Is Shea Butter Comedogenic? – The Truth About Putting Shea On Your Face

What Is Shea Butter?

Shea Butter is a natural, plant-derived nut oil from the Shea Tree, grown in West Africa. It is classified as a butter because the oil solidifies at room temperature.

Like coconut oil, shea butter melts at your body temperature, making it an easy moisturizer to massage into the skin.

The makeup of pure shea butter is a combination of several natural oils and essential fatty acids. These are:

• Oleic acid

Oleic acid contributes to collagen production, making it a favorite ingredient in natural skincare products.

Your skin naturally produces this fatty acid, which contributes to the production of sebum. Sebum is part of your skin’s barrier function to keep skin healthy. However, if you have too much oleic acid, you risk getting clogged pores.

• Stearic acid

Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid with similar effects to oleic acid, once it has been applied to the skin.

• Palmitic acid

This fatty acid has emollient properties to help soften the skin and retain moisture.

• Linoleic acid

It is usually less than 10% in raw shea butter. Linoleic acid is important for skin health, it helps to balance out the healthy levels of sebum (released through open pores) which results in healthy, radiant skin.

Raw Shea Butter Vs. Refined Shea Butter – What’s The Difference?

Raw shea butter is the purest form of shea butter, extracted from the shea nut. It naturally has a smell and yellowish color.

The refining process removes the odors and extends the shelf-life of the product, but it also has a negative effect on some of the natural healing properties of this butter, making it overall less beneficial to human skin.

The majority of products sold contain refined shea butter. Raw shea butter, or unrefined shea butter is not as common.

If you are looking to purchase raw shea butter, then make sure to read the ingredients closely to know if it this is refined shea butter or raw shea butter which you are purchasing.

Is Shea Butter Comedogenic?

Shea butter is classified as non-comedogenic. This doesn’t mean your skin won’t ever get clogged pores, though. Shea butter is rich in fatty acids, including oleic and stearic acid, which means it may not work for all skin types.

When answering the question “Is shea butter comedogenic?” it is important to understand how fatty acids respond to our skin and which ingredients are best for the delicate, sensitive skin of the face.

Comedogenic Vs. Non-Comedogenic

The word “comedogenic” comes from the Latin term “swelling” and it basically refers to a product clogging pores, which could cause acne or blackheads.

Not only your face, but your entire body (AKA epidermis) is covered with pores, and they function to help the body produce sweat and natural oils. However, if your pores become clogged it could lead to blackheads and breakouts.

Blackheads form because of dead skin cells, dirt or other impurities on the surface of your skin that get trapped inside your pores.

While shea butter is non comedogenic and non pore-clogging, there’s a bit more to it. Let’s look at the comedogenic scale to understand it better.

Comedogenic Scale

Everyone’s skin is different, some have extra-dry skin, other acne-prone skin, and some people struggle with oily skin. Perhaps the best way to gauge how shea butter or shea butter oil (as well as other oils and creams) will react to your specific skin tone is by using the comedogenic scale.

The comedogenic scale rates oils, lotions and creams based on how likely they are to clog pores.

0 – Non-comedogenic. These skincare products will not clog your pores and are safe to use on oily skin or acne prone skin types.

Examples: grape seed oil, pumpkin and castor oils.

1-2 – May be comedogenic. Carries a minimal risk of clogging pores. Works for most skin types, however if you have oily skin they may affect the natural balance and possibly lead to breakouts. If you have acne-prone skin or severe acne there is a slight chance these oils or butters will clog your pores.

Examples: sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, mango butter.

3 – Somewhat comedogenic. It may clog pores. Use with caution if you have irritated skin or acne prone skin.

Examples: avocado oil, evening primrose oil and olive oil.

4 – Comedogenic products. They offer great moisturizing properties, but are likely to clog pores if used on the sensitive skin of the face. However, these products can be used as body oils or butters for normal skin type, or for healthy hair.

Examples: cocoa butter, coconut oil.

5 – Highly comedogenic. These products will clog pores. They may offer health benefits when included as a cooking oil, however.

Examples: soybean oil, wheat germ oil.

What Is Shea Butter Comedogenic Rating?

So, where does shea butter fall on the comedogenic scale? You may assume it falls as a 3 or a 4, along with cocoa butter, but no!

Actually, nourishing shea butter has a rating of 2 on the comedogenic scale. It contains both oleic and linoleic fatty acids (usually around 30%-50% oleic acid and less than 10% linoleic acid).

Does Shea Butter Clog Pores?

So, does shea butter clog pores? It can. It’s important to know your skin before deciding on any facial moisturizers or beauty products for your skincare routine.

Shea butter has a minimal potential of clogging pores, therefore those who are suffering from acne should avoid using shea butter.

