Body butters are built on solid plant butters such as shea, cocoa or mango, often whipped with oils. Many contain no water at all, which makes them richer than a lotion and often means a shorter ingredient list.
Some products called "butter cream" do contain water. The first few ingredients tell you which kind you are holding.
Reading the label
- Shea on the label
- Shea butter is listed as Butyrospermum parkii butter, or under its newer name Vitellaria paradoxa. Cocoa butter is Theobroma cacao seed butter.
- Anhydrous
- An anhydrous (water-free) butter does not need the same preservatives as a cream. If water is on the list, a preservative system should be too.
