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Dr. PAWPAW Shea Butter Multipurpose Soothing Balm
Dr. PAWPAW

Dr. PAWPAW Shea Butter Multipurpose Soothing Balm

Efficacy37/100IrritancyMedium
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Works for

1 of 2 advertised claims delivered

Moisturizing
Helianthus annuus seed oil, Butyrospermum parkii butter + 5 more
Good evidence
What the product description says
“Style short hair Seal ends Tame frizz Add texture Hydrates, nourishes, softens, soothes, protects, and heals Results.”
Source: Ulta

This product can help soften the skin and reduce its moisture loss with emollients and occlusives: butyrospermum parkii butter, helianthus annuus seed oil.

Keep in mind that this product does not contain effective ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. This is why an additional product with humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid can be helpful (apply it before this product for the best results).

Helianthus annuus seed oilKey active· Emollient, OcclusiveEffect: HighA great emollient due to its high linoleic acid content. One of the most effective plant oils in helping skin hydration and repairing skin barrier function~2.4–3.6%
Butyrospermum parkii butterKey active· Emollient, OcclusiveEffect: HighA great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals~2–3%
Ricinus communis seed oilKey active· Emollient, OcclusiveEffect: HighA plant oil that can help soften the skin. It might be helpful in calming down inflammation, but solid research is lacking. Is often used in lip products to create the needed product consistency~25–38%
Olea europaea fruit oilKey active· EmollientEffect: MediumAn emollient that helps soften the skin but is not effective for restoring its barrier function. Might be helpful to calm down inflammation~1.2–1.8%
Argania spinosa kernel oilUnder-dosedEffect: HighAn emollient that helps soften the upper layer of the skin. Might have some weak anti-oxidant properties~0.5–1.15%
Simmondsia chinensis seed oilUnder-dosedEffect: HighSoftens the upper layer of skin and helps restore the healthy skin barrier. Has shown to help calm down inflammation in skin. It is a stable oil, meaning that it retains its properties even when exposed to air.~0.95–1.4%
Aloe barbadensis leaf extractEffect: Low, below effective doseTraditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin~0.15–0.5%
Exfoliation
No ingredient credited for this claim
No evidence
What the product description says
“Dr. PAWPAW Shea Butter Balm (the organic clear version) is an award-winning multi-tasking, 100% natural, vegan and cruelty free balm packed full of organic ingredients including pawpaw (papaya) fruit, aloe vera, olive oil and shea butter.”
Source: Ulta

This product does not contain effective exfoliating ingredients. It might be able to deliver physical exfoliation, that is scrub off some of the dead cells on the surface of the skin. We do not recommend physical exfoliation, because it is not uniform (some bits of skin can get exfoliated too much while others not at all). It can also traumatize the skin and aggrevate acne and other skin conditions.

Can it cause trouble?

Irritancy
1 strong irritant: Carica papaya fruit extract
Medium risk
We flagged 7 ingredients with irritancy potential. Severity depends on your sensitivity threshold; the table lists the worst offenders first.
IngredientFunctionIrritationEst. amount
Carica papaya fruit extract—High~0.15–0.65%est.
Ricinus communis seed oilA plant oil that can help soften the skin. It might be helpful in calming down inflammation, but solid research is lacking. Is often used in lip products to create the needed product consistencyMedium~25–38%est.
Zea mays starchUsed to thicken the product's consistencyMedium~12–18%est.
Olea europaea fruit oilAn emollient that helps soften the skin but is not effective for restoring its barrier function. Might be helpful to calm down inflammationMedium~1.2–1.8%est.
Simmondsia chinensis seed oilSoftens the upper layer of skin and helps restore the healthy skin barrier. Has shown to help calm down inflammation in skin. It is a stable oil, meaning that it retains its properties even when exposed to air.Medium~0.95–1.4%est.
Argania spinosa kernel oilAn emollient that helps soften the upper layer of the skin. Might have some weak anti-oxidant propertiesMedium~0.5–1.15%est.
Aloe barbadensis leaf extractTraditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skinMedium~0.15–0.5%est.
Comedogenic
2 ingredients rated 2 or more on the 0–5 pore-clogging scale
2 flagged
These ingredients have a comedogenic rating of 2 or more on a 0–5 scale; the table shows each one's rating. In leave-on products they can clog pores in acne-prone skin.
IngredientFunctionRatingEst. amount
Zea mays starchUsed to thicken the product's consistency3/5~12–18%est.
Butyrospermum parkii butterA great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals3/5~2–3%est.
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Ingredients

