FAQs
Raw shea butter can be sticky, and hard to break off — especially in cold weather when it hardens even more. Whipped shea butter contains oils that help soften up the butter and enhance its healing and moisturizing properties. All of our whipped shea butters are at least 55% shea butter — so you get a high portion.
What are the disadvantages of raw shea butter? ›
Shea butter has soothing and anti-aging properties that may make skin appear smoother and reduce aging. However, pure shea butter on your face could lead to breakouts. Even using some products that just contain a smaller percentage of shea butter may lead to acne.
How can you tell good quality shea butter? ›
Well-made shea butter shouldn't stink! It should have a faint smoky/shea smell that isn't unpleasant at all. When it smells sour or bad it is because it isn't well made, mostly from the moisture content being too high, and it is in the process of going rancid.
How do I choose the best shea butter? ›
So, when buying this miracle ingredient, the most crucial factor you should consider is the colour. Unrefined Shea Butter is typically a creamy, off-white colour. If the Shea Butter is white or yellow, it may have been refined or bleached. The aroma of unrefined Shea Butter is also distinct and nutty.
Is whipped or regular shea butter better? ›
In addition to the nutrients, whipping the shea butter makes it much easier to use texturally. Raw unrefined shea butter is stiffer and harder to work with in its raw form. It usually requires warming up in a tub of warm water or pulling small clumps of it from its dense packing.
Is unrefined shea butter better than refined shea butter? ›
Refined Shea Butter is white and odorless. The refining process removes the color and scent and in the process most of the natural healing properties. Refined Shea Butter has a longer shelf life and is still a good moisturizer but it lacks the natural skin regenerating benefits of Unrefined Shea Butter.
Who should avoid shea butter? ›
Because the shea tree can contain natural latex, it may trigger a reaction in people with a latex allergy. Anyone with an allergy to latex is at risk of having an allergic reaction when using shea butter.
Does raw shea butter go rancid? ›
Raw unrefined Shea butter is a very stable plant fat, so no worries about it going rancid. Just store it in a dry and cool place and your Shea butter can last for years. However, over the years, the nutrients in the Shea butter do start breaking down.
Do dermatologists recommend shea butter? ›
“It can be especially helpful for dry, reactive skin,” says dermatologist Alok Vij, MD. Learn about the benefits of shea butter and decide if it's destined to become your new favorite product.
Is there anything better than shea butter? ›
But, recently, there's been another body butter gaining popularity — murumuru butter. It's even more moisturizing and nourishing than shea butter. Plus, it offers so many other incredible benefits to your skin. Learn more about these two ingredients, and what sets them apart below.
Texture: While shopping pure Shea butter, make sure that the texture should not be hard or greasy. The content of Vitamin E in the unrefined Shea fat offers amazing moisturizing effect on your skin. The pure Shea butter contains small bits and chips of Shea nuts while in the refined one; you will not feel the same.
What country has the best shea butter? ›
Out of these countries, the most common sources of quality shea butter are Ghana, Nigeria and Northern Uganda. There are two tree sub-species that yield shea butter nuts. The first is Vitellaria Paradoxa from West Africa (Ghana and Nigeria). The second is Vitellaria Nilotica from East Africa (Uganda).
How do you test the quality of shea butter? ›
If you are unsure about the quality of your shea butter, you can perform simple tests to check for purity. For example, you can melt a small amount of butter and let it cool. Pure shea butter should solidify quickly and have a smooth, creamy texture.
What is best combination shea butter? ›
In order to enhance the effects of shea butter on skin cracks, it is possible to combine it with rose geranium essential oil, spike lavender essential oil, or cistus essential oil. These mixtures are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, giving them softening, soothing, and protective properties.
Is yellow or ivory shea butter better? ›
The most desirable Shea butter is that which is unrefined. Yellow Shea will typically be raw when purchased and will have a potent odor with lots of impurities. Shea butter which is unrefined will usually be white colored which means it has been processed through a filter so the impurities have been removed.
Are there different grades of shea butter? ›
Commercial shea butter is now classified into five grades: A (raw or unrefined, extracted using water), B (refined), C (highly refined and extracted with solvents such as hexane), D (lowest uncontaminated grade), E (with contaminants).
Is African shea butter better than shea butter for skin? ›
Nilotica Shea Butter has a higher oleic acid content, which makes it softer and more creamy compared to West African Shea Butter. West African Shea Butter by comparison has a higher stearic acid content, which gives it a more solid texture. Nilotica Shea Butter has 25% more essential fatty acids.