Raw vs. Whipped vs. Yellow Shea Butter: Which One Should You Buy?
Shea Butter Buying Guide | 5 min read
Raw, whipped or yellow: which shea butter should you buy?
They all start from the same nut. Here's how they're different, and which one fits your skin and your routine.
Walk down our shea butter shelf and you'll see blocks of pale butter, tubs of yellow, and jars of fluffy whipped cream in a dozen scents. Customers ask us all the time which one is "the real one." Honestly, they're all real shea butter. The difference is what happens after the butter is made, and that changes how it feels, smells and works for you.
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Side by side
Raw shea butter
This is shea butter the way it's made in villages across Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Togo: nuts are roasted, crushed and kneaded by hand until the butter separates. Nothing is added. It's usually ivory or off-white and has a nutty, slightly smoky smell that tells you it hasn't been heavily processed.
Because it's just one ingredient, raw shea is the one we point people to for sensitive skin, eczema-prone skin, babies, and natural hair. It's also the best base if you like making your own body butter.
Heads up: raw shea can feel grainy or look uneven. That's normal and comes from temperature changes. It melts smooth on your skin.
Yellow shea butter
Yellow shea is raw shea butter that gets its golden color during traditional preparation, often from the root of the borututu tree. It feels and works almost the same as ivory shea. Some people simply prefer it because it's what their mother or grandmother used back home.
If you're choosing between raw and yellow, go with what you like the look and feel of. Just note that the color can rub off slightly on white towels at first.
Whipped shea butter
Whipped shea is raw shea blended with oils and whipped with air until it's soft and fluffy. It spreads easily, even straight out of the jar in winter, and it soaks in faster than a solid block. Ours comes in a long list of scents, from baby powder to mango to pink sugar.
It's the one customers reach for when they want something that feels like a lotion but works like shea. The trade-off: added fragrance, which isn't ideal for very sensitive or eczema-prone skin.
So which one should you buy?
Sensitive skin, eczema or a new baby: raw, unscented shea.
Natural hair and scalp: raw or yellow shea, melted between your palms.
Everyday body moisturizer that smells nice: whipped shea.
The whole family, or making your own body butter: a big tub of raw shea. It's the best value.
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Questions people ask us
Is raw shea butter better than refined?
Raw (unrefined) shea keeps more of its natural scent and character. Refined shea is filtered and deodorized, so it's whiter and smells like nothing. Most of our customers prefer raw.
Why does my shea butter smell smoky?
That comes from roasting the nuts over a fire, the traditional way. It's a good sign, and the smell fades once it's on your skin.
Can I whip my own shea butter?
Yes. Soften raw shea, add a few spoons of coconut or olive oil, and beat it with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes until fluffy. Add a few drops of essential oil if you want a scent.
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