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Tawni Bannister for Byrdie
If your skin type is dry or sensitive, numerous ingredients under the humectant or emollient umbrellas can boost skin moisture, including hyaluronic acid, glycerin, ceramides, lanolin, and squalane. But one ingredient that tops our list of treating dryness (and is constantly utilized in skincare and haircare) is shea butter.
As an ingredient in a product formula or in its natural and pure form, shea butter has multiple benefits—from reducing premature fine lines and wrinkles to soothing skin conditions like eczema. For a full picture of the ingredient's benefits, side effects, and more, we tapped top dermatologists Y. Claire Chaang, MD, and Alicia Zalka, MD, as well as cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong, PhD, and celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas.
Keep reading for tips on how to use this dry skin-soothing, powerhouse ingredient.
Meet the Expert
- Y. Claire Chang, MD, is a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City.
- Alicia Zalka, MD, is a dermatologist and the founder of Surface Deep.
- Michelle Wong, PhD, is a cosmetic chemist and content creator behind LabMuffin.
- Joanna Vargas is a celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Spas and Skin Care.
What Is Shea Butter?
"Shea butter is a plant lipid that comes from African shea tree nuts and is rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins," explains Chang. Wong calls it "essentially a solid oil." Shea butter also contains five essential fatty acids (a major amount coming from stearic and oleic acids), phytosterols, vitamins E and D, allantoin (good for healing skin irritations), and vitamin A.
Shea Butter
Type of ingredient: Hydrator
Main benefits: Hydrating, antioxidant, soothes irritation
Who should use it: In general, anyone with dry skin
How often can you use it: As much as you want, if you don't have an allergy.
Works well with: Other oils, cocoa butter
Don't use with: There are no ingredients known to interfere with shea butter
Benefits of Shea Butter for Skin
- Hydrating: "Shea Butter is great for hydration and calms the skin. It goes into the skin well and protects the face from extreme temperatures," says Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Spas and Skin Care.
- Plumps skin: "Shea butter is used to help moisturize, nourish, and soothe the skin," says Chang. "It is great for dry skin and can create softer, hydrated, plumper skin, especially during the dry winter months. Shea butter is also found in many lip balms to help with chapped lips as well as moisturizers that help prevent stretch marks."
- Helps fade scars both from acne and non-acne-related causes in addition to healing sunburned, cracked, and peeling skin. It soothes skin allergies like poison ivy and insect bites, as well as skin conditions like contact dermatitis and psoriasis. Some users have even reported that shea butter eases the symptoms of rheumatism (although this claim isn't proven, nor is it backed by our experts). Short of an allergic reaction, shea butter is also extremely safe—the Environmental Working Group classifies it as non-toxic.
The combination of components in shea butter also helps neutralize free radical damage, which may help reduce signs of aging.
Raw vs. Refined Shea Butter
When you shop for shea butter products, you'll notice that some are marked "raw," while others are marked "refined." Refined is another word for processed, so expect those products to be less potent, with fewer vitamins and minerals. The colors may also differ, as the raw products are more likely to be yellow in hue (versus the refined shea butters, which are most often white).
Shea Butter vs. Cocoa Butter
Like shea butter, cocoa butter is an emollient, so it's ultra-moisturizing on the skin. But while cocoa butter is full of vitamin A, shea butter offers more vitamin E and fatty acids. The fragrance also differs, as cocoa butter—which comes from cacao—smells of chocolate.
How to Use It
Shea butter can be used on its own, but it's also commonly used as an ingredient in cosmetics, so it's up to you how you use it. However, Wong notes that "Shea butter is best incorporated into a moisturizer with other ingredients, so it's easier to spread since it's usually a thick solid at room temperature."
If you're looking to use it on its own or make your own products, your best option will probably be buying it in bulk online from a wholesaler. Raw shea butter is meant to be rubbed on the skin to moisturize it and protect the skin barrier. Refined shea butter included in something else (lipsticks, lip balms, body creams, body butter) is used as a moisturizing ingredient in those as well.
Possible Side Effects
As with any ingredient, shea butter may cause allergic reactions in some. An allergic reaction may manifest as irritation, redness, or rash-like breakouts. "Shea butter may be best avoided if you have an allergy to tree nuts," Zalka says.
