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SoCalCosmetics

Ingredients

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The character of a product begins with its ingredients. Ours begins, most often, with shea butter and mango butter.

Raw unrefined shea butter in a ceramic bowl with whole shea nuts
Shea nuts drying in the sun in northern Ghana
Whipped body butter

01Signature ingredient

Shea Butter

Butyrospermum parkii (Vitellaria paradoxa)

The cornerstone of our catalog.

Shea butter is extracted from the kernels of the shea tree, which grows wild across the African savanna belt. In cosmetic formulations it acts as an emollient, softening and smoothing the feel of skin and giving products a characteristic cushioned richness.

Its texture is versatile. Unrefined shea carries a natural, nutty aroma and an ivory to pale yellow colour; refined grades are whiter and close to odourless, which suits delicate fragrance profiles. Shea can be whipped into airy butters, emulsified into lotions, or set with waxes into balms and lip care.

East African shea (sometimes called nilotica shea) is softer and more fluid than West African shea. Grade, origin and refinement are all discussed with each client, so the finished product matches the brand's texture, scent and story.

Role in formulations

  • Emollient that gives a rich, cushioned skin feel
  • Structure and body in butters, balms and lip care
  • Workable in whipped, emulsified and anhydrous formats
  • Unrefined or refined grades for scent control

Used across 10 categories

44 catalog products with shea butter

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Ripe mango fruit
Solid mango butter in a bowl beside fresh mango
Cream in a jar

02Signature ingredient

Mango Butter

Mangifera indica seed butter

Silk where shea brings depth.

Mango butter is obtained from the kernel inside the mango stone. It is typically pale and nearly odourless, with a firm texture at room temperature that melts smoothly on contact with skin.

Compared with shea, mango butter tends to feel lighter and silkier, absorbing quickly with less residue. That makes it a favourite for daytime lotions, facial creams, lip balms and warm-climate products.

Used alone or blended with shea and cocoa, mango butter lets brands tune the sensory profile of a product, from airy whipped butters to soft, fast-absorbing creams.

Role in formulations

  • Emollient with a silky, lightweight feel
  • Softens heavier butter blends
  • Naturally neutral aroma, so it carries fragrance well
  • Suited to face, lip, body and hair formats

Used across 10 categories

33 catalog products with mango butter

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Cocoa pods and beans

03Fat pressed from cocoa beans

Cocoa Butter

Theobroma cacao seed butter

Cocoa butter is the natural fat of the cocoa bean. It is firm and brittle at room temperature and melts close to body temperature, which makes it ideal for lotion bars, lip butters and firmer body butters.

Unrefined (natural) cocoa butter has a recognisable chocolate aroma; deodorised grades are available when a neutral scent is required.

  • Adds firmness and structure
  • Natural gourmand aroma
  • Melts close to skin temperature

Featured in 4 concepts, including Cocoa and Shea Body Butter, Shea and Cocoa Body Lotion and Shea and Cocoa Lip Butter.

Cracked coconut

04Pressed from the flesh of the coconut

Coconut Oil

Cocos nucifera oil

Virgin coconut oil is solid below roughly 24°C and carries a light coconut aroma. Refined coconut oil is neutral, while fractionated coconut oil stays liquid and feels light and dry on skin.

It is widely used to soften shea and mango butters, to carry sugar and salt in scrubs, and as a base for body oils.

  • Softens butters for easy spreading
  • Base for scrubs and oils
  • Virgin, refined or fractionated options

Featured in 17 concepts, including Whipped Shea Body Butter, Cocoa and Shea Body Butter and Coconut Shea Body Butter.

Jojoba shrub with young fruits

05Pressed from the seeds of the jojoba shrub, native to the Sonoran Desert

Jojoba Oil

Simmondsia chinensis seed oil

Jojoba grows across the Sonoran Desert of the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Its seed yields a golden liquid wax ester that is notably stable and resistant to rancidity.

In formulations it is used for its light, silky feel, especially in facial oils, creams and lip care.

  • Light, silky emollient
  • Highly stable liquid wax
  • Facial, lip and hair use

Featured in 10 concepts, including Mango and Shea Body Butter, Mango Butter Moisturizing Lotion and Mango Butter Hand Cream.

Aloe vera leaves

06Inner leaf gel of the aloe plant

Aloe Vera

Aloe barbadensis leaf juice

Aloe vera leaf juice is used in the water phase of lotions and creams, or as the base of clear gels. It contributes a fresh, light sensation and pairs well with butters in lighter, summer-oriented products.

  • Fresh, cooling feel
  • Water-phase ingredient
  • Base for clear gels

Featured in 12 concepts, including Shea Butter Daily Body Lotion, Mango and Coconut Body Lotion and Aloe and Shea Body Lotion.

Dried lavender

07A curated range of plant oils, essential oils and extracts

Botanical Oils & Extracts

Lavender, vanilla, peppermint, coffee, calendula, chamomile and more

From lavender and peppermint essential oils to vanilla, coffee grounds and calendula, botanicals let brands build a distinctive identity on a shared butter base. Selection, sourcing and use levels are discussed for every project, including any regulatory or allergen labelling considerations.

  • Scent and sensory signature
  • Natural exfoliants
  • Ingredient storytelling

Featured in 22 concepts, including Vanilla Shea Body Butter, Lavender Shea Body Butter and Vanilla Shea Body Lotion.

Ingredient information describes general cosmetic formulation properties. It is not a medical, therapeutic or clinical claim. Any claims for a finished product are reviewed and agreed during development.

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