Shea butter oil: what it is and how to use it

What is the difference between shea butter and shea oil?

Shea butter comes from the nuts of African shea trees. The butter is solid at room temperature and melts against skin. Fractionation separates shea butter into two parts: harder shea stearin and softer shea olein. Olein is used in cosmetic formulas and can melt at about 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, depending on processing. A product called shea oil therefore need not stay liquid in every room.12

Refining and fractionation change more than texture. Processing can remove some naturally occurring compounds, and the softer and harder fractions have different compositions. Raw butter generally retains more of these compounds, but that alone is not a reason to choose it over a finished moisturizer. Texture, the rest of the formula and how your skin tolerates the product still matter.12

What does shea butter do for skin?

Shea butter acts as an emollient, meaning it softens and smooths skin. Its fats lubricate the surface and help retain moisture, making it useful for dry skin. Shea butter's most useful job is keeping moisture in, which is less glamorous than the marketing and more useful after a shower. It also contains substances with anti inflammatory activity and can help ease irritation.12

Pure butter and a moisturizer containing shea have different roles. A finished moisturizer can combine emollients with humectants, which attract water, and occlusives, which reduce water loss. Glycerin is a humectant; petrolatum and dimethicone are examples of occlusives. A moisturizer can combine several jobs in one formula, so your bathroom does not need a separate department for each one. Choose a cream if you want those functions together rather than a single fat.3

How do you use shea butter?

Use these general moisturizing steps for a shea containing cream or balm.

1. 1Wash with a gentle, moisturizing cleanser. For dry or sensitive body skin, choose a fragrance free product.
2. 2Apply the moisturizer after washing or bathing, while skin is still damp, to help trap existing moisture.
3. 3Repeat according to dryness and the product's directions. Slightly dry skin can need only a light moisturizer at night; drier skin can need more frequent application.
4. 4During the day, apply sunscreen over moisturizer on exposed skin. Choose broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.

There is no need to reserve moisturizer for bedtime: leave on creams and lotions can also be applied at other times. General moisturizer benefits are greatest during the first six hours after application, and regular use two to three times a day can be needed for dry skin. These are moisturizing principles, not a special dosing schedule for shea olein.3

What results should you expect?

Regular shea butter use helps skin retain moisture and feel softer and smoother. There is no established shea specific timetable here for reducing wrinkles or treating breakouts. Treat shea as moisturizing skincare rather than a replacement for an acne treatment. It is also not a sunscreen substitute: its own sun protection is too low to prevent sunburn or sun damage.1

Is shea butter suitable for sensitive skin?

A shea containing moisturizer can be suitable for sensitive skin, but tolerance belongs to the complete formula. In a three week trial, 35 women with sensitive skin used a moisturizer containing shea butter, coconut oil, glycerin, ceramide 3 and squalane on their face and body twice daily. None developed visible skin reactions or reported adverse events. One reported mild prickling and itching immediately after application, which resolved after absorption. Those results apply to that moisturizer, not every shea butter or shea oil.5

The trial excluded people with active skin disease, a history of allergic reactions to topical cosmetics or drugs, and recent vitamin A acid treatment. If you have those concerns, do not use its results as a reason to assume a new shea formula will suit you. For eczema, moisturizing is part of skin care, and shea containing products are among the options for dry skin.45

Who should be careful?

• Shea butter can clog pores and worsen breakouts, so it is not the best choice for acne prone skin.
• People with seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff should be cautious because the related yeast can grow in shea butter.
• People with latex allergy should avoid raw shea butter or choose refined shea butter.

Acne treatments such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, adapalene, tretinoin and isotretinoin can dry and irritate skin. Daily moisturizer can help skin tolerate them, but pure shea butter is not the default choice. Look for a moisturizer labeled noncomedogenic, meaning unlikely to clog pores, or oil free. Apply it after washing while some water remains on your skin. If breakouts continue, a dermatologist can help choose a moisturizer alongside your acne treatment.6

Stop using a moisturizer if an itchy, inflamed rash develops. A clinician can investigate suspected contact allergy with patch testing, including reactions to fragrance, preservatives or the formula's other ingredients. Occlusive moisturizers can also cause or worsen acne and folliculitis, which is inflammation around hair follicles.3

How does shea butter compare with coconut oil?

For dry body skin, either can serve a moisturizing role. Coconut oil is best used after bathing, focusing on dry areas such as elbows, knees, hands and feet. Avoid applying it to acne prone shoulders, chest or back, and be cautious around the eyes because it can contribute to milia, small white or yellow bumps. Neither pure fat is a sensible first choice for a face that breaks out easily.7

What should you look for in a shea moisturizer?

For very dry body skin, thicker creams and ointments generally provide more moisture than lighter lotions. A body product is not automatically the best face product: facial skin is thinner and more sensitive, and face moisturizers are often formulated to be lighter and less likely to cause acne. Paying more does not necessarily buy a more effective moisturizer, so the receipt is not a performance report.4