Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter vs Coconut Oil: Which One for Face, Body, Hair and Babies

Shea butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil are the three plant fats most people reach for, and they behave differently on skin. Shea is the lightest on pores and the richest in the non-fat compounds that give it its reputation; cocoa and coconut are both rated highly comedogenic and are better on the body than the face. Here is the honest comparison, with where each one belongs.

The quick answer

• Shea butter: comedogenic rating 0 to 2. Soft, melts at skin temperature, ivory to yellow, nutty scent when unrefined. High in unsaponifiables (sterols, triterpenes, vitamin E). Use anywhere, including the face in small amounts.
• Cocoa butter: comedogenic rating around 4. Hard and brittle at room temperature, chocolate scent, very occlusive. Good for body, heels and elbows; too heavy for most faces.
• Coconut oil: comedogenic rating around 4. Liquid above about 24 °C, mostly saturated lauric acid, absorbs fast but can clog pores and, on some people, disrupt the barrier with regular use. Good for hair and as a cleansing oil; use with care on the face.

What is actually in each one

Shea is mostly stearic and oleic acid in a roughly balanced ratio, which is why it is both protective and easy to spread, plus an unusually large unsaponifiable fraction that survives only in unrefined butter. Cocoa butter is stearic, oleic and palmitic acid with a small unsaponifiable fraction; its value is the dense, long-lasting film it leaves. Coconut oil is about half lauric acid, a short saturated fatty acid that penetrates quickly; it has almost no unsaponifiables and offers little beyond occlusion.

Face

Shea, used sparingly. Its low comedogenic rating is the reason it turns up in face creams and under-eye creams. Cocoa and coconut sit high on the same scale and are a common cause of the "natural product broke me out" complaint.

Body, hands, heels

All three work. Shea absorbs fastest and is the most comfortable under clothes; cocoa holds the longest on heels and elbows; coconut is the lightest feel but the shortest-lasting. We blend shea with cocoa for exactly this reason in Whipped Shea Cocoa Shea.

Eczema-prone and sensitive skin

Shea, unrefined and unscented. It is the one of the three with a meaningful unsaponifiable fraction, low protein, and no fragrance unless added; the reasoning is in shea butter for eczema-prone skin. Coconut oil in particular has been reported to worsen dryness in some people with a compromised barrier.

Hair

Coconut is the classic pre-wash oil because its small molecule penetrates the hair shaft. Shea is better for ends, curls and scalp as a leave-in in small amounts. Cocoa is generally too heavy.

Babies

Shea, unscented, is a traditional first skincare across West Africa and the base of our baby line. Coconut is widely used too; cocoa's scent and heaviness make it a less common choice.

Sustainability and sourcing

All three are tropical crops. Shea is wild-harvested from uncultivated trees and, when bought direct, supports the women who process it; ours comes from the Tapko Widow's Group in Kperisi, Ghana, described in One Village, Since 2003. Cocoa and coconut are plantation crops whose supply chains vary widely, so ask any brand for a named source.

Frequently asked

Which is best for the face: shea, cocoa or coconut?

Shea, in small amounts. It is rated 0 to 2 on the comedogenic scale; cocoa butter and coconut oil are both around 4.

Which lasts longest on dry heels?

Cocoa butter, because it is the hardest and most occlusive. Shea is close behind and absorbs faster; coconut is the shortest-lasting.

Can I mix shea butter with coconut oil?

Yes; a common home blend is roughly three parts shea to one part coconut, whipped. Keep it off the face if you are acne-prone, because of the coconut.