Illipe Butter

One of the more exotic butters, Illipe originates in southeastern Asia.  The nuts from the Shorea stenoptera tree are harvested and pressed to extract the raw fat within.  The resulting butter is a very hard, but very emollient product.  Similar in composition to Cocoa Butter, Illipe makes a fine base ingredient for balms, lotions and creams.  It can also be used in soapmaking to create firm, highly moisturizing bars.  Illipe Butter is especially useful in the treatment of mature or chronically dry skin as its application can help to reinforce the skin’s natural moisture barrier.  Unlike Cocoa Butter, Illipe Butter tends to be very light, sometimes white in color, and has little to no characteristic aroma.  While it does have a higher melting point than Cocoa Butter, with some slight adjustments Illipe Butter can make a fine substitute for Cocoa Butter in many formulations.