Shea butter is a fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa). It is ivory in color when raw, with more processed versions being white in color, although it is commonly dyed yellow with borututu root or palm oil. It is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion. Shea butter is edible and is used in food preparation in some African countries. Occasionally, shea butter is mixed with other oils as a substitute for cocoa butter, although the taste is noticeably different.

The English word "shea" comes from s’í, the tree's name in Bambara. It is known by many local names, e.g., Kpakahili in Dagbani, taama in Waala, nkuto in Twi, kaɗe or kaɗanya in Hausa, Òkwùmá in Igbo language, òrí in Yoruba language, karité in the Wolof language of Senegal, ori in some parts of West Africa, and many others.

Shea butter is a fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa). It is ivory in color when raw, with more processed versions being white in color, although it is commonly dyed yellow with borututu root or palm oil. It is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer, salve or lotion. Shea butter is edible and is used in food preparation in some African countries. Occasionally, shea butter is mixed with other oils as a substitute for cocoa butter, although the taste is noticeably different.

The English word "shea" comes from s’í, the tree's name in Bambara. It is known by many local names, e.g., Kpakahili in Dagbani, taama in Waala, nkuto in Twi, kaɗe or kaɗanya in Hausa, Òkwùmá in Igbo language, òrí in Yoruba language, karité in the Wolof language of Senegal, ori in some parts of West Africa, and many others.