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Ricinus communis seed oil~25–38%
Key activeIrritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
MoisturizingAnti-inflammatory

A plant oil that can help soften the skin. It might be helpful in calming down inflammation, but solid research is lacking. Is often used in lip products to create the needed product consistency

More about Ricinus communis seed oil
Zea mays starch~12–18%
Comedogenic 3/5Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Comedogenicity
3/5
Works for
Mattifying

Used to thicken the product's consistency

More about Zea mays starch
Hydroxystearic acid~4.2–6.2%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
Cleansing
More about Hydroxystearic acid
Candelilla cera~4–5.9%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
More about Candelilla cera
Polyglyceryl-3 distearate~2.5–3.8%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
Cleansing
More about Polyglyceryl-3 distearate
Helianthus annuus seed oil~2.4–3.6%
Key active
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
Moisturizing

A great emollient due to its high linoleic acid content. One of the most effective plant oils in helping skin hydration and repairing skin barrier function

More about Helianthus annuus seed oil
Butyrospermum parkii butter~2–3%
Key activeComedogenic 3/5
Irritation risk
Low
Comedogenicity
3/5
Works for
MoisturizingAnti-agingAnti-oxidation

A great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals

More about Butyrospermum parkii butter
Olea europaea fruit oil~1.2–1.8%
Key activeIrritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
Moisturizing

An emollient that helps soften the skin but is not effective for restoring its barrier function. Might be helpful to calm down inflammation

More about Olea europaea fruit oil
Simmondsia chinensis seed oil~0.95–1.4%
Under-dosedIrritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
Moisturizing

Softens the upper layer of skin and helps restore the healthy skin barrier. Has shown to help calm down inflammation in skin. It is a stable oil, meaning that it retains its properties even when exposed to air.

More about Simmondsia chinensis seed oil
Argania spinosa kernel oil~0.5–1.15%
Under-dosedIrritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
MoisturizingAnti-oxidation

An emollient that helps soften the upper layer of the skin. Might have some weak anti-oxidant properties

More about Argania spinosa kernel oil
Carica papaya fruit extract~0.15–0.65%
Irritant · high
Irritation risk
High
More about Carica papaya fruit extract
Glycine soja extract~0.1–0.3%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
More about Glycine soja extract
Aloe barbadensis leaf extract~0.15–0.5%
Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
Moisturizing

Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin

More about Aloe barbadensis leaf extract
Ingredient list view

Ricinus communis seed oil, Zea mays starch, Hydroxystearic acid, Candelilla cera, Polyglyceryl-3 distearate, Helianthus annuus seed oil, Butyrospermum parkii butter, Olea europaea fruit oil, Simmondsia chinensis seed oil, Argania spinosa kernel oil, Carica papaya fruit extract, Glycine soja extract, Aloe barbadensis leaf extract

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Sources cited in this review

Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 9 studies and safety reviews.

  1. 1
    Final report on the safety assessment of Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Glyceryl Ricinoleate SE, Ricinoleic Acid, Potassium Ricinoleate, Sodium Ricinoleate, Zinc Ricinoleate, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Ethyl Ricinoleate, Glycol Ricinoleate, Isopropyl Ricinoleate, Methyl Ricinoleate, and Octyldodecyl Ricinoleatencbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. 2
    Castor Oil: Properties, Uses, and Optimization of Processing Parameters in Commercial Productionncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. 3
    Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammationncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. 4
    Effect of Olive and Sunflower Seed Oil on the Adult Skin Barrier: Implications for Neonatal Skin Careonlinelibrary.wiley.com
  5. 5
    Topically Applied Sunflower Seed Oil Prevents Invasive Bacterial Infections in Preterm Infants in Egyptjournals.lww.com
  6. 6
    Effect of topically applied lipids on surfactant-irritated skinonlinelibrary.wiley.com
Dr. PAWPAW Shea Butter Multipurpose Soothing Balm
Dr. PAWPAWShea Butter Multipurpose Soothing Balm
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Find on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, WIMJ earns from qualifying purchases.