Body butter is shea’s flagship application. The format leverages everything shea is structurally good at — high oleic spread, low comedogenic profile, soft enough to whip, scoopable at room temperature. This page documents the manufacturing spec for whipped body butter at production scale.
Why this ingredient for this application
Body butter is one of the few cosmetic categories where unrefined shea is the gold standard, not the alternative. The signature smoky-nutty scent is the category cue. Customers actively look for it. Refined shea + added fragrance is the budget tier; unrefined shea + no added fragrance is the premium tier. We supply the latter.
Spec & inclusion
Inclusion: 40–80% raw shea butter. Optional pairings: 10–20% cocoa butter for structural reinforcement, 10–20% carrier oil (coconut, jojoba, sweet almond) for spread modulation. Whipping: melt shea at 50–55°C, cool to room temperature, whip 5–8 minutes with paddle attachment until aerated to soft-peak consistency. Target finished volume: ~30% increase over melted volume.
Formulation notes
Whipped shea is less stable than solid shea at ambient temperatures above 28°C — it can melt back to liquid in hot shipping conditions and re-solidify with grainy texture. For shipments to hot climates (Middle East summer, Texas/Florida summer), pair with 15–20% cocoa butter and ship with thermal packaging. Shelf-life unrefined shea body butter: 12–18 months.
Sourcing & documentation
Every shipment includes a per-batch Certificate of Analysis with the appropriate grade panel, a phytosanitary certificate issued in Cotonou, and named cooperative attribution. Food grade and cosmetic grade availability varies by ingredient — see grade differences.