Shea, Baobab, Marula and More: The Heritage Ingredients of Africa
Africa is a continent of 54 countries and countless beauty traditions, and it has given the world some of skincare's most beloved ingredients. Many of them come with deep histories, and with communities whose livelihoods depend on how fairly they're bought. Let's meet a few.
Shea butter: West Africa's "women's gold"
Shea butter comes from the nuts of the shea tree, which grows wild across the savanna belt of West Africa. Collecting and processing shea is traditionally women's work. EU-supported development projects estimate that around 2.2 million women collect shea nuts in Nigeria alone, and report that demand for West African shea has grown about 600% in 20 years (EU capacity4dev). Research in northern Ghana describes shea processing as a key source of income and independence for women, while noting the lack of finance, water and equipment they face (Ayelazuno & Yaro, 2024).
In formulas: rich, cushiony and a classic for body butters, balms and creams. Unrefined Shea keeps its nutty scent and colour, while Refined Shea is neutral and great for fragrance-free products.
Baobab: the "tree of life"
The baobab, with its giant bottle-shaped trunk, is iconic across the African savanna. Baobab Seed Oil is a light, soft oil that suits facial oils and hair serums. A review of South Africa's growing cosmetics industry highlights baobab among the country's indigenous ingredients (Gebashe et al., Cosmetics, 2022).
Marula: the southern African favourite
Marula trees grow across southern Africa, and the oil pressed from the kernels has been used locally for generations. The same review covers marula oil's cosmetic uses (Gebashe et al.), and a wider review of plant oils includes it among oils studied for skin (Poljšak & Kočevar Glavač, 2022). It's rich, silky and resistant to oxidation. Try Marula Oil.
Kalahari melon: the desert survivor
This wild melon grows in the dry Kalahari, where it has been a source of water and food. Its seed oil is about 51% linoleic and 37% oleic acid. A small study of 20 women found it didn't irritate skin and reduced water loss (Komane et al., 2017). A lovely light oil for facial and baby formulas: Kalahari Melon Seed Oil.
Moringa: the "miracle tree"
Moringa grows across Africa and South Asia. Moringa Seed Oil is stable and silky, while Moringa Leaf Extract brings antioxidant-rich botanical goodness.
Chebe: a hair tradition from Chad
Chebe powder is a traditional mixture used by Basara women in Chad, applied with oils to the lengths of braided hair to help retain length. Allure notes that it helps hair keep length rather than making it grow, and that there are no scientific studies yet, so patch testing is wise (Allure via Yahoo). It's a good reminder to respect traditions without over-claiming.
Sourcing fairly
Traditional ingredients often come with traditional knowledge. Under the Nagoya Protocol, in force since 2014, using genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge for research and development can require prior informed consent and fair benefit-sharing (CBD factsheet; Cosmetics Business). For brands, good questions to ask suppliers:
- Where exactly does this come from, and who harvested it?
- Is it wild-harvested sustainably, or cultivated?
- Are producers (often women's cooperatives) paid fairly?
- Is any traditional-knowledge or benefit-sharing agreement involved?
A "savanna" body butter idea
Whip shea with a splash of baobab and Kalahari melon oil and a little Tocopherol. Simple, rich and full of story.
Explore Butters, Carrier Oils and Traditional Heritage Ingredients.