Frequently Asked Questions

Click the question of interest and you will be directed to the answer to the shea butter frequently asked question.

Q: What is shea butter?

ANS:  Shea Butter is an oily extract from the seed of the Shea fruit. The extract is known to contain important bioactive nutrients that are helpful in daily personal care. The larger the bioactive fraction the more valuable is the butter.   The Bioactive nutrients include, but not limited to, Vitamins A, E, F, Cinnamates, phytosterol, and other phytonutrients.  Clinical studies have shown that daily use of shea butter for one month is guaranteed to change and improve the quality and appearance of your skin.

Q: Why do people use shea butter?

ANS: 100 % PURE SHEA BUTTER is a superior moisturizer, containing remarkable healing properties for various skin aliments. Unrefined Shea Butter has the largest healing fraction and contains very special natural ingredients that are ideal for healthier skin. Shea Butter contains the one vitamin that is absolutely mandatory for healthy skin.

Additionally, Shea Butter contains several natural natural anti-inflammatory agents and a minor sunscreen agent. Clinical studies have shown that this product transforms the skin in as little as 4-6 weeks, into a softer, smoother, and better looking skin. Those who routinely use shea butter report a number of other special benefits for skin ailments, including blemishes, itching, sunburns, small skin wounds, eczema, skin allergies, and wrinkles. Because of an abundance of healing ingredients, and its superior moisturizing activity, Shea Butter is in a unique class, as a stand-alone personal care product. Want to learn more uses of shea butter? Then review 21 Reasons to Use Shea Butter.

Q: What is the purpose of refining shea butter?

ANS:  Shea Butter is refined to remove among other things, odor, color and other undesirables. . Unfortunately, the refining process removes not only the odor and color, but also removes the important bioactive nutrients. The refining process leaves a snow-white shea butter, without an odor, and often with a marked reduction in bioactive nutrients.  Scientists only recently became more aware of the valuable nutrients in the bioactive fraction of shea butter.  For many years the bioactive nutrients were discarded. Today much scientific attention is giving to the bioactive nutrients found in shea butter.

During the refining process, up to 75% or more of the Bioactive ingredients can be lost. The amount and degree of refining will determine the amount of bioactive ingredients lost; therefore, you can expect ultra refined Shea Butter to have the least amount of the important nutrients.

Q: What is the bioactive fraction?

ANS:   Shea butter is a rather complex product that consists of two important fractions.  The two fractions are commonly called the Bioactive Fraction and the Moisturizing Fraction. Understanding Shea Butter requires understanding of the two important fractions.

The Bioactive Fraction bioactive fraction accounts for less than 10% of the butter. The bioactive fraction includes, but not limited to nutrients such as, Vitamins A, Vitamins E, Vitamins F, Cinnamates, phytosterol, and other phytonutrients.  Shea butter with a bioactive fraction of 3% will not perform as well as a shea butter with larger bioactive fraction in the range of 5 – 6 %. It is the bioactive fraction that makes shea butter so unique and such important oil.  However, for shea butter to give the results discussed in 21 reasons to use shea butter the bioactive fraction must be greater than 3%. At the American Shea butter institute we endorse only those shea buttes with large bio-active fraction.

Q: SHOULD I USE NATURAL BUTTER AND NOT SCENTED? CAN I PURCHASE THE NATURAL BUTTER FROM BEAUTY SUPPLY STORE AND HOW SHOULD I APPLY THE SHE BUTTER?

ANS:It is always desirable to use unflavored and unscented shea butter where possible. It is important that you understand that scent and fragrance are often added to shea butter to mask the unpleasant fragrance of rancid. shea butter. Rancid shea butter is Grade D is so wide spread in the USA market that some people think the horrible smell of rancid shea butter is actually what shea butter should smell like.

Fresh Premium Grade A shea butter needs no added scent or fragrance. In order to get shea butter that is not rancid you must purchase Certified Premium Grade A Shea Butter.  Unfortunately the beauty supply stores are   not a place to find high quality shea butter. Once the fragrance is added it is difficult to differentiate rancid Grade D shea butter from higher grades. The most reliable source for high quality shea butter is found with those displaying the Seal of the American Shea Butter Institute.