Always check your skincare ingredients, and speak to your dermatologist if you are concerned about your skin’s comedogenic responses.

Will Shea Butter Make My Face Break Out?

Shea butter could make your face break out, depending on your skin type. Applying shea butter to skin that already is acne prone is a bad idea.

The level of oleic acid presented in shea butter may increase sebum production and end up causing blackheads, pimples or breakouts.

On the other hand, shea butter is an excellent moisturizer and an anti-inflammatory.

If your face is dry and red, shea butter can help reduce inflammation, redness and irritation.

If you’re worried about shea butter causing breakouts, consider using it on other parts of your body, while avoiding your face.

There are many benefits of using shea butter all over your body, including: reducing itching, treating rough skin and keeping skin hydrated.

Can I Put Shea Butter On My Face?

Yes, you can put shea butter on your face. As long as you are aware of your skin type and are not currently dealing with acne breakouts, it’s okay to apply shea butter directly to your face.

The anti-aging properties of shea butter can do wonders in preventing fine lines and wrinkles.

It also reduces dark spots and can make your skin appear more even.

How To Use Shea Butter On Your Face

If you do decide to use shea butter on your face, here are some tips:

1. Make sure your skin in cleansed before applying shea butter. This is important to prevent clogged pores.

You don’t want to apply a layer of shea butter over dead cells or dirt, do you? That’s an easy way to get pimples! Wash your face with a gentle cleanser, then pat dry.

2. Apply shea butter on your face in gentle, circular motions. Avoid rubbing too hard, you just want a light layer.

3. Wait 10-15 minutes, then rinse off the shea butter with warm water, and a bit of facial cleanser, if you need. If your skin is very dry and you want the shea butter to penetrate deeper in your skin, you may leave it on for up to an hour before washing off.

Doing this regularly will reduce dull-looking skin, dry skin and redness.

Types Of Skin Shea Butter Is Recommended For

Shea butter is best for dry or sensitive skin (it will not cause irritation). If you have rough skin on your knees or elbows, shea butter can help smooth it out.

Is Shea Butter OK For Acne-Prone Skin?

Shea butter is not advised for acne-prone skin. This is because of the level of oleic acid found in shea butter, together with higher levels of sebum in acne-prone skin, it can lead to clogged pores.

Is Shea Butter Good For Acne?

No, shea butter is not good for acne because it is rich in oleic acid (over 50% composition) – one of the fatty acids that is involved in sebum production, that can cause acne when present in high amounts.

While it’s not accurate that shea butter increases pimples, it can contribute to acne (and clog your pores) if you already have high levels of sebum and then use shea butter on your face, too.

Benefits Of Shea Butter

Now, let’s see why shea butter is becoming more popular in skincare products – there are so many skin benefits.

• Shea Butter For Scars

Shea butter promotes the skin’s healing process and can reduce the appearance of scars.

Contrary to popular belief, shea butter is much more effective than cocoa butter for scars!

• Helps Damaged Skin

Oleic acid helps build up the protective skin barrier. This is amazing for reducing wrinkles and improving skin’s appearance.

• Essential Vitamins

Shea butter contain Vitamin E and Vitamin A that work to prevent sun damage, protect against UV rays, and prevent premature aging and improve skin health¹.

• Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Shea butter’s emollient properties make it a great choice for those who suffer from skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema.

• Moisturizer

Shea butter benefits dry, irritated skin (but if you’re wondering if shea butter help remove stretch marks, sorry, it’s not able to penetrate that deep under your skin).

There are so many benefits to using shea butter on your skin! It’s not just for your face, but also if you have dry skin on your body.

Side Effects Of Shea Butter

That being said, the thick consistency of shea butter means consumers should be cautious about using shea butter directly on their face.

There are many skincare benefits to using shea butter, but the moisturizing properties are not so straight-forward: you skin type and skin tone play a major factor in determining if shea butter will clog pores on your face.

Will Shea Butter Clog Pores On My Face?

If shea butter is left on the delicate facial skin for a prolonged period of time, or massaged in aggressively, or applied to acne prone skin, it could lead to clogged pores.

Most shea butter contains more than 50% oleic acid, which can lead to increased sebum production ultimately, clog pores. This isn’t the same for everyone – it absolutely depends on you skin type.

If you have concerns about breakouts, talk to your dermatologist to get a doctor’s expert opinion.

Bottom Line: Is Shea Butter Non-Comedogenic?

Let’s review: does shea butter clog pores? It depends.

Shea butter falls on the low end of the comedogenic scale, being a 2. If you’re already dealing with acne or breakouts, then you may want to choose another product, that rates as a 0 or 1 and has fewer comedogenic ingredients².

If you’re not dealing with acne, shea butter has wonderful anti-aging benefits, making it a good choice for your facial skin.