This will be a careful, thorough, and detailed review of Shea Brand Shea Butter. It’s going to be long. For a shorter review, see my review posted with the Lavender Shea Brand shea butter.
I am so excited about this! It is one of the best products I’ve ever used on my lips. And I try *everything*! I get really uncomfortable if my lips feel at all dry. So I’m constantly putting something on them, simple Vaseline, Burt’s Bees, Fresh, all the way up to By Terry Baume de Rose and La Mer The Lip Balm. I have dozens of products. I try *everything*. And many things do work really, really well. I’ve especially loved Vaseline Pink Bubbly, a “limited edition” champagne-grape flavor, and I adore Dior’s beautifully scented, comfortably plumping Rose Plumping Balm. For all it’s simplicity, Shea Brand has proved to me to work better, and at an excellent value, too.
I bought this because I know I like shea butter, specifically L’Occitane’s. Shea Brand is more shea for your money. And I was particularly searching for rose-scented products, because I’m as obsessed with anything rose as I am addicted to lip balms ;) So I positively pounced on the Shea Rose! While it is quite versatile, I will be mostly be focusing on its use as a lip balm.
Lets start from the outside . . .
PACKAGING
I love the container. Sporting a very pretty label, it is a sturdy tin that’s easy to hold and easy to open, even for my arthritic hands. The shea balm inside is an opaque white solid that melts clear. Keeping it in your pocket will warm the shea and soften it, so be careful. It’s easy to use too much and waste it if you use it when it melty. Don’t store it anywhere above room temperature or it will definitely melt and possibly leak or spill or generally become more difficult to use. Best kept solid and used a little at a time.
LIPS
Gently press the shea and it will soften from your touch. For lips you barely need a fingertip’s worth. Scoop just a little bit and then slowly smooth it over your lips. You can feel it melting into your skin, deeply moisturizing and soothing. It leaves a subtle silky sheen but it’s not greasy. Nor is it waxy or sticky like many lip products. It’s the perfect consistency, rich, smooth, and emollient.
What I like best about this product is how deeply moisturizing it is, and how long the quenching comfort lasts. Other lip products either just sit on top of your lips or are too thin to last very long, requiring frequent reapplication. That’s my main complaint about most lip products - needing to keep putting on more, over and over, again and again.
At night I’m particularly troubled, because one of my bedtime medications causes me to just utterly dry out in my sleep. I wake up frequently feeling downright desiccated and gasping for a sip of water, some lip balm, and even hand and body lotion. Since I’ve been using this shea balm, however, I’ve been so much more comfortable! I don’t need to reapply 3-4 times a night like I’m used to doing. In fact, I can go a whole night with my lips remaining comfortably quenched even if the rest of me wakes up parched. It’s WONDERFUL.
There honestly hasn’t been another product I’ve tried that hydrates my lips so thoroughly. And with that hydration comes a natural, noticeable plumpness, too. I normally need a product that causes tingling or burning - which I really like, actually - in order to make my lips look and feel fuller. The shea butter makes them pillowy plump without the zing. My lips look and feel natural - and KISSABLE!
My husband haaates my lip balm addiction, because he hates getting any kind of waxy sticky lip goop on his lips, particularly if it burns! He’s more sensitive to my lip products than I am. Sometimes he’ll lean in to kiss me and I have to warn “I have stuff on my lips!” So he’ll make do with a kiss on the nose. But with this shea butter, my lips are soft, silky, smooth and sexy, always ready to smooch! 😘
FACE, BODY, & MORE
Shea butter is simple and versatile enough to be used almost anywhere on your body. I’ve rubbed a little into my rough, dry elbows to heal them quickly, and I’ve even used the barest touch to soften my hair and smooth flyaways, assuring a neat and tidy bun or ponytail.
I must say though that I think the tin and the texture really makes this product most ideal for lips, but it does have a versatility limited only by your imagination. And maybe your personal needs.
I have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and I’ve found it’s difficult to really get a satisfying dose of moisture in my frail hands. I’m afraid I’ll use too much of the product, plus working the shea into a soft lotion to moisturize my whole hands is difficult. If I had the larger 3.5oz tin I would likely be more comfortable using the amount I need to really comfortably cover my hands. But for the non-arthritic person, this will surely be easier to use, whether from the 1oz or 3.5oz, and will impart a rich, deep moisture that softens work-worn hands.
