Why Mango Butter Doesn’t Smell Like Mangoes

Many of our customers are surprised and disappointed to find that mango butter does not actually smell like mango. The reason is mango butter is extracted from the seed of the fruit, not the flesh. And it’s pretty cool actually. The mango seed is covered by a hairy ‘hull’ that is sometimes referred to as a pit. If you cut it open there is a seed inside, and that is where mango butter comes from!

Mango kernel oil is extracted from the seed, and mango butter (the high melting point fraction of the mango kernel oil) is then separated out.

Glorious mango butter…

Mango butter is absolutely incredible. It is soft and creamy in texture, and extremely nutrient dense. It is a lot lighter in texture than shea butter and highly absorbent. Many prefer it over shea butter because it is lighter on the skin and hair, and for those who are bothered by the smell of raw shea butter, the very slight, almost imperceptible leafy scent of mango butter is a perfect alternative.

If you love both shea and mango butter you can try one of our mango shea blends (in Sandalwood & Bergamot, Vanilla Latte, Candy or the basic coconut-scented Mango Shea.)

But definitely don’t be too disappointed that mango butter doesn’t smell like the fruit. It is still absolutely incredible!