Shea butter

Shea butter (CAS 91080-23-8), also traded as Butyrospermum parkii butter extract, is a natural fat derived from the nuts of the African shea tree.

Where is Shea butter used?

• Cosmetics: skin-conditioning agent and emollient
• Personal care: base or co-ingredient in body butters, lip balms, hair conditioners and moisturizing creams
• Food: cocoa butter equivalent or extender in confectionery coatings and chocolate-style products
• Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical: excipient in topical ointments and suppository bases
• Soap making: improves lather quality and bar hardness
• Its occlusive properties support skin barrier function.

Good to know: Refined grades are generally preferred for odor-sensitive cosmetic applications where a neutral scent profile is required. Grades include cosmetic-grade, food-grade and organic-certified; some suppliers offer material compliant with USP or Ph. Eur. excipient standards.

Commercial specifications

• Refined ivory or white and unrefined raw yellow forms
• Bulk solid blocks, pellets and drums