The 7 Best Shea Butter Brands For Skincare (2024 Update)

Shea butter is one of the most ancient natural moisturisers in Ghana, Uganda, and Chad, and it’s now extremely popular in the West. This yellow to white fat is simply the fat from the nut of the Vitellaria paradoxa or shea tree found across Africa.

As a moisturiser, shea butter is uniquely effective, shown to restore the skin’s moisture levels in just 2 hours, and it’s also free from side effects. For example, cocoa butter is also a particularly effective moisturiser thanks to its ceramides, but it’s far too pore-clogging, with a comedogenic rating of 4 out of 5. Shea butter, meanwhile, has a rating of 0 out of 5, and no other toxins, allergies or irritating compounds to speak of.

Even better, shea butter can mysteriously increase collagen. This moisturiser disables the collagenase enzyme, which breaks down existing collagen in human skin. The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt even imported shea butter to their pyramids on wagons, for its strong sunscreen ability against the harsh desert sun.

Shea butter is among the top 5 natural moisturisers, for acne patients or natural skincare enthusiasts. But which product should you buy? Let’s find out:

 

One – Essential Depot

Perhaps the greatest shea butter for sale today. Firstly, this shea butter is organically produced by local African villagers. That gives Essential Depot freedom from any toxic chemicals, like pesticides, herbicides or chemical solvents. It’s cold-pressed, with villagers handpicking the highest quality shea nuts for maximum nutrition.

It’s also sourced from the shea butter heartland of Ghana, giving it both expertise and the highest quality acne-clearing nutrition. Essential Depot is created using hand-wielded tools, after gathering nuts which fall from trees in remote areas of the country. No chemicals are used during any process: cleaning, dehusking, drying, roasting, boiling, separating, etc.

Essential Depot has only one ingredient: cold-pressed, unrefined shea butter. They have a 45 day money back guarantee, and the shelf life is a lengthy 18-24 months. According to Essential Depot, their shea butter may contain white patches and dark streaks, revealing its natural, unrefined state. Likewise, they filter the butter with a fine mesh, but state that flecks of husk and sediment may remain.

The Amazon reviews are equally positive, revealing the strong aroma that shea butter is known for, rather than a deodorised refined oil. Essential Depot’s shea butter is also grade A, and comes in a large 16oz jar. According to their website, this bottle is for cosmetic and topical use only.

Essential Depot can be summarised as meeting every single requirement for acne imaginable. If you’ve discovered the promising collagen-boosting and skin-moisturising powers of shea butter, Essential Depot is the product for you. 

Amazon link: Essential Depot Shea Butter.

 

Two – Plant Therapy

Our second shea butter is one of the first an acne patient should consider buying. It’s an ivory coloured shea butter, handcrafted by villagers in Ghana.

The butter is 100% pure and natural, containing no additives, pesticides or chemicals, as proven by a USDA organic certification. Most importantly, Plant Therapy’s shea butter is unrefined, unheated and non deodorised. This is absolutely vital, because heating shea butter damages some of its greatest acne-clearing compounds: vitamin E, cinnamic acid esters, and polyphenol antioxidants. Furthermore, the collagen-boosting powers of shea butter remain highly mysterious. The specific miracle compound is unknown, and intense heat runs the risk of destroying that compound.

There’s also a small difference between unrefined and raw, as unrefined is filtered naturally through a cheese cloth to remove impurities, including visible specks of fiber from the nut. Raw and unrefined shea butter will both clear acne excellently, and Plant Therapy fits the bill.

What’s more, a clear sign of raw shea butter is a natural nutty smell, and an ivory colour as opposed to pure white. Plant Therapy has the classic nutty aroma, according to reviews. Plant Therapy comes in a 16oz jar which could last for months, and are one of the most trustworthy oil companies overall. Their tea tree oils and lavender oils also make my lists.

Plant Therapy meets all requirements for an acne-friendly shea butter.

Amazon link: Plant Therapy Organic African Shea Butter.

 

Three – Alaffia

This shea butter is one of the most beloved by its reviewers. Hundreds of people have reported in with miraculous improvements in dry skin, stretch marks, and acne itself.

Importantly, the smell and colour of Alaffia are correct, being mildly nutty and with a slight burnt aroma. As for the official characteristics, Alaffia succeeds in every way. It’s unrefined, comes in an 11 ounce jar for a relatively low price, and originates from West Africa, specifically Togo rather than Ghana, which is equally acceptable.

Alaffia has endless guarantees on their Amazon page: no parabens, no phthalates, no synthetic fragrances, no artificial colourings etc. The shea butter is visibly an ivory colour, which is the ideal – this oil should never be a bright buttery yellow.

Alaffia is hand-made using traditional methods, meaning that hexane and other harsh chemicals are absent. Instead, the oil is completely cold-pressed and extracted, preserving any hidden compounds which scientists haven’t discovered yet, yet have been working miracles on African locals for thousands of years. Alaffia works with local cooperatives who handcraft the butter themselves using well-tested traditional methods.

If you cannot resist the pull of shea butter, Alaffia is an excellent product to try.

Amazon link: Alaffia Pure Unrefined Shea Butter.

 

Four – Plant Origin

Another shea butter which is certified Grade A by the American Shea Butter institute, and certified organic by the USDA, for a double hit of reassurance. 

