters?