Rate My SPF

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters

What Shea Butter Ethyl Esters is & what it does

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters are derived from shea butter through transesterification, producing a lighter, more fluid emollient than the original butter. In skincare and sunscreen they provide a soft, smooth skin feel and help condition the skin surface without a heavy or waxy residue. They are valued as a plant-based way to add slip and a velvety after-feel.

What does Shea Butter Ethyl Esters do in skincare?

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters are a lighter, more fluid emollient derived from shea butter. They soften and condition the skin surface and give a smooth, velvety feel without the heaviness of the original butter. In sunscreens and creams they add elegant slip and a soft after-feel.

Is Shea Butter Ethyl Esters natural or synthetic?

They are derived from natural shea butter but modified through a process called transesterification to make a lighter ester. So the ingredient is naturally derived but not used in its raw, unprocessed form. The shea source is plant-based.

Is Shea Butter Ethyl Esters vegan?

Shea butter comes from the nut of the shea tree, so shea-derived esters are plant-based and generally suitable for vegan formulas. Whether a finished product is fully vegan depends on its other ingredients and any testing policies. The shea-derived component itself is not animal-sourced.

Sunscreens with Shea Butter Ethyl Esters

We rate 52 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

← All ingredients