Using Shea Butter on Your Face at Night: What’s the Best Butter?
This article introduces shea butter as a product and features a list of great quality shea butters available on Amazon (with affiliate links). I also have an article showcasing an experimental journey on using shea butter on face at night which you might find interesting.
Use Simple, Natural Solutions
Once you stop and think about how many hours your skin potentially spends coated in chemicals, simple natural solutions look even more tempting. Not least when it comes to overnight skincare, which by its very nature is designed to stay there, uninterrupted until your morning shower.
You can choose to use this all-natural solution on its own, prepare it a hundred different ways or use it as part of a ready-blended product. So have you considered using shea butter on your face at night?
Disclaimer: Below I link to affiliate products. I may earn a commission if you purchase through these links at no extra cost to you.
The Shea Butter Basics
It’s crossed over from a raw product that’s an African and African American open secret to an ingredient that’s all over the beauty counter. If you grew up using this wonder cream then you probably know exactly how to use it and where to buy the best shea butter.
New to using this butter to its full potential? Then it’s time to find out more about what you’re looking for and where to find it – because it comes in many forms. But first things first, what can this rich West African beauty treatment do for you?
I think you’ll like shea butter for your face at night if:
- You’ve got combination skin or want to treat acne in a way that’s not harsh
- You want an all-natural way to banish wrinkles
- You want intensive moisturisation
- Your skin is dull and needs a refreshing lift
- You love multipurpose products
But you may want to steer clear in some situations:
● The University of Nebraska say it’s safe for nut allergy sufferers but some allergy groups advise caution .
● And avoid if you have a latex allergy as the plants are closely related.
Let Shea Butter Work while You Sleep
Using shea butter at night is a great way to repeat the benefits of shea butter while your skin goes through its restorative process. At night you can use heavier creams because you won’t be exposed by the damage effects of the sun and daylight.
Throughout the night you can use shea butter in many different ways (on its own, mixed with your favourite cream as a DIY solution, or buying a cream that already has shea butter in it, see my shea butter night cream post for information on this in more detail).
TwoLaLa YouTube beauty vloggers:
You can use shea butter on face, body, hair – you name it, someone recommends shea butter for it! Want to try applying shea butter on your face at night so it can get to work as you sleep? It’s said to help your skin glow, so with any luck you could wake up fresh-faced in the morning.
Raw shea butter is a great natural ingredient because it acts as a moisturizer and gives a nice glow to the skin. It helps make the skin supple by providing hydration.
– Dr Axe
According to Dr Axe, “[raw] shea butter helps tissue cell regeneration and softening of the skin, which reduces wrinkles” and it strengthens your skin by encouraging collagen production. This is why it’s said to have anti-ageing properties – collagen repairs all kinds of wear and tear that your face accumulates over time.
There’s another reason why women over 40 might want to try out shea butter too – if you’re suffering from acne due to hormonal changes.
eHowBeauty Skin Care : How Do I Use Pure Shea Butter?
Beauty expert Brooke Kehoe suggests using a 100% pure, unprocessed product to get the most out of it, while walking us through another use – clearing up blemishes.
So is rich, moisturising shea butter good for oily skin? It sounds unlikely but it seems it’s down to the its unusually low comodogenic, or pore clogging, rating.
How Does Shea Do It All?
Given the huge following shea butter has as a family solution to almost everything, I was interested to find out what makes it tick.
If anyone should know their stuff, it’s the American Shea Butter Institute – they say that Vitamin A and E give this rich butter its legendary properties. And several studies have taken a look at how the nut butter works, as a recent round-up set out:
“In 2010, Akihisa et al… concluded that the triterpenes and triterpene esters found in shea nuts and shea butter are significant anti-inflammatory and antitumor-promoting agents. ~ Leslie S. Baumann, MD, Dermatology News
Baumann also noted that shea butter “contains fatty acids that have been shown to improve the skin barrier” and antioxidants.
The Shea Butter Labyrinth: What to Look For
According to the Shea Butter Institute, you should look for Class A shea butter, which is the highest quality, followed by B and C, with F representing a poorer quality product that may not deliver the much-touted benefits.
In other words, they don’t want you to waste your money on something that won’t do the job, even if it might be cheaper – although they do add that Class F shea butter can work fine as a general moisturiser in lotion or soap, for example.
