What Is Shea Butter?

Shea butter is actually the fat of the nuts from the African shea (karite) tree. It is rich in vitamins A, D and E, plus essential fatty acids.

It is solid at room temperature but when rubbed between hands or onto skin it melts and can be easily absorbed. Shea butter has a nutty aroma and it only takes a little bit of butter to cover a large area.

Who can use:  All skin types. It is gentle enough for use on sensitive skin, and effective enough for rough, red and dry skin. It is also non-comedogenic so it doesn't clog pores.

Qualities: Emollient (moisturizing), soothing, softening, protective, anti-inflammatory.

The word Shea is derived from the word S’í, the Bambara name given to the tree in Mali. Throughout Africa, the continent of its origin, it goes by many other names, including Kade or Kadanya in the Hausa language, Ori in some parts of West Africa, and Karité in the Wolof language of Senegal.

The main chemical constituents of Shea Butter are: Oleic Acid, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Cinnamic Acid Esters, Allantoin, and Polyphenols (Tocopherol/Vitamin E).

Raw Shea Butter

Raw butter is shea butter which has not been filtered in any way, even through a cheese cloth. This type of shea butter will always come as a paste (usually in a jar or tub). Since it cannot be poured into molds, it will not be shaped in any way.

Because raw shea butter is not filtered, it is common for it to have flecks of impurities in it. It is usually a deep yellow color but can also be greenish, depending on how mature the shea nuts were when they were harvested.

Unrefined Shea Butter

Unrefined is often confused with raw shea butter; however, there is a slight difference between these two types of shea butter. With unrefined shea butter, filtering is allowed so long as it does not affect the qualities of the raw shea butter. Most commonly, unrefined shea butter is filtered using cheese cloth. Unrefined shea butter can also be poured into molds, so it is fairly common to find these products in bars or sticks.

Refined Shea Butter

Refined Shea butter has undergone some form of processing in order to remove its odor and/or change its properties. It is also common for refined shea butter to have additives, such as perfumes or preservatives. Refined shea butter is generally very smooth and has a white color instead of yellow color. It is not considered as "healthy" as raw or unrefined shea butter because the refinement process destroys some of the nutrients in the shea butter.

Ultra-Refined Shea Butter

If shea butter has been "ultra-refined", it has gone through at least two filtering systems that change its composition. Ultra-refined shea butter is typically used for mass-produced cosmetics. It will almost always be very white in color. The consistency can vary, depending on how the manufacturer wants to use the shea butter in a product, such as it having a firm consistency for a lip balm or being more liquid-like for a hair conditioner. This type of shea butter is considered the least healthy because it loses nutrients in the refinement process. The chemicals used in the refinement process can also be unhealthy, such as hexane.

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