Anti-aging and anti-inflammatory, hyper-moisturizing and super-soothing – you could say that the wide-ranging benefits of shea butter are well-known and much-loved. And yet in the shadow of shea, is mango butter – an often-overlooked beauty treat with just as many skin advantages.
Here are eight reasons to make sure your shea shares its shelf from here on in.
1. Mango butter peps your skin up – keeping it plump and youthful
The high levels of vitamin C in mango butter make all the difference when it comes to the natural volume and luminosity of your complexion (so you can say goodbye to fine lines and wrinkles, and hello to a firm, fresh-faced glow).
2. Like shea, mango butter is ultra-anti-inflammatory (so it’s lusciously soothing)
Mango butter is naturally anti-inflammatory, so it makes for the perfect antidote for inflamed, dry, and itchy skin (it can even help with the uncomfortable symptoms of eczema and psoriasis).
3. Mango butter is wonderfully healing
The nutrient-rich nature of mango butter makes it a potent healer when it comes to stretch marks, acne, scars, small cuts, and age spots (even more so, when combined with shea butter and cocoa butter).
4. Mango butter alleviates the pain of sunburn.
You know that you should take care to avoid your skin becoming sizzled by the sun (and if you don’t, you should read our guide: The Four Main Causes of Aging Skin). But no one’s perfect, and being caught out by those harmful UV rays can happen to the best of us.
If you’re feeling the burn, mango butter can come to your rescue – as it’s delightfully cooling (and also has built-in UV blockers).
5. Mango butter is an alluring alternative to commercial creams
Commercial creams are stuffed full of unhelpful additives, not to mention water and mineral oils that are used as cheap bulk ingredients. The truth of these things is that they do absolutely zero to improve your skin (although alcohol, silicone, and synthetic fragrances all make your skin feel artificially great for a limited time).
In contrast, mango is genuinely moisturizing for the long term - keeping moisture locked in. Mango butter can also boost your skin’s elasticity.
6. Mango butter takes on the unwanted effects of aging
The high antioxidant content of mango butter makes it a powerful enemy of free radicals (the toxins in pollution and foods that lead to, or exacerbate, wrinkles, age spots, and blemishes).
7. Skin LOVES Mango butter
Skin rapidly absorbs mango butter, so there’s no chance of it sitting on top of the skin and clogging up your pores in the process (which can make many skin conditions worse).
8. Mango butter takes on allergic reactions and bites with ease
Because mango butter is full of fatty acids, it can drastically reduce the maddening itching associated with insect bites and some allergic reactions. After the fatty acids have done their bit, their anti-inflammatory qualities will get to work on healing the affected skin.