Staff Answer It is recommended to use 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp per 16 ounces of butter or oil. Or you can use between .5% to 1%.

Staff Answer This is certainly something that you can test, but you may need to experiment to find the ideal amount.

Staff Answer You will need to test this on your own.

Staff Answer The vitamin E can be left out, but it serves as an antioxidant to help extend shelf life.

Staff Answer The suggested retail price is listed at $9.95.

Staff Answer Tapioca starch or arrowroot powder can be substituted.

Staff Answer You can add more starch but we cannot say whether or not this will make the recipe "fluffier." You might try whipping a little longer.

Staff Answer Vitamin E is used as an antioxidant, so it can be substituted for another antioxidant, such as ROE.

Staff Answer For the summer months, you might try incorporating a little beeswax or lotion bar additive to add some firmness.

Staff Answer Yes, you can substitute a fragrance for the essential oil. This was used at 1.5% but you could go higher if your fragrance is skin-safe at a higher percent. We would recommend using 2% which would make it nicely fragranced.

Staff Answer Natural shea butter does have a unique scent which people either love or hate. Here is a link to recipes we have used with this product. Hopefully, you may get some ideas on how to use it and what scents may compliment the shea butter: http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/handmade101.aspx?FBI1=4660

Staff Answer This product will stay whipped but will harden some after filling the jars. It does melt as soon as applied to the skin. You might try a butter blend if you want to have it stay a more softer and fluffy consistency.

Sigh...the problem is that I won't know if it will continue to separate until it has sat for several days. That's a lot of work for a kit...in my opinion. :-(

Staff Answer This whipped shea butter is more like a thick body butter.

Staff Answer You can try the clay but will not get the same result because it does not absorb oil the same way. I would try corn starch before using clay.

Staff Answer This recipe is called 'whipped' because it is whipped with a mixer to aerate the mixture, once it is a final product it will become harder. It sounds like you made the recipe correctly!

Staff Answer Hi Mary Jane - We follow safety guidelines set by The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) when formulating our recipes. IFRA has a recommended maximum usage rate of 5% for body lotion for Pink Grapefruit EO. This recipe uses about 1.5% Pink Grapefruit EO.

Staff Answer Tony,

Vitamin E T50 is an excellent antioxidant for product containing oils. In this product, the Vitamin E prevents rancidity of the oil based product and extends shelf life. (Preservatives are only needed for water based products to prevent mold and bacteria from growing.)

Staff Answer Hi Linda - We're sorry to hear the product didn't come out as expected. Shea butter is prone to this grittiness. It has to do with the fatty acid composition of the butter and one fatty acid solidifying at a different time than the other. To avoid this you can heat the shea butter to liquid in a double boiler then immediately move the pan to the freezer. Allow it to solidify then proceed with the recipe as it indicates. (continued below)

Staff Answer (continued from above) For the product you already made, you should be able to melt that down the same way, let it harden in the freezer, whip it, and package. You may want to add more essential oil as melting it down will likely burn off the scent. We hope this helps!

Staff Answer Hi Deborah - We're glad you like it! Powdered goats milk and tapioca starch serve two separate purposes in lotion making. Powdered goats milk will add moisturizing properties while tapioca starch cuts down on the greasy feel. You can certainly substitute, but you will have a different moisturizer that is greasier and also more moisturizing.

Staff Answer I am afraid that the greasiness is just the nature of a whipped body butter such as this. The Slick Fix used in this recipe helps reduce the greasiness but it does not eliminate it all together. With 15 TBS of tapioca starch you are already at over 35% of the total formula. You could try adding Isopropyl Myrisate at 2-5% of your current formula but again, this will only help reduce the greasiness, not eliminate it. You will just need to test to be sure.

Staff Answer Butters can be heavy and overly greasy when applied to the skin. The Slick Fix absorbs some of the excess butter resulting in a dryer after feel to the finished product.

Staff Answer Yes you can.

Staff Answer Stearic Acid can help thicken lotions and is also said to raise the melt point of a product. The recommended usage rates for Stearic Acid in a lotion are 1-25%. We recommend testing all formulations in a small batch before making a larger batch for retail. You alone are responsible for product and recipe testing to ensure compatibility and safety. If selling, you would need to change the INCI ingredient listing to reflect any substitutions or changes to our original recipe.

Staff Answer You can substitute Tapioca Starch Pure or Modified, Corn Starch or arrowroot powder for the powder used in this recipe. These powders help to absorb some of the oils creating a softer powdery finish to the finished product.We recommend testing all substitutions in a small batch before making a larger batch for retail. You alone are responsible for product and recipe testing to ensure compatibility and safety. If selling, you would need to change the INCI ingredient listing to reflect any substit

Staff Answer Since this recipe used all oils and butters we would recommend using an oil soluble powder colorant such as the Matte Pigment Powders or the Mica Sparkle Colorants.

Staff Answer I would recommend using a liquid colorant, liquid colorants are always easier to blend. Powder colorants tend to speckle, unless mixed with liquid glycerin or oils before hand.

Staff Answer You do not need a preservative since this product does not contain any water. The shelf life is 1 year from manufacture. It should be stored in an air tight container if possible.

Staff Answer The Whipped Shea Butter is one of our most popular recipe. We're glad you enjoyed it.

Staff Answer You would need to test the product if making any type of substitutions.

Staff Answer You may not get the same feel to the product with cornstarch or arrow root. It is best to always test your recipe when making any type of substitution.

Yes you could. The texture may change though. My favorite of the three to use is Arrowroot.

Yes, you can.

Yes you can, It might give it a different texture then if you have used only Shea.

Yes, the scent and texture may be different with those substitutions though. Also, the benefits would change.