Mango butter vs shea butter: 7 differences you should know

Although both mango butter and shea butter can moisturize and soften dry or damaged skin, scalp, or hair, each has unique features and benefits.

Learn seven differences between mango butter vs shea butter, how to use them, and which one may be better for your skin.

I have used both mango and shea butter in my skincare products, such as this body butter, chocolate bath bombs or deodorant stick.

Even though mango butter and shea butter are both great ingredients to add to any DIY beauty project, they vary in the following characteristics:

mango butter vs shea butter benefits

Shea butter is extracted from the fruits of the African shea tree. The shea tree has kernels packed with fatty acids and vitamins, making shea butter nutritious for the skin, scalp, and hair. In addition, fatty acids make shea butters an excellent moisturizer that allows the skin to seal the moisture and provide immediate relief for dry and irritated skin.

Conversely, vitamins add antioxidant properties that may help repair damaged skin and boost collagen production. 

Derived from the seeds of the mango tree, Mango Butter is also rich in natural fatty acids and vitamins, possessing excellent moisturizing and nourishing properties. Antioxidants and vitamins fight free radicals in our skin and aid collagen production. 

In addition, mango butter is non-comedogenic, doesn’t clog the pores, and is suitable for people with acne-prone skin. 

Take away:

Both kinds of butter possess excellent moisturizing and nourishing properties, relieve dry and itchy skin and may support collagen production. In addition, people with acne may benefit from mango butter too.

Melting Point

While Mango butter and shea butter contain the same amount of fatty acids, they are in different proportions. Mango butter has a higher amount of oleic acid that tends to melt quickly (melting point is at 86F). Shea butter needs a longer time to melt on the skin (melting point 95F)

Mango butter is usually semi-solid when stored at cool temperatures. But soft and spreadable when it comes in contact with the skin. 

Shea butter is solid at room temperature, which may be an advantage if you live in a warmer climate and want to use butter to make bath bombs. Bath bombs with shea butter stay hard and do not melt fast in warm climates like a bath bomb made of mango butter.

Take away

Mango butter is easy to spread, whereas shea butter needs more time to apply and melt on the skin.

Mango butter vs shea butter – Scent

When it comes to scent, unrefined shea butter has a mild smoky scent often described as nutty. In the contrary, mango butter is completely unscented which gives you more control over creating awesome beauty products. You can also use it when extracting fragrance from blooms in the method called enfleurage. Even when you combine shea butter with carrier and essential oils, the nutty smell is still detectable. Once you apply shea butter on your skin, the scent will evaporate. 

Take away

The typical fragrance of shea butter may be taken into consideration when creating scented beauty products. Mango butter is a great alternative to shea since it’s completely scent-free.

Note: refined shea butter is completely unscented however lost most of its nutrients during the process.

Appearance

Mango butter has a creamy texture and white color.

Shea butter has beige/ivory color naturally unless processed. Refined shea butter is white. To benefit from its medicinal properties, you should search for unrefined shea butter. 

Sometimes in the market, you can buy“yellow shea butter” with its golden color. This shea butter usually has a yellow powder that gives it a bright yellow color.  

Greasiness

Both kinds of butter are heavy in fatty acids and thus tend to leave greasy feeling on the skin. Here are some ideas on how to make them less greasy:

• When using them in homemade skincare products Make sure the butter makes a maximum 60 % of the product,
• adding arrowroot powder that helps to absorb the greasy residue
• Alternatively, whipping them makes them fluffier and lighter

Whipping ability

Isabella from Bettersheabutter made an experiment whipping Mango butter and unrefined shea butter. And her conclusion is that Shea butter whips up light and airy and yields more jars than mango butter. Her tips for whipping are as follows “1. melt, 2. let it cool at room temp, 3. whip while it’s still liquid but not hot, 4. put in the fridge until solid, 5. take out of the fridge and leave it there for about 1 hour, 6. whip it good!”

Take away

If you are making your beauty products for a business, using shea butter will save you money.

Conclusion:

Who is the winner of this competition, Mango butter vs Shea butter? There is no clear winner because both kinds of butter are great moisturizers and possess excellent moisturizing properties for skin and hair. It is more about your personal preferences, skin type, and availability of products. I often combine 50% mango butter and 50% of shea butter to get the benefits of both. 

Mango Butter vs Shea Butter For Skin

Mango butter tends to be a better moisturizer for dry and sensitive skin as well as acne-prone skin as it doesn’t clog the pores. 

Shea butter, on the other hand, maybe a better choice for oily skin, especially its unrefined version. 

Mango Butter vs Shea Butter For Hair

Both kinds of butter work great for scalp and dry, damaged, and color-treated hair. The fatty acids, together with vitamins, help to smooth split ends, reduce dandruff, and strengthens strands.  

Mango butter may look less greasy when applied to hair than shea butter. Moreover, its lower melting point makes it easier to apply to the hair.