Shea Butter for Lips

Known for its rich, creamy texture and skin-nourishing qualities, it’s no wonder Shea Butter is a key ingredient in so many skincare products—from body wash to moisturizing creams to lip balms. Shea Butter is celebrated for its soothing effect on the skin, its mild scent (unlike an ingredient like cocoa butter which has a strong ‘chocolatey’ smell, for example), and its versatility is appropriate for all skin types.

Using a lip care product containing Shea Butter, like a Shea Butter lip balm, can help to soothe dry, chapped lips. Read on to learn more about what Shea Butter is and the benefits it can provide to skin and lips.

Shea Butter is a fat extracted from the nuts of the African shea tree, a tree that grows naturally in 21 countries in West Africa.

In addition to a high concentration of fatty acids, Shea Butter also contains the following antioxidants:

• Vitamin E: an antioxidant that helps provide moisture to skin
  
• Vitamin A: an antioxidant that could be beneficial for sensitive skin

The ratios of the fatty acids in Shea Butter give it a rich, creamy consistency at room temperature that melts on contact with skin, similarly to coconut oil or cocoa butter. Shea Butter’s fatty acids lubricate the skin and create a barrier on the skin to help the skin retain moisture.

Shea Butter’s emollient properties make it a popular ingredient in skincare formulas to help soothe and nourish dry skin.

Note: If Shea Butter is used in skincare formulas, not all these benefits will be present in each product. Always refer to product packaging to understand a product’s specific purpose.

Shea Butter is suitable for applying to skin on the body, face, and lips.

Though Shea Butter is extracted from the shea nut, this is not the same as peanuts or tree nuts that commonly trigger allergic reactions. Those with tree nut allergies may be able to use Shea Butter unless there is specifically an allergy to the shea tree, or if using a product containing Shea Butter where there’s an allergy to another ingredient in the formula. If you have any concerns, check with your medical professional, and if you experience irritation or signs of an allergic reaction after using Shea Butter or a product with Shea Butter, be sure to seek medical attention right away.

Shea butter is excellent to use on dry lips. Because of its stable, creamy texture at room temperature, its moisturizing properties, and its smoothness once applied to skin, Shea Butter is an ingredient commonly found in moisturizing lip products, from lipstick to Shea Butter lip balm, lip scrubs, and lip gloss.

Using preservative and fragrance-free Aquaphor® for chapped lips provides effective, long-lasting moisture to help your lips look and feel healthier. Formulated with nourishing ingredients like Shea Butter, Aquaphor® lip care products are available in several formulas to encourage smooth, soft lips

*Based on a 2024 ProVoice survey.

Aquaphor® Lip Repair Stick Naturally Inspired with Aloe Vera is proven to relieve dryness and soothes. Formulated with nourishing vitamins, Aloe Vera, and natural Shea Butter, this lip repair stick glides on easily for a smooth application and is great for use in dry, cold or windy conditions.

Enjoy all of the nourishing and moisturizing qualities of Aquaphor® Lip Repair Naturally Inspired with nourishing Coconut Oil. Proven to relieve dryness and soothe chapped, cracked lips, this hydrating lip balm is fragrance, preservative and dye-free and is formulated with nourishing vitamins, Coconut Oil, and natural Shea Butter.

Proven to relieve dryness, our original Aquaphor® Lip Repair Stick soothes chapped and cracked lips. This is formulated with nourishing vitamins, and Shea Butter for soft lips.

Whether used raw or within skincare products, Shea Butter can have numerous potential benefits for skin. Here are some of the key benefits pure Shea Butter may have for lips:

1. Hydration and moisturization:
   Shea Butter is an effective emollient, soothing the skin while helping to lock in moisture. Rich in Vitamins A and E, Shea Butter’s antioxidants may help play a role in providing smoother, healthier-looking skin by helping to provide moisture to the skin.
   
   
2. Soothing dry skin:
   Shea butter is known for its ability to soothe dry skin by helping to create a nourishing protective barrier on the skin’s surface, so applying Shea Butter to dry, chapped lips can help nourish and soothe dry lips.
   
   
3. Appropriate for those with sensitive skin:
   Skin on our lips is particularly sensitive and thinner than skin on other areas of our bodies. Shea Butter is known for being appropriate for all skin types, including sensitive skin, making it a suitable and effective choice for use in moisturizing lip care.

Both of these nourishing ingredients are commonly found in skin and lip care products, and both are known for their benefits for skin, but what’s the difference between Shea Butter and Coconut Oil?

• Shea Butter and Coconut Oil are both plant-based fats commonly used in skincare.
• Both Shea Butter and Coconut Oil are solid at room temperature and melt on contact with the warmth of the skin, though Coconut Oil has a lower melting point than Shea Butter at approximately 76-78°F.
• Both Coconut Oil and Shea Butter contain fatty acids which give them their firm texture at cooler temperatures.
• Both Coconut Oil and Shea Butter can have a moisturizing effect when applied to the skin.
• Unrefined Shea Butter has a very mild earthy scent whereas unrefined Coconut Oil has a prominent coconut scent.
• Both Shea Butter and Coconut Oil contain antioxidants.

Shea Butter is a nourishing plant-based fat that commonly found in hydrating lip care formulas. Celebrated for its moisturizing qualities, raw Shea Butter melts into the skin when applied. Shea Butter lip balms like Aquaphor® Lip Repair Stick Naturally Inspired with Aloe Vera help moisturize lips and soothe chapped lips for softer, smoother skin.

The information provided herein is not intended to be medical advice. Nor is it intended to treat the underlying skin disease or condition. The information is provided solely to:  

1. Moisturize, soften and smooth dry skin  
2. Improve the appearance of the skin  
3. Achieve healthier-looking skin