Shea Butter, Unrefined, 1 kg

Unrefined shea butter (shea, karité) is a vegetable fat pressed from the seeds of the Vitellaria paradoxa tree, which grows in the savannas of West Africa. It is added to cosmetics as an emollient: it softens dry and rough skin, forms a protective layer on it that limits water evaporation, and gives body to creams, body butters, and balms. It works equally well in hair care, where it restores elasticity and shine to dry and brittle hair.

This butter of West African origin is produced by mechanical pressing, drying, and filtration, without refining, bleaching, or deodorisation. It therefore retains its natural scent and the full proportion of accompanying substances for which shea butter is valued in cosmetics. The raw material is vegan and has food-grade quality, making it suitable for lip balms as well.

What it brings to the formula

• Skin softening and protection – the butter forms a cohesive film on the skin that slows moisture loss. This is most appreciated by dry, cracked, and wind-exposed skin on hands, feet, and lips.
• Unsaponifiable fraction – shea butter contains an unusually high proportion of substances that do not convert into soap and remain in the product as a conditioning component. These are associated with the soothing effect for which the butter has traditionally been used on irritated and reddened skin.
• Antioxidant protection – the manufacturer states that the butter contains antioxidants that help neutralise free radicals. According to their data, it supports skin elasticity and firmness and helps reduce visible signs of ageing.
• Hair and scalp care – in hair butters and masks, it smooths dry, damaged, and frizzy hair, reduces brittleness, and adds shine. On the scalp, it relieves the feeling of tightness and dryness.
• Texture and consistency – in emulsions, it increases viscosity and gives creams a fuller, richer body. In anhydrous balms and sticks, it forms a base that melts on contact with the skin.

Use in formulation

The butter belongs in the oil phase. When making emulsions, it is melted together with the other oils and emulsifier and added during emulsification. In anhydrous products, it is dissolved directly in the heated mixture of oils and waxes; whipped butters are whipped during the cooling phase. It melts at body temperature, approximately 28–34 °C, so a water bath is sufficient for melting. The recommended processing temperature is up to 60 °C. Prolonged or intense heating alters the scent and unnecessarily stresses the sensitive accompanying substances.

Dosage ranges from 1 to 100 % depending on the product type. In light facial creams and lotions, a small proportion in the oil phase is sufficient; in body creams and butters the proportion is higher, and in lip balms, sticks, and whipped butters it can form the majority or the entire oil base. It can also be used pure, without further processing, in both rinse-off and leave-on products.

Unrefined butter also brings its natural, mildly nutty and sweet scent to the formula. In a product without fragrance it will remain noticeable; at lower dosages most fragrance compositions will mask it.

The butter contains no water and therefore does not require preservation on its own. A preservative is only needed once it becomes part of an emulsion or other product with a water phase.

Suitable for products such as

• Body butters and whipped butters – on their own or blended with lighter oils to reduce density and speed up absorption.
• Hand and foot creams, balms for cracked skin – wherever a protective film with longer-lasting effect is important.
• Lip balms and sticks – the food-grade quality of the raw material is an advantage here.
• Facial creams for dry and mature skin – at lower dosages as a richer emollient in the oil phase.
• Hair butters, masks, and leave-in conditioners – for dry, damaged, and frizzy hair and ends.
• Baby cosmetics and products for sensitive skin – due to low irritation potential and the absence of fragrance allergens.
• Cold process soap – as a hardening and conditioning fat in the fat blend.

Good to know

• The shade of unrefined butter naturally varies between batches from greyish-white to beige. In light-coloured creams, this may affect the product colour at higher dosages.
• Pure butter will soften in a warm room or in summer and solidify in the cold. Adjust the formula of anhydrous products to the season by adding wax or liquid oil.
• The skin feel is richer than with refined butter. A lighter result can be achieved by combining it with fast-absorbing oils (e.g. Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride) or with ester emollients.
• For products with a longer expected shelf life, we recommend adding an antioxidant, such as Tocopherol, to protect the unsaturated fatty acids from oxidation.

Difference between unrefined and refined shea butter

Unrefined butter undergoes only pressing and filtration, retaining its scent, colour, and the full proportion of unsaponifiable substances. Refined butter is bleached and deodorised, has a neutral scent, white colour, and more consistent properties between batches, but some of the accompanying substances are lost during refining. Choose the unrefined version where you want to make use of the full spectrum of components and the natural scent is not a concern. Refined butter belongs in fragranced and light-coloured formulas where the raw material should be as neutral as possible.

Frequently asked questions