Updated October 2026
Yes, you can mix shea butter and mango butter, and they make a lovely pair. Shea is soft and rich, while mango butter is firmer and lighter on the skin, so blending them gives you a body butter that spreads easily, sinks in faster and holds its shape better in a warm room than shea alone.
Below I'll show you how the two compare, which ratios I use, how to mix them, and three easy recipes. For all the ways I use shea, see my 10 shea butter uses with DIY recipes. Jump to the recipes.
Shea Butter vs Mango Butter
Both are plant butters that are solid at room temperature and melt on contact with warm skin. They just feel a little different.
| Shea Butter | Mango Butter | |
|---|---|---|
| Comes from | Nuts of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) | Seed kernels of the mango (Mangifera indica) |
| Texture in the jar | Soft and scoopable | Firmer, can be a little crumbly |
| Feel on skin | Rich and protective, slower to sink in | Lighter and silkier, less greasy |
| Scent | Unrefined is mildly nutty; refined is nearly scentless | Usually sold refined and nearly scentless |
| I reach for it for | Very dry skin, heels, elbows, overnight | Hands, daytime, warm weather |
Both are usually rated low on comedogenic charts. See my comedogenic ratings list, and read more about mango butter in my mango butter spotlight.
Why Mix Shea and Mango Butter?
- Easier to spread: mango softens shea's heavy feel, and shea keeps mango from feeling crumbly.
- Less greasy: the blend absorbs faster than straight shea, so it's nice for hands and daytime.
- Holds up better: a mango-heavy blend stays firmer in a warm bathroom or in summer.
- Easy to customize: change the ratio to make it richer or lighter.
Best Shea to Mango Butter Ratios
| Ratio (shea : mango) | Feel | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 50 : 50 | Balanced, creamy | Everyday body butter |
| 70 : 30 | Richer, heavier | Very dry skin, winter, feet |
| 30 : 70 | Lighter, firmer | Hands, warm weather |
For a softer, more whippable butter, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of a liquid oil like jojoba for every 1/2 cup of butter.
How to Mix Shea Butter and Mango Butter
Mango butter is too firm to whip smoothly straight from the jar, so I melt the two together gently first.
- Melt: add both butters to a heat-safe glass bowl or measuring cup set in a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until just melted, then take it off the heat.
- Add liquid oil: stir in your jojoba or other liquid oil.
- Chill: pop the bowl in the fridge until the edges are firm and the center is soft and cloudy.
- Whip: whip with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add essential oils now and whip again.
- Jar it: spoon into clean, dry jars and store somewhere cool.
Chilling quickly helps prevent the grainy texture shea can get when it cools slowly. If you'd rather skip heat, you can still whip shea on its own. Here's how to whip shea butter without heat.
Shea and Mango Butter Recipes
Whipped Shea and Mango Body Butter (about 1%)
Adults and kids 6+
- 1/4 cup shea butter
- 1/4 cup mango butter
- 2 Tbsp jojoba oil
- 15 drops lavender
- 10 drops sweet orange
- 4 oz glass jar
Method: Melt the shea and mango butters together, stir in the jojoba and chill until the edges are firm. Whip until fluffy, add the essential oils and whip again. Spoon into a jar and smooth a small amount over dry skin after a shower.
Lightweight Hand Butter (about 2%)
Adults
- 2 Tbsp shea butter
- 2 Tbsp mango butter
- 1 Tbsp jojoba oil
- 12 drops lavender
- 12 drops geranium
- 2 oz glass jar
Method: Melt, chill and whip as above, then mix in the essential oils. Keep it by the sink and rub a pea-sized amount into your hands and cuticles. Geranium and lavender give it a soft, rosy scent. More hand ideas in my shea butter hand cream recipe.
Unscented Shea and Mango Butter
All ages. No essential oils.
- 1/4 cup shea butter
- 1/4 cup mango butter
- 2 Tbsp jojoba oil
Method: Melt, chill and whip as above. This plain version is my pick for sensitive skin, for anyone who doesn't want scent, and for little ones. Shea comes from a tree nut, so check with your pediatrician before using it on babies.
Safety Tips
- Keep body butters at 1 to 2%, and 1% for the face, kids and sensitive skin. My dilution chart has the drop counts.
- Patch test a new blend on your inner arm first.
- If you have a tree nut allergy, check with your doctor before using shea. If you're allergic to mango, skip mango butter.
- If you're pregnant or nursing, check with your doctor before using essential oils, or make the unscented version.
- Scoop with clean, dry fingers. Water in the jar can lead to spoilage.
Using the Blend for Hair
A shea and mango blend is nice for taming dry, frizzy ends. Warm a tiny amount between your palms and smooth it over the ends only. It's rich, so a little goes a long way, and too much can leave hair heavy.
Keep Exploring
- 10 shea butter uses with DIY recipes
- Best essential oil to mix with shea butter
- How to whip shea butter without heat
- Mango butter benefits and uses
- Cocoa butter benefits
- Homemade shea butter bath melts
Shop my Aromatherapy Supply Kits and grab one of my free essential oil guides.
Free Shea Butter Recipes Guide
Grab my free Shea Butter Recipes Guide for 10 recipes, a printable dilution chart and safety tips.
