Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
A rich, soft fat from the nut of the African shea tree. Seals in moisture, softens and reduces frizz; can be heavy on fine or low porosity hair.
About Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Shea butter is the fat extracted from the nuts of the shea tree, which grows across West and Central Africa. It is mostly made of stearic and oleic acids, which give it a soft-solid texture at room temperature that melts on contact with skin. It also contains a relatively high share of 'unsaponifiables' — natural compounds such as plant sterols and triterpenes — especially in unrefined grades.
In hair care, shea butter is a classic sealant. It coats strands, slows the loss of water from the hair after you moisturize, adds softness and reduces frizz and tangling. It is the backbone of many butters, curl creams and twist puddings for coily hair, and a common final step in the LOC (liquid, oil, cream) method.
Who tends to love it: people with thick, coarse, high porosity or very dry hair, especially in cold, dry weather, and people who wear twists and braids. Who may find it heavy: people with fine or low porosity hair, where it can sit on the surface, leave a waxy film and need a more thorough wash to remove. Using less, warming it in your hands first and applying it to damp hair helps.
Unrefined shea is ivory or yellow with a nutty smell; refined shea is white and nearly odorless. It comes from a tree nut, so we flag it for nut allergies, although reactions to cosmetic shea are reported to be rare — ask your doctor if you're unsure. Shea butter is approved for the Curly Girl Method.
How our checker rates it
| Mode | Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Curly Girl | OK | No concerns for this mode. |
| Relaxed hair | Good | Softens and helps seal in moisture. |
| Low porosity | Caution | Heavy ingredient near the top of the list — can sit on low-porosity hair and build up. |
| Protein-sensitive | OK | No concerns for this mode. |
Ratings assume it is listed near the top of the label. After the first preservative or fragrance (likely 1% or less) most cautions soften.
What butter ingredients do
Solid plant fats such as shea and mango butter. Rich and sealing — great for dry ends, but heavy for fine or low-porosity hair.
This one is on the heavy side, so it can weigh down fine or low-porosity hair if it sits near the top of a product’s list.
It comes from a tree nut. If you have a nut allergy, check with your doctor before using products that contain it.
Also listed as
- shea butter
- raw shea butter
- unrefined shea butter
- butyrospermum parkii butter
- vitellaria paradoxa butter
- vitellaria paradoxa (shea) butter
- karite butter
Similar ingredients
Sources
Last data update:
- Robbins CR. Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair. 5th ed. Springer; 2012. Reference text on hair structure, surfactants, conditioning agents, protein, heat and chemical treatments.
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR). Ingredient safety assessments. Safety assessments for cosmetic ingredients cited on ingredient pages.
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