The "White vs. Gold" Truth: Why Unrefined Shea Butter Is Better for Your Skin
You’ve seen "shea butter" listed as an ingredient in countless body lotions—it's usually a stark white, odorless cream.
Then, you see Nubiana's 100% Pure African Shea Butter: it's rich, golden-beige, and has a faint, nutty, natural scent.
They are not the same. In fact, they are worlds apart. The difference isn't just cosmetic; it's the difference between a simple "moisturizer" and a true "healer."
What is "Refined" Shea Butter?
This is the white stuff. To get this, raw shea butter is "cleaned" using a high-heat, chemical process. It is bleached to remove the color and deodorized to remove the scent.
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The Result: A "clean," uniform, and cheap ingredient for mass-market lotions.
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The Problem: This high-heat, chemical process destroys almost all the healing properties. The vitamins and anti-inflammatory compounds are stripped away, leaving you with a basic, "empty" moisturizer.
What is "Unrefined" Shea Butter?
This is the "women's gold." Unrefined shea butter is extracted traditionally and simply filtered to remove impurities. It undergoes no bleaching and no high-heat processing.
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The Result: A rich, golden butter that retains its natural, nutty scent.
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The Benefit: It retains 100% of its healing "bio-active" ingredients.
Why Unrefined is the Only Choice for Your Body Skin
When you're dealing with serious body skin issues, you don't just need a "seal"; you need a "healer." Here is what unrefined shea butter keeps that refined butter loses:
1. The Natural Anti-Inflammatories Unrefined shea butter is packed with natural anti-inflammatory compounds. This is the "magic" that allows it to soothe the itch and redness from eczema, psoriasis, and general skin irritation. This property is completely destroyed in the refining process.
2. The Healing Vitamins (A & E) Raw shea butter is a rich natural source of Vitamin A (promotes cell turnover) and Vitamin E (a potent antioxidant). These vitamins are essential for healing and repairing your skin, from cracked heels to stretch marks. These, too, are lost to high heat.
3. The Deepest Moisture While refined butter can "sit on top" of skin, the rich, unrefined fatty acids are recognized by your skin and are absorbed more deeply, providing true, healing moisture to the layers that need it most.
The Verdict: Don't Settle for an Empty Moisturizer
If you just want a basic "seal," refined lotion is fine.
But if you are trying to heal dry, ashy skin, soothe eczema, or nourish your body, you need the 100% pure, vitamin-rich, unrefined "gold."
