Shea Nilotika - East African shea butter

The Rare African Shea Butter That Melts Like Mousse

100% pure, cold-pressed East African Nilotika. Never boiled, bleached or waxy - it melts on contact and sinks in without grease.

4.9 out of 5 from 346 reviews

Shop Pure Nilotika
  • USDA Certified Organic
  • Cruelty-free
  • Ethically sourced since 1999

Not the shea butter you know

Most shea butter is hard, yellow and smells smoky. Nilotika is a different tree, a different nut, and a different butter.

Generic West African shea

  • Hard and grainy
  • Needs rubbing to melt
  • Often refined or bleached to hide the smoky scent
  • Can sit on the skin, greasy

Shea Terra's East African Nilotika

  • Naturally soft, whipped texture
  • Melts on contact
  • Mild, naturally sweet scent
  • 100% raw, unrefined and certified organic

Why it is so soft

25% more oleic acid than standard shea butter

Nilotika grows in the soil and climate of the Nile basin, and its nuts carry a naturally higher share of oleic acid, the fatty acid your skin uses to hold moisture. That is what gives the butter its low melting point: it turns to oil the moment it touches skin and sinks in, instead of sitting on top.

Ours is cold-pressed from the raw nut and never boiled, fried or refined, so the provitamin A and vitamin E stay in the jar.

Harvested with the people who grow it

We buy directly from women's cooperatives in East Africa who hand-harvest the nuts from wild trees, so the trees stay standing and the income stays in the villages. Flown in fresh, pressed in small batches, since 1999.

What our community says

Rated 4.9 out of 5 by 346 customers

  • I will continue to buy it for as long as it's available.

    One of those products you worry they will stop making because you love it so much. It really is different than regular shea butter, it's smooth and melts quickly in your hand.

    Nicole M., St Louis, US Verified buyer

Choose your Nilotika

Start with the pure, unscented butter. Prefer a scent? Seven naturally scented options, the same butter underneath. And for those who like it firmer, our classic Ghana Gold.

Questions, answered

Does it leave a greasy residue?

No. Nilotika has a lower melting point than West African shea, so it melts on contact and sinks in. A little goes a long way: warm a pea-sized amount between your fingers and press it into damp skin.

How does it smell?

The fragrance-free butter has the mild, nutty scent of raw shea, nothing smoky, because it is cold-pressed and never boiled or refined. The scented butters add natural essential oils such as African lavender or Marrakesh menthe and vanilla.

Can I use it on my face?

Yes. It is 100% pure and certified organic, rich in provitamin A and vitamin E, and gentle enough for the eye area, lips, cuticles and hair. Choose the fragrance-free butter for sensitive or reactive skin.

How is it different from other shea butter?

It comes from the East African shea tree, Vitellaria nilotica, grown in the Nile basin. Its nuts are naturally higher in oleic acid, which is why the butter is soft and creamy instead of hard and waxy, and why it absorbs so quickly.