Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter. Which is best for your skin?

Reason why Shea butter seems to have been the popular choice over Cocoa butter for a few years and some people consider it to be superior to Cocoa butter, the two butters have nearly the same beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants, though in different proportions.

The quality of Shea butter can depend upon where it is harvested. If you have acne-prone skin, Cocoa butter tends to be oilier and could possibly clog the pores.

For a similar reason, Shea works better as a hair conditioner, since some users find that Cocoa butter can be greasy.

Others find that Cocoa butter has a more pleasant fragrance than Shea and also works well as massage oil and as a base for essential oils.

But both Shea and Cocoa butter have a multitude of skin care benefits, so for the most part it's a matter of choice. See below for a comparison chart.

COCOA BUTTER / SHEA BUTTER

Origins:

COCOA BUTTER

• Extracted from the seeds from the fruit of the cacao tree, native to South and Central America. Also cultivated in West Africa.

SHEA BUTTER

• Extracted from the nut of the karite tree, native to West and Central Africa

Shelf Life:

COCOA BUTTER

• Up to 5 years. A natural preservative. Can help preserve shelf life of cosmetics.

SHEA BUTTER

• 1 - 2 years. Will go rancid and lose potency quicker than cocoa butter.

Absorption:

COCOA BUTTER

• Melts at body temperature and quickly absorbs into the skin.

SHEA BUTTER

• Also melts at body temperature but with slightly better absorption.

Skin Conditions:

COCOA BUTTER

• Dry skin, rashes, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.

SHEA BUTTER

• Dry skin, rashes, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis

Skin Type:

COCOA BUTTER

• Oily. Could clog pores making it problematic for acne-prone skin.

SHEA BUTTER

• All skin types. Non-comedogenic.

Allergies:

COCOA BUTTER

• Soothes skin allergies. Cocoa beans contain cocoa mass polyphenol, which stops production of immunoglobulin IgE (antibodies found in the skin, lungs, mucous membranes that cause the body to react against certain substances, which worsens eczema and atopic dermatitis).

SHEA BUTTER

• Possible reactions for those with nut allergies.

Skin Benefits:

COCOA BUTTER

• Improves skin tone, improves elasticity, promotes collagen production.

SHEA BUTTER

• Also promotes collagen production

Skin Healing Benefits:

COCOA BUTTER

• Heals and fades scars, chapped lips and skin, promotes healing to damaged skin.

SHEA BUTTER

• Heals chapped lips and skin, helps reduce acne scars. Anti-microbial properties to fight off infections. Anti-inflammatory properties from cinnamic acid.

Skin Protection:

COCOA BUTTER

• Rich in the antioxidant vitamin E, offering some protection from free radical damage from environmental pollutants. Acts as a barrier on skin and slow water loss due to a high amount of palmitic acid, which is protective and locks in moisture

SHEA BUTTER

• Vitamin E and A to strengthen and repair the skin.

Provides slight UV protection (about SPF 6), due to caffeic acid. Linoleic acid helps seal in moisture.

Anti-Aging:

COCOA BUTTER

• Helps reduce wrinkles and fade age spots.

SHEA BUTTER

• Improves appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, age spots.