What it is
Unsaponifiables are the portion of a fat that does not form soap when treated with alkali; for shea butter this fraction is unusually large and rich in compounds such as triterpene esters, phytosterols, and tocopherols. This concentrate is prized as a skin-conditioning emollient that delivers shea's active lipid components in a more potent form than the whole butter. In formulations it softens and conditions skin.
Safety & warnings
Shea unsaponifiables are generally well tolerated and considered low on the comedogenicity scale. As a refined shea fraction it is generally considered low-risk regarding tree-nut allergy, but individuals with severe tree-nut allergy may wish to exercise caution.
Origin & sourcing
Natural, plant-derived; the unsaponifiable fraction isolated from shea butter.
Questions everyone asks
What are unsaponifiables?
They are the part of a fat that does not turn into soap with alkali; in shea this fraction is notably rich in sterols, triterpenes, and tocopherols.
Why use the unsaponifiable fraction instead of shea butter?
It concentrates shea's skin-conditioning lipid components in a more potent form than whole shea butter.