Illipe Butter

INCI - Shorea Stenoptera Seed Butter.

What is it - Illipe butter is derived from the nuts of the Shorea stenoptera tree, which is native to the forests of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It acts primarily as an emollient, helping to soften and smooth the skin. It is a very solid, high melting point butter. Because of this it contributes to the texture and stability of creams, balms, and lotions by acting as a natural thickener.

pH - N/A.

Safety limit - Can be used up to 100%, but typically used up to 10%.

Formulas used in - lip balms, body butters, moisturisers, hand creams, hair masks, solid lotions, facial creams, shaving balms, soaps.

Formulation notes - Illipe butter can be used in its raw form on the skin, it is however a very solid butter so you would have trouble applying it. Illipe butter can come refined or unrefined. Refined is softer, paler in colour and easier to work with. Unrefined illipe butter retains more nutrients however has a stronger odour, is harder and less pliable than refined illipe butter. Do not use over 10% butters in your formulas otherwise you will have stability issues. Illipe butter has a very high melting point it starts to melt at 36°C, this means it will keep its solid form longer than other butters. It is a good choice to help thicken balms, and create hard bars of soaps and other bar type formulas. When using illipe butter limit the amount of waxes used as illipe butter functions as a wax would thickening and hardening formulas.

Odour - Mild nutty odour.

Form - Solid butter.

Heat sensitivity - Melting point between 36–42°C.

Solubility - Oil soluble.

Natural / synthetic status - Natural.

Contraindications - Illipe butter is generally safe for most skin types. Those with allergies to nuts should heed caution. Always do a patch test when using new ingredients.