Shea butter is such a wonderful ingredient to use in our products because it has so many benefits . . .
- It’s a fabulous moisturizer that doesn’t feel greasy.
- It has antioxidants and vitamins (A, E, F) that are wonderful for your skin.
- It enhances collagen production, which can help smooth out wrinkles (and stretch marks).
- It has anti-inflammatory benefits that can help soothe dry skin, even eczema and psoriasis.
- It can offer some protection against the sun (with a natural SPF of 3-6).
- It’s safe for ALL skin types!
But we’ve learned along the way that not all shea butter is created equally. Some shea butters even go bad! 😲
Here are 3 ways to tell if it's HIGH QUALITY shea butter:
1. Smell!
- That’s right, it should actually smell pleasant. Well-made shea butter should have a faint smoky/earthy/nutty smell. If it smells sour or bad, then it’s not well-made. Shea butter that has the right moisture content (low) will stay good for years, while shea butter that has too much moisture will go rancid much faster.
- High quality, unrefined shea butter is usually an off-white, ivory, or buttery yellow color. The color of the shea can be affected by the soil content, how much rain occurs, or when the fruit blossoms.
- If the shea butter is ivory white (and has no smell), it has usually been bleached and treated with chemicals.
- It should feel smooth and creamy and easily soak into your skin. It should not feel hard or greasy.
We use only the highest quality shea butter for our products because we care about you guys and the world around us. We source our shea butter from a small company called Baraka, which sells only hand-crafted shea butter that has been made by communities of women in Ghana. These women are amazing! Read more about Baraka here and how their company supports these hard-working women in Ghana.
You can find the Baraka hand-crafted shea butter in our Bar Soaps, Hand & Body Lotions, Body Butters, Lip Balms, and Deodorant.
