Have you been looking at natural skin/hair butters and can’t decide which is the best? Today we are looking at shea butter vs cocoa butter – two of my personal faves.

There are a ton of natural products available for purchase that offer plenty of benefits for your skin and health and choosing the best ones can sometimes be tricky.

Cocoa butter and shea butter could both be considered ‘superfoods’ for the skin and hair. They have great benefits to offer the skin and hair but they do vary slightly in several ways and these differences may be the deciding point for you.

Natural butters are soothing, nourishing, deeply moisturising and so much more. They are a handy product to have on hand for redness and rashes and can be used in a wide variety of homemade natural skin care products.

From healing dry and itchy skin to increasing the shine, look and feel of you hair to protecting against diseases, these butters do rightfully earn the term super foods in my opinion!

You could choose to use oils, like castor oil or jojoba oil- great products for the skin but perhaps you aren’t crazy about oils. Maybe you don’t enjoy the way they feel on the skin or they don’t work well on your skin type.

Cocoa butter or shea butter are both great products that offer very similar benefits to oils, but apply differently as they are solid form rather than liquid.

So, which is best? Cocoa butter vs shea butter – lets delve in and have a look at the facts.

In this guide, I cover all you will want to know about cocoa butter and shea butter. I teach you what they are and their benefits, similarities and differences, and answer questions like shea butter vs cocoa butter for hair?

So, let’s get started and find which is your best butter match!

What Is Shea Butter?

Shea butter is a fat that is derived from the the seeds of the shea tree which are native to West Africa in a warm and tropical climate.

Inside of the seeds, there are two kernels filled with oil. The oil kernels are taken from the seed and ground into a fine powder. The powder is boiled in water and this results in the butter forming at the top of the boiling water, where it rises to the surface and becomes a solid.

Shea butter is a solid fat at warmer temperatures and this is why it is referred to as a butter. It is recognisable by its ivory/cream colour.

There are two varieties of shea butter you can find; refined and unrefined.

The refined variety is made through the use of chemicals and high heat which reduces the nutrients to basically nothing.

Unrefined shea butter is made without the use of chemicals or high heat and so the nutrients stay in tact. Because of this, I only recommend using unrefined shea butter.

Shea Butter Benefits

For centuries, shea butter has been used for everything from moisturising dry skin to treating acne, burns and dandruff. Shea butter is frequently used in cosmetics because it is so good at treating these skin issues.

There hasn’t been many studies performed on how effective shea butter is. However, humans have been using this product for centuries and there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support the use of shea butter.

Some benefits of shea butter include:

Deeply moisturises the skin
It has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
Protects the skin from pollutants
Promotes the healing of wounds
Makes the skin appear younger
Can help relieve muscle and joint aches
Strengthens the hair
It is safe for all skin types

Live in the US? Click here to buy shea butter on Amazon now.

Live in Australia? Click here to buy shea butter on eBay now.

What Is Cocoa Butter?

Cocoa butter is a popular product, particularly in cooking sweets as it adds a delicious creaminess to desserts. Cocoa butter is also a popular product for moisturising the skin and hair as well.

Cocoa butter is derived from the beans of the cocoa plant which has been used for thousands of years to make chocolate. In past times, the Mayans referred to cocoa butter as “the food of the gods”.

Cocoa butter is a fat that is solid at room temperature, and it is found in cocoa beans. The fat is taken from the beans through a process of fermentation. To cook with cocoa butter, the fat sometimes needs to go through further processing. In cosmetics however, cocoa butter is used in raw form.

Cocoa Butter Benefits

Cocoa butter has been more commonly used in food than cosmetics and a lot of the benefits we notice happen within our body.

Cocoa butter has become more popular for the use on the skin and hair offering a number of benefits like:

Very moisturising on the skin
Promotes wound healing
Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Strengthens and protects your hair
Can make the skin appear younger
Heart healthy unsaturated fats
Supports digestion, bone health and immunity

Live in the US? Click here to buy cocoa butter on Amazon now.

Live in Australia? Click here to buy cocoa butter on eBay now.

Shea Butter Vs Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter or shea butter? Cocoa butter and shea butter are quite similar. They hold more likeness than difference but there are some important differences.

So, which should you choose, shea butter or cocoa butter? Cocoa butter or shea butter for eczema? Your personal preferences will be the deciding point.

Similarities Between Shea And Cocoa Butter

Shea butter and cocoa butter are both similar in their nutrients and benefits to your skin and body. Here are a few ways they are alike…

Deeply Moisturising For The Skin And Hair

Both shea butter and cocoa butter are excellent for penetrating and locking moisture in the skin. They both provide nourishing nutrients that help the hair follicles and scalp, encouraging hair growth and stronger hair.

