Raw and refined Shea butter- what are the differences?

Shea butter is a cosmetic product that has use since the ancient era for different purposes. Although, the most percentage of produced Shea butter has use as a cosmetic product. Nowadays, a lot of Shea product is available in the market, such as moisturizer, body cream, lotion, soap, hair care products and more. Besides, you can also buy raw or refined Shea butter, and use it as you want. Now, you may ask what the differences between refined and unrefined Shea butter are. Well, go up to the end of this blog to know the answers.

Raw Shea butter versus refined Shea butter

When you want to buy Shea butter, not any Shea product, then you will find there are two types of Shea butter available in the market. One is raw Shea butter, and the second is refined Shea butter. Well, don’t fall into a dilemma, know the differences, in the below.

• The produce of refined Shea butter

Shea butter is the extraction of the nut known as Shea. This nut is native in different places of Africa, such as Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and some more.

The extraction process of raw and refined Shea butter is the same, even until a particular procedure refined Shea butter used to be as raw Shea butter. Well, the fact is refined Shea butter comes from the raw extraction, and after going through a high level of heat, it becomes refined Shea butter. Often some chemicals such as hexane take part in refining the raw Shea butter. Because of the heat, many benefits of Shea butter may not exist.

• The produce of raw Shea butter

When people extract the buttery object of the Shea nut through the traditional way, they get the raw Shea butter. Raw Shea butter has the entire ingredient present in it. A high amount of Vitamin A and E, fatty acid and some more skin-beneficial ingredients have presence in the raw or unrefined Shea butter.

• Raw and refined Shea butter colour and smell

The use of heat makes a difference in the colour and smell of the refined and raw Shea butter. At the initial level of produce or the form that is familiar as raw Shea butter contains ivory colour. Besides, a fragrance comes from it. On the contrary, refined Shea butter is white, and it does not have any smell. Therefore, who don’t know this truth, may make a misunderstanding. Because of no colour and smell, they think it is raw Shea butter. And for the ivory colour and smell, the other is refined Shea butter.

• Is there any difference in the benefits?

Well, people often ask this question. The fact is, whatever it is raw Shea butter or refined Shea butter, the benefits are the same. But one thing that you should remember is the intensity of the benefits may quite slow and low, for refined Shea butter.

We, African Fair Trade Society, are a reputable shop for raw, refined Shea butter, including lots of Shea products. And our products are so reasonable.