Q: I purchased some AFRICAN SHEA BUTTER (STRAWBERRY) FROM A BEAUTY SUPPLY IN MEMPHIS. I HAVE BEEN WASHING MY FACE  WITH HOT WATER BEFORE APPLYING SHEA BUTTER AT LEAST TWICE DAY. MY FACE APPEAR TO ME TO BE BREAKING OUT, MY QUESTION IS AM I APPLYING THE SHEA BUTTER CORRECTLY AND AM I OVER APPLYING

ANS:You must remember that shea butter in the beauty supply store is low on quality and safety, and in most cases have never been tested. Unrefined shea butter that has not been tested may contains any number of undesirable or harmful agents. For your information the harmful and undesirables include, products of rancidity, Mole, yeast, Fungus, coliform bacteria, Lead, Mercury, and others undesirables. Harmful and undesirables agents can present a problem for the end user, in particular those with broken and irritable skin, as in your case.  Never buy shea butter that has not been tested for its safety   and quality. Below is information about testing shea butter.

Testing shea butter is voluntary. Neither the government nor any other agency requires shea butter be tested for quality and safety prior to selling.  It is simply good business

Practice and consumer protection. Because the large majority of shea butter consumers re not aware of the dangers hidden in unrefined shea butter they tend buy shea butter that is not tested because it  less expensive. Therefore many unscrupulous distributors refuse to test their butter for danger so long as consumers buy and use untested shea butter.

In the USA market Certified Premium Grade A Shea Butter is the standard bearer for high quality unrefined Shea butter. This butter has passed a panel of rigorous safety and  quality testing.

Q: How do I know if my shea butter has been tested?

We buy and use only 100% pure unrefined shea butter. However, I am not sure the company we  buy  our shea butter from  is  selling laboratory tested shea butter, what do I do in this circumstance?

ANS: You are advised to contact the company you purchased your shea butter.  Ask if their butter has undergone the proper laboratory tests.  These tests should include a safety screen, shelf life determination, and size of the bioactive fraction. If proper testing has been performed they will be happy to supply an official laboratory report containing   lab name, date of tests, and test results. . If proper testing has not been performed, such butter is considered Lotto butter or Lotto Grade shea butter . Lotto butter means you do not know what you have, it may be good, or it maybe your worst nightmare. For safety reasons we encourage consumers to avoid using Lotto grade shea butter.  If you are using Lotto butter, you are advised to find a supplier that sells laboratory tested high quality shea butter, such as Certified Premium Grade A Shea Butter.

Q: Just want to know if you can help.  I have ordered shea butter from the one dealer suggested by you and LOVE their Shea Butter.  Out of curiosity and trying to save a few $$, I ordered Shea Butter from a local company and received it today.  It is a bright mustard yellow color.  I am somewhat reluctant to use it because I haven’t found anything anywhere about such a bright color.  The company claims their product is 100 percent pure and unrefined using sterile water and so on.  Can you please tell me if I have been duped or if there might be reason not to use the product?  I bought 5 lbs and hate to waste.

ANS: The true color of natural unrefined shea butter range from Ivory to faint yellow to faintly green to beige.  Do not confuse Ivory shea butter with snow white shea butter. Shea butter that is snow white is refined shea butter. There is an African butter available is the USA that is heavily yellow, called river butter. This is not shea butter and should not be confused with shea butter.  Finally, some add various coloring agents to their butter in an attempt to mask adulteration. You are encouraged to used Certified Premium Grade A shea butter, which is becoming the consumer standard for safety and quality and performance for shea butter sold in the USA.

Q:  I was told that shea butter can have terrible thing in it like mercury and harmful micro-organisms.. Is this true? How can I know I’m getting something that is safe?

ANS: Never use shea butter that has not been tested to show that it is safe and will not pose harm to the health and well being of the end user.

Below is a list of harmful agents the seller should be routinely checked for before selling the butter. Unfortunately it’s not done.  Therefore, the consumer must take the time to find out if the seller has performed these critical services.

  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Mold
  • Yeast
  •  Products of rancidity
  • Coliform bacteria (Shigella, E.Coli, Salmonella, etc)
  • Unsanitary products

Q:  Is shea butter use safe for people with nut allergies?

ANS: Thank you for consulting the Shea Institute to improved your knowledge on shea butter.  At this time there are no clinical studies available on the use of unrefined shea butter’s use among persons with nut allergies.  To that end, in the absence of sound clinical date on the subject, the official policy at the American Shea Butter Institute, recommends those with nut allergies should avoid use of shea butter until proper medical studies are performed to determine the allergenicity of shea butter in those with established nut allergies.

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