How to Make Whipped Shea Butter

Last Updated: November 16, 2020 Tested

Shea butter is rich and nourishing. It contains many nutrients that are beneficial for the skin.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Applying whipped shea butter is just one of the ways you can use shea butter on your skin. There are several methods you can choose from to make whipped shea butter.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Whipping Shea Butter By Itself

1
Gather your ingredients. While shea butter works great in many DIY recipes, you can easily use it on its own. Refined shea butter doesn’t have any scent while unrefined shea smells nutty and earthy. All you need to make whipped shea butter with this method is 1 cup shea butter (refined or unrefined).
2
Prepare a water bath. Place 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water in a wide pan on low heat.

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3
Measure shea butter and place it into a heat-resistant cup. Let the shea melt. Stir occasionally.
4
Remove it from heat and place the cup into the fridge for 15 minutes. You’ll see a layer solid shea on top. Take it from the fridge and whip it with a hand mixer for 3 minutes.
5
Place it back into the fridge for 3 minutes. Then whip it again for another 3 minutes. The butter should resemble creamy frosting of fluffy consistency.
6
Store the whipped butter in a clean dry container with a lid. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but it should be stored in a cool and dark place.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Non-Greasy Whipped Shea Butter

1
Gather your ingredients. Mango butter is a great alternative to shea as it’s not as greasy and it soaks into the skin quickly. Other carrier oils help to nourish the skin even more, balancing the greasiness of both butters. You’ll need the following ingredients to make whipped butter with shea:^{[2]
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Research source}
- 45g shea butter (refined or unrefined)
- 25g mango butter
- 15g grapeseed oil
- 5g safflower oil
- 10 drops cinnamon bark essential oil
- 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 5 drops cardamom essential oil
- 5g tapioca starch
- 4 drops vitamin E oil
2
Prepare a water bath. Place 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water in a wide pan on low heat.
3
Add the mango and shea butter to a heat-resistant cup. Place the cup in the water and let the butters melt. Stir occasionally.
4
Remove the cup from the heat. Let it cool to room temperature before adding the rest of the ingredients.
5
Add the essential oils and other ingredients. Stir in grapeseed and safflower oil. Add mica powder and stir with your spatula until it’s evenly distributed. Lastly, add the tapioca starch and stir it in. Place the mixture into the fridge for 10 minutes.
6
Whip the butter with a hand mixer for 3 minutes. Place it into the fridge for another 3 minutes. Take it out and whip it again. The butter will look like a creamy bronze frosting with a fluffy consistency.
7
Store the whipped butter in a clean dry container with a lid. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but it should be stored in a cool and dark place.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Cold-Process Whipped Shea Butter

1
Gather your ingredients. This recipe requires no heat. It’s all made with a hand mixer and a few additional ingredients. For this method, you’ll need: ^{[3]
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Research source}
- 32.25g refined shea butter
- 5g isopropyl myristate
- 11.8g safflower oil
- 0.2g lemon essential oil
- 0.25g orange essential oil
- 0.25g grapefruit essential oil
- 0.25g vitamin E oil
2
Put the shea in a deep bowl. Whip it with a hand mixer until it’s light and fluffy.
3
Add isopropyl myristate. This reduces the greasy feeling and makes the butter lighter.
4
Beat the mixture until it’s well combined and fluffy.
5
Add the essential oils and vitamin E oil.
6
Whip the mixture again. Transfer it into a clean dry jar (50g).