Formulator’s Guide to Butter Pearls + 3-Ingredient Butter Bar Formula

I’ve had a pack of butter pearls begging to be used, so here I am, finally making their wish come true.

If you spend any time crafting balms, butters, lotion bars, or massage bars, you’ve probably noticed how much of the final skin feel comes down to your oil-phase structure. Too soft, too oily, too draggy, too quick to melt… or not melty enough.

This is exactly where butter pearls shine. In this guide, we’re unpacking what butter pearls are, when to reach for them, and how they can help you perfect smooth, stable, melt-on-skin anhydrous textures. And to top it all off, we’re finishing with a super-simple yet super-divine 3-ingredient body melt recipe, perfect for treating yourself or gifting this holiday season!

What are butter pearls?

Despite the fancy name, butter pearls are neither butters nor pearls. :)

The name refers to an ingredient with the INCI C10–18 Triglycerides, whose main function is as a fatty thickener used to boost viscosity, stability, and richness in formulations.

C10–18 triglycerides, often sold as “butter pearls”, are a blend of triglycerides whose esterified fatty acids range from 10 to 18 carbons. This gives them their characteristic melting behavior and buttery texture. They function as solid or soft-solid emollients and oil-phase gelling agents that melt at near-skin temperature, improve spreadability, add body to formulations, and can be used to thicken liquid oils into scoopable butters.

Use them for texture, stability, and a “buttery” sensory experience without relying on traditional plant butters.

Can you use butter pearls in natural formulations?

Butter pearls can be considered “natural” in the sense that they are derived from naturally occurring fatty acids - but there are a few nuances worth understanding. These triglycerides are typically produced by esterifying glycerol with fatty acids sourced from plant oils such as coconut, palm, olive, or other vegetable oils. The fatty acids themselves exist naturally in these oils, but the final ingredient is a purified, processed triglyceride blend that’s standardized for chain length and melting behavior.

To create C10–18 triglycerides, the raw plant oils undergo fractionation, purification, and esterification. There is no chemical modification of the fatty acids beyond esterification, and no synthetic fatty acids are usually added in cosmetic-grade materials. Because the fatty acids come from plants, C10–18 triglycerides can be considered "naturally derived" - but they are not the same as raw plant butters or whole oils, and they are intentionally processed for consistency and functional performance.

While the base materials are plant-derived, the finished ingredient is a refined triglyceride rather than a botanical butter rich in unsaponifiables or phytonutrients. In other words, butter pearls do not contain the minor compounds (like tocopherols or sterols) found in natural butters. Instead, they are structured lipids designed to offer predictable stability, viscosity, and a buttery sensory profile in formulations.

For details about your ingredient’s origin and composition, always check the official documentation from your supplier.

Main characteristics:

• Appearance: white, waxy granules

• Solubility: oil-soluble

• Melting point: 37–41°C

• Function: oil-phase structurant/fatty thickener

• Origin: coconut, palm, olive, or other vegetable oils

• Status: COSMOS-approved (check with your supplier)

How to use butter pearls in formulation

Typical usage ranges below align with common supplier recommendations and practical formulation outcomes, but always check with your supplier for reliable information and, most importantly, test and experiment yourself.

• Creams & lotions (oil phase): 1–5% for a richer, more cushiony texture and improved stability

• Balms: 10–15% to add body and improve spreadability

• Lotion bars/massage bars: 10–30% depending on desired firmness and slip

• Oil-to-butter: 15–25% can turn liquid oils into a soft, scoopable, butter-like texture

Note:

Butter pearls do not work well at very low percentages (e.g., 1-3%) in anhydrous products when the goal is to thicken oils for particle suspension (for example, in a shimmer oil). At such low levels, they tend to settle out of the oil phase.

When are butter pearls a good choice - and do you need them?

Butter pearls are great when you need:

·         A stable, standardized solid lipid (with less variability in color and scent than natural butters)

·         A skin-temperature melt

·         Better glide and improved spreadability

·         Less heavy greasiness compared to many plant butters

·         A lower-cost final product (raw plant butters usually increase costs)

When they are not the best choice:

·         When you're aiming for 100% natural, raw, unprocessed products

·         When you want to stick to simple, traditional ingredients

·         When you need a fast-absorbing, lightweight, matte-finish product

Are they a must in a formulator's ingredient stock?

I’d say not really, but they’re fun to work with and they offer something distinct from other fatty thickeners. You won’t achieve the same texture or slip by substituting butter pearls with waxes (which tend to feel heavier and stickier), nor with fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol or cetearyl alcohol (which are less rich than butter pearls and give a silkier, more matte finish).

Now that you’re equipped with the main characteristics and key information about butter pearls, let’s wrap up the theory and move on to the fun part - formulating!

Below, I’m sharing a very basic 3-ingredient formula for a beautiful body bar, along with a second version featuring a festive blend of essential oils.

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Body bar formula

Description:

This rich, melt-on-skin body bar delivers aromatic pampering with a smooth, buttery glide. It softens on contact, leaving the skin silky, smooth and nourished. The festive essential oil blend adds a warm, uplifting aroma perfect for seasonal self-care or gifting.

How to use:

Glide it directly over clean, dry skin. Massage in the melted oils until fully absorbed. Use after showering or anytime your skin needs extra softness and glow.

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SIMPLE BODY BAR (3-ingredient base formula):

• A

• 70% Cocoa butter

• 15% Butter pearls

• B

•  15% Fractionated coconut oil

AROMATIC BODY BAR (formula with essential oils):

• A

• 70% Cocoa butter

• 15% Butter pearls

• B

• 13% Fractionated coconut oil

• 1.30% Mandarin essential oil

• 0.43% Vanilla CO₂ extract (3% dilution in jojoba oil)

• 0.20% Benzoin resin

• 0.07% Cinnamon essential oil

METHOD:

1.   Melt the phase A ingredients in a beaker over a bain-marie.

2.  Remove from the water bath, place the beaker in an ice bath, and stir until it cools down.

3.   Transfer to the fridge to allow the mixture to start firming up.

4.   Add Phase B and stir until the mixture is viscous but still pourable.

5.   Pour the mixture into a silicone mould.

6.   Place the bars in the fridge for approximately 2 hours, then allow them to set at room temperature overnight before unmolding.

7.   Store in a jar between uses.

Notes:

• I haven’t tried it, but I believe this formula would work in stick packaging as well.

• Depending on the climate you live in, you can decrease or increase the butter pearls percentage to achieve a firmer or softer bar.

• This formula is perfect for making a shimmer version, since it is stirred until trace before being poured into the mould. If formulating a shimmery bar, I would add 2–3% sparkly mica.

• You can substitute fractionated coconut oil with any other carrier oil.

• Choose essential oils of your choice. For a lighter fragrance, you can reduce the essential oil percentage to 1%.

Here’s to a joyful, cozy, and wonderfully fragrant December - happy end of the year! :)