Can Help The Skin Look Younger

Cocoa butter and shea butter both contain vitamin E and have antioxidant properties that help to prevent the skin from forming wrinkles and age spots.

They Help Fight Infections

Both butters contain anti-bacterial and anti-fungal qualities that can aid in the healing of wounds and helping conditions like dandruff on the scalp.

Differences Between Cocoa Butter And Shea Butter?

There are a few important differences to be aware of between cocoa butter and shea butter. I go through some of these below.

Ingredients

Cocoa butter comes from cocoa beans, and it is safe for anyone to use.

Shea butter, however, comes from a tree nut. While no studies have been performed to suggest it could cause a reaction in individuals with tree nut allergies, it is still a possibility to be aware of.

Internal Health

Cocoa butter is a great product in cooking and has benefits like protecting the bones, increasing immunity and heart health.

Shea butter contains anti-inflammatory qualities that can help in relieving joint and muscle pains.

Cooking

Cocoa butter has been used in cooking for thousands of years and if you’ve eaten chocolate, you’ve eaten cocoa butter.

Shea butter, on the other hand, is generally not recommend to be consumed although it has been used in cooking for centuries in its native Africa.

Smell

Cocoa butter has a tropical, strong scent that smells like chocolate. Many people enjoy this scent and like using cocoa butter because of this.

Shea butter is milder in scent than cocoa butter, making it easy to mix with other aromatic ingredients like essential oils.

body butter in jar — Awesome shea butter body butter

Shea Butter Vs Cocoa Butter For Skin

Shea butter and cocoa butter both have plenty to offer the skin. They lock in hydration to keep the skin supple, soft and moisturised. They both help to fight inflammation and promote wound healing.

Shea butter is said to be less comedogenic than cocoa butter with a lot of anecdotal evidence that cocoa butter can clog your pores.

If you have oily or acne prone skin, shea butter could be a better choice for you.

If you have dry/normal skin, you could try both and see which one works best for your skin.

Live in the US? Click here to buy cocoa butter on Amazon now or click here for shea butter.

Live in Australia? Click here to buy cocoa butter on eBay now or click here for shea butter on eBay.

Cocoa Butter Vs Shea Butter For Hair

When it comes to hair care, neither shea butter or cocoa butter is the better option. They are both great for your hair and work excellently at adding moisture to the hair, softening it and strengthening it.

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties mean it can help to create healthier scalp conditions and, in turn, encourage hair growth.

Again, simply pick which butter works the best for your needs.

My 5 new Turkish Delight Lip Balms — Great cocoa butter lip balms

Can You Use A Shea Butter And Cocoa Butter Mix?

What about mixing shea butter and cocoa butter together?

Combining shea butter and cocoa butter is a highly nourishing and moisturising combination. Consider also adding in a nourishing oil with the combination of these butters then whip the mixture.

This makes a great body butter which can help it to go on smoothly without being greasy. Read more about making a body butter here.

Shea Butter Vs Cocoa Butter Vs Mango Butter

We know now how shea butter and cocoa butter compare. But what about mango butter?

Mango butter shares a lot of the same qualities of shea butter and cocoa butter. Mango butter is also anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory and contains vitamin E and an additional antioxidant called mangiferin.

Mango butter has a very light scent which is barely noticeable when compared with cocoa and shea butter. It contains slightly more fatty acids than cocoa or shea butters and it has a white to yellowish colour.

If you are looking for the butter with the most mild scent, mango butter may be the one for you.

Click here to buy mango butter now on Amazon US or find it on Amazon Australia here.

You can also click here to read more about using mango butter on your skin.

Conclusion

So, which should you be using, shea butter or cocoa butter?

It is going to depend a lot on what you are using the butter for and what your own individual preferences are.

There really are no significant differences between cocoa butter and shea butter except cocoa butter potentially being more comedogenic. They both have very similar beneficial qualities that can help to keep your hair and skin healthy and strong.

The only noticeable difference between the two butters is the smell. If you are looking for a stronger smelling butter – cocoa butter is probably the one for you. If you prefer a milder scent, go with shea butter.

Whether you opt for cocoa butter or shea butter, your skin will thank you. It will leave it smooth, soft and healthier than before.

Live in the US? Click here to buy cocoa butter on Amazon now or click here for shea butter.

Live in Australia? Click here to buy cocoa butter on eBay now or click here for shea butter on eBay.

I hope you have enjoyed this guide to shea butter vs cocoa butter and have found it interesting and helpful.

Want to learn more? Click here to learn more about using shea butter on hair or here for all our natural living guides.