How to soften cocoa butter in mixes?

[CurlyCap]

Hi all.

I'm discovering that my hair really loves cocoa butter. However, when I try to mix it into butters (shea, coconut, castor mixes), the cocoa butter never really "whips". As a result, I have this gritty texture to my homemade mixes.

I've been considering heating my butter mixes so everything melts first, and then whipping it. But I'm hesitant to do that after spending the money to get cold-pressed butters.

Any ideas?

[SleepyTangles]

Maybe you can grate the cocoa and just slightly warm it up, just to make it slightly meltish/creamier?

[durgidog]

I make body butter with both shae and cocoa butter in the recipe and always melt all of the ingredients first before whipping them and I have no problems with consistency. It doesn't take much heat, I just put the bowl in a pan of hot water - I don't use the stove at all.

[Shatam1]

I do the same as durgidog and melt my butters on hot water. I also add oils to them before I wip them so they become easier to handle after they set. I add coconut, avocado, lavender and many other oils. I use it on my hair, face and body.