So we’ve got a classification to go by, at least for some US-based products. Another thing that can send your shea butter search floundering is the fact that there are three colours available – something I didn’t know about from my experiences of this product as a beauty counter ingredient.
Types of Shea Butter (Shea Butter Classifications)
● White Shea Butter
Refined and bleached to get that white appearance, this butter is inherently more intensively processed than the other varieties, meaning it loses nutrients along the way.
● Ivory Shea Butter
This shea butter is boiled for longer, making it lighter in colour, scent and texture (though it’s still relatively thick) and some beauty experts say it’s best for lighter skin tones.
● Yellow Shea Butter
Yellow shea butter uses the root of the Borotutu tree along with shea nuts, giving it the richer colour and a higher proportion of those healing goodies and some shea experts say it stays on the skin longer.
● Kpangnan Butter
Nope, it’s not shea! It comes from a closely related tree, which is more readily available and sometimes sold cheaply under the guise of shea. According to some beauty and skincare experts, it’s not necessarily bad, but it has different qualities. And I don’t know about you, but the idea of anything that’s sold under a different guise instantly puts me on high alert.
5 of the Best Shea Butters
When it comes to a shea butter night cream some people would prefer to use something that is already mixed, rather than creating your own beauty product at home by mixing raw shea butter with other products.
If you’re going to be using shea butter on face at night you might as well use a brand you can trust. Social credentials are a strong indicative nowadays, so I’ve taken those into account when choosing favourite brands.
Here are five shea butters for your face at night, ranging from readymade blends to simple all-rounders. See what you think!
L’Occitane Pure Shea Butter
L’Occitane’s organic shea butter doesn’t come cheap, which may instantly push it out of your shopping cart. But stick around a minute to find out more – I was actually pretty impressed by this higher-priced butter’s social credentials.
Pros:
● L’Occitane’s shea butter was even the subject of a UN case study. The reason? It’s made by cooperatives of local women in Burkina Faso with the help of a fair trade partnership initiated by the French company.
● This product has been around since the 1980s when the partnership was formed, so to me it feels like a reliable, established option.
● The jar this butter arrives is charming, perfect if you love beautiful things and beauty treasures.
Cons:
● It is not cheap! L’Occitane’s butter is not the most affordable.
● The price and pocket-sized quantity mean I wouldn’t want to blend this with anything else, so it’s less versatile than other options.
I RECOMMEND IT BECAUSE…
You simply cannot go wrong with this product.
Check Out L’Occitane Pure Shea Butter
Unrefined Shea Butter by Better Shea Butter
YouTube vlogger Brittany Jacksonsays: “Break off a pea size of Shea Butter, melt it in your palms, then apply on skin just like any moisturizer.”
Are you seeking a raw product to use on its own or to stir into homemade beauty products? This is a versatile ivory shea butter, which means it will still lend your skin a whole lot of moisture but it’s a bit lighter than the alternative, yellow butter. I have the kind of combination skin that dries out but doesn’t like heavier products, so this would fit right in with my own skincare routine.
Pros:
● The Better Shea Butter Co. say it’s Grade A and is sourced from Ghana, and is vegan and cruelty free so you can be kind to your skin and the environment.
● And like the L’Occitane butter it’s made by women in a traditional shea butter producing region – and I love the fact that this company is family run.
● Better Shea Butter’s 100% unrefined butter comes at the more affordable price, so it’ll go a long way.
● And the company say it melts well for soap, lotion and body butter-making too. Good to know if you want to mix up your own overnight cream (and it comes with a skincare recipe ebook to get you started!).
Cons:
● It comes in bar form, so it could be tricky to reseal and store in best condition.
I RECOMMEND IT BECAUSE…
A great product for a great price.
Check Out Unrefined Shea Butter by Better Shea Butter
Burt’s Bees Radiance Night Cream
Like the L’Occitane shea butter it’s neatly packaged and ready to go straight into your washbag. If you’ve looking for a ‘pure’ shea butter this is not it – the Radiance Night Cream also contains royal jelly to “enhance skin’s youthful glow while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles” – but I think this night cream could make a great alternative to the thicker raw product.