I have just barely played with putting it on my face. I don’t need the moisture, but I was curious how it would feel. Like on your lips, it melts in easily, and smoothes over my skin like a silky peignoir. Again, a little goes a long way. It absorbs quickly and, used sparingly, does not leave a greasy sheen. Personally, I’m not worried about it clogging my pores or causing a breakout; despite being so pale, my skin is not sensitive and never breaks out no matter what I do to it. So my experience may not be the best example, but I can at least describe how it feels. I will update after a few more experiments.
PSORIASIS & EXCEMA
I used to have severe, full-body psoriasis (thanks to my autoimmune disorder) that covered me in angry red blister-like patches in some places and itchy, scaly patches in others. My legs were completely covered; it looked like burns.
Fortunately I’m on a successful immunosuppressive treatment that has mostly cleared it, but I have a few stubbornly remaining patches, on my right ankle, right forearm, and behind my ears.
Packing on Shea butter has had fascinating results. Scales are so softened they are easy to just scrape right off with no trouble, and the itching and tightness go away when the shea is absorbed. It takes reapplication, it’s not a cure, but it helps better than even good ole Vaseline or any of the many expensive creams I have. I suspect it’s because many of those creams include alcohol and lanolin. Pure shea means there are no extra ingredients that could further irritate rather than sooth. Just natural soothing, softening.
NOTE TO PSORIASIS & EXCEMA SUFFERERS: I’ve also found maracuja oil (I used Tarte brand) works incredibly well. I’ve wondered if it may have anti-inflammatory properties. I wonder if shea might as well; I’ll be looking into it. If any topical treatment has anti-inflammatory benefits as well, of course that would be ideal. Until I know more, though, I just avoid products with alcohol and lanolin, and shea and maracuja oil work well for me.
FRAGRANCE - ROSE, LAVENDER, & WOODLAND FOG
So, the balm works wonderfully, but what about the fragrance and/or flavor?The Rose scent, my introduction to the brand, is not as strong as I would like, but since I like the results, I don’t mind so much about the disappointment over fragrance. It’s very, very mild, and not really all that rosy either.
As for flavor, there isn’t any. It’s not sugary, or soapy, or anything. Maybe at most you might say there’s a mild nuttiness, but barely. I don’t need flavor in my lip balms, but I do love fragrance and so wish it were stronger, like the aforementioned Dior balm or Aerin’s rose lip conditioner.
Since I loved the product so much, I immediately ordered the Lavender and Woodland Fog, too. Lavender is much much more strongly scented, and I LOVE IT! It’s how I wish the other two would be. Speaking of lavender-scented balms, I have loved the Milk Makeup Brand multi-purpose petroleum-jelly-like balm, which has a great sweet lavender scent. The shea acts longer, and Shea Brand is a beer value.
Woodland Fog is far, far more subtle even than the Rose; really I just can’t smell anything at all. I would really like it to smell stronger, as I like the description of the supposed scent, and would love to have a fresh, woodsy-scented product to use during Autumn and Winter. I am particular about seasonal fragrances, because I like to experience the seasons to their fullest with all my senses. I use not just seasonal candles, room spray, shampoo, and body wash, but even dish soap and kitchen cleaner! Seasonal lip balm would be a terrific detail! I wish very much that the makers would amp up the fragrance in the Rose and Woodland Fog scents. I will probably send them a message about it.
CONCLUSION
I told you it would be long and thorough! Ultimately, my only real complaint is that the fragrances are far too weak. Otherwise, I am *super* impressed and pleased with this simple product’s quality, versatility, and most importantly, effectiveness for my needs. I will definitely be a repeat customer of Shea Brand products.
Shea is a powerfully nourishing daily moisturizer, and a little bit goes a long way. Thick, reliable and protective, yet soft and rapidly nourishing, Shea's fatty acids replenish important lipids and strengthen cell membranes in the skin. Regenerate, soften and protect dry, dehydrated, healing, and sensitive skin and hair. Use on eczema, to eliminate scars, prevent stretch marks, smooth Keratosis Pilaris, and heal burned and damaged skin.*Shea is hard to the touch and melts beneath your skin.
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