One of the most frustrating things about whipped shea butter is that it will harden over time. This happens a lot when whipped shea butter is exposed to air or when it’s too cold.
The good news is this can easily be reversed with a few simple tips.
This blog post will go over how to keep whipped shea butter from hardening, including storing it in the fridge, using salted butter, and adding heavy cream.
Shea butter is a popular ingredient in skincare products because of its moisturizing properties. Unfortunately, it has one damaging trait: it hardens with time.
And if you’ve ever tried to use shea butter that’s turned into a brick, then you know how frustrating this can be. Fortunately, there are ways to combat the issue and keep your shea butter soft and fluffy for as long as possible!
Why Is Your Whipped Shea Butter Hardening?
Whipped shea butter has a long shelf life. It can be stored at room temperature for months and in the fridge for up to a year. However, it will eventually harden.
This is because shea butter is a natural product and contains no preservatives.
There are a few reasons why your whipped shea butter might be hardening:
- Exposure to air – Shea butter is a hygroscopic product, which attracts and holds water. When exposed to air, the water molecules will start to attach to the shea butter and eventually cause it to harden.
- Temperature – Shea butter is a natural product and thus has a temperature range that functions best. When it’s cold, the shea butter will start to solidify. And when it’s too hot, it will melt.
- How you Store It – Be careful about where you store your whipped shea butter. Make sure it’s in a cool, dry place and away from sunlight. Whipped shea butter is best stored in the fridge or the freezer!
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How to Keep Whipped Shea Butter from Hardening
Thankfully, there are several ways you can keep your whipped shea butter from hardening over time! Here are a few valuable tips you can use to keep it looking soft and feeling) wonderful.
1) Store Whipped Shea Butter In An Airtight Container
Whipped shea butter is hygroscopic, which means it will absorb water molecules from the air. When exposed to water or humidity, it will solidify and harden. To prevent this, store your whipped shea butter in an airtight container.
This will keep it from absorbing any moisture from the surrounding environment and help keep it fluffy for longer.
Always remember to cover your container tightly and put the lid back on right after using it. Plus you need to make sure there are no holes in the container where water could seep in!
2) Store It In The Fridge (Or Even Better, The Freezer!)
If you’re having trouble getting your whipped shea butter to hold its fluffiness for more than a day or two, then store it in the fridge!
You can also keep it at room temperature, but make sure to keep it away from sunlight or heat sources.
If you want it to stay soft all year round, then try putting it in the freezer temperature control unit! This will keep the temperature of your whipped shea butter consistent and prevent it from going solid.
Just remember to take it out before letting any customers handle it.
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3)Add Salt To Prevent It From Hardening
Adding salt to your whipped shea butter will stop it from hardening as easily. And the best part is you probably already have some lying around!
Add 1 teaspoon of table salt at a time and mix well with a spoon, hand blender, or stand mixer.
When you add salt to the mixture, the sodium ions will bond with the water molecules and remove them from the shea butter. This leaves you with firmer shea butter that’s less likely to harden.
You can also try this method with other hygroscopic ingredients like sugar, honey, or even alcohol!
These will bind to some of the water molecules in your whipped shea butter and prevent it from hardening as easily.
4) Add Heavy Cream To Your Whipped Shea Butter
Heavy cream can be used to keep whipped shea butter soft and malleable for around two weeks. Heavy cream is a thick, fatty cream that is high in butterfat.
When added to whipped shea butter, it will help retard the process of hardening prolong its shelf life.
The only downside of using heavy cream is that it’s thicker than water, so your final product will also be thicker than normal.
If this isn’t an issue for you, then go ahead and add one tablespoon of heavy cream for every 8 ounces of shea butter you’re using. Mix well and store in an airtight container.
5) Store it In A Cool and Dry Place
The best way to prevent whipped shea butter from hardening is to store it in a cool and dry place.
This will help prevent the absorption of any water molecules from the environment and stop the shea butter from crystallizing.
Room temperature is acceptable, but try to keep your whipped shea butter away from direct sunlight or heat sources.
The fridge is also a great place to store it, but make sure you take it out before using it so that it’s not too cold!
Read: How long does it take shea butter to clear skin?
Frequently Asked Questions on Whipped Shea Butter
Why Do Some People Put Their Whipped Shea Butter In The Freezer?
Putting your whipped shea butter in the fridge or freezer helps prevent crystallization and retards the hardening process. This makes it last longer on its own without melting too quickly under body heat.
Why Does My Whipped Shea Butter Smell Different?
Whipped shea butter can sometimes smell rancid or have a strong scent due to oxidation. When this happens, it’s best just to throw the batch away and start again with fresh ingredients.
My Whipped Shea Butter Is Too Thick; What Can I Do?
To fix this problem, try whipping your shea butter with a hand or stand mixer and add heavy cream to it. This will help thicken the consistency and slow down the hardening process.
Whipped shea butter is the most versatile ingredient in your DIY recipe arsenal, so you’ll want to make sure it stays usable for as long as possible.
Use these steps and tips on “how to keep whipped shea butter from hardening” to help prevent it from hardening or crystallizing too quickly!