Shea butter has been used to protect and soften skin in West Africa for generations. It remains one of the richest, most comforting emollients in modern skincare.
What Is Shea Butter?
Shea butter is the fat extracted from the nuts of the shea tree, listed on labels as Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter. In our formulas it is sourced from organic farming.
A 2014 review in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition describes shea butter as rich in oleic and stearic fatty acids, with a notable unsaponifiable fraction that includes triterpenes, tocopherols (vitamin E) and phytosterols.
What It Does for Skin
Nourishes and softens. Shea's fatty acids help fill in the spaces between surface skin cells, leaving skin feeling smoother and softer.
Helps hold moisture in. As an emollient, shea forms a comfortable layer that helps reduce water loss, which supports the skin's moisture barrier.
Supports comfort. A 2017 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences notes that shea butter contains compounds with soothing properties, which helps explain its long use on dry skin.
Where You'll Find It at True Colour Beauty
In skincare, shea is part of the Nourishing Rich Cream, the Ceramide Night Cream, the Anti-Age Day Cream and the Brightening Eye Cream.
It also softens lips in the Pure Lip Butter, conditions hair in the Keratin Intensive Rescue Hair Mask, and cares for little ones in the Soft Start Baby Body Lotion. Browse the Shea Butter collection.
How to Use It
Rich shea creams are ideal for evenings or for dry areas. Apply to clean skin after serums. If you have oily skin, use shea products where you need them most, such as dry patches, lips and hands.
What the Research Doesn't Say
Shea's composition varies by source and processing. Its benefits are about comfort and moisture, not about changing the structure of skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is shea butter safe for nut allergies?
Refined shea butter contains very little protein, and allergic reactions are rare. If you have a nut allergy, check with your doctor and patch test.
Will shea clog pores?
It is rich, so very oily skin may prefer lighter formulas.
Are True Colour Beauty products cruelty-free?
Yes. True Colour Beauty is Leaping Bunny certified.
Comfort You Can Feel
Shea butter is a classic for a reason: it leaves skin soft and comfortable. Explore the True Colour Beauty skincare collection.
Sources
Honfo FG, et al. Nutritional composition of shea products and chemical properties of shea butter: a review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(5):673-686.
Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects of topical application of some plant oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017;19(1):70.
