Why is shea butter white or yellow?
Soielle Shea Butter comes in two colors, white and yellow. We refer to the white shea butter as ivory because unrefined shea butter is off-white and can have a grayish and/or tan hue. This is not to be confused with the highly processed virgin shea butter; that appears completely white in color, odorless, and has a finer texture. Even though virgin shea butter may appear more aesthetically pleasing, we believe it is an inferior butter because of the chemicals used to bleach and strip the natural properties found in shea butter.
We call Soielle’s yellow shea butter gold because it is commonly referred to as “Women’s Gold.” It is referred to as “Women’s Gold” because it has generated income for many women in West Africa. Soielle Shea Butter empowers the local communities in West Africa and improves the quality of life for their families.
All Soielle Shea Butter starts off as ivory, which is the natural color of the fat from the nut of the karite tree. In the milling process, a root called the “borotutu root” is added, which dyes the butter a turmeric yellow. The borotutu root has properties in it that alleviates the symptoms caused by skin ailments such as eczema and psoriasis.
Which Soielle Shea Butter color do you love the most? Let us know!