Benefits Of Using Raw Shea Butter On Dry Skin

Yes. Shea butter is a traditional choice for dry skin. Baraka Shea Butter is handmade at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana, unrefined and only strained and filtered. It is solid in the tub and melts on contact with skin, leaving a rich layer that helps skin hold on to its moisture.

Does shea butter help with dry skin?

Yes, as a moisturiser. Shea butter is rich and thick, and it has been used on dry skin, lips, hands, feet and hair for generations. Used regularly, it keeps skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished.

Dry skin is uncomfortable. It can feel tight and look rough or flaky, and it is a nuisance when it keeps coming back. A simple, rich butter is a sensible first thing to try. Consistency matters more than quantity. A little shea butter used every day will do more than a large amount used now and then.

Shea butter is a moisturiser, not a medicine. If your dry skin is severe, painful, cracked or tied to a skin condition, talk to a doctor or dermatologist. Shea butter can sit alongside their advice as an everyday moisturiser, but it does not replace it.

Shea butter for dry skin

Use a small amount and warm it between your palms. It softens quickly, then spreads easily over the skin. Many people apply it after washing, while the skin is still slightly damp, and then again at night on the driest areas.

Shea butter works well on:

• Hands and feet, which get the most washing and wear.
• Elbows and knees, where skin is often driest.
• Lips, in a small amount.
• The body, as a rich butter after bathing.
• Hair and scalp. Shea butter is traditionally used on hair, and it works especially well on coarse and curly-coiled hair, making it feel more manageable. A dry, flaky-feeling scalp can be moisturised with a little worked through.

You can also use it as a base for your own balms and body butters. Starting from a plain butter means you know exactly what goes onto your skin.

Two things are normal. Natural shea butter ranges from ivory through cream to pale yellow, and the colour varies from batch to batch. It also has a mild nutty smell. Neither is a fault. They show it has not been bleached or deodorised.

Raw shea butter for skin

"Raw" here means unrefined. Baraka Shea Butter is strained and filtered, and that is all. It is not refined, bleached or deodorised. What you get is shea butter as it comes from the shea kernel, with its natural colour and its mild smell.

Shea is the seed of a fruit, and it grows wild across northern Ghana. At the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, in the Upper West Region, women's producer groups make the butter by hand. Wayne Dunn, who founded Baraka, has worked directly with Konjeihi for over 15 years. Every purchase supports the women and families in northern Ghana who make it.

It is worth buying shea butter that is genuinely unrefined and says so. Baraka Shea Butter is tested periodically by the Ghana Standards Authority in ISO-accredited laboratories.

Shea butter keeps 2+ years when stored properly. Keep it away from heat and direct sun. If it softens in a warm room it will firm up again once it cools.

How does shea butter help dry skin?

It adds a rich, moisturising layer to the skin's surface, which helps the skin hold on to its own moisture. This is the main reason shea butter is a traditional choice for dry skin.

Shea butter is solid at room temperature but melts as soon as it meets skin. That makes it easy to spread, and it leaves skin feeling smooth rather than tight. Cold weather, wind and dry indoor air all make skin more prone to dryness. A layer of butter on the skin before you go out helps skin keep its moisture in those conditions.

Because shea butter is so rich, it suits the places that need the most care: hands, feet, elbows and heels. On areas that feel less dry, use less. For a lighter feel on the face, some people prefer shea oil, the liquid fraction of shea, which is lighter on the skin and absorbs more readily.

Dryness over a long period can make skin look rougher and more tired. Keeping skin moisturised keeps it looking and feeling its best. That is why a daily habit helps more than an occasional one.

Should I use shea butter for my dry skin?

If you want a simple, rich moisturiser with a short ingredient list, yes, it is worth trying. Shea butter on its own is one ingredient. There is nothing to read through and nothing to decode. The mild nutty smell, the natural colour and the thick feel are all part of what it is.

It may not suit you if you want a light, fast-absorbing lotion, or if you dislike a rich feel on the skin. In that case, try a very small amount, or use shea oil instead.

If you have a skin condition, or your skin is very sore, ask your doctor first. Shea butter is an everyday moisturiser, and it makes no claim to do more than that.

To try it, Baraka Shea Butter is the raw, unrefined butter described above, handmade by the women of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre and tested periodically by the Ghana Standards Authority in ISO-accredited laboratories.

Quick answers

Does shea butter help with dry skin?

Yes. Shea butter has traditionally been used on dry skin, and its richness keeps skin feeling smooth and nourished. It works best when you use it regularly and consistently.

Shea butter for dry skin

Unrefined shea butter is a traditional choice for dry skin, lips, hands, feet and hair. It is solid at room temperature and melts on contact with skin, so a small amount spreads easily. Baraka's shea butter is made by hand by women's producer groups at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana.

Raw shea butter for skin

Raw shea butter is unrefined. Baraka's is strained and filtered only, with no refining, bleaching or deodorising. It is thick and rich, and on its own it has no added fragrance. Its colour runs from ivory to pale yellow between batches, and a mild nutty smell is normal.

How does shea butter help dry skin?

Shea butter is rich, so it keeps skin smooth and moisturized. It also acts as a protective barrier against harsh conditions like chilly weather, which helps skin hold on to moisture. Its vitamin E helps skin feel supple and smooth.

Should i use shea butter for my dry skin?

If your skin is dry, unrefined shea butter is a good one to try. It is rich, melts on contact with skin and has been used on dry skin for generations.