Mango Butter vs. Shea Butter – Which is Better?

Let’s open the debate! Discover all you need to know about mango butter vs. shea butter. Both have their uses believe me! Make your choice using this detailed guide.

I’d love to be straight with you and answer the mango butter vs. shea butter in one swift hit. 

But! It’s not that simple. 

This is why I’ll dedicate this entire post to a (hopefully) non-biased, well-rounded rundown on which is better.

After all, the answer of which is better depends on so many factors, such as intended use, personal preference, finances, skin type, availability, cost, etc.

Read on to discover which is best for you and your needs.

After all, it’s a subjective decision. So let’s dive in!

Where do these butters come from? 

Mango butter

Mango butter comes from the dried seed of the mango fruit itself.

It’s pressed to extract the ‘fat’ and then processed; in doing so, the natural fat of the mango seed is extracted and used for many purposes, one of which is to make mango butter. 

It’s harvested in several continents, but mainly in Africa and Asia, for mass production purposes.

Shea butter

Shea butter is native to Africa and emanates from the Shea tree. Similarly to mango butter, shea butter comes from the shea tree’s seed. 

Shea has been used for many centuries in traditional African culture for its moisturizing, gloss-enhancing, and beautifying properties. 

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Texture

Greasiness

As both Shea and Mango are natural forms of butter, they are both very moisturizing. 

Natural butters such as these can be overly moisturizing actually, depending on your skin type, leaving the skin feeling greasy and smothered. 

So let’s look at it factually.

To understand greasiness means to look at the fat content of the butter. 

Therefore, weight for weight, mango butter contains less fat than shea butter, which in theory, means Shea butter would feel greasy (er) on your skin.

Absorption rate 

Much like the greasiness topic, mango butter tends to absorb quicker compared to shea butter. This is, again, because of the fat content. 

If you were to smear a fingertip of shea butter on your skin, it wouldn’t melt immediately. It might last a good few seconds. 

Mango butter, on the other hand, would sink in pretty quickly due to having less fat in it.

This is preferable to some people and would suit those whose skin is perhaps oily or combination in behavior. 

Skin benefits

Shea butter

Shea butter is deeply moisturizing and leaves the skin feeling soft, smooth, and hydrated. It improves the elasticity of the skin and is great for dehydrated or aging types.

It contains anti-inflammatory compounds which are helpful in healing the skin in cases of sunburn, skin damage, and pigmentation. 

Mango butter

Mango butter is also moisturizing but is lighter in texture than shea butter and absorbs more readily. 

It, too, has anti-inflammatory properties and is believed to prevent pores from getting clogged up – helping the skin breathe better and feel revitalized when applied. 

Hair benefits

Shea butter

Shea butter, when used on the hair, offers deep moisturization, which is great for dull, dry, frizzy ends. 

It helps with manageability, meaning your hair should behave better and look healthier once applied. 

It’s also great for scalp health, adding much-needed moisture at the roots, which helps reduce the risk of dandruff. 

Mango butter

Mango butter is helpful in helping the hair retain moisture while having a softening effect which lasts several days. 

It’s popular to use as a detangling agent and, in the same way, could be useful as a styling butter, helping tame frizzy ends and keep the hair where you want it!

Scent

Shea butter

The scent of both shea and mango butter varies somewhat, depending on the quality of the butter, the manufacturing process, the age of the butter, and what it’s stored in. 

And, of course, versions of both can be purchased, which have added fragrances in too, making it even more confusing!

To put it simply, if you were to buy pure, organic versions of both, you’d find that the shea has a very distinct yet mild, nutty scent. 

Mango butter

Mango butter has little to no scent at all. Some describe what faint scent it has as almost sweet, but overall, it’s very faint.

Shelf life and storage

Shea butter

If stored the right way, which is in a sealed container away from direct sunlight, shea butter can last anywhere up to two years. 

Mango butter

Exactly like shea butter, mango butter can last up to 2 years if stored correctly out of sunlight in a sealed container so it doesn’t dry out. 

Availability & Price

Shea butter

Overall, you’re more likely to find shea butter on the shelves of a store compared to mango butter.

It’s more readily available and is used in numerous cosmetic items and personal care products, making it a popular choice for DIY homemakers.

The price of shea butter varies, too, depending on the size you buy and how refined or unrefined it is. 

You’re probably looking at spending around $10 for a pound of pure unrefined shea butter to give you a ballpark figure. 

Mango butter

You may find that mango butter is harder to find compared to shea butter.

This is because the process of making mango butter is more effort (aka more costly), and the availability of mango butter is therefore slightly lower. 

This makes it generally more expensive to buy.

But as always, shop around and get competitive prices on both. Research is key!

Popular uses

Both mango butter and shea butter are wonderful to use in skincare, cosmetics, hair care, and even in candle making!

Here’s a recipe to make a DIY whipped mango butter, which is a luxurious but light moisturizer for the whole body. 

As for shea butter, I’ve got a fantastic shea butter soap recipe and a homemade body butter stick that you could try. Both are great when traveling or on vacation!

Key Takeaways

Ultimately, there are some similarities between shea butter and mango butter, but really, neither is better than the other. 

It all depends on which you prefer, what you want to use it for, and the availability of it. 

I would say try both!

See which you prefer. DIY products are fun and engaging, and really, you can’t go far wrong if you stick to following the recipes!

Why not check out more of my posts here to get you started? 

• Homemade stretch mark cream
• Natural shea butter lotion recipe
• How to make vegan lip balm