Shea Butter
A rich plant butter that softens dry skin and seals in moisture; both an emollient and an occlusive for very dry, mature and compromised skin.
shea butter, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, Vitellaria paradoxa, karité, shea butter extract
Dry & dehydrated skin · Barrier support · Ageing skin
What it does
Shea butter has been used for generations thanks to its rich moisturising properties. It is high in nourishing fatty acids, mainly stearic and oleic acid, and also contains vitamin E and soothing plant compounds called triterpenes. Derived from the nuts of the African shea tree, it is ideal for dry, rough and compromised skin, on the face and body alike.
How it works
Thanks to its emollient nature and added antioxidant benefits, shea butter is effective at softening dry skin and improving its overall look. It melts at skin temperature, filling the gaps between surface cells, and leaves a protective film that slows water loss, which is why MG's Notes list it both as an emollient and as an occlusive. That makes it a good final layer over a hydrating serum, holding the water in.
MG says
Through menopause and beyond, when skin grows drier, layer hydrating serums beneath a rich moisturiser with squalane and shea butter, which replenish lost lipids and seal in moisture. On the body, try Augustinus Bader's The Body Cream: a buttery, shea-rich formula that penetrates in a flash, so you can get dressed immediately.
Cautions
Shea butter is generally well tolerated, even by sensitive skin, but rich shea creams can feel heavy on oily or congestion-prone skin, so choose lighter textures there. It comes from a tree nut: reactions are rare, but patch test first if you have a nut allergy.
