Shea Butter Lotion, Raw, 4 Ounce

The scent is wonderful, like a vacation in a jar! As others have mentioned, it is more papaya than coconut, but both coconut & shea are there as undertones. The product absorbs quickly and leaves very little residue. It does not leave the skin feeling oily, but there can be a slight sort of powdery feel, which is the slightest bit sticky after applying if I use a lot. It is one of the best moisturizers I've tried - works amazing for my hands, feet, elbows & knees, which easily get ashy/flakey in low humidity. Texture issues & how I solved them: I first tried this shea butter at a health food store, however they were out of stock of the heavenly smelling Coconut & Papaya, so I ordered it off Amazon (better price here too). In the store the product had a hard, refrigerated butter-like consistency, but melted to the touch. The product I received was opposite in texture. The top layer was mostly solid white, as expected, but as soon as I dipped a finger into the jar, it disintegrated and revealed white chunks of either shea or coconut suspended in a yellow oil, with more of the gritty chunks at the bottom. My product resembled a body scrub compared to what I had tried in store. Based on the ingredients list I'm guessing what happened is the coconut or shea separated from the essential oils. I fixed this by wrapping the jar in aluminum foil & placing it in a bowl of hot water until the product liquefied, stirring a few times. I waited a few hours for it to cool and then placed it in the fridge overnight. I pulled it out in the morning, and by the evening I found it had the most wonderful whipped-like texture. Keep in mind that this fix may alter/breakdown some of the anti-aging/skin brightening benefits listed on the jar. Since I am using this as a body moisturizer, potentially losing those benefits does not bother me, but if you are concerned about it, heating the product may not be a good solution.

I'm not sure what Nubian did to change their formula, but the new one stinks - literally. I used to love this Shea Butter, it was the only product that made my rough hands feel smooth without the greasy feel. I loved it - I told everyone about it. It used to be smooth and silky going on and I loved the smell. Often times I would just rub it on just for the smell and feel even though I didn't need any - it was long lasting. This new one is gritty and does not go on smoothly. It was like a bunch of little beads. Ok, I could deal with that once the beads melt, however the smell was rancid. It smelled like the oils went bad. I couldn't use it and had to get a refund. Sadly I am disappointed. After reading all the reviews and my experience, I now have to find something like their old product. Sad for this company to lose so many customers. Hopefully they are listening and do something about it.

This moisturizer has a lot going for it: it's 98% natural, it doesn't irritate the skin or cause breakouts, and it's very rich! This has helped restore my facial volume, calm down irritation, and even my skintone. And it smells fabulous! Originally, I was going to return it because it smelled too strong, but it turns out I was using too much. Some advice on using it as a moisturizer: If you're oily-skinned like me, realize that this moisturizer will absorb very well, but your skin will still produce oil that kind of sits on the surface. Be sure to remove the oil your skin produces (I use blotting papers or tissues) so that it doesn't just sit there on your face and make a good environment for pimples. I like to put this moisturizer on while my face is still damp for the most absorption. You only need the smallest amount. I generally rub a pea-sized (or smaller) amount between my palms or keep it in a warm area so that it is easier to spread. If you don't let it melt, it will be grainy and you'll have to work it in your face. I like to work this in my face anyway to give myself a nice face massage. Wait 15-30 minutes prior to putting on makeup so you can remove any residue or extra moisturizer you may have put on if you were being too generous. If you don't have that kind of time in your morning regimen, this would be a fantastic night cream with something lighter during the day. It works VERY well under makeup. I haven't had any problems with it balling up under oil-free foundations (I use MUFE HD, L'oreal True Match, MAC Face & Body, and Clinique Mattifying powder). I don't use face primers (I only use eye makeup primer),so I don't know if that would change the results. Remember, the oil from your skin will still come through (this isn't mattifying), but not in crazy amounts. Make sure to blot WELL after applying your makeup and to set with a mattifying powder in your oily areas and things will stay under control for several hours.

I have been using the hemp/neem/vetiver salve for a year now. Nubian Heritage is amazing! I have VERY sensitive irish skin with eczema and a natural tendancy to get hives from anything prickly(from wool to spruce trees). I love the smell of this lotion without being too girly, it is a nice scent which lingers just enough to make you smile. Besides smell, the anti-inflamatory properties are amazing and help with everything from swollen red bumps and razor burn to sunburn and infected areas. Neem is an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial as well as being an amazing moisturizer and acne killer. I use this salve on my whole body after regular lotion and pay special attention to my face, shaved areas, and bumps/bugbites/anything out of ordinary. This has become a staple in my cabinet even though I make my own salves with raw shea butter...the quality and smell of NH is awesome! BE AWARE this is a SALVE not a cream. It is hard and softens to liquid at body temperature. Not not expect a 'lotion'...expect a healing balm.

