Raw (Unrefined) Shea Butter vs. Refined Shea Butter

In skincare and haircare, where the choices seem endless, Shea butter stands as a timeless natural treasure, cherished for generations. But here is a little-known thing: not all Shea butter is the same. In a modern industrialised Western world where genuine natural Shea butter is a rare find, at FairTale GHANA we strongly recommend raw Shea butter over its refined counterpart.

Let's talk about the distinctions between RAW (UNREFINED) Shea butter and REFINED Shea butter. We will do our best to keep our bias in check, although it will not be easy.

So, what is the difference between refined and unrefined Shea butter?

Raw Shea butter, also known as unrefined Shea butter, is the purest form you can lay your hands on. It is extracted from Shea nuts and keeps its authentic scent and colour, which ranges from ivory to yellow. The painstaking handcrafting process, following age-old traditions, preserves its vitamins, fatty acids and plant compounds. In Africa, where the Shea tree is deeply rooted in culture, this is the go-to choice for tradition and authenticity.

Refined Shea butter goes through a refining process involving bleaching, deodorising and chemicals to strip out impurities along with its natural aroma.

A word about processing

Refining usually includes bleaching and deodorisation. Bleaching lightens the colour and reduces the scent, deodorisation removes whatever smell is left. The result is a creamy white butter with a mild scent or none at all. It blends more easily into cosmetic formulas, which is exactly why the industry likes it. The cost is that a large share of the unsaponifiable fraction goes out with the smell, and that fraction is where the triterpenes, phytosterols and vitamin content live.

So, is raw Shea butter better than refined?

Refined Shea butter offers a neutral scent and a smoother texture. In our opinion raw Shea butter shines in its natural glory and gives you the full benefit of the ingredient. Why do we choose raw as the star of the show? A snapshot:

1. Nutrient-packed: raw Shea butter naturally contains vitamins A and E along with essential fatty acids, which nourish skin and hair.
2. Deep moisturisation: its intense hydration suits dry, sensitive skin and skin that gets easily irritated, and it leaves you feeling comfortable rather than coated.
3. Natural scent: most people come to love the earthy, faintly smoky smell of raw Shea butter. It is the smell of a product that was never deodorised.

The misconception: refined vs raw

Most commercial skincare makers reach for refined Shea butter, usually for convenience and cost. That has created a comfortable myth that refined is just as good. It is not. The difference goes well beyond purity: refining removes the compounds that make Shea butter worth using in the first place, and it does so on purpose, because those same compounds carry the colour and the smell.

At FairTale GHANA we carry raw Shea butter only. Ours keeps its natural colour, aroma and full composition.

We promised at the very beginning that we will never refine our Shea butter, and that we will stay true to the centuries-old tradition of how it has been made in Africa.

We understand that this decision does not align with conventional business strategy. We are more than a business, we are stubborn about authenticity and ethical practice. Our aim is to bridge tradition and the modern world, so you receive the purest Shea butter there is while the women who own the cooperative keep the value of their own work.

Glad to have you here, experiencing Shea butter in its most honest form.

Read More

• What is Shea butter Made Of?
• How To Use Raw Shea butter
• Ethically Sourced Shea Butter: Good for Your Skin, Good for the World
• How to Store Raw Shea Butter