Shea butter is a type of fat found in the seeds of the shea tree. This tree grows in East and West tropical Africa and produces shea fruit (which has a sweet taste). The shea seeds sit at the center of each piece of fruit, like a pit. It has several benefits as an emollient in cosmetic products, like soap. The acids in shea butter are similar to your skin’s natural ebum—the oil on your skin. Because of this, the acids in shea butter super easy for your skin to absorb. This makes shea butter a natural moisturizer. Many types of soap leave strip your skin’s natural oils away, leaving it dry and cracked. But the moisturizing effects of shea butter soap allow it to disinfect and hydrate your skin at the same time.