Summer Butter Blues!

We’ve all done it…you pull your natural beard butter out of the cabinet, and what was once creamy, dreamy goodness is now a container of gritty roughness. There’s never joy in Mudville when that happens. In fact, it really annoys us at The Bearded Mack. But what to do? Well, you could always toss it and vow never to buy it again. You could also just suck it up and throw that crap in your beard and rough it. 

But wait, there are answers to your hairy situation. We can have that product in ship-shape in no time. But first, we have to get to the bottom of why this happens. While beard butters feel luxurious on your chin biscuit, they can clump or crystalize when you don’t take care of them. That can especially be true during temperature swings. That can happen during shipping in the heat of summer, or if butters and balms are not stored properly. Let’s face it, we’re men. We’re not exactly attentive to our beauty products. 

The Fix Is In!

So how do you fix it? If it’s one of the magical butters from The Bearded Mack, it’s just a matter of re-melting it and letting it solidify in the fridge. If it’s not our product, never fear. We’ll set that straight too. That’s as long as it doesn’t contain water, hydrosol or glycerin. If that’s the case, you’ll have to toss it out with Aunt Edna’s fruitcake. If not, we’re in business.

4 STEPS TO FIX YOUR GRITTY BODY BUTTER OR BALM

To fix your natural butter or balm, you’ll need:

• Clean, small Pyrex or other microwave-safe measuring cup (one with a handle)
• Clean, small rubber spatula, or spoon
• Microwave
• Original container of beard butter
• Small dish or tray
• Freezer

STEP 1: SCOOP OUT THE GRITTY BUTTER

With a small rubber spatula or spoon, scoop out the gritty butter and put it into a clean, Pyrex container. We recommend a spatula over a spoon, but either will do the job.  Set your original container aside on a small dish or tray, we’ll use that later.

STEP 2: MICROWAVE THE BUTTER FOR 15 SECONDS

Remove the spatula or spoon from the pyrex container. Heat the Pyrex container in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir, and then reheat for another 15 seconds before stirring again. Repeat this process until the butter is completely melted.

NOTE: DO NOT MICROWAVE IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER. You could damage it, as some of these containers are not microwave-safe and the labels could be metallic. Also, you don’t want to stick anything metal in the microwave. If you know, then you know. And do NOT overheat your butter! Not only could you be heading to the ER with some burns, you could ruin your butter. Once the butter is *just* melted, you’re done with the microwave.

STEP 3: LET IT SIT FOR TWO  MINUTES

Stir your melted butter well and let it sit for two minutes in the Pyrex cup. This will allow the butter to cool very slightly before you put it back into the original container. Pouring too-hot butter into your original container can crack or melt the container, and we don’t want that! Again, think of your skin. Use the cooling time to make sure you have space in your freezer for the butter on a tray/plate. 

STEP 4: REFILL THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER

Make sure the original container is on a small dish or tray. Once the two minutes are up, pour the melted butter back into the original container and put it all in the freezer. But keep it UNCOVERED WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL LID. We highly recommend using the small plate or tray to help transfer your butter to the freezer, as the butter will be hot, and a tray helps minimize any spills.

Leave your container in the freezer for about 1 hour. The larger the container, the longer it should stay in. Your butter will solidify quickly, ensuring all the gritty crystallization is gone. After about an honestly , take it out, let it come to room temperature, then put the original lid back on and ENJOY!

You can do this with any number of natural butter-based products that have turned to the ‘gritty side.’ Just always make sure to use common sense safety measures. **Note: we strongly recommend placing the container with the melted butter in the "FREEZER" and not the refrigerator. This will allow all the different fatty acids to rapidly cool at the same rate. 

**BONUS CLEANING TIP**

Ya filthy animal, clean up!  Wipe down all your spatulas and containers with paper towels before washing. This will minimize the amount of oils that go down your drains. Remember, just because you have a beard, doesn’t mean you can’t care about your plumbing. 

May your beard be buttery!

-The Bearded Mack