Shea Butter Benefits for Skin

Here at Goat Milk Stuff, we believe that natural ingredients are the only ingredients that you should apply to your skin when looking at skincare, which is why we use shea butter in some of our goat milk soaps. The rich, creamy butter that is shea butter has been cherished for centuries for its unparalleled moisturizing and healing properties. Here, we take you through why.

What is Shea Butter?

Shea butter is a natural fat extracted from the nuts of the African Shea Tree. Often referred to as ‘Mother Nature’s conditioner’, it is a wonderfully versatile substance prized for its exceptional emolient and skin-conditioning benefits.

Unlike many vegetable oils, shea butter contains a significant amount of non-saponifiable matter, which means a portion of it doesn’t convert into soap when saponified. These ‘unsaponifiables’ are packed with beneficial compounds like vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin F, as well as powerful antioxidants and cinnamic acid esters. This unique composition is what gives shea butter its extraordinary ability to nourish, protect, and revitalize the skin. It’s solid at room temperature but melts delightfully at body temperature, allowing it to absorb into the skin with ease.

What is the Native Region of Shea Butter?

The shea tree is indigenous to the dry savannah belt of West and East Africa. It thrives in a region stretching from Senegal in the west to Sudan and Ethiopia in the East. For generations, communities in countries like Ghana, Burkina Faso and Uganda have relied on the shea tree as a vital resource.

The shea nut harvesting and butter production, primarily carried out by women, is a deeply ingrained cultural tradition and an essential source of income for millions of African families.

What is the Difference between African Butter and Shea Butter?

In most contexts, when people refer to ‘African Butter’ in the context of skincare or natural products, they are likely referring to shea butter. However, ‘African Butter’ can refer to various other butters like Kpangnan butter, derived from the Pentadesma Butyracea Tree, which is known for its skin-toning and dark spot repair capabilities.

Shea butter is the prominent and most widely recognized butter derived from a tree native to Africa however, and is the dominant and most commercially recognized ‘African Butter’ in the global beauty and wellness market.

So while ‘African Butter’ could technically refer to other things, for practical purposes in skincare, it is almost always synonymous with shea butter.

Is Shea Butter Comedogenic?

This is a common concern, especially for those prone to breakouts and sustained periods of oily skin. Shea butter is generally considered to be mildly comedogenic, with a rating typically between 0 and 2 on a scale of 0 to 5.

A rating of 0-2 suggests that it has a very low to low likelihood of clogging pores for most people. However as with any ingredient, individual skin types react differently. People with very sensitive skin, extremely acne-prone, or very oily skin might find it too heavy or occlusive if used in large quantities or if their skin is particularly reactive.

For the vast majority of users, especially those with normal to dry skin, shea butter is a fantastic moisturizer.

Is Shea Butter Good for Low Porosity Hair?

Before we dig into whether shea butter is good for low porosity hair, let’s get on the same page on what low porosity hair is. In short, low porosity hair refers to hair that has a tightly closed cuticle layer. It is primarily genetic, in that you are born with your hair’s porosity level; and while certain chemical processes or heat damage can increase porosity over time, low porosity itself isn’t typically caused by damage.

If you find that your hair feels resistant to getting wet or takes a long time to dry, then you may have low porosity hair; equally, if you find that hair dye and chemical treatments don’t absorb effectively, or moisture tends to bead up on the surface or sit atop of your hair then this may be another sign.

Shea butter can be good for low porosity hair, but it needs to be used correctly and sparingly.

What are the Benefits of Shea Butter for Skin?

Shea butter has plenty of excellent benefits for both skin and hair, thanks to its rich composition of essential fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants. Here are some of the key benefits of shea butter for skin:

• Moisturizing: Shea butter is packed with vitamins and nutrients that help to hydrate and nourish your skin, making it feel super soft and smooth.
• Soothing: Shea butter can help to reduce redness and itching on your skin, and even promote healing if you have any cuts or scrapes. Its skin barrier repair effects also extend to scars, as applying shea butter on these can soften scar tissue.
• Promotes Healing: Shea butter contains cinnamic acid, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that can help to promote healing and prevent infection. This may make it ideal for acne-prone skin and other inflammatory skin conditions, depending on the specifics of the skin.
• Improves Skin Elasticity: Shea butter is rich in Vitamin A and E, which can help to improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• Protects Skin: Shea butter contains antioxidants, so making it part of your skincare routine can help to protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals and environmental stressors.

