Shea Oil: The Complete Guide — What It Is, How It Differs from Shea Butter, and When to Use It
Baraka's shea oil is made from unrefined shea butter and stays liquid at room temperature. It is made by hand in Ghana, and it feels lighter on the skin than shea butter, which is solid. Many people search for shea oil expecting shea butter, or use the butter when the oil would suit them better. This guide explains what shea oil is, how it differs from shea butter, and when to choose each. For recipes, see Shea Oil – Ultimate DIY Guide and Recipes.
What is shea oil?
Shea oil is made from unrefined shea butter and stays liquid, so it pours at room temperature. Baraka's shea oil is a single ingredient: 100% shea oil, with nothing added. It is pale yellow to golden, with a mild, characteristic smell that can vary from one batch to the next.
Shea butter itself comes from the seed of the shea fruit. In Ghana the butter has been made by hand for generations. The oil is made from that butter, so it keeps much of the butter's character but feels lighter and spreads more easily.
You may also see shea oil sold as shea butter oil or shea nut oil. Shea oil is traditionally valued as a skin-conditioning oil. This is DIY advice and traditional use, not medical advice.
What is shea oil made from?
Shea oil is made from unrefined shea butter, and the butter comes from the seed of the shea fruit. The finished oil is liquid, pale yellow to golden, and has nothing else in it. If you shop for it, check the label for a single ingredient. Baraka's shea oil is made by hand in Ghana.
Is shea oil the same as liquid shea butter?
Mostly, yes. Many shoppers search for “liquid shea butter”, and what they usually want is shea oil. It is not simply shea butter that has been melted, though. Melted shea butter sets solid again as it cools. Shea oil stays liquid at room temperature, so you can pour it straight from the bottle without warming it.
Shea Oil vs Shea Butter: The Core Distinction
The simplest difference is texture. Shea butter is solid at room temperature and melts as it meets your skin. Shea oil is liquid all the time. That one difference changes how each one feels and where each one is most useful.
Texture: Shea butter is dense and rich. Shea oil is thin, smooth and pourable.
Feel on the skin: Many people find shea butter gives a thicker, more cushioned layer. Many people find shea oil sinks in faster and leaves less of a film. Most people tell us it takes a few minutes to absorb.
Warmth: Shea butter needs a little warmth from your hands to spread. Shea oil needs none, which is handy in cool rooms and in warm climates where a solid butter can turn soft.
Use in recipes: Shea butter makes body butters, balms and bars firm and rich. Shea oil goes into serums, hair oils and lighter lotions where a liquid is needed.
Shea oil is not a replacement for shea butter in every recipe. If you want a firm balm, use the butter. For a full overview of the butter, see Shea Butter Benefits.
Is shea butter a carrier oil?
Shea butter is usually called a carrier butter, not a carrier oil, because it is solid at room temperature. Shea oil is the liquid version: it works as a carrier oil that you can use on its own or blend with other oils. You can also melt shea butter into a liquid blend, but it will set again as it cools.
Who should use shea oil vs shea butter
The choice depends on your skin or hair, how you plan to use it, and the texture you like.
Many people choose shea oil when:
- Their skin is oily or combination and shea butter feels too heavy on the face
- They want a facial oil or serum rather than a balm
- They have fine or low-porosity hair that thick butters weigh down
- They are making a light serum or hair oil at home
- They live somewhere warm, where a solid butter turns soft
Many people choose shea butter when:
- Their skin is dry or mature and they like a dense, rich layer
- They want a body butter after bathing
- They want something rich to use overnight
- They are making a body butter, lip balm or solid balm
For simple skincare for men, see Shea Butter for Men: Skin Care Without the Complexity. For help choosing a face moisturiser, see Is Shea Butter Good for the Face? and DIY Face Moisturizer for Every Skin Type: The Complete Natural Skincare Guide.
Shea oil for the face
Many people find shea oil a good fit for the face, especially if shea butter feels too heavy. Here is a simple way to use it.
- Cleanse your face and leave it slightly damp.
- Put 2 to 4 drops in your palm and warm them between your hands.
- Press the oil gently into your skin. Do not rub.
- Wait a few minutes before you apply anything else.
Many people with oily or combination skin tell us they like it as a light day oil, and some use it under their usual sunscreen. Shea has only a low natural SPF and is not a sunscreen, so use a broad-spectrum sunscreen for sun. If you have very dry skin, you may still prefer shea butter at night.
Start with a small amount and see how your skin responds. This is DIY advice, not medical advice. If you have a skin condition, ask a doctor or pharmacist.
Shea oil for hair
Shea butter can be hard to spread evenly through fine hair and can weigh it down. Shea oil spreads easily without heat, so many people with fine or low-porosity hair prefer it. Common ways to use it:
- A few drops on dry ends as a leave-in oil
- A pre-wash oil, left on for a short time before shampooing
- A light sealing oil after a water-based leave-in conditioner
- A drop or two through a beard or on the scalp
Use a little at first. You can always add more, but heavy amounts are hard to wash out.
What is shea oil used for?
People use shea oil where shea butter would be too heavy or too firm: as a face oil, in serums, as a body oil after a shower, on dry hair ends, as a beard oil, and as a liquid oil in homemade lotions, balms and soaps. For step-by-step use, see Is Shea Oil Good for Skin? How to Use It on Face and Body and Is Shea Oil Good for Hair? Amounts by Hair Type and Beard Use.
