Vanilla Butter, 100 g

Vanilla butter is an emollient with its own sweet scent. Sunflower oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil and vanilla fruit oil give balms and creams a softening fatty component along with a delicate vanilla note, so the product has a pleasant fragrance even without added perfume. It is suitable for body butters, lip balms, hand and nail creams, and hair butters.

Vanilla comes from Madagascar. The butter is of plant origin, vegan and free from palm oil. It contains none of the fragrance allergens that must be declared on the label.

What it contributes to the formulation

• Emollient – softens the skin, supports hydration and helps restore the skin barrier. According to the manufacturer, it absorbs quickly and does not leave a noticeably greasy film.
• Conditioning agent – in hair butters and creams it softens hair and makes it easier to detangle; the manufacturer states that it also leaves a pleasant scent in them.
• Antioxidant effect – according to the manufacturer's data, it helps protect the skin from external influences and oxidative stress.
• Skin soothing – the manufacturer states that it has a soothing effect on irritated skin.
• Fragrance – sweet vanilla directly from the raw material, without fragrance oil.

Use in formulation

The butter belongs to the oil phase. It dissolves in oils, not in water. It melts at 50 – 60 °C and is processed at temperatures up to 80 °C. In anhydrous balms, it is melted together with waxes and oils, the mass is poured into containers and left to set. In emulsions, it is added to the oil phase before emulsification and the emulsion is then cooled with constant stirring.

The dosage range is wide, 1 – 100 %. The butter on its own can serve as a finished body butter, in balms it forms a substantial part of the fatty component, and in emulsions it is used at lower proportions depending on how rich the texture should be.

The butter is compatible with anionic, cationic, amphoteric and non-ionic surfactants, acidic, neutral and alkaline pH, common preservatives and fragrance. It has a beige to ivory colour, so at a high proportion it may give the finished product a creamy tint.

Suitable for products such as

• body butters and solid balms for dry areas
• lip balms
• face creams and eye area preparations
• hair butters and leave-in hair creams
• nail and cuticle balms
• intimate balms

All listed uses are leave-on. The butter remains on the skin, where its softening effect and fragrance can take effect.

What is good to know

An anhydrous balm or body butter does not need a preservative. When the formulation contains water, a hydrolate or an aqueous extract, preservation is necessary regardless of the proportion of butter. The butter is compatible with common preservatives, so it does not restrict their selection.

The scent comes from vanilla fruit oil, which makes up 5 % of the butter. In the product it will present as a soft, natural vanilla note, not as an intense confectionery fragrance.

Frequently asked questions