Plant Origin comes in the usual weight of 16oz for months of supply. Its characteristics are all correct, being unrefined, pure and chemical free. Plant Origin’s shea butter is apparently lovingly harvested by local Ghanaian women, from only the finest trees, giving them a stable source of income. Plant Origin even takes care to protect the local ecosystem and prevent soil erosion.

The smell and texture of Plant Origin is also top quality, resembling a pure and wholesome shea butter in every way possible. Another interesting fact about shea butter is its high sun-protection factor (SPF) score of 6. The SPF figure measures how many extra minutes of sun exposure you can gain per 1 minute of exposure without being burnt, so a score of 6 equals an extra hour every 10 minutes.

Since sun exposure can worsen acne as well (how much depends on how strong your skin is), the SPF is yet another bonus power for shea butter: it’s like a natural sunscreen, and that’s why the Pharaohs loved it. Never skip applying an actual sunscreen, but shea butter could give you a natural boost, whether it’s Plant Origin or another unrefined brand.

Amazon link: Plant Origin Shea Butter.

 

Five – Perfect Body Harmony

This shea butter brand is double organic certified, by Oregon Tilth and the USDA. Perfect Body Harmony is handcrafted in Ghana and imported to the USA, and unrefined once again.

Perfect Body Harmony also keeps their shea butter particularly fresh, ordering a new batch for sale every 3 to 5 weeks. Their jar is confirmed to be free from BPA, and comes in the largest volume on this list, at 17.5 pounds. The customary UV radiation protection is built in as well, with a dark amber colour, increasing the shelf life. Luckily, shea butter is a more stable natural moisturiser than average anyway. It mostly consists of stearic acid and oleic acid, rather than the less stable linoleic acid.

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Perfect Body Harmony is once again free from any pointless additives, preservatives, or any chemicals. Unrefined shea butter is the sole ingredient. The one danger they warn of is a nut allergy, and that applies to all shea butters. It’s originally sourced from a nut, so if you have a known sensitivity to almonds or peanuts, test shea butter on your arm first, and definitely avoid eating it.

Perfect Body Harmony is a popular shea butter product, yet still manages to be elite quality. 

Amazon link: Perfect Body Harmony Raw Shea Butter.

 

Six – Aromatics International

Use this brand and you will again enjoy shea butter in its purest form. The only ingredient in this product is unrefined shea butter, with chemical additives and preservatives completely absent.

The bottle is a dark colour to protect against UV radiation, and the butter is handcrafted by local villagers in Ghana once again.

The location is a factor you should always consider with shea butter, because of its impact on the fat profile. All shea butters contain the same fatty acids, but in shea butters from east or central Africa, the content of oleic acid is significantly higher at 60% plus. In West African countries like Nigeria, Burkina Faso or Ghana, the oleic acid is a mere 40%, and this is preferable. When applied topically, high amounts of oleic acid weaken the skin barrier, leading to irritation and actually reducing moisture.

That’s why most of the products recommended here are sourced from Ghana, and Aromatics International is no exception. Why Ghana in particular? It’s a massive part of their culture, involved with wedding ceremonies, with mothers even moisturising their newborn babies with it. Consequently, they’re the world experts on how to make shea butter organically.

Elsewhere, Aromatics International fits all the requirements. It’s a cold-pressed shea butter and explicitly rejects hexane and harsh chemical processing agents. Aromatics International has no unique gimmick, but remains a perfect shea butter product for acne and skincare.

Link: buy it on their website.

 

Seven – Better Shea Butter

This shea butter is unrefined, and sourced from the traditional villages of Ghana. It’s also vegan and officially cruelty free, and among the most trusted shea butters, with thousands of enthusiastic reviews.

A bonus with Better Shea Butter is a free eBook you receive containing various recipes. Better Shea Butter also has some strong recipes on their YouTube channel, with one consisting of shea butter, carrot seed oil, rosehip seed oil, added vitamin E, and jojoba oil. Rosehip seed oil is very rich in vitamin A, while vitamin E prevents clogged pores. Jojoba oil, like shea butter, is an excellent natural moisturiser for acne.

Elsewhere, Better Shea Butter is pure, with no BPA or chemicals. The shelf life is 2 years according to the company, if you keep the shea butter away from direct sunlight and in a cool, dark place.

Quality report: the consensus is a very mild smell, but a natural and nutty one, while the colour is also rich. As always, there’s a few displeased reviews who dislike shea butter’s innate smell. Occasionally, shea butters which claim to be totally natural and unrefined will have a smell and colour resembling a processed cooking oil, but Better Shea Butter isn’t one of them.

Amazon link: Better Shea Butter Unrefined.

 

Conclusion

You now seven great choices for shea butter. Another great brand is Shea Terra, which is cold-pressed and traditionally harvested, but wasn’t included due to originating from Uganda in central Africa, and possibly having increased oleic acid levels. However, Shea Terra is still a reliable company and a possible product to try.

How strong and trustworthy is the market? It’s stronger than many oils, because the African villagers who invented and perfected the shea butter extraction process have the whole industry on lockdown. Any shea butter which somehow doesn’t come from Africa will be frowned on by industry experts, and countries like Ghana refuse to allow the slightest chemical solvent or diluted product to enter their land.

Therefore, there are less adulterated jars in the shea butter market than usual, but for guaranteed safety, these 7 brands are unbeatable. 

NEXT: the ultimate diet for clearing acne permanently

 

Thanks for reading!