Natural Skincare Ingredients: The Complete Baraka Glossary
Natural Skincare Ingredients: The Complete Baraka Glossary
Every ingredient in Baraka's range comes from the same source: the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region, where women hand-process traditional African butters and oils using methods passed through generations. No chemical solvents. No mechanical extraction shortcuts. Each ingredient is what it says it is — traceable to a named cooperative, processed by named women, documented from harvest to delivery.
This glossary covers all ten Baraka ingredients with consistent entries: what each one is, where it comes from, how it is processed, its key properties, its primary uses for skin and hair, how it compares to its closest alternative, and which DIY applications suit it best. Use this as a reference when choosing ingredients, comparing options, or building a routine. For the foundational guide to working with these ingredients in DIY skincare, DIY Natural Skincare: The Complete Guide to Making Your Own Products at Home covers the practical framework. For help choosing which ingredients to start with, Best Ingredients for DIY Skincare narrows the decision. The full sourcing story behind every ingredient in this glossary is in Fair Trade Shea Butter: The Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre Story.
1. Shea Butter
What it is: A solid fat extracted from the nut of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), native to sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most widely used natural skincare ingredients in the world, and the foundation of Baraka's range.
Where it comes from: Baraka's shea butter is hand-processed by the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Traditional water-based processing only — no chemical solvents at any stage. Yield approximately 30% of the nut's weight.
Key properties: High in oleic acid (40–60%) and stearic acid (20–50%). Melts at body temperature. Comedogenic rating 0–2. Shelf life 12–24 months stored cool and dry.
Primary uses: Body moisturiser, facial night cream, DIY body butter base, hair conditioning treatment, baby skincare. The most versatile single ingredient in the range.
Closest alternative: Cocoa butter — harder, slower-melting, better suited for lip balms and body bars. Shea butter is the better choice for general body moisturising; cocoa butter for firmer formulations.
Best DIY applications: Whipped body butter, body scrub base, hand cream, lip balm (blended with cocoa butter), hair mask.
For the complete deep-dive on shea butter, see Shea Butter Benefits: The Complete Guide to What Raw Shea Butter Does for Skin, Hair, and DIY and Shea Butter – The Ultimate DIY Ingredient.
2. Cocoa Butter
What it is: A solid fat extracted from the cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao). Harder than shea butter at room temperature with a higher melting point. Has a distinctive chocolate scent when unrefined.
Where it comes from: Baraka's cocoa butter is unrefined, sourced through cooperative relationships in Ghana.
Key properties: High in stearic acid (33–38%) and oleic acid (32–37%). Melting point approximately 34–38°C — higher than shea butter. Rich, slow-absorbing texture. Comedogenic rating approximately 4.
Primary uses: Lip balm structure ingredient, body bar base, stretch mark conditioning formulations, pregnancy skincare. Adds firmness and staying power to any formulation.
Closest alternative: Shea butter — softer, lower melting point, more versatile for general body use. Choose cocoa butter when you need firmness and structure; choose shea butter for general moisturising.
Best DIY applications: Lip balms, body bars, stretch mark cream, hand cream (blended with shea butter for a firmer texture).
3. Kombo Butter
What it is: A hard, waxy butter extracted from the seed of the Pycnanthus angolensis tree, native to West Africa. Significantly harder than shea butter with a higher melting point. Delivers a warming sensation on contact with skin.
Where it comes from: Baraka's kombo butter is sourced through the Konjeihi cooperative in Ghana's Upper West Region. For the complete kombo butter guide, see Kombo Butter: The Complete Guide to West Africa's Most Unusual Skincare Ingredient.
Key properties: Hard, waxy texture. High melting point. Penetrates quickly — the friction of application accelerates absorption. Not a general body moisturiser — a targeted, high-performance ingredient.
Primary uses: Targeted hand, knee, elbow, and foot treatment. Winter barrier balm base. Warming pre-activity treatment. Combined with shea butter in concentrated hand balms.
Closest alternative: Shea butter — softer, better for general body moisturising. Kombo butter is the better choice when deep penetration and warming sensation are the goal. The two work well together.
Best DIY applications: Concentrated hand balm, winter barrier balm, overnight hand treatment, targeted elbow and knee repair.
4. Baobab Oil
What it is: A lightweight oil pressed from the seeds of the Adansonia digitata (African baobab) tree. One of the most stable African plant oils available, with an unusually balanced omega fatty acid profile including omega-3.
Where it comes from: Baraka's baobab oil is sourced through direct cooperative relationships in Ghana.
Key properties: Omega-3 (approximately 23–28%), omega-6 (approximately 25–32%), omega-9 (approximately 33–42%). Absorbs in 2–4 minutes. Comedogenic rating 1–2. Shelf life 12–24 months. Does not leave residue.
Primary uses: Daily facial oil, scalp conditioning treatment, lightweight body oil, DIY serum base, pre-wash hair treatment. Suitable for all skin types including oily and fine hair.
Closest alternative: Argan oil — similar lightweight texture, but lacks omega-3. Baobab oil's broader fatty acid range and greater stability make it the stronger choice for daily facial use and mature skin conditioning.
Best DIY applications: Facial oil blend, winter facial serum, scalp treatment, lightweight post-wash hair oil, body oil for those who find heavier butters impractical.
5. Shea Oil
What it is: The liquid fraction of shea butter, produced by fractionation. Comes from the same source as shea butter but is fully liquid at room temperature and absorbs significantly faster.
Where it comes from: Baraka's shea oil is derived from the same Konjeihi cooperative shea butter, fractionated to produce the liquid component.
Key properties: Liquid at room temperature. High oleic acid content. Absorbs more quickly than shea butter. Comedogenic rating 0–1. Suitable for facial use on most skin types.
Primary uses: Facial serum, light body oil, finishing oil applied over shea butter, hair conditioning serum, formulation ingredient for light-texture products.
Closest alternative: Shea butter — the same source, but solid and slow-absorbing. Shea oil is the choice when speed of absorption matters more than depth of conditioning. Many formulators use both in the same routine.
Best DIY applications: Facial oil, winter facial serum base, post-wash hair serum, light body oil for summer or warm climates.
6. Red Palm Oil
What it is: An unrefined oil extracted from the pulp of the oil palm fruit (Elaeis guineensis). Deep orange in colour from a high concentration of carotenoids — the same antioxidant pigments that give carrots and sweet potatoes their colour.
Where it comes from: Baraka's red palm oil is unrefined and traditionally processed, preserving its carotenoid content.
Key properties: Rich in carotenoids (the orange colour fades on skin as it absorbs). High in palmitic acid and oleic acid. Semi-solid at cool room temperatures, liquid when warm. Slower absorption than lighter oils.
Primary uses: Overnight repair formulations, body butter colour addition, antioxidant-rich conditioning treatments, soap-making (adds hardness and lather).
Closest alternative: Refined palm oil — but refined palm oil has been bleached and deodorised, removing the carotenoids entirely. Only unrefined red palm oil delivers the carotenoid content.
Best DIY applications: Body butter (adds warm golden colour), soap bars, overnight body oil, antioxidant-focused conditioning formulations.
7. Palm Kernel Oil
What it is: An oil extracted from the hard seed inside the oil palm fruit — a different product from red palm oil, which comes from the fleshy pulp. White and odourless. High in lauric acid, similar to coconut oil.
Where it comes from: Baraka's palm kernel oil is traditionally processed with zero chemical extraction.
Key properties: Lauric acid C12:0 (approximately 48–55%). High oleic acid (approximately 12–16%) — higher than coconut oil. Slightly lighter than coconut oil. Absorbs marginally faster. Comedogenic rating approximately 2.
Primary uses: Soap-making (contributes hardness and lather), pre-wash scalp and hair treatment, light body oil, formulation ingredient where a lighter finish than coconut oil is needed.
Closest alternative: Traditional coconut oil — similar lauric acid content but slightly heavier. Palm kernel oil is the choice when minimal residue is the priority; coconut oil for everyday DIY use where absorption speed is less critical.
Best DIY applications: Soap bars, pre-wash hair treatment, light conditioning oil, anhydrous formulations requiring fast absorption.
8. Traditional Coconut Oil
What it is: An oil extracted from coconut flesh using village-processing methods that preserve the full lauric acid content and naturally occurring beneficial compounds. Distinct from refined coconut oil, which has been processed to remove scent and extend shelf life.
Where it comes from: Baraka's Traditional Coconut Oil is processed by village women in Ghana under rigorous quality control.
Key properties: Lauric acid C12:0 (approximately 47–52%). Solid below approximately 24°C, liquid above. Penetrates the hair shaft — one of the few plant oils to do so. Comedogenic rating approximately 4.
Primary uses: Pre-wash hair treatment (reduces protein loss during washing), scalp conditioning, soap-making, body moisturising (best for non-acne-prone skin).
Closest alternative: Palm kernel oil — similar lauric acid content but lighter finish. Refined coconut oil — loses some naturally occurring compounds in processing. Traditional coconut oil is the more complete ingredient for skincare formulation.
Best DIY applications: Pre-wash hair treatment, soap bars, body oil (non-acne-prone skin), scalp conditioning, soap-making.
9. African Black Soap
What it is: A traditional cleanser made from the ash of roasted plantain skins, cocoa pod husks, shea tree bark, or palm leaves, combined with shea butter or palm oil and water. The ash provides alkalinity for saponification without synthetic lye. Each batch varies in colour, texture, and scent.
Where it comes from: Baraka's black soap is produced through traditional cooperative methods in West Africa. For the complete guide, see African Black Soap: The Complete Guide to Sourcing, Benefits, and Use.
Key properties: Free from synthetic detergents, fragrances, and preservatives. Variable colour and texture — this is normal and expected. pH approximately 9–11.
Primary uses: Face and body cleanser, hair and scalp cleanser, soap base for DIY customisation. Commonly used for skin prone to congestion and for scalp care.
Closest alternative: Commercial soap bars — but commercial soaps use synthetic lye, synthetic fragrances, and preservatives. African black soap uses only traditional ash-based saponification with no synthetic additives.
Best DIY applications: Used directly as a bar soap or liquid soap base. Can be customised by melting and adding essential oils, shea butter, or baobab oil.
10. Cocoa Powder
What it is: The defatted solid left after cocoa butter has been extracted from cocoa beans. Used in skincare as an exfoliating and masking ingredient rather than as an emollient or moisturiser.
Where it comes from: Baraka's cocoa powder is sourced through the same cooperative relationships as Baraka's cocoa butter.
Key properties: Defatted — contains very little oil. Rich chocolate scent. Fine powder suitable for mixing into mask bases. Mild exfoliating action.
Primary uses: Facial masks (mixed with clay or oats), body scrubs (adds scent and mild exfoliation), bath soaks.
Closest alternative: Cocoa butter — but they serve entirely different functions. Cocoa powder is an exfoliant and masking ingredient; cocoa butter is an emollient and occlusive. They are used in different formulations for different purposes.
Best DIY applications: Clay and cocoa face mask, chocolate body scrub, oat and cocoa bath soak.
How to Choose the Right Ingredient
For most people starting out with natural skincare, three ingredients cover the majority of use cases: shea butter (body moisturising), baobab oil (facial daily use), and traditional coconut oil (pre-wash hair treatment). These three are anhydrous, require no preservative, and have long shelf lives.
For targeted hand repair, add kombo butter. For firmer formulations like lip balms or body bars, add cocoa butter. For antioxidant-rich overnight treatments, add red palm oil. For soap-making, add palm kernel oil.
The butters and oils used in these recipes have been applied to skin for generations in West Africa — including through the Harmattan season, when dry, dust-laden winds from the Sahara create exactly the kind of harsh, drying conditions that mature and sensitive skin faces year-round. Commercial skincare was not designed for this. African butters were. They contain no water, require no preservatives, and have fatty acid profiles that match human skin — which is why they absorb genuinely rather than coating the surface and evaporating.
Browse the complete DIY Ingredients Collection and Butters Collection.
What the Evidence Actually Shows — and How to Check It Yourself
The traditional use of shea butter, baobab oil, and the other ingredients in this glossary for skin and hair conditioning is real and well-documented. These ingredients have been used for generations across West Africa — not because of marketing, but because they worked for the people using them. That is a meaningful form of evidence.
What it is not is the same as a clinical trial. We are not able to claim that any ingredient treats, heals, or cures a specific condition. That is a regulatory boundary, but it is also an honest one — traditional use tells us a great deal, and controlled clinical research tells us something different. Both matter.
If you want to evaluate the evidence for yourself — including evidence that might call traditional claims into question — here is how to search effectively.
To find supporting research, search: "shea butter skin clinical study" / "baobab oil traditional use evidence" / "African plant oils skincare research"
To find opposing or qualifying evidence — which is just as important: "shea butter contraindicated" / "baobab oil skin study limitations" / "does coconut oil actually work for hair"
Reading both sides gives you a much clearer picture than reading one. A lot of what you find will be inconclusive, which is itself useful information.
You can also read what other customers have said about using Baraka shea butter in their own skincare routines — real people describing real results, in their own words. That is not clinical evidence either, but it is a different kind of signal worth considering alongside everything else.
Our view is that ingredients with centuries of traditional use and a growing body of supportive research deserve serious consideration. Our equally strong view is that you should draw your own conclusions from the evidence — not ours.
Where All These Ingredients Come From
Every ingredient in this glossary is sourced through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Wayne Dunn has maintained direct cooperative relationships with the centre for over 15 years. Every ingredient is hand-processed using traditional water-based methods — no chemical extraction at any stage. The women at the cooperative receive a fair-trade premium directly, without intermediaries.
Zenabo Imoro is one of the women who hand-processes Baraka shea butter. Shea Butter Producer: Zenabo Imoro shares her story — what the work means and what it makes possible for her and her community in Ghana's Upper West Region.
