Shea butter is a fatty ingredient extracted from the seeds and nuts of the Shea tree (also called the karite tree), which only starts bearing fruit when the tree reaches between 10-15 years old. While shea butter is solid at room temperature, its particular shape and consistency comes from the precise proportions of its fatty acid composition between oleic acid and stearic acid. Due to its naturally high fat percentage, it is considered an emollient with super smoothing skin benefits and even contains collagens and antioxidants that strengthen the skin.

Where Does Shea Butter Come From?

The Shea tree is cultivated from West Africa in Senegal all the way to East Africa in parts of Ethiopia. For our hair and skin products infused with shea butter, like the Love Beauty and Planet shea butter body wash, we carefully selected and partnered with a supplier who sources shea nuts from Burkina Faso & Ghana, two countries where harvesting is a key job for women in that region.