Pros:
● It’s designed to be absorbed easily and quickly, so it’s got a lighter feel to it – good if you don’t take to the feeling of pure shea butter on the skin but still want the benefits.
● It’s ready to use and easy to transport.
● There are other nourishing ingredients added to the mix. Burt’s Bees say it’s packed with vitamins as well as amino acids, niacin and folic acid, as well as lemon, rosemary and pine tree extracts.
● And royal jelly is something of a magic ingredient in itself, according to some experts – Brenda Powell, MD, of the Center for Integrative Medicine The Wellness Institute in Cleveland calls it an “anti-aging game changer”.
Cons:
● Vegans, you may want to give this one a miss – as the name suggests, it contains bee products.
● And Columbia University warn that if you’re sensitive to bee products like honey, you have asthma or you’re avoiding estrogen, you should steer clear.
● Unfortunately Burt’s Bees Radiance Night Cream seems to be at the more expensive end of the scale.
I RECOMMEND IT BECAUSE…
With Royal Jelly this is such a potent mix!
Check Out Burt’s Bees Radiance Night Cream
OUT OF STOCK! ALTERNATIVE BURT BEES SHEA BUTTER PRODUCT HERE.
Yellow Shea Butter by Better Shea Butter
As we already found out, yellow shea butter is coloured by Borotutu tree root, giving it that distinctive colour and they’ve earned a reputation for being easy to imitate. But this Better Shea Butter’s version has got quite a lot going for it, including clear origins.
Pros:
● Better Shea Butter can trace their products back to Ghana, and that goes for this Grade A yellow shea butter too.
● They recommend richer organic yellow shea butter if you suffer from eczema or psoriasis as it stays on the skin longer – ideal for overnight use.
● As with Better Shea Butter’s ivory version, this product comes with a set of skincare and beauty recipes so you can be a little bit creative.
Cons:
● If you’ve got fair skin you might find it leaves a tint.
● Again, it comes in bar form so storage and preservation might be an issue (unless you’re a storage whizz – I’m not, I always need the one container I don’t have).
I RECOMMEND IT BECAUSE…
Perfect if you suffer from eczema or psoriasis.
Check Out Yellow Shea Butter by Better Shea Butter
Perfect Harmony Raw Shea Butter
Perfect Body Harmony are a family-run Texan company whose products come from their traditional countries of origin but everything’s packed in the USA. Their ivory shea butter is sold with an emphasis on its noncomedogenic properties and natural credentials, so let’s see what it’s got to offer.
Pros:
● Perfect Body Harmony is imported direct from Ghana and has earned USDA organic certification.
● It arrives in an amber glass jar to preserve it from sunlight, which is both practical and pretty novel if you select the largest size – I’ve never seen such a tall amber glass jar!
● There’s also a bar option if you prefer, which comes in a resealable packet.
● This butter is great value, price is not too high if you take into account the amount you get.
Cons:
● If you love health store discoveries, I think you’ll fall for this product, but it may not suit you if you want something with a skincare counter feel.
● There’s a big emphasis on bulk discounting – Perfect Body Harmony’s smaller 3.75 oz jar adds up far more expensively.
I RECOMMEND IT BECAUSE…
Of the health-store-discovery feel about it.
Check Out Perfect Harmony Raw Shea Butter
OUT OF STOCK. HERE’S AN ALTERNATIVE.
Which Shea Butter Is Best?
As you probably already know, you should always consult a professional before making a change or trying a product for any issues you’re affected by. But I hope you’ve picked up a few ideas.
Shea butter skincare can be simple and versatile – with so many uses for this one product, I think it helps to know what’s out there so you can pick the most appropriate option. Which butter should you choose to get that overnight glow, clear up your skin and maybe even soften the appearance of wrinkles?
I’ve tried and loved L’Occitane and Burt’s Bees products in the past and have always been pleased with them but the versatility of the Better Shea Butter’s unrefined ivory butter sounds appealing.
Value packs always make me wonder if I’ll use every last bit of the product, particularly as you only need a little bit of shea butter on your face at night. But I think it would be easy to try out a few skincare recipes and quickly make the most of it.
Have you tried any of these butters at night on their own or blended them into something new? Tell us all about your experiences and tips!