The complete picture of Baraka's sourcing model, its impact on the Konjeihi community, and the documentation available for every batch is in Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is shea butter and what is it used for in skincare?
Shea butter is a solid fat extracted from the nut of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is used as a body and facial moisturiser, a DIY base ingredient, and a conditioning treatment for dry hair and scalp. Its fatty acid profile — high in oleic and stearic acid — closely matches human skin, which is why it absorbs genuinely rather than sitting as a surface film. Baraka's shea butter is hand-processed by the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region using traditional water-based methods with zero chemical extraction.
What is cocoa butter and how does it differ from shea butter?
Cocoa butter is a solid fat extracted from the cocoa bean (Theobroma cacao). It is harder than shea butter at room temperature and has a higher melting point, making it better suited for lip balms, body bars, and formulations that need to hold their shape in warm conditions. Shea butter is softer and more versatile for general body moisturising. Cocoa butter has a distinctive chocolate scent when unrefined. Baraka sources unrefined cocoa butter through cooperative relationships in Ghana's Upper West Region.
What is kombo butter and why is it different from other African butters?
Kombo butter is extracted from the seed of the Pycnanthus angolensis tree, native to West Africa. It is significantly harder than shea butter and has a higher melting point. On contact with skin, it delivers a warming sensation and penetrates quickly — making it the ingredient of choice for targeted treatment of hands, knees, elbows, and feet. It is not a general body moisturiser. Combined with shea butter, it provides both penetration speed and lasting barrier conditioning.
What is baobab oil and what makes it suitable for facial skincare?
Baobab oil is pressed from the seeds of the Adansonia digitata tree, native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of the lightest African plant oils available, absorbing in 2–4 minutes without leaving residue. Its omega fatty acid profile — including omega-3, which argan oil lacks — makes it well suited to daily facial conditioning and scalp treatment. It is stable, has a long shelf life, and is suitable for all skin types including oily and fine hair types that cannot tolerate heavier oils.
What is shea oil and how does it differ from shea butter?
Shea oil is the liquid fraction of shea butter, extracted by fractionation. It comes from the same source as shea butter but is fully liquid at room temperature, absorbing significantly faster. Shea butter is best for intensive body moisturising and products needing a rich, slow-absorbing texture. Shea oil is better suited for facial serums, light body oils, and formulations where a heavy feel is not wanted. Many formulators use both — shea butter as the base and shea oil as the finishing layer.
What is red palm oil and why is it orange?
Red palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the oil palm fruit (Elaeis guineensis). It gets its deep orange colour from a high concentration of carotenoids — the same antioxidant pigments that give carrots and sweet potatoes their colour. Refined palm oil has been bleached and deodorised, removing the carotenoids entirely. Baraka's red palm oil is unrefined and traditionally processed, preserving its carotenoid content. The colour fades as it absorbs into skin.
What is palm kernel oil and how is it different from coconut oil?
Palm kernel oil is extracted from the hard seed inside the oil palm fruit — a different product from red palm oil, which comes from the fleshy pulp. Both palm kernel oil and coconut oil have high lauric acid content. Palm kernel oil is slightly lighter and absorbs marginally faster than coconut oil. For the lightest possible finish, palm kernel oil is the choice; for everyday DIY use, traditional coconut oil works equally well.
What is traditional coconut oil and how does it differ from refined coconut oil?
Traditional coconut oil is village-processed using methods that preserve the full lauric acid content and naturally occurring beneficial compounds. Refined coconut oil has been processed to remove scent and extend shelf life, but this process removes a portion of the naturally occurring compounds. For skincare formulations, traditional processing produces a more complete ingredient. Baraka's Traditional Coconut Oil is processed by village women under rigorous quality control — the same distinction that separates factory shea butter from genuine hand-made shea butter.
What is African black soap and what makes it different from commercial soap?
African black soap is made from the ash of roasted plantain skins, cocoa pod husks, shea tree bark, or palm leaves, combined with shea butter or palm oil and water. The ash provides the alkalinity needed for saponification without synthetic lye. Each batch varies in colour, texture, and scent depending on the ash composition and processing method. Traditional African black soap is free from synthetic detergents, fragrances, and preservatives. It has been used across West Africa for centuries for cleansing skin and hair.
What is cocoa powder used for in skincare?
Cocoa powder in skincare is the defatted solid left after cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa beans. It is used in facial masks, scrubs, and exfoliating treatments rather than as an emollient or moisturiser. Mixed with kaolin clay or oats, it creates a lightly exfoliating mask base. It provides mild exfoliation and a pleasant chocolate scent. It is not a substitute for cocoa butter in formulations requiring an occlusive or emollient ingredient.
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 directly with the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre 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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