Ingredient glossary / Emollient
Shea butter
On the label: Butyrospermum Parkii Butter · Emollient
What it is
The fat of the shea nut from West Africa; rich in oleic and stearic acids and unsaponifiables. The base of most body butters.
Emollients: Emollients fill the gaps between skin cells and leave the surface smooth and soft; oils, butters and esters.
Wikidata: Off-white or ivory-colored fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree. Q495857 →
In the research
69 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Vegetable Butter-Based Nanocarriers: Do Nanoparticulation and Quercetin Loading Modulate In vitro Cellular Effects Involved in Wound Healing? · AAPS PharmSciTech, 2026
- Anti-Inflammatory Activity of a Phycocyanin-Protein Complex in THP-1 Cells: Implications for Dermocosmetic Applications · Biotech (Basel (Switzerland)), 2026
- Natural photoprotection under scrutiny: an in vitro evaluation · Photochemical & photobiological sciences : Official journal of the European Phot, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Products whose label lists it
24 on the siteMatched from the ingredient list the supplier printed; the position in the list (first or thirtieth) is on each product page.
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Other emollients
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.