3 Reasons You Should Choose Nilotica Shea
At the heart of our brand is Nilotica shea — where premium natural skincare meets real-world impact. This is true luxury: pure, purposeful, and rooted in connection.
1. Unmatched Quality — From the Source
Our Nilotica shea is grown organically and harvested wild in Northern Uganda, where the Vitellaria nilotica tree grows naturally across the rolling savannah. What makes it extraordinary is not only the butter itself, but the care and knowledge behind it.
Our supplier — a remarkable Ugandan woman, Margaret Laloyo — has built a network of thousands of women harvesters and invested years in training: collecting only mature nuts, sun-drying correctly, and protecting nutrient integrity at every step. The result is Grade A, cold-pressed, certified organic shea of exceptional quality.
We package our Nilotica shea in amber glass to help protect its natural botanicals from light, supporting freshness and potency from origin to jar.
“Every batch is Grade A, cold-pressed, and organic — quality and care that can’t be replicated by industrial production.”
2. The Skin Benefits — Nature’s Most Luxurious Moisture
Cold-pressed Nilotica shea butter is naturally rich in vitamins A and E, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants. Unlike common West African shea (Vitellaria paradoxa), which is harder and waxier, Nilotica shea (Vitellaria nilotica) is softer, creamier, and melts instantly on contact with the skin. Our Nilotica shea is never heated, preserving its natural botanicals and nutrients.
Its higher oleic-acid content gives it a silky, serum-like texture that absorbs quickly, leaving skin nourished, supple, and comforted — offering a truly luxurious, beyond-the-surface moisture experience.
Deep nourishment: helps reduce the look of dryness and supports lasting hydration.
Barrier support: helps protect against moisture loss from wind, cold, and dry air.
Silky feel: creamy texture that melts into a luminous finish on contact.
Gentle by nature: whole-plant care suitable for face, body, sensitive skin, and children.
In Northern Uganda, shea is first valued as a food butter and next as an everyday skin-care staple for families — especially for their babies’ delicate skin. While our Nilotica shea is crafted for external use, that level of purity reflects Nilotica shea's natural exceptional quality and safety.
3. Real-World Impact — Roots That Run Deep
Our founder, Terra, first travelled to Uganda in 2006 and to Northern Uganda in 2007 — just as the region was emerging from a 20-year civil war that had displaced over 1.7 million people, most of them women and children.
When she first met her friend James, a local LC3 government leader, she asked what the community needed. She expected a request for materials. Instead, he said: “We need counselling. We don’t know how to live anymore.”
The war had ended, but people were struggling to rebuild their lives after years in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. Land was being cleared of landmines; families were trying to rebuild their homes. Out of this hardship grew small, women-led groups that used agriculture as a means of healing and renewal.
Terra has worked alongside these communities ever since. The laughter, tears, and daily rhythms of shared work provide a taste of restoration. To now do business and direct trade with a Ugandan women lead Shea business, feels so redemptive.
At Earth & Country, we believe business can be a bridge — a way to stand together across continents, trading not pity but respect, skill, and dignity. Direct trade with women producers means income, independence, and hope that endures beyond any single project.
Nilotica shea is more than a beautiful ingredient. It’s a story of resilience, relationship, and rebuilding — proof that luxury and purpose can share the same jar.
In Every Jar of Nilotica Shea
One ingredient. One origin. One extraordinary butter.
Pure, rare, and direct-trade — Earth & Country’s Nilotica Shea.
Tags: Nilotica Shea, Uganda, Direct Trade, Ethical Skincare, Shea Butter Benefits