Butyrospermum Parkii Butter / Shea Butter ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a rich emollient and structuring lipid that softens skin, reduces transepidermal water loss, and gives creams, balms, and hair products body and cushion.
What does Butyrospermum Parkii Butter / Shea Butter do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a rich emollient and structuring lipid that softens skin, reduces transepidermal water loss, and gives creams, balms, and hair products body and cushion.
Is Butyrospermum Parkii Butter / Shea Butter clean?
It is broadly accepted in clean-beauty standards, with low irritation potential and no common restricted-list issues. Residual protein is typically very low after refining, so allergy concerns are uncommon in topical use.
Is Butyrospermum Parkii Butter / Shea Butter sustainable?
It is a renewable, plant-derived material from tree kernels and is readily biodegradable as a natural lipid. The main sustainability questions are supply-chain transparency, fair compensation, and traceability rather than environmental persistence.
Is Butyrospermum Parkii Butter / Shea Butter COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic standards when sourced and processed according to the standard. It aligns well with Green Chemistry principles because it can be mechanically extracted, uses renewable feedstock, and biodegrades readily.
How does Butyrospermum Parkii Butter / Shea Butter work chemically?
This material is mainly a triglyceride matrix rich in stearic and oleic acid fractions, with a smaller unsaponifiable fraction that includes tocopherols and triterpene esters. Typical use ranges are about 1 to 5% in lotions, 3 to 20% in creams and masks, and higher in balms, and it is pH-independent but can oxidize over time, so antioxidants and oxygen-light control help stability.
Last updated 2026-05-13