Using shea oil in DIY formulations
Shea oil is a carrier oil in homemade recipes. It is liquid, so it does not need melting, and you can use it at any amount. Some ideas:
Facial oil blend: Many people use shea oil as the main oil, at about half to four-fifths of the blend. For example, mix 2 tbsp (30 ml) shea oil with 1 tbsp (15 ml) baobab oil. Rosehip oil is another common pairing at a smaller share.
Body oil: Use shea oil as a smaller part of a body oil, alongside your main oil, for a smooth feel.
Hair oil: Blend shea oil with baobab oil for a light, quick-absorbing hair oil.
Balms: In a balm, shea oil can replace part of the liquid oil. The balm will be a little softer.
These blends contain no water, so they are simple to make. Store them in a clean, dry bottle. For recipes, see Shea Oil – Ultimate DIY Guide and Recipes. For the butter, see Shea Butter: The Ultimate DIY Ingredient. For more ingredients, see What Are the Best Ingredients for DIY Skincare?
What each ingredient does in a shea oil blend
- Shea oil: Smooth and light. It gives a blend a soft, even feel and a golden colour.
- Baobab oil: Light and quick to absorb. It contains omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.
- Shea butter: Rich and firm. It makes a blend thicker and gives it a creamier feel.
- Wax: Helps a balm hold its shape.
How to change the texture
A simple rule of thumb: butters make it rich, oils make it soft and light, wax makes it hold its shape.
- Firmer or thicker: add a little more shea butter or a little wax.
- Softer or runnier: add more shea oil or another light oil.
- Lighter: use more oil and less butter.
- Richer: use more butter and less oil.
Change one thing at a time so you know what made the difference.
Make It Your Own
These recipes are a starting point, not a rulebook. Use your judgement, be inspired, and don't be afraid to experiment. Everything here is a pure, natural ingredient that blends happily with the others. Start with a small batch, write down what you did, and see how your skin and hair respond. When you find a blend that works for you, make it again.
Shea oil vs other carrier oils
Shea oil vs baobab oil: Baobab oil contains omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. Shea oil is richer-feeling, while baobab oil often feels lighter. They work well together, and baobab oil is made by hand in Ghana too.
Shea oil vs rosehip oil: Rosehip oil is high in linoleic acid. People often use it in small amounts alongside a main oil. Shea oil makes a good main oil.
Shea oil vs jojoba oil: Jojoba is a liquid wax and is known for being very stable. Shea oil has a richer, more buttery feel. Baraka's shea oil keeps for 24 months unopened.
How to store shea oil
Keep shea oil in a cool, dark place with the lid closed. Unopened, it has a shelf life of 24 months. Once opened, keep the cap on and your hands dry so water stays out of the bottle.
Where to source Baraka shea oil
Baraka's shea oil is made by hand in Ghana from unrefined shea butter. Chain-of-custody documentation is available on request. Browse the DIY Ingredients Collection and the Butters Collection. To read about our work with women in Ghana, see Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.
Not sure which one you need? Take the Shea Oil or Shea Butter quiz: three questions match you to the right one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is shea oil?
Shea oil is made from unrefined shea butter and stays liquid at room temperature. It is pale yellow to golden and lighter on the skin than shea butter.
How is shea oil different from shea butter?
Shea butter is solid at room temperature and melts on contact with skin. Baraka's shea oil is made from unrefined shea butter and stays liquid. Many people use the oil on the face and hair, and the butter on dry skin and the body.
Is shea oil the same as shea butter oil?
Yes. In Baraka's guide, shea butter oil usually means shea oil, which is made from unrefined shea butter and stays liquid at room temperature.
What is shea oil used for?
People use Baraka's shea oil as a face oil, a hair oil, a body oil and a liquid oil in DIY blends where shea butter would be too heavy.
Can I use shea oil on my face?
Many people do. Baraka's guide suggests putting 2 to 4 drops on slightly damp skin, warming between your palms and pressing in. Shea oil is not a sunscreen.
Is shea oil good for hair?
As Baraka's guide notes, many people with fine or low-porosity hair like it as a light leave-in oil, a pre-wash oil or a sealing oil.
Where does Baraka shea oil come from?
Baraka's shea oil is made by hand in Ghana from unrefined shea butter. It is 100% shea oil, with nothing added. Chain-of-custody documentation is available on request.
Quick answers
What is shea oil?
Shea oil is made from unrefined shea butter and stays liquid, so it pours at room temperature. Baraka's shea oil is made by hand in Ghana. It is pale yellow to golden, and lighter on the skin than shea butter. That is why many people use it for facial oils, serums, and hair and scalp care. More in What is shea oil?
Is shea butter oil the same as shea oil?
Yes, 'shea butter oil' usually means shea oil, and Baraka's shea oil is made from unrefined shea butter. It is not the same as shea butter itself, which is solid at room temperature and melts on contact with skin. Shea oil stays liquid, so it suits the face and hair, while the butter suits dry skin and body use. More in Shea Oil vs Shea Butter: The Core Distinction
About the Author
Wayne Dunn is the founder of Baraka Impact and a former Professor of Practice in Sustainability at McGill University. He holds an M.Sc. in Management from Stanford and has spent over 15 years working with women in Ghana's Upper West Region to source traditionally made shea butter and natural oils. He shares DIY skincare recipes and ingredient guides designed to be made at home with real ingredients, and sourced with full transparency about where they come from.
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