How do you recognize original shea butter?

Here are a few ways to help you identify original shea butter

Skin contact

Original shea butter melts in about ten to fifteen seconds when in contact with body temperature. Adulterated shea butter will maintain its form for a while when applied to the body

Completely melted shea butter has a golden yellow colour when you observe it through a transparent container. I have come across shea butter that was black when melted down however, this was adulterated shea butter

Colour

The natural colour of shea butter ranges from off white (not white) to a beige type of colour. Pure white shea butter is often an indicator of refined shea butter

Texture

Original shea butter is firm but easy to cut through with a knife. Unlike cocoa or mango butter which are harder, shea butter can be scooped. Shea butter isn’t greasy but sinks into the skin after applied. 

Smell

My first contact with shea butter wasn’t exactly fantastic as the smell to me was off-putting but I’ve grown accustomed to it. The smell of fresh shea is often more pungent than older shea and some would describe the smell as nutty, earthy or woodsy. As original shea gets older or when applied to the skin or hair, you notice the smell gets fainter and less pungent. If the smell persists even after it has been applied to the skin then you have a bad batch of shea butter on your hands

Ability to colour

Original shea butter takes mica powder very well and a little goes a long way. If you’re needing to add way too much mica then your shea butter isn’t original. If your mica separates from the shea butter and settle towards the bottom (not just small specks but almost the entire thing) then you have a bad batch of shea butter on your hands