The first jar I received was a delightfully smooth buttery texture--lovely smell and works well to moisturize. However, the second jar I purchased, spilled all over when I opened it. I figured it was just melted, and if I left it out it would return to a pleasant texture. However, the consistency remained part liquid oil mixed with very hard wax solids. Not usable. I am avoiding the second purchase and using the last bits from the first jar I purchased. I am sorry for giving a not-so-good review to a normally delightful product, but I am disappointed in my second purchase. More quality control on the production line would be helpful. I returned the purchase for an exchange. The replacement jar was again unusable-- a mass of hard wax. Again, I am returning the latest jar for a replacement in hopes of eventually receiving a jar from a "good" batch. BTW the latest bad jar is from lot 07240SR6B. I have returned another jar and reordered it again. Unfortunately, I have yet to receive a product of the original quality. All subsequent orders have been the consistency of candle wax. Why has the product changed? As explained below, the wax should melt on contact, but it doesn't. When applied, it crumbles into little hard beads, which wouldn't be a problem if the little beads did not fall and create a slippery mess on the floor. So it does soften, but only when it lands on the floor and is stepped on.

I'm a fan of Nubian Heritage's neat parcels of shea butter. Not too big of a size (compared to larger raw shea butters you could get), but it does last a decent amount of time. I've never had a problem melting it down and blending it into the skin. I feel like anyone who complains about the texture or stiffness doesn't know how to use shea butter. To me, what sets Nubian Heritage apart is their scents. I love them, they're confident, strong, herbaceous. I always go with African Black Soap anything but it's definitely it's own kind of African Black Soap smell. The Honey and Nigella Seed is probably my personal favorite, spicy and warm and complex. The Frankincense and Myrrh smells delicious musk to me, but someone at work asked me why I smelled like Vaseline. So, to each their own!

WARNING!!! DANGER THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS SOY: This is the ingredient description I found at several web sites: The Nubian Heritage Raw Shea Butter Collection are recipes of essential vitamins, skin and hair-nourishing ingredients, including Vitamins E and B-5, Soy Milk, Jojoba Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Macadamia Seed Oil. The unique formulas are infused with a special essential oil blend of Frankincense, Myrrh, The label on the product lists only lists Shea frankincense, myrrh, vitamin E, and essential oil blend. You would never rub peanut butter on a child allergic to peanuts. The reason you can no longer get peanuts on planes is that people can develop anaphylaxis from inhaling the dust from peanuts and die. Soy is among the nine most common food allergens. A hypersensitivity to dietary substances from soy causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms for millions of people. The most severe food allergy reaction is called anaphylaxis and is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention and treatment with Epinephrine. I am shocked that Amazon does not require companies to list potentially deadly ingredients and inform customers of such a dangerous ingredient. I developed a skin rash on my arms and legs where I had spread this cream. On areas where the skin was broken (a scrap and bug bits) my skin became swollen and red. I keep Epinephrine with me at all times do to my soy allergy and would never have purchased this product had I known it contained soy protein. Soy has proteins in common with peanuts so people with peanut allergies as well as soy reactions need to be careful. My husband never eats soy because of my allergy. If my husband kissed my neck and then kissed my lips I could have experienced anaphylaxis. My first episode of anaphylaxis nearly ended my life. The treatment for my last episode of anaphylaxis left me with permanent heart damage. I have a right to know I am exposing myself to such a potentially dangerous ingredient. I did call Nubian Heritage at 631-842-8800 and reached an answering machine with the message "there is not enough room to record any more messages". My internet research said the Founder is Richelieu Dennis and they appear to be a very small operation out of Amityville NY. The Nubian Heritage company should not be allowed to advertise on Amazon's web site.

This stuff is really thick -- the consistency and color of a good quality ghee. Scrape some out and warm it in your hands (it will melt), rub it on areas that need soothing and or intense moisturizing. Although it seems greasy at first, it does rub in -- just keep massaging. Fantastic stuff. I use it on mild red bumps that I get on the backs of my 47 year old upper arms. When I use it regularly, the bumps are gone. When I miss a few days, they come back. Really soften skins. Just amazing, and I love the scent. Possibly those who said it stank, got a bad batch. This stuff is so much like butter, I can see how it could go bad.