I think I sometimes forget that I've been talking about the chemistry of butters and oils on the Rainforest Chica page for years. Many of my followers have also read Susan M Parker 's book, so concepts like melting points and crystallization have become second nature to us.

Then I visit other groups and realize that many people are just starting their journey with natural butters. Questions that seem basic to me are brand new to someone else. That's one of the reasons I enjoy sharing posts like this, hopefully they make the learning curve a little easier.

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I see quite a few posts here asking whether coconut oil is still usable after melting, so I thought I'd share a post about the melting points of cosmetic butters.
Keep in mind that both butters and oils are fats. We generally refer to fats that are solid at room temperature as butters, while those that remain liquid at room temperature are called oils. I also saw a few comments on my popular post about melt and pour butter blends that they will be "grainy", this post will help with that too.

What is a melting point?

A melting point is the temperature at which a fat changes from a solid to a liquid. Below its melting point, the fat is solid. Above it, the fat is liquid.

Melting and solidifying again do not change a butter's chemical composition or its skin-loving properties. As long as it hasn't been overheated to the point of degradation or mixed with water or other contaminants, a melted butter is still the same butter.

Some butters and butter blends can become grainy after melting because they naturally contain different fats that solidify at different temperatures. When they cool slowly, some fats have more time to form larger crystals, creating a grainy texture. If this happens, you can often restore a smooth texture by gently remelting the butter until completely liquid, then "forcing" it to solidify by placing it in the refrigerator. Faster cooling encourages the formation of smaller crystals, resulting in a smoother butter.

A grainy texture is simply a physical change, it does not mean the butter has gone bad or lost its beneficial properties.