Shea Butter is one of the common butter or oil used in cosmetics. It is highly comedogenic and very similar in composition to cocoa butter which is known to be comedogenic. The raw oil may include diglycerides, monoglycerides, free fatty acids, plant sterols, pigments, glucosides, proteins, natural antioxidants, vitamins and impurities. The extent to which these components are removed during processing varies.
Shea Butter contains free fatty acids in its composition, which creates inflammation in the skin. It is the free fatty acids that have been found, along with the very high Oleic Acid component to create inflammation and disrupt the skin barrier.
It is often why those with dry skins complain they are dehydrated, even though they are slathering butters on the skin. We recommend the avoidance of Shea butter if you are acne prone. If you are dry skin we recommend in very small percentages due to its barrier disrupting properties.