What are the Benefits of Shea Butter for Hair?

Shea butter isn’t only great for your skin - shea butter products can have an excellent effect on hair too! Here are the best benefits for hair:

• Conditions Hair: Shea butter can help to soften the hair, making it easier to manage and style. It also helps to smooth the hair cuticle and reduce frizz, leaving hair looking shiny and healthy.
• Scalp Soother: Shea butter's anti-inflammatory properties can help to soothe and calm your scalp, leaving you feeling refreshed and comfortable.
• Strengthens Hair: Unrefined shea butter's anti-inflammatory properties can help to soothe and calm your scalp, leaving you feeling refreshed and comfortable.
• Protects Hair: Shea butter can help to protect the hair from damage caused by environmental stressors like sun exposure and pollution.

All in all, both raw shea butter and refined shea butter are pretty amazing ingredients that can help to keep your skin and hair healthy, happy, and looking great! It's gentle, natural, and effective, making it a popular choice in many natural beauty products.

Shea Butter in Goat Milk Stuff Products

At Goat Milk Stuff, we take pride in using natural, wholesome ingredients that you can feel good about. We believe that transparency is key, which is why we provide a full list of ingredients for each of our products on our website.

To make it easier for you to navigate, we've created a summary of the ingredients we use. This way, you can quickly identify which products are safe for you to use, especially if you have any allergies. We offer a wide range of formulas for many of our items, so rest assured that you can still find goat milk soaps, lotions and other products that you can use safely, even if you or a loved one has allergies.

It’s important to note that while we take great care to keep our products separate, our soaproom and equipment are shared. If you have a severe allergy to any of the ingredients used in our soaproom, we recommend that you refrain from using our products. Although we don't use peanut oil or gluten in our soaproom, we do use these ingredients in our food items.

Products WITH Shea Butter Goat Milk Soaps: All Shampoo Bars All Shaving Soaps Stuff: All Natural Deodorants Beard Balm

Products WITHOUT Shea Butter Goat Milk Soaps: Activated Bamboo Charcoal Soap Almond Soap Black Raspberry Soap Calendula Soap (olive oil soap) Castile Soap (olive oil soap) Clean Cotton Soap Frankincense & Myrrh Soap Honeysuckle Soap Jewelweed Soap Lavender Soap Lemongrass Soap Luv Spell Soap Nautical Soap Oatmeal Milk & Honey Soap Ocean Soap Patchouli Soap Purity Soap Rosemary Mint Soap Sandalwood Soap Tea Tree Soap Thieves Defense Soap Turmeric Soap All Luffa Soaps Dish Washing Soap Pet Scented Soap Pet Unscented Soap Limited Edition Goat Milk Soaps: Apple Soap Baby Powder Soap Candied Strawberries Soap Cedarwood Vanilla Soap Chocolate Soap Cider Press Soap Citrus Tea Soap Coffee Scrubby Soap Cranberry Spice Soap Daffodil Soap Date Night Soap Dragon Blood Soap Emery's Flower Garden Soap English Garden Soap Evergreen Soap Fall Harvest Soap Gardenia Soap Ginger Lime Soap Hazelnut Soap Irish Cream Soap Lavender Peppermint Soap Lilac Soap Mimosa Mandarin Soap Mountain Top Soap Oakmoss Soap OMH Scrub Soap Peppermint Soap Pink Grapefruit Soap Pink Sugary Soap Pumpkin Soap Purity Oats Soap Rose Soap Strawberries & Champagne Soap Vanilla Soap Violet Soap Werst Soap Ever Soap Stuff: Liquid Soaps (All Scents) All Lip Balms All Lotions Arnica Salve Comfrey Salve Jewelweed Salve Laundry Soap Sunburn Salve Tooth Powder

Accuracy. While we have made every effort to provide accurate ingredient lists, mistakes can happen. For this reason, we highly recommend double-checking the ingredient list on each product page before use. If you happen to notice any discrepancies or conflicts, please don't hesitate to let us know so we can address them promptly.

Please be aware that these pages were last updated on 5/23/25, so any products added after that date may not be reflected on the list. If you can't find a particular bath and body item, please inform us, and we'll add it as soon as possible.

Peanut and Gluten Allergies. It's important to note that we source our ingredients from external suppliers, which means we can't guarantee the purity of the ingredients or if they were produced in facilities that process peanuts. Nevertheless, we ensure that the rolled oats we use in our two scrub soaps are certified gluten-free